Griffinfort. One of the Six Major Forts in the Bivins Kingdom.
"I can't believe such a rundown place has such a massive castle!"
"Hahaha! We're gonna make a killing on this battlefield!"
"Moonlight's Smile, Calotte? I can't believe that germaphobe came too!"
"The Buggy Pirates! Those are from Buggy's Delivery, under Buggy the Clown, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"
"I heard those guys are all hardened criminals who escaped Impel Down!"
The streets teemed with countless bizarre and fierce-looking individuals: pirates, retired soldiers, professional mercenaries, gangsters... all of them hired guns.
While the Church of the Night had slaughtered the royalty and grand nobles of the capital (Crofort), it didn't mean other regions were devoid of powerful aristocratic families. Griffinfort, in particular, was controlled by the traditional noble factions of the Bivins Kingdom.
These noble factions formed a cohesive council, comprising dozens to hundreds of families. Some yearned to usurp the throne and replace the former royal family, while others merely sought to safeguard their existing status and wealth. United by the existential threat posed by the Chris Pirates, the Church of the Night, and the Revolutionary Army, they had banded together.
Among the myriad factions, the newly formed Noble Council was the weakest. Their soldiers were secondary; with their vast wealth, they could easily raise an army of 100,000. However, without high-level combatants or strong leadership, their forces would merely be cannon fodder.
Thus, all members of the Noble Council pooled their resources, lavishly spending money to recruit mercenaries from the underworld. No matter their background, as long as they had strength and were willing to fight, money was no object.
Naturally, many renowned mercenaries felt the risk of confronting the Chris Pirates on the Bivins battlefield was too high, fearing repercussions from such a powerful crew. They refused the offer, with examples like Germa 66 and the Crimson Family.
However, many more mercenaries, unable to resist the lure of immense wealth, hoped to strike it rich on the battlefield. They accepted the Noble Council's recruitment, including Buggy's Delivery, the pirate dispatch company founded by the Seven Warlord of the Sea, "Clown" Buggy.
There were also fools who, clinging to a thread of luck, believed the Chris Pirates were all bark and no bite, dismissing the danger.
Thump, thump, thump, thump...
Suddenly, the ground vibrated slightly as heavy footsteps echoed through the street. Countless heads turned, and towering, colossal figures appeared before them.
Leading the charge was a giant with long, dark brown hair that reached his thighs and a matching beard. He wore a metal helmet with goggles, immense metal gauntlets, black shorts beneath a brown belt, and long, dark brown boots that resembled strips of fabric.
The other giants were similarly armed or armored.
"Th-that's a giant!"
"There are giants here?! Who are they?"
"Hajrudin! That's 'Giant Mercenary' Hajrudin!"
"They're from Buggy's Delivery, an S-Class mercenary group!"
Someone recognized the giants. A century ago, the Giant Warrior Pirates had shaken the seas, and the names of Blue Ogre Dorry and Red Ogre Brogy were still whispered today.
The Giant Race, as a whole, possessed astonishing combat power. Big Mom herself once claimed that with the aid of the giants, she would have long since defeated the Yonko Shanks, Kaido, and even Whitebeard.
Thus, every power in the world coveted the strength of giants, yet very few possessed them. Aside from the Giant Kingdoms led by Elbaf, the World Government and the Marines were the only other factions with significant numbers of giant warriors.
…
Griffinfort. Inner Keep Grand Hall.
"Hey! The original agreement didn't say anything about fighting the Chris Pirates!"
"Are you crazy?! You want to clash with the Chris Pirates? Who do you think you are, a Yonko? Or the Marines?"
"Golden Ring Aeridar himself is here! If we kill him, we'll become famous overnight!"
"Tch, stop dreaming! Forget Golden Ring Aeridar; even his three Top Commanders are beyond our capability!"
"Let's not even think about those top-tier figures. Taking down any ordinary Chris Pirate officer would be enough to make our names!"
Several elegantly dressed middle-aged nobles watched the boisterous mercenaries, completely at a loss. Faced with such a fierce and intimidating group, these pampered lords were too terrified to speak.
The mercenaries had only dared to come because they hadn't been informed that they would be facing the Chris Pirates. If they had known the full scope of the situation, many would have refused, and at least half of them would have been absent.
For example, Buggy the Clown would never have taken on this mercenary mission if he knew it involved clashing with the Chris Pirates.
"SILENCE!"
Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed through the hall, and everyone immediately quieted down.
They turned to the source of the voice. There were two elegantly dressed middle-aged nobles, a knight in black-and-white crosses, and two men in black-and-white cross cassocks. The man who had shouted was a black-haired individual in black-and-white clothes and trousers, wearing a black feathered coat, and wielding a black katana.
"This guy is..."
"Mondos Bank! A pirate with a 710 million Berry bounty, known as the 'Night Executioner'!"
"Those outfits… they're from the Church of the Night!"
"The Church of the Night, disrupting this country... How did these noble lords get involved with them?"
Whispers erupted, but facing a pirate with a bounty over 700 million, they instinctively lowered their voices, no longer daring to be as brazen as before.
Seeing Mondos Bank's imposing presence, the others behind him nodded in satisfaction.
"Let me tell you, the Church of the Night will be joining forces with the Noble Council to collectively resist the Chris Pirates!" Bank declared, dropping another bombshell. "If you are willing to accept our employment, we will provide you with money, several times over your usual rate!"
This announcement stunned all the mercenary leaders.
"Fools! I wouldn't do it for any amount of money!"
"Exactly! Money can always be earned, but a man's life isn't something you can always keep!"
"You think you can fight the Chris Pirates? Do you think you're a Yonko crew?"
At Bank's words, the room erupted. Many openly mocked him.
"Whether we can win or not, we won't know until we fight," Bank said, his expression unchanged, showing no anger. "If we can withstand the Chris Pirates' assault, even if it's a stalemate, I believe your reputations will be vastly enhanced."
His words made the mercenaries pause and consider.
"At that point, you'll have fame and fortune. Why would you worry about not making a name for yourselves in the future?"
Bank sneered inwardly, but his face remained impassive as he continued his insidious persuasion. "Every venture carries risk. But if you're in this line of work, you should know that your head is always on the line. Wanting to make money and gain fame without putting your life on the line? It's not that easy!"
"He's right, you can't get money and fame without fighting for it!"
"But the Chris Pirates are too strong! It's practically a suicide mission!"
"Anything can happen on the battlefield! If we can take down even one Chris Pirate officer, we'll truly make a name for ourselves!"
"That sounds great, but money and fame are for the living, not the dead!"
Dozens of mercenary leaders conversed amongst themselves, some deciding to stay, others wavering, and some entirely unmoved.
"Time is short. You have one hour to decide. Those willing to accept the employment should stay and register. Your bounty will be tripled!" Bank looked at everyone, his voice cold. "Those unwilling to accept the employment can pack their bags and leave!"