By following Creed, Redfield's heart as a warrior had hardened even further. He understood all too well how lofty Creed's ambitions were, and that he himself needed far greater strength if he wanted to truly help Creed climb to the summit and overthrow the rule of the Celestial Dragons.
Only by taking another step forward, becoming a genuine Four Emperors–class powerhouse, would he be qualified to appear on the stage of this great struggle that would decide the fate of the world!
As for Big Mom, who had come to fulfill her promise, Creed welcomed her warmly, without the slightest trace of resentment.
Because whether it was Shiki or Big Mom, under his Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) that could read the hearts of others, it was very hard for them to hide what they were thinking.
At the very least, malice could never be hidden.
As long as there was no malice, Creed could accept them without worry.
After all, the fully mobilized Marines would soon be coming straight for him! With their help, this hard battle was one he simply could not lose.
With two emperor-level powerhouses by his side, even if the Marines summoned the Seven Warlords and all their admirals, he could not care less.
However, Creed soon sensed two somewhat complicated gazes falling upon him.
The owners of those eyes were none other than Katakuri, whom he had once defeated.
Even someone as proud as Katakuri had no choice but to lower his proud head today, when even his own mother had bowed and submitted. He didn't dare let his dissatisfaction show in the slightest.
Creed knew very well how tangled Katakuri's feelings were right now—there was even anger in there—but he could no longer be bothered.
Or rather, in Creed's eyes, Katakuri had already become insignificant. At this point, aside from those closest to him, the only ones who could still make Creed turn his head were monsters on Kaido's level.
Whatever Katakuri was thinking, whatever he wanted to do, was nothing but clouds drifting by in Creed's eyes. It was meaningless—if Creed wanted, he could wipe him out with a flick of his hand.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
A moment later, Big Mom had her subordinates set off fireworks. An honor guard and a band began to play exuberant music, making the reception look especially grand.
The ministers of Totto Land followed along at the sides, each one bowing respectfully.
To tell the truth, even Creed felt a bit out of place in such a scene.
Neither Big Mom nor Shiki were the kind of people he was used to dealing with. Both of them carried overwhelming kingly dominance, and the way they ruled their subordinates wasn't something you could casually grasp.
After thinking it over, Creed simply chose to meet them with a cold, aloof demeanor.
In any case, their cooperation would last at most three years.
And Creed firmly believed he wouldn't even need three years to topple the World Government and the Celestial Dragons.
However, once his face hardened, with his Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki) and killing intent supporting one another, a chilling imperial aura spread outward. Aside from someone like Redfield on that same level, even a powerhouse like Katakuri found himself affected.
It was as if Creed's ordinary-looking figure suddenly grew towering and majestic.
This aura even surpassed that of Katakuri's own mother, making hearts tremble uncontrollably.
"This definitely isn't just Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki)… It feels strangely familiar."
Even Redfield at his side was utterly stunned.
On the other side, Shiki's expression changed the instant he sensed this imperial aura.
Others might not understand, but Shiki knew exactly what he was feeling: mixed into that presence wasn't just Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki), but also the Sharp Gold killing intent he excelled at.
He had never expected Creed to possess it as well—
And its grade was even higher than his own.
"Why? Why didn't he use it when we were fighting? Don't tell me he was still holding back a lot of his strength?"
The more Shiki thought about it, the more shocked he became, and in the shadows of his heart, he quietly erased that last trace of disloyalty.
A great schemer like him, even with his heart literally in someone else's hand, wouldn't normally pledge himself wholeheartedly and let another drive him around at will.
But if Creed's power was far beyond anything he'd imagined, then that little seed of rebellion could only be buried and never see the light of day.
"Fine, fine. I'll just grit my teeth and muddle through these three years. My pirate crew is still intact—there'll be no shortage of big things for me to accomplish in the future."
Even as he thought that, the image of Whitebeard, covered in IV lines, flashed through Shiki's mind, and a wave of sorrow rose from the depths of his heart.
Time spared no one.
Even a man like Whitebeard, once the strongest man in the world, could not hold back the erosion of the years…
After entering Big Mom's capital, Cake Island, and holding a grand banquet, Creed finally brought up the request he had been planning for some time.
"What? An alliance?!"
Big Mom and Shiki had never expected Creed to choose this way of announcing things to the world, instead of declaring them his officers and commanders under his banner. That way, he was at least preserving a bit of their pride.
That's right—Creed intended to form an alliance with them here on Cake Island, and when the time came, he would invite kings of the underworld like Morgans and the others to witness it and then broadcast the news across the world.
This was also one of Creed's methods to break the board.
The new Marine Headquarters had already been completed, and their forces had more or less fully assembled. It wouldn't be long before they pointed all their guns at him.
So Creed hoped to use this alliance to make the Marines turn their muzzles toward the other Yonko instead.
Of course, if the Marines still insisted on having their way, Creed had no intention of backing down. In that case, they'd just have a proper fight.
"Then our thanks."
"This cup is to you!"
Shiki and Big Mom raised their cups toward him. Their eyes were filled with complex emotions—there was helplessness and desolation in there, but also joy and gratitude…
In their hearts, they understood very well: perhaps they still weren't worthy of Creed's full recognition yet, not qualified to step aboard his ship at all.
After the guests dispersed, Creed and his group temporarily stayed on Cake Island and began discussing how to deal with the Marines.
To everyone's surprise, Shiki and Big Mom's reactions to Creed's proposal were more intense than expected.
Both of them clearly bore deep grudges against the Marines. The moment Creed opened his mouth, they started offering strategies one after another—especially Shiki, who was particularly ruthless: he wanted to drive several dozen floating islands straight into the new Marine Headquarters and flatten it.
Naturally, Creed didn't agree to their plan of launching a direct assault. He decided they would defend first.
Until the point where all pretense was completely torn away, Creed truly didn't want to stand on opposite sides from Garp and Zephyr.
New Marine Headquarters, Marshal's conference chamber.
Right now, Marshal Sengoku was not seated on his usual main seat, but instead sat to the lower left of Kong.
The Supreme Commander of the three services, Kong, occupied the central seat at the head of the table. On his right were two tall men in white suits, wearing strange masks.
Their bodies were large, and the chilling pressure they exuded was razor sharp. A strange, indescribable killing intent hung around them. Even an admiral like Aokiji felt a shiver in his heart when he sensed them.
The two top enforcers of CP0!
They stood there, towering and terrifying.
Kong, Sengoku, the two CP0 leaders, Akainu, Aokiji, Kizaru, Aramaki, Garp, Zephyr—
Only these people were present.
For this operation, designated the highest possible level, not even the elite vice admirals had the qualifications to attend, and the admiral candidates could only wait outside for orders.
Once the room had fallen silent, Kong finally opened his mouth and dropped a bombshell of an announcement.
(End of Chapter)
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