Griffinfort. One of the Six Major Forts in the Bivins Kingdom.
"I can’t believe such a rundown place has such a massive castle!"
"Hahaha! We’re gonna make a killing on this battlefield!"
"Moonlight’s Smile, Calotte? I can’t believe that germaphobe ca too!"
"The Buggy Pirates! Those are from Buggy’s Delivery, under Buggy the Clown, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"
"I heard those guys are all hardened criminals who escaped Impel Down!"
The streets teed with countless bizarre and fierce-looking individuals: pirates, retired soldiers, professional rcenaries, gangsters... all of them hired guns.
While the Church of the Night had slaughtered the royalty and grand nobles of the capital (Crofort), it didn’t an other regions were devoid of powerful aristocratic families. Griffinfort, in particular, was controlled by the traditional noble factions of the Bivins Kingdom.
These noble factions ford a cohesive council, comprising dozens to hundreds of families. So yearned to usurp the throne and replace the forr royal family, while others rely sought to safeguard their existing status and wealth. United by the existential threat posed by the Chris Pirates, the Church of the Night, and the Revolutionary Army, they had banded together.
Among the myriad factions, the newly ford Noble Council was the weakest. Their soldiers were secondary; with their vast wealth, they could easily raise an army of 100,000. However, without high-level combatants or strong leadership, their forces would rely be cannon fodder.
Thus, all mbers of the Noble Council pooled their resources, lavishly spending money to recruit rcenaries from the underworld. No matter their background, as long as they had strength and were willing to fight, money was no object.
Naturally, many renowned rcenaries felt the risk of confronting the Chris Pirates on the Bivins battlefield was too high, fearing repercussions from such a powerful crew. They refused the offer, with examples like Germa 66 and the Crimson Family.
However, many more rcenaries, unable to resist the lure of imnse wealth, hoped to strike it rich on the battlefield. They accepted the Noble Council’s recruitnt, including Buggy’s Delivery, the pirate dispatch company founded by the Seven Warlord of the Sea, "Clown" Buggy.
There were also fools who, clinging to a thread of luck, believed the Chris Pirates were all bark and no bite, dismissing the danger.
Thump, thump, thump, thump...
Suddenly, the ground vibrated slightly as heavy footsteps echoed through the street. Countless heads turned, and towering, colossal figures appeared before them.
Leading the charge was a giant with long, dark brown hair that reached his thighs and a matching beard. He wore a tal helt with goggles, imnse tal gauntlets, black shorts beneath a brown belt, and long, dark brown boots that resembled strips of fabric.
The other giants were similarly ard or armored.
"Th-that’s a giant!"
"There are giants here?! Who are they?"
"Hajrudin! That’s ’Giant rcenary’ Hajrudin!"
"They’re from Buggy’s Delivery, an S-Class rcenary group!"
Soone recognized the giants. A century ago, the Giant Warrior Pirates had shaken the seas, and the nas of Blue Ogre Dorry and Red Ogre Brogy were still whispered today.
The Giant Race, as a whole, possessed astonishing combat power. Big Mom herself once claid that with the aid of the giants, she would have long since defeated the Yonko Shanks, Kaido, and even Whitebeard.
Thus, every power in the world coveted the strength of giants, yet very few possessed them. Aside from the Giant Kingdoms led by Elbaf, the World Governnt and the Marines were the only other factions with significant numbers of giant warriors.
...
Griffinfort. Inner Keep Grand Hall.
"Hey! The original agreent didn’t say anything about fighting the Chris Pirates!"
"Are you crazy?! You want to clash with the Chris Pirates? Who do you think you are, a Yonko? Or the Marines?"
"Golden Ring Aeridar himself is here! If we kill him, we’ll beco famous overnight!"
"Tch, stop dreaming! Forget Golden Ring Aeridar; even his three Top Commanders are beyond our capability!"
"Let’s not even think about those top-tier figures. Taking down any ordinary Chris Pirate officer would be enough to make our nas!"
Several elegantly dressed middle-aged nobles watched the boisterous rcenaries, completely at a loss. Faced with such a fierce and intimidating group, these pampered lords were too terrified to speak.
The rcenaries had only dared to co because they hadn’t been inford that they would be facing the Chris Pirates. If they had known the full scope of the situation, many would have refused, and at least half of them would have been absent.
For example, Buggy the Clown would never have taken on this rcenary mission if he knew it involved clashing with the Chris Pirates.
"SILENCE!"
Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed through the hall, and everyone imdiately quieted down.
They turned to the source of the voice. There were two elegantly dressed middle-aged nobles, a knight in black-and-white crosses, and two n in black-and-white cross cassocks. The man who had shouted was a black-haired individual in black-and-white clothes and trousers, wearing a black feathered coat, and wielding a black katana.
"This guy is..."
"Mondos Bank! A pirate with a 710 million Berry bounty, known as the ’Night Executioner’!"
"Those outfits... they’re from the Church of the Night!"
"The Church of the Night, disrupting this country... How did these noble lords get involved with them?"
Whispers erupted, but facing a pirate with a bounty over 700 million, they instinctively lowered their voices, no longer daring to be as brazen as before.
Seeing Mondos Bank’s imposing presence, the others behind him nodded in satisfaction.
"Let tell you, the Church of the Night will be joining forces with the Noble Council to collectively resist the Chris Pirates!" Bank declared, dropping another bombshell. "If you are willing to accept our employnt, we will provide you with money, several tis over your usual rate!"
This announcent stunned all the rcenary leaders.
"Fools! I wouldn’t do it for any amount of money!"
"Exactly! Money can always be earned, but a man’s life isn’t sothing you can always keep!"
"You think you can fight the Chris Pirates? Do you think you’re a Yonko crew?"
At Bank’s words, the room erupted. Many openly mocked him.
"Whether we can win or not, we won’t know until we fight," Bank said, his expression unchanged, showing no anger. "If we can withstand the Chris Pirates’ assault, even if it’s a stalemate, I believe your reputations will be vastly enhanced."
His words made the rcenaries pause and consider.
"At that point, you’ll have fa and fortune. Why would you worry about not making a na for yourselves in the future?"
Bank sneered inwardly, but his face remained impassive as he continued his insidious persuasion. "Every venture carries risk. But if you’re in this line of work, you should know that your head is always on the line. Wanting to make money and gain fa without putting your life on the line? It’s not that easy!"
"He’s right, you can’t get money and fa without fighting for it!"
"But the Chris Pirates are too strong! It’s practically a suicide mission!"
"Anything can happen on the battlefield! If we can take down even one Chris Pirate officer, we’ll truly make a na for ourselves!"
"That sounds great, but money and fa are for the living, not the dead!"
Dozens of rcenary leaders conversed amongst themselves, so deciding to stay, others wavering, and so entirely unmoved.
"Ti is short. You have one hour to decide. Those willing to accept the employnt should stay and register. Your bounty will be tripled!" Bank looked at everyone, his voice cold. "Those unwilling to accept the employnt can pack their bags and leave!"
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