'Huh? Villains are allowed to join too then?' Robin was stunned.
Now she couldn't figure out Cyrus's thoughts at all.
Previously, when Cyrus discussed how to form the Hunter Association with her, he had listed all sorts of things, although they were all canceled in the end.
But at that time, Robin thought Cyrus was forming an organization with very clear rules.
A formal and controllable organization.
But now, listening to Cyrus, it seemed that wasn't the case.
"When it gets big enough, even the strictest rules are useless. No one can guarantee what the people who join will do."
Cyrus naturally understood Robin's confusion.
But this was reality.
Take the World Government or the Navy, for example.
When they become large enough, people within them will develop all sorts of different ideas.
Rather than that, it's better to create a benchmark.
Like the Pirate King, Roger.
Before he died, he spoke of what pirates yearned for.
No matter what that thing was, countless pirates would follow one after another to seek it.
And he wanted to become such a person.
A vague impression of the so-called Hunter Association had already formed in Cyrus's mind.
And such a Hunter Association would be a more inclusive existence.
If Issho couldn't stand some things in this world, he could try to change the world himself.
'So, all of you, watch me!'
The vague idea solidified in his mind.
Cyrus's brow smoothed, and his eyes grew brighter.
He now understood what he wanted to do.
Robin sensed that Cyrus seemed to have changed somehow, but she wasn't sure what exactly had changed.
[Conqueror's Haki (Beginner)]
On the data panel, the description of Conqueror's Haki had quietly changed.
However, Cyrus didn't open the panel to check.
Instead, he fully released his Observation Haki.
The entirety of Rainbase was enveloped by his vast Observation Haki, and its range was still expanding.
And in the desert outside the city, the two people who were fighting were also enveloped by his Observation Haki.
...
BOOM!
A disheveled Crocodile had just stirred up a sandstorm.
A terrifying gravity immediately pressed down.
The stirred-up sand fell to the ground under the influence of gravity.
'Where did this monster come from?'
Crocodile resisted the immense gravity, his eyes fixed on the blind man holding a sword in the distance.
He knew Cyrus was strong; the newspaper reports about him had already revealed some things.
But this blind man?
Crocodile was very sure that there had been no information about this person before.
But with this level of strength, how could he be a nameless person?
"You are no match for me!" Issho said.
If it were before his fight with Cyrus today, Issho might have dealt a heavy blow to Crocodile, either killing him or rendering him unable to fight.
But now, Issho was somewhat intrigued by what Cyrus had said earlier.
Moreover, after fighting Cyrus, fighting the person before him felt very easy.
It seemed it wasn't that his ability was weak, but that Cyrus's strength earlier was just too outrageous.
"Erosion Reincarnation!"
Kneeling on one knee, Crocodile heard Issho's words and pressed one hand to the ground, launching a large-scale attack with his Devil Fruit Ability.
The sea of sand began to churn and spread.
A strange power was devouring all life.
"Super Gravity Blade!"
Seeing Crocodile still trying to resist, Issho held his sword in a reverse grip horizontally across his chest.
A terrifying gravity erupted from his body, causing him to start sinking into the ground.
This was the same move he had used against Cyrus at the end.
However, the area of effect wasn't as large this time.
After all, this move was quite draining.
BOOM!
The desert for a hundred meters around Crocodile suddenly sank.
Caught within it, Crocodile was crushed to the ground by the gravity, and then his entire body was crushed and burst apart.
"That move is useless!"
Sensing Crocodile's Elemental Transformation, Issho simply shook his head.
Sand is not Flame.
Besides, his gravity could even affect Cyrus's Flame, let alone tangible sand.
BOOM!
The gravity pressed a large crater into the ground.
Crocodile lay on his back within it, staring blankly at the sky.
This was his most crushing defeat since his failed challenge against Whitebeard.
He had been completely powerless to fight back.
'What a monster!'
Issho sheathed his sword and turned to walk toward Rainbase.
The battle was over.
This was the limit of how much he could hold back.
A long while after Issho left, Crocodile finally climbed out of the sand pit.
He was seriously injured from this exchange.
A strange expression appeared on his face.
He had originally thought that even if there was a gap between him and Cyrus, it wouldn't be that large.
But now, Cyrus hadn't even made a move, and he had already lost to the blind man by his side.
'Where on earth did Cyrus find such a terrifying fellow?'
'Wait!'
Crocodile pondered as he dragged his heavy feet back to Rainbase.
Then he thought about the earlier fight between Cyrus and Issho.
'Could it be that they had only just met?'
'Right here in my casino?'
A trace of bewilderment flashed in Crocodile's eyes.
...
Rain Banquet.
Seeing that the outcome had been decided, Cyrus withdrew his attention.
The result was more or less as expected.
Crocodile's strength wasn't actually weak, especially in the desert.
But against Issho, he was clearly outmatched.
Or rather, Issho's abilities happened to be the perfect counter to the current Crocodile.
The two hadn't even made physical contact; in a mere contest of their Devil Fruit powers, Crocodile was utterly defeated.
The sand he controlled simply couldn't escape the influence of gravity.
To fight Issho, a powerful physique was essential.
If one's body couldn't withstand the effects of gravity, they would be completely suppressed by Issho's ability, with no power to fight back whatsoever.
Pulling his thoughts back, Cyrus considered the matter of Issho.
Now that the result was in, he needed to persuade Issho.
But Issho wasn't an inflexible person.
In fact, he was a rather simple man.
Judging by his behavior, he treated good people with kindness and detested evil people, regardless of their status.
He had blinded himself because he couldn't bear to witness the ugliness of the world.
Cyrus raised a hand to his chin, his left hand toying with the chips in his grasp.
The sound of footsteps and a Cane Sword tapping echoed from outside.
Robin glanced toward the doorway.
Issho strode in, walked straight toward Cyrus, and then sat down in the same spot he had occupied while gambling before.
"Care for a round?"
Cyrus raised his hand, and the dice and shaker cup from across the table flew into his grasp.
"Sure!"
Issho never refused such an offer.
Cyrus placed his hand on the shaker cup, gave it a few casual shakes, and set it down on the gambling table.
"Let's be clear first, no using Observation Haki," Cyrus reminded him.
"At the gambling table, I never cheat!" Issho immediately replied upon hearing Cyrus's words.
"Quite a principled!" Cyrus smiled. "Well then, first guess big or small, and then you'll guess whether you win or lose!"
Issho was taken aback.
What kind of bet was that?
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