Chapter 346: Chapter 347: Return to Sabaody Archipelago
Pondering this, Aeridar’s eyes narrowed, and he made a decision.
"I can tell you that the SS agents are produced by my own scientists," Aeridar stated astonishingly, directly telling Marco, "Every year, I’ll provide you with one hundred from the Chris Pirates’ allocation. This year, I can even sell you an additional three hundred from my current stock. Each will only cost you one million Berries. However, the condition is that Clifford Kingdom will become a neutral zone for the Whitebeard Pirates. No Whitebeard Pirate member, nor any member of their subordinate crews, shall cause trouble in my territory. Those who maliciously cause trouble, I reserve the right to deal with them as I see fit. How about it?"
"No problem, I agree on behalf of the Whitebeard Pirates!" Marco’s eyes lit up, and he quickly accepted.
One million Berries per SS agent was a much better price than the black market, and it was affordable for the Whitebeard Pirates. Acknowledging Clifford Kingdom as a neutral zone was no big deal, as two other Yonko-level pirate crews had already recognized it.
While the clause about Aeridar having the right to deal with troublemakers was a bit troublesome, compared to Whitebeard’s health, this small price was more than acceptable.
It made sense why Clifford Kingdom had also become a neutral zone for the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates. Though he hadn’t expected the SS agents to originate from the man right in front of him, these terms were rather straightforward.
"Given that man’s body, for the SS agent to be most effective, it’s best to take one every day, or at the very least, one every two to three days. That would be ideal, truly ideal!" With the deal struck, Aeridar suddenly added with a hint of deeper meaning.
"Wha...!" As expected, Marco’s expression drastically changed.
"Hahaha~ I didn’t say anything at all." Aeridar burst into laughter, taking his leave first, leaving Marco behind with a grim and shifting expression.
In truth, Aeridar’s actions were entirely whimsical. Besides indulging his dark humor and expanding his influence, he primarily aimed to watch the Marines suffer in the future and cause them some trouble.
When the Summit War inevitably occurred, the Marines would likely face a Whitebeard who was even stronger than before. Even if the Marines still won, their losses would surely be greater, thus achieving his goal of weakening them.
While Aeridar somewhat admired Whitebeard, being privy to the inner workings of the world, he knew that Whitebeard’s death was inevitable.
Since the Great Pirate Era began, Whitebeard had been like a massive dam, firmly holding back the flood of countless pirates, including the other three Yonko, preventing countless individuals from pursuing the path to the Pirate King. The longer he endured, the more the floodwaters accumulated.
Although Aeridar had no desire to become the Pirate King, he also didn’t want anyone to exert control over him.
For as long as Whitebeard lived, the world would remain in balance.
Therefore, Whitebeard had to die. Once he died, the dam would collapse, and the turbulent floodwaters that had accumulated for years would surely unleash themselves.
After all, there was only one position for the Pirate King, but countless people desired it, making the era’s rampage inevitable.
Heroes emerge in times of chaos, and so do ambitious individuals. Only in chaotic times can one rise. However, Aeridar needed to gather enough power before the era truly went wild to ensure his self-preservation and expansion.
After a night of quiet, Aeridar, who still had matters to attend to, boarded his ship with Oliver and his subordinates at first light and departed.
Originally, this trip to Fish-Man Island was just a whim, a detour to see what was there. He never expected to fight the Whitebeard Pirates and then establish a cooperative relationship, which counted as an unexpected gain.
Afterward, Aeridar made a call, instructing Marco to go directly to Clifford Kingdom to find Arlan. The moment Clifford Kingdom was declared a neutral zone for the Whitebeard Pirates would be the time for the SS agents’ delivery and the official establishment of their cooperation.
...
Sabaody Archipelago, Baling Island Coast.
Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle... gurgle, gurgle, gurgle...
On the sea surface, the water churned like boiling water, continuously bubbling. A massive dark shadow seemed to appear on the seabed, as if something enormous was rising.
Splash!
Pop!
A colossal ship emerged from the water, its surface coating bursting.
"What’s going on?!"
"Hey, hey, that ship is huge!"
"Did something go wrong with the coating?"
"That flag looks familiar!"
Many people on the coast saw a gigantic black wolf-headed warship emerge from the depths. Its immense size dwarfed the other nearby ships, creating an overwhelming sense of pressure.
Soon, a colossal anchor, the size of an elephant, was lowered, and the massive vessel docked. Then, two gangways were lowered from the deck onto the shore.
Thump, thump, thump...
Aeridar, wearing a black coat with white wave patterns and his chest bare, stepped down the gangway, arriving on the shore.
"Well~ Sabaody Archipelago, here we are again."
Aeridar surveyed the coast with some emotion. He remembered the fierce battle here years ago, where he and Admiral Kizaru teamed up to kill a great pirate from the New World, shocking the entire world.
"Captain, I’m planning to go see Rayleigh. Are you coming?"
The laid-back Oliver walked over, his two swords at his hip, and stood beside Aeridar.
"I still have matters to handle. Take a few good bottles of sake and go see him for me," Aeridar replied, glancing at Oliver.
Rayleigh had given them considerable help back then. If he didn’t have pressing matters, Aeridar would have certainly gone to see him personally.
"No problem, I’ve got them." Oliver raised the large ice bucket in his hand, which contained two bottles of Dragon’s Tongue 37 White Wine and two bottles of 1489 Fiscarda Red Wine. These were all exquisite wines, with each bottle costing at least five to six hundred thousand Berries.
Looking at the four bottles of fine wine in the ice bucket, Aeridar nodded. All four bottles were from the Chris’s number one wine cellar. As the Chris’s primary vessel, its interior decoration was naturally top-notch, and the number one wine cellar was specifically for storing excellent wines. These wines were perfect for enjoying during voyages or for entertaining esteemed guests who came aboard.
Watching Oliver’s figure disappear into the forest, Aeridar waved his hand and, with a dozen or so subordinates, left the coast and headed inland.
"Hey, hey, I’m not seeing things, am I?!"
"That kind of big shot, actually came to Sabaody Archipelago!"
"Is something big about to happen?!"
"What an honor to see such a big shot!"
"A big shot truly lives up to their name, such an imposing presence!"
Seeing Oliver and Aeridar leave one after another, with only the Chris and its crew remaining on the coast, the surrounding crowd erupted into chatter and discussion.
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