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Grand Line, a certain sea.
In the heart of the sea lies an island called Sunny Island.
True to its name, it was a massive island in the central region of the sea. Due to the sea's unique properties, the island enjoyed sunny weather for most of the year.
Bathed in abundant sunlight, the island was densely covered in lush forests and vegetation interspersed with rolling hills, creating a remarkably varied terrain.
Two pirate ships lay anchored on the island's northern and southern shores. The southern ship flew a dinosaur-like pirate flag, the Tyrannosaurus rex, the flagship of "Lizard King" Hanafuda.
"What's going on here? We're here, but only Captain Hanafuda is allowed to set foot on the island?" A pirate aboard the ship grumbled in discontent.
"Well, there's no helping it," A Robust Man, seemingly the ship's leader, said in a deep voice. "This meeting was initiated by Major Undertaker himself. We must abide by his rules, or else..."
As he spoke, his gaze swept across the island.
"...we'll die."
Between the forest and hills at the island's center, shadowy figures could faintly be glimpsed darting through the undergrowth. He knew these were Major Undertaker's direct subordinates, his elite Hitmen.
Anyone attempting to land on the island would be killed instantly.
Hearing his words, the pirate immediately fell silent.
He was well aware of Major Undertaker's rules; his earlier complaints had merely been grumbling.
Their recent circumstances had been particularly dire.
Ever since several of his comrades were killed by Hanafuda, "Fire Fist" Ace had been relentlessly attacking them. To make matters worse, Hanafuda had been traveling alone to Wano Country frequently lately due to certain matters.
As a result, by today, Ace had killed three of Hanafuda's four "Beast Generals," leaving the Robust Man as the sole survivor on the ship.
Under such circumstances, many crew members had recently been feeling increasingly uneasy about staying on the ship.
It was clear that they weren't the only ones with complaints. At that moment, a pirate ship anchored to the north was experiencing similar discontent.
"He calls himself the Emperor of the Underground World, yet he dares to treat the Big Mom Pirates with such disrespect! What an impudent fellow! Lord Cracker will definitely teach him a lesson!"
The ship's flag bore a vivid, lipstick-red skull, the emblem of the Big Mom Pirates. Unlike Snack's ship, this vessel resembled a giant biscuit, its entire exterior crafted from cookie-like materials.
Emblazoned across the mainsail was the word "Minister of Biscuits."
The speaker was a pirate with a smokestack on his head and a roulette wheel on his chest.
He was a Big Mom Pirates combatant named Dizel.
"Don't speak such ignorant nonsense, Dizel," A voice interjected.
Seated a short distance away was another figure. He wore a crimson suit and had a steaming teacup perched on his head; he was missing his left eye. His lower body resembled an eggshell structure supporting his exceptionally long legs.
This was the Big Mom Pirates combatant Baron Tamago.
"Hoo, Major Undertaker. That fellow is truly unique among the Underground World's Six Emperors."
As he spoke, Tamago removed the teacup from his head and blew on it.
"Unique?" Dizel paused, startled. "What's so special about him?"
Dizel didn't doubt Baron Tamago's judgment. Though they were both combatants, Baron Tamago was a Knight-class combatant and the vice-commander of their mission. Mom deeply trusted him.
Naturally, Dizel respected him.
Baron Tamago didn't reply, merely taking a sip of his red tea.
"He's specially dangerous," he said calmly.
Meanwhile, at the heart of Sunny Island, surrounded by countless Hitmen and strictly off-limits:
"The illustrious King of Hitmen is inviting guests to a place like this?" A tall, middle-aged man with a long beard, wielding a giant blade and a shield shaped like a cookie, sat at a stone table in a mountain cave. His voice was laced with displeasure.
The cave's furnishings were exceedingly crude. Aside from the long stone table, the cave remained largely in its natural, primitive state.
The cave's only commendable feature was its open-air design. A massive hole in the ceiling allowed abundant sunlight to stream directly down.
However, this extreme illumination was clearly a poor design choice; it was almost blindingly harsh.
In his eyes, such a meeting place was utterly unworthy of his status.
After all...
"I am Charlotte Cracker, one of the Sweet Commanders!"
He slammed his giant blade down with tremendous force, sending countless rocks cascading from the cave ceiling.
This blatant display of power angered the others.
"Sweet Commanders? I thought there were four Sweet Commanders. Oh, right. Didn't one of them lose his head a few months ago?"
Hanafuda, with his arms crossed over his wristbands, calmly delivered his sarcastic remark from across from him.
The Warlord had undergone some noticeable changes since their last meeting. His once muscular physique now bore numerous scars resembling crude stitches, as if his body had been haphazardly pieced back together.
Moreover, for some reason, his Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit's formidable regenerative power hadn't restored the scars, giving him an eerie appearance.
"Huh?"
Hearing Hanafuda's mockery, Cracker's voice grew angrier.
As one of Big Mom's Three Sweet Commanders, he was naturally hostile towards Hanafuda, who sided with the Hundred Beasts Pirates.
"You government stooge! What right do you have to sit here?" he retorted with a cold sneer.
