"Have you really offended the World Government this time? Is it alright?" Shutenmaru asked after seeing the group out. Compared to Yukiko, he was now more familiar with the powers of the outside world.
The Marines and the World Government might not seem to have much influence in the New World, but to underestimate them would be a grave mistake.
In terms of raw power, the Marines and the World Government were a force that few could rival.
"How dare they speak to Lord Ren in such a manner. Not killing them on the spot was already an act of mercy," Yukiko said, glaring at him.
"You... I respect the Lord just as much as you do, but sometimes you can't just ignore the consequences," Shutenmaru retorted immediately.
"Stop arguing. Don't worry about the World Government. They don't have the guts for anything more than trying to trip us up behind our backs," Ren stopped their bickering.
As he said, the World Government rarely made a major move, especially when the target's strength and influence were so great.
The most powerful force the World Government could typically mobilize was a Buster Call—a devastating, indiscriminate attack authorized by the World Government and organized by Marine Headquarters to completely wipe out everything and everyone in a designated area deemed a threat to its rule.
A typical Buster Call consisted of a large fleet of ten warships, each manned by a thousand elite Marines, led by five Vice Admirals. However, even among Buster Calls, there were significant differences in their power.
The presence or absence of Garp made all the difference. For instance, the Buster Call against the Straw Hat Pirates at Enies Lobby in the original story was, in Ren's view, a complete joke.
Ten thousand elite Marines plus five Vice Admirals might seem like a formidable force on paper, but Ren could handle that number of enemies in a very short time by himself.
Conversely, if they sent Garp, or even more ridiculously, Garp along with Zephyr and Sengoku, Ren would have no choice but to abandon these five islands and flee with Yukiko and the others.
But the strength of the Buster Call was one thing; more importantly, an operation of that scale couldn't be launched on a whim. The golden Den Den Mushi used to initiate a Buster Call was typically kept by Admirals and the Fleet Admiral.
In the next decade or so, only a handful of Buster Calls were ever initiated.
This was not something to be concerned about, as it was not something to be taken lightly.
"They might try to approach Golden Lion Shiki, but a lion is a very proud creature," Ren said with a laugh.
Just as he had predicted, after being rejected by Ren's side, CP9, following the World Government's orders, began to approach Shiki. The spies the World Government had embedded were far more professional than the ones Kurozumi Higurashi had sent.
Through the spies' vivre cards, they found Shiki's location without much trouble.
Their attitude was much more deferential towards the infamous Golden Lion Shiki, the pirate they had met earlier. The arrogance they had shown towards Ren was almost completely gone. In their judgment, Ren was destined to be the loser in this fight, which was why they had come with that "we're here to save you" attitude.
But it was difficult for them to maintain that same composure in front of Shiki.
"We will provide you with covert military support and share intelligence with you. However, after you acquire the crafting technique for Inazuma, you must give us the majority share of the weapons trade and offer us preferential treatment."
The terms were similar to the ones they had proposed to Ren, but the demand for a complete monopoly had been changed to a majority share, and their greedy fifty-percent discount had been reduced to just "some preferential treatment." This shift in their demands spoke volumes about their attitude.
"Hahahahahaha! You World Government lapdogs really have some nerve! I don't need any of your help!" Shiki laughed arrogantly. He had every reason to be so arrogant; he was currently in his prime.
He didn't even think much of the Ren from before, let alone Gol D. Roger, who had defeated Rocks at God Valley. Shiki only truly began to respect Roger in the future, upon learning that Roger possessed the blueprints for Pluton.
After losing to Roger at the Edd War, he became a die-hard admirer of the Pirate King.
"Please reconsider. Although your Flying Pirates have more troops than the enemy, a direct assault would also result in massive losses, wouldn't it? Teaming up with us is a viable option," Newman sensed Shiki's defiant nature but still tried to persuade him. Otherwise, returning empty-handed would mean facing punishment.
"Shut up! You don't think I've forgotten about your little ambush at God Valley, do you?" Shiki roared, his ankle-length golden hair standing up like a lion's mane!
"Get the hell out of here before I lose my temper and kill you all!"
An invisible wind began to swirl in the vast hall. Newman and the others felt as if a lion's roar was ringing in their ears, and their legs began to tremble uncontrollably. As agents, they weren't truly afraid, but their bodies' natural reactions were impossible to suppress.
Newman also realized this mission was likely a bust. They weren't afraid to die, but there was no need to stay and court it. They exchanged glances and prepared to retreat.
Just then, they faintly heard the sound of thunder from outside the hall.
'A storm is coming?' The thought had just crossed Newman's mind when he heard an even fainter sound, like something being gently punctured.
"Shhh—"
It wasn't until his eyes saw a blood-red curtain unfurling before him that he realized what that sound was.
Plop!
A large splash of blood hit the ground, the spatter spreading out like a fan.
Thump—
The five CP9 agents all realized, in an instant, that they were dead. Shiki held a dead branch in one hand and a cigar in the other, his expression terrifyingly cold.
"Didn't you just bring all my enemies right to me, you bastards!"
He almost bit the cigar in half and strode out over the bodies without a backward glance: "Men, prepare for battle!"
Indigo walked over in his strange squeaking shoes and examined the CP agents one by one. Sure enough, he saw a black, ring-shaped serpent tattoo on one of them.
It looked a bit like an ouroboros with three rings.
"This mark again..."
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