Chapter 104: This Is My Rule!
Grand Line, a certain sea area.
In this sea lay an island—"Sun-Sun Island".
As the name suggested, this was a large island in the center of the sea area. Due to the unique climate, it was sunny for most of the year.
With ample sunlight, the island was covered in forests and vegetation, featuring complex terrain with numerous hills.
To the north and south of Sun-Sun Island, two pirate ships were docked.
The ship to the south flew a dinosaur-themed pirate flag. It was the Tyrannosaurus, flagship of the 'Lizard King' Hanafuda.
"What the hell—we're all here, but only Admiral Hanafuda is allowed on the island?"
On the ship, a pirate complained.
"Enough. It can't be helped."
A burly man, seemingly the leader on the ship, spoke gravely. "This meeting was initiated by the 'Major Undertaker.' We must follow his rules, or else..."
He looked toward the island.
"We'll die."
In the forests and hills of the island, shadowy figures flickered.
He knew they were the direct subordinate assassins of the Major Undertaker.
Anyone attempting to land would be killed instantly.
Hearing this, the complaining pirate fell silent.
He knew the rules, just venting.
Recently, their situation had been tough.
Since Hanafuda killed some of 'Fire Fist' Ace's crewmates, Ace had been attacking them relentlessly like a madman.
Unfortunately, Hanafuda had been frequently visiting Wano alone for some reason.
As a result, three of Hanafuda's four "Beast Generals" had been killed by Ace. The burly man was the last one standing.
Many on the ship felt insecure.
Clearly, they weren't the only ones complaining.
The pirate ship docked to the north was in a similar state.
"Dark World Emperor or whatever... making the BIG MOM Pirates wait like this? How rude!"
"Lord Cracker will teach him a lesson!"
This ship flew a skull with bright red lipstick—the flag of the BIG MOM Pirates.
Unlike Snack's ship, this one looked like it was made of giant biscuits.
The main sail read "Biscuit Minister."
The speaker was a pirate with a chimney on his head and wheels on his body—Diesel, a combatant of the BIG MOM Pirates.
"Don't speak so ignorantly, Diesel."
Nearby sat another man.
Dressed in a red suit, balancing a hot cup of tea on his head, missing his left eye, with an eggshell-like lower body and long legs.
Baron Tamago, a Knight-rank combatant of the BIG MOM Pirates.
"Phew... The 'Major Undertaker'... That guy is special even among the six Emperors of the Underworld."
He took the tea cup off his head and blew on it.
"Special?"
Diesel paused. "How so?"
He didn't question Tamago—although both were combatants, Tamago was the vice-commander of this mission and deeply trusted by Mama.
Tamago sipped his tea.
"Specially... dangerous."
He said calmly.
Meanwhile.
In the center of the island, surrounded by countless assassins.
"The 'King of Killers' invites people to a place like this?"
A tall, muscular man wielding a huge sword and a biscuit shield, with a long beard, sat at a stone table in a cave, speaking with dissatisfaction.
As he said, the cave was spartan—just a long stone table.
The only notable feature was the open roof, allowing ample sunlight to pour in.
But this extreme lighting was harsh and glaring.
To him, this venue was unworthy of his status.
After all...
"I am Charlotte Cracker, one of the Three Sweet Commanders!"
He slammed his sword down, shaking the cave and causing rubble to fall.
This drew dissatisfaction from the other side.
"Three Sweet Commanders? I remember it being Four... oh right, one got his head chopped off a few months ago?"
Opposite him, Hanafuda sat with arms crossed, speaking sarcastically.
Compared to before, the Warlord had changed—his muscular body bore many stitch-like scars.
Strangely, his Ancient Zoan recovery hadn't healed them completely, making him look grotesque.
"Hah?"
Hearing the taunt, Cracker grew angry.
As a Sweet Commander of BIG MOM, his relationship with the Beast Pirates' affiliate Hanafuda was naturally poor.
"You government dog, what right do you have to sit here?"
He sneered back.
"Speaking of which, didn't some Marine step on your head to gain fame recently?"
"That 'Black Judge', Roy or whatever?"
Hearing this, Hanafuda's expression turned icy.
"Brat, you sure have a big mouth..."
As a pirate of Kaido's era, Cracker was indeed a junior to him.
Just as they were about to fight...
Click!
Click!
Sudden footsteps stopped them. They looked toward the end of the stone table.
A burly man wearing a creepy clown mask walked out of the shadows.
He sat at the head of the table.
The direct sunlight illuminated his cold face.
'Major Undertaker', King of Killers... Drug Peclo.
His right hand rested on a scythe beside him. His left hand held a jar containing a heart.
"Since you accepted my invitation, please calm down."
He looked at the two. "This is... my rule."
CRUSH!
He crushed the jar and the heart together.
Blood splattered. Peclo showed an expression of enjoyment.
Cracker and Hanafuda's eyes flashed sharply.
But in the end, they suppressed their tempers and remained silent.
Peclo nodded in satisfaction.
He wiped his bloody hand on his clothes casually. "Now, please tell me—what do 'BIG MOM' and 'Kaido' want regarding 'Nezumi'?"
His words clarified the meeting's theme.
Charlotte Cracker and Hanafuda were here representing two Emperors of the Sea!
And their target was Nezumi (The Rat).
"Mama's demand is simple—she wants Nezumi's head."
"Brother Kaido wants Nezumi alive. He wants intel on 'Inoshishi'."
Having consulted their respective Emperors, they stated their demands without hesitation.
But as they finished, they glared at each other dangerously.
Their demands conflicted—one wanted a head, the other a living captive.
Peclo wasn't surprised.
He had guessed their demands.
BIG MOM wanted simple revenge. Destroying her sweets meant death—that was her style.
Kaido's demand wasn't surprising either.
Recently, intel about 'The Zodiac' cooperating with the Revolutionary Army had spread. Inoshishi, who appeared in the East Blue, was exposed.
Especially recently, the Revolutionary Army used a new weapon to overthrow the Tachin Kingdom, a World Government affiliate known for its military strength.
Reports showed the new weapon's power lay not in design, but in a new alloy.
Rumors connected this alloy to The Zodiac's cooperation.
Kaido, possessing weapons factories in Wano and being the largest arms dealer, naturally craved Inoshishi and the alloy.
But Inoshishi's location was unknown. The only active Zodiac member was Nezumi.
This was why Peclo was here.
If it were just BIG MOM, he could manage. But with Kaido involved, he was under too much pressure.
"Gentlemen."
Peclo spoke deeply.
"I can satisfy both demands."
"I will personally defeat Nezumi soon and send him to Wano—'Kaido' has three days to torture the location of Inoshishi out of him."
"Then you must kill him and give me his head... I will deliver it to BIG MOM."
His voice was cold.
"Are you satisfied with this deal?"
Cracker and Hanafuda exchanged glances.
Then...
"No."
Cracker refused instantly. "We don't trust the Beast Pirates."
Hanafuda sneered. "We don't want to kill Nezumi so fast either. Maybe we can use him to lure Inoshishi out?"
They shared a common view.
"Peclo, no need for trouble. Just tell us Nezumi's next mission intel, and we'll handle the rest..."
But they couldn't finish.
Because...
VMMM!
They felt a chilling killing intent.
Grind! Grind!
In front of them, Peclo ground his teeth, making a sharp sound.
His lion-like mane fluttered without wind, looking alive in the sunlight.
"I'll say it again—"
He growled.
"Nezumi can only be dealt with by me personally."
He stood up, his wide eyes flashing crimson.
"This is... my rule!"
☆☆☆
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