"Oh, that reminds me, wasn't a Marine recently making a name for himself by stepping on your head?"
"That 'Black Kirin' guy... Roy, wasn't it?"
Hanafuda's expression instantly turned icy upon hearing these words.
"You little brat! You really have the nerve to say that?"
As a pirate from the same era as Kaido, Cracker naturally considered him his junior.
Just as the two were about to clash over a disagreement,
Click!
Click!
Sudden footsteps froze them in their tracks. Their gazes snapped to the far end of the stone table.
There, emerging from the shadows beyond the reach of the sunlight, stood a robust man wearing a sinister clown mask.
He slowly approached the stone table and took a seat.
Direct sunlight fell upon him, illuminating his chilling face.
It was Major Undertaker, the King of Hitmen, and Dracula "Drug" Peclo.
His right hand rested on a long scythe beside him, and his left hand held a jar containing a heart.
"Since you two have accepted my invitation to come here, please remain calm," he said, glancing at the pair before him. "These are my rules."
As he spoke, he crushed the jar and its contents in one swift motion.
Blood spurted out, and he wore a look of perverse satisfaction. Upon hearing his words, sharp glints flashed in the eyes of both Cracker and Hanafuda.
Yet, in the end, they both suppressed their tempers and remained silent.
Seeing this, Drug Peclo nodded in approval.
He casually wiped his blood-soaked hand on his clothes. "Now then, gentlemen, please tell me, what are Big Mom and the Hundred Beasts' demands regarding Zishu?"
With these words, he cut straight to the heart of their meeting.
It was revealed that Sweet Commanders Charlotte Cracker and Lizard King Hanafuda were emissaries of the two Sea Emperors!
Their shared target was Zishu.
"Big Mom's demand is simple. She wants Zishu's head."
"Big Brother Kaido wants Zishu alive. He wants information about 'Inoshi.'"
Before arriving, Cracker and Hanafuda had clearly already consulted with their respective Yonko backers, as they immediately declared their demands without hesitation.
However, as soon as they spoke, their gazes turned dangerous as they glared at each other. Their demands were clearly in conflict; one wanted Zishu's head, while the other wanted him alive.
Yet, Drug Peclo showed no surprise at their declarations.
He had naturally anticipated this clash of interests.
Big Mom's demand was straightforward: retribution for past grievances.
Anyone who dared destroy her sweets must die, her methods were always uncompromising.
Kaido's demands came as no surprise.
Recent information about the collaboration between the Twelve Zodiacs and the Revolutionary Army had gradually spread across the sea. Inoshi, who had once appeared in the East Blue, was among them and was brought back into the spotlight.
Adding fuel to the fire, the Revolutionary Army recently unveiled a new type of weapon and used it to overthrow the Tachen Kingdom, a World Government-affiliated nation.
Prior to this, the Tachen Kingdom had consistently suppressed the Revolutionary Army with its formidable military strength.
However, reports on weapons seized from the battlefield revealed that the Revolutionary Army's new weapon wasn't particularly innovative in its manufacturing process. Its true power lay in the material used: a completely new alloy.
People quickly speculated that this new alloy might explain the alliance between the Twelve Zodiac and the Revolutionary Army.
Kaido, the "Hundred Beasts," already controlled Wano Country's weapon-manufacturing factories, making him the largest arms supplier in the Four Seas.
It was easy to imagine the Yonko's desperate desire for Inoshi and the revolutionary alloy.
However, Inoshi's whereabouts remained elusive, and Zishu was the only active member of the Twelve Zodiacs on the seas.
This was why Drug Peclo appeared here.
He could have withstood Big Mom's pressure alone.
However, with Kaido joining the fray, he was clearly nearing his breaking point.
"Gentlemen," he said in a deep voice. "I can satisfy both your demands simultaneously.
"I will personally defeat Zishu within the next few days and deliver him to Wano Country. The 'Hundred Beasts' will interrogate him for three days to extract Inoshi's location."
"After that, you must kill him and bring me his head. I will deliver it to Big Mom."
His voice was icy cold.
"Are you satisfied with this arrangement?"
Cracker and Hanafuda exchanged a glance.
Then,
"No," Cracker stated firmly. "We don't trust the Hundred Beast Pirates."
Hearing this, Hanafuda sneered. "We don't want to kill Zishu so quickly, either. Maybe we can use him to lure Inoshi out?"
Their shared opinion was clear.
"There's no need for such trouble, Peclo. Just give us the information about Zishu's next mission. We'll handle the rest ourselves."
But before they could finish speaking...
Buzz!
At that moment, they both felt a chilling killing intent.
Squeak! Squeak!
Drug Peclo's teeth ground together before them, emitting a piercing sound.
His lion-like mane, which framed his face, stirred without wind. Its golden strands seemed to writhe like living things under the direct sunlight.
"I'll say it one more time..."
He growled, his voice low and guttural.
"Zishu can only be dealt with by my own hand."
He rose to his feet, his eyes wide and burning with crimson light.
"That is my rule!"
(End Of This Chapter)