One Piece : Winged Dragons of the Beast Pirates

"Hehehehe! Are you sure? Ian! Are you sure you want to go down there?"

From the floating hot air balloon, Morgans giggled like a madman, his eyes gleaming with a strange intensity as he looked at Ian—like a priest eyeing a little boy. "Down there is the Pirate King's right-hand man, Rayleigh!"

After their previous conversation, both confirmed they were heading to Amazon Lily, and of course, they decided to travel together.

Ian was hitching a ride on Morgans' hot air balloon, hoping he'd guide him.

As for Morgans, he simply thought that if Ian were involved in the upcoming war at Amazon Lily, it would make for a bigger story.

That's the way of a journalist—if there's no explosion, create one.

Though Ian was in the balloon, he had already entered his Human-Beast Form. He slowly but firmly swung his fists.

He kept swinging his fists.

This had been going on for quite some time, and now, the surface of his body even seemed to have hot air rising from it.

"Well, it's such a coincidence we ran into each other. We should at least go say hello."

Ian chuckled softly. "That's Dark King Rayleigh, the Pirate King's right-hand man!"

"True!"

Morgans' body itched with excitement. "I really want to interview him! Rayleigh! The adventures of the Roger Pirates were absolutely thrilling! I can't stand it! I have to go down and do an exclusive interview with him!"

"Don't say something stupid,"

Ian replied indifferently. "I'm not sure if we'll end up fighting."

"Isn't that all the more reason to go down?"

Morgans was practically out of breath. "Hehehehe! To witness the battle between Ian the Skyfire and Rayleigh, the Pirate King's right-hand man! Even if I die, it'll be worth it!"

So you're a bloodthirsty spectator too?

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of Ian's mouth.

In fact, it wasn't just Morgans.

There was another person in the hot air balloon's basket, staring intently at Ian.

"It's too dangerous," Ian said. "You all stay up here and wait for me."

If it really came down to fighting Rayleigh, with my current power and the King Punch that I'm almost ready to unleash, I should be able to retreat unharmed.

But if you add Yamato to the mix, things would be different.

"Ian, you're so stingy!"

The girl stuck her tongue out at Ian.

"We'll have fun when we get to Amazon Lily."

Ian left those words behind, then flipped over and jumped down from the basket, diving straight toward the small ship below.

"Catch it, catch it!"

Morgans rushed to the edge of the basket, pulling out his transponder snail to record what was happening.

"But why is Rayleigh, the Dark King, here? Does he have any connection with Amazon Lily? Hehehe! This feels like another big scoop!"

Yamato walked to the edge of the basket and looked down.

For the first time, the girl's expression showed concern.

Dark King Rayleigh, even she knew that name.

Roger's right-hand man, a real monster.

On the small boat below.

The woman, former Queen of the Amazon Lily, Shakky, lazily blew out a smoke ring. "Oh, he's coming down."

"Yeah."

Rayleigh was a bit curious. "He actually came down."

"If he didn't, we wouldn't be able to talk, would we?"

Ian flapped his wings as he descended, floating in front of the small ship, eyeing Rayleigh and Shakky.

Of course, he continued to swing his fists in the air.

"I don't think we have anything to talk about, kid," Rayleigh sighed, standing up, his hand already resting on the hilt of his sword at his waist. "Even though the Roger Pirates have disbanded, Oden and Toki are still my friends."

One of those friends was killed by Kaido—this kid's teacher.

The other was driven to suicide by the Beast Pirates.

The deaths of these two lives are inextricably linked to this kid.

Although he has retired from the world, his friend is still a friend, after all.

"Don't get too excited, Mr. Rayleigh. Since you've retired, how about leaving the revenge to the Whitebeard Pirates?"

Ian smiled, but in reality, his muscles were already tense, and the rhythm of his punch slowed slightly. "The more pressing issue should be the safety of Amazon Lily, right?"

Rayleigh paused for a moment.

"Boy, what are you trying to say?"

Shakky spoke calmly.

"Like Mr. Rayleigh just said, the Roger Pirates have already disbanded. Even though the name of the Dark King Rayleigh still shakes the world," Ian continued, "it's no longer enough to protect Amazon Lily, right?"

Rayleigh's brow furrowed slightly.

"Are you questioning his abilities?"

Shakky, with her long fingers holding a cigarette, gave Ian a casual glance.

"No need to bluff. Mr. Rayleigh is indeed strong, but," Ian smiled, "As I just said, if Mr. Rayleigh were to appear on Amazon Lily now, the situation would only worsen."

"Would the Marines let the right hand of the Pirate King go free? Even if they manage to repel one attack from the Marines, the next time, it will be the Buster Call led by Garp and Sengoku."

Rayleigh fell silent.

Shakky just silently smoked her cigarette.

"But," Ian's lips curled into a smile. "We can, the Beast Pirates can."

Rayleigh narrowed his eyes.

"As long as Kaido-sensei lends the flag of the Beast Pirates to Amazon Lily, everything will be fine."

Ian said.

Rayleigh is indeed strong.

But clearly, he wasn't as strong as Kaido-sensei who is in his prime.

Moreover, being a solitary figure, the intimidation he could bring was far weaker than the Beast Pirates.

The key point is that the Beast Pirates and the World Government have a cooperative relationship. Since they are cooperating, negotiation is possible.

After all, is the island of Amazon Lily really a place that the World Government must eliminate?

If the World Government truly hated Amazon Lily, how could this island possibly survive for hundreds of years? The Calm Belt can block ships, but it cannot stop powerful individuals.

Whether this operation was initiated by the World Government or not is still up for debate.

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