"Condition?", Whitebeard let out a mocking laugh. Teach and Marco, who were listening at the side, also wore expressions of disdain.
Look at that other Revolutionary Army leader, the current one didn't ask for anything at all, always providing whatever they needed.
Why? Because they had the same enemy: the World Government.
Now look at this Dragon. Even at a time like this, he still brought up conditions. How was this any different from taking advantage of a crisis?
If he really helped them out of this trap, with Whitebeard's character, whatever he asked afterward would be granted. No need to talk about terms.
"Let's hear it," Whitebeard's voice suddenly turned much colder. He already had little regard for Dragon, and now that the latter wasn't even coming as a friend, they might as well talk terms bluntly.
If the situation weren't so urgent and they didn't need external allies, he would've hung up right away.
'Condition? A junior like you thinks you can negotiate with me?'
["I hope that after this crisis is resolved, the Whitebeard Pirates can temporarily disappear. The World Government is too powerful, and we shouldn't provoke them any further,"] Dragon said sincerely.
He meant it wholeheartedly.
If they could unite everyone, even the World Government would be wary.
But with their current strength, even united, they'd only inspire caution, if they clashed directly with the World Government, they wouldn't even know how they died.
Dragon was very clear-headed. What they needed now was patience.
"Shouldn't provoke them further? Gurararara, I've already killed a God's Knight, the son of a Five Elders. You think they'll let me go?", Whitebeard laughed mockingly.
["Everything can be negotiated. Eight hundred years of rule has made the World Government too complacent. As long as we pay some price, they won't exterminate us,"] Dragon said seriously.
"Price?", Whitebeard resisted the urge to hang up. His temper almost got the better of him.
This was asking him to endure humiliation.
'Impossible!'
There is only a Whitebeard who dies in battle, never one who lives in shame.
"You think the World Government is strong, and we're currently weak. I don't deny that. But when exactly do you plan to act?", Marco couldn't hold back anymore and said coldly from the side.
If abandoning everything meant the Whitebeard Pirates could survive, he'd be willing to pay that price.
But only if Dragon had a better plan.
["In twenty more years, when destiny arrives. I've been to the Elbaph and seen the prophecy. Combined with what Rayleigh and Gaban discovered in Laugh Tale, twenty years from now is when Joy Boy returns. At that time, the World Government will also..."], Dragon hadn't even finished when Whitebeard's mocking laughter interrupted, "Gurararara! Roger placed his hope in the future because he was dying of illness. But at least he opened up a new era."
"And you, Dragon? Are you so old you can't walk? Or is your strength not even as good as a child from my hometown?"
["Whitebeard, there's no need for us to act on emotion,"] Dragon said in a deep voice.
In his view, taking on the World Government now was absolutely foolish.
If Whitebeard clung to such thoughts, it would only lead to more deaths.
"Don't use your cowardly mindset to judge pirates. Dragon, you're just like your father, Garp, a COWARD. GURARARARA!", Whitebeard laughed even louder, completely losing any interest in speaking with Dragon.
Dragon's courage didn't even match that of the young girl who passed them information.
No wonder he founded the Revolutionary Army only to be abandoned by them.
'A man like this isn't fit to be a leader.'
"Rayleigh, I know you can hear me! If you think he's right, then go ahead, wait twenty years, wait until you're too old to lift a sword, and place the future of yourself and your children on some illusory fate."
"If you still have blood in your veins, then get in touch with Shiki. I'll hold the enemy here, you go ambush Mary Geoise."
"If you've got guts, LET'S RAISE SOME HELL! GURARARARARA!"
At the end, Whitebeard's Conqueror's Haki burst forth without restraint. His voice and laughter were filled with boldness and pride.
Who was he? He was Whitebeard.
Even if he was driven to the edge, he would die charging forward.
Even if he needed to lie low for a while, it wouldn't be because he begged for mercy, it would be because he hit the enemy so hard they wouldn't dare to come again.
["Whitebeard, you have no idea how many top fighters the World Government has. At your level, they've got at least ten people,"] Dragon panicked.
Whitebeard wasn't just leading himself to die, he was pulling in Rayleigh and the others.
If the World Government wiped them all out, the new era Roger envisioned wouldn't even begin.
"Gurararara! You're scared of just ten? I'll tell you, among the people the World Government is sending to hunt me, there are already ten of that level. According to that kid Rosse, they're called S-class powerhouses inside the World Government."
Whitebeard laughed loudly, the contempt in his eyes growing even deeper.
He thought Dragon knew something?
Nearly ten S-classes?
The force coming after him already had more than ten.
If you added up the World Government and powerhouses across the seas, they had at least twenty or more S-class fighters.
As for those at Leviathan's level? Probably even more.
On the other end of the line, Dragon was stunned hearing this.
He had roughly estimated the World Government's strength, but he didn't expect they could send out ten top-level fighters just for Whitebeard.
["No! If they can send ten to hunt you, that means there are even more in the Holy Land. If you go there, it's suicide!"], Dragon grew more anxious.
["How many top fighters are left in Mary Geoise?",] Rayleigh's steady voice came through the Den Den Mushi.
Familiar with Rayleigh, Whitebeard immediately smiled upon hearing that.
He knew this old guy was moved.
Roger died at the hands of the Marine and the World Government, though it was Roger's own choice, how could Rayleigh not hold any resentment?
If it were twenty years later, maybe the old guy's fire would've gone out.
But right now, Whitebeard knew it hadn't.
"There are two Five Elders left, one or two from the God's Knights, and at most one from CP0. Altogether, no more than five fighters on your level," Whitebeard grinned.
["Five... What about the Marine? What about Saint Rosse?",] Rayleigh did the math and asked again.
"Saint Rosse's strength is not inferior to yours. From the Marine, Sengoku, Garp, and Kuzan are coming after me. That leaves Kong, Zephyr, and two new generation brats," Whitebeard recited them one by one, all intel Moa had given him.
["That's another five powerhouses. We don't have fewer people than you,"] Rayleigh laughed.
"There's not many, but if you break into Impel Down and cause a big enough disturbance, it'll keep the Marine busy," Whitebeard laughed heartily.
Golden Lion's breakout from Impel Down had given him an idea.
There were plenty of powerful fighters there, and many who hated the World Government.
If he used the Float-Float Fruit to drop them all into Mary Geoise, he wouldn't have to worry about manpower.
["Not a bad plan,"] Rayleigh chuckled.
["Rayleigh, Whitebeard!"]
Dragon sounded a little panicked, but clearly the other two were ignoring him completely.
"Gurararara, then it's settled. I'll be waiting for your good news. Hopefully I'll hear it before I DIE in battle!", Whitebeard laughed heartily.
["No problem! Maybe we'll kill two Five Elders to keep you company in death,"] Rayleigh also laughed loudly, reaching a tacit agreement with Whitebeard.
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