Chapter 345: Chapter 346: Marco’s Urgency
The other party had shown respect, and Aeridar wasn’t one to be rude, so he naturally accepted the truce.
"Hahaha~"
Aeridar laughed heartily, slinging an arm around Marco’s shoulder, waving his hand, and smiling broadly. "It was just a little sparring, nothing serious! Marco, drinks are on me!"
Marco looked at Aeridar’s sudden change in demeanor with some surprise. Damn, this guy’s mood swings faster than a chameleon!
In truth, Marco was also a bit frustrated. Being sent flying twice in a row, though not seriously injured, was certainly humiliating. The crucial point was that he’d taken those two hits for nothing, finding no opportunity to counter. It was truly stifling.
"Oh, by the way, His Majesty Neptune has prepared a banquet at the Ryugu Palace to welcome everyone. Let’s go together," Jinbe said, relieved that the misunderstanding had been cleared, quickly adding with a grin.
And so, the group followed Jinbe to Ryugu Palace. Neptune had arranged the banquet in the palace hall, first to thank Marco and the others for their contributions to Fish-Man Island, and second to host Aeridar, who had traveled a long way.
Aeridar’s past suggestions, along with the trade agreements with the Chris Pirates and the Donquixote Family, had made Fish-Man Island and the Ryugu Kingdom significantly wealthier and stronger.
However, before heading to Ryugu Palace, Aeridar specifically sent someone back to the Mermaid Cafe to compensate Shyarly for the damage. After all, their skirmish with the Whitebeard Pirates had left the Mermaid Cafe in a mess, with many tables, chairs, utensils, coffee, and alcohol destroyed, and even a wall broken. If he didn’t compensate her, Aeridar would feel too awkward to go back for drinks next time.
This gesture, however, caused Marco and the other Whitebeard Pirates to significantly change their perception of him.
Ryugu Palace, Banquet Hall.
"Hahaha~ Seeing Your Majesty Aeridar again brings me great joy!" From the head seat, Neptune raised his wine glass, toasting Aeridar, who sat at his right.
As a ruler of a nation, Aeridar naturally held the same status as Neptune. To Neptune’s left sat Marco, representing the Whitebeard Pirates.
"You’re too kind, Your Majesty Neptune. I am particularly fond of the various products from Fish-Man Island," Aeridar responded, raising his glass in return.
’To think Fish-Man Island is trading with the Chris Pirates... that’s quite a large business they’re doing!’ Marco, on the other side, couldn’t help but be secretly amazed upon hearing their conversation.
He only knew that Fish-Man Island had been gradually increasing its trade with the outside world in recent years, slowly growing stronger. He just hadn’t known the trading partner was the Chris Pirates. Of course, he also wasn’t aware of the Donquixote Family’s involvement.
Time passed by, and the banquet was a lively affair, with everyone clinking glasses and exchanging pleasantries, seemingly on good terms.
Marco, however, had overheard many of Aeridar and Neptune’s conversations, and the content completely redefined his understanding of Fish-Man Island.
The trade of unique underwater items, like rare medicinal herbs, precious pearls, coral trees, and seastone, along with various goods exchanged from the Chris Pirates, such as anti-corrosion weapons, finished medicines from the surface, and even rumored SS agents, almost made Marco unable to resist interfering in the trade himself.
Furthermore, the Ryugu Kingdom’s establishment of a Marine Technology Research Institute had led to the latest invention: a non-metallic weapon that could be used effectively underwater.
Not only was it incredibly lightweight, but its hardness was comparable to steel, and its sharpness could easily pierce through armor. It wasn’t just being mass-produced for Neptune’s army but was also selling exceptionally well externally.
It was clear that the Ryugu Kingdom was leveraging trade revenue to develop various underwater technologies, steadily growing stronger.
However, Marco didn’t show any particular reaction. For Fish-Man Island to grow stronger in the face of countless pirate attacks was only natural. On the contrary, he was quite pleased to see Fish-Man Island develop, as it would allow the Whitebeard Pirates to always deploy their full combat strength without worry.
Shortly after, the banquet concluded, and everyone dispersed. However, at the gates of Ryugu Palace, Marco called out to Aeridar.
"At the banquet, I heard you were trading SS agents. Could you introduce me to the buyers?"
Aeridar looked at Marco in surprise. Logically, the Whitebeard Pirates, as one of the Yonko, especially considering their character, shouldn’t be interested in SS agents.
"I can introduce you to the buyers, but the SS agent allocation has already been completely divided. Even if you wanted some, you’d only be able to buy what’s circulating on the black market at a high price," Aeridar said, feigning helplessness.
It wasn’t that Aeridar didn’t want to do business with the Whitebeard Pirates; it was simply that production was limited. Approximately 1,400 to 1,500 SS agents were produced annually, with at least a thousand or more being distributed among various powers, including other Yonko. Aeridar’s own share was not even enough for the Whitebeard Pirates.
"Money is no object. I can even represent Pops and declare the entire Clifford Kingdom a neutral zone for the Whitebeard Pirates," Marco said, sounding somewhat anxious, directly laying out his terms. As Whitebeard’s second-in-command, Marco’s word was absolutely binding.
Upon hearing this, Aeridar frowned, feeling very tempted. But he noticed Marco’s anxiety and couldn’t quite understand why.
Even if the Beasts Pirates had obtained the first batch of 300 SS agents through trade, and even with additional purchases from the black market, it only amounted to a few hundred individuals with power levels over 100. This shouldn’t pose a threat to the Whitebeard Pirates at all.
’...Wait, could it be...’
Suddenly, Aeridar seemed to realize something.
Whitebeard’s health!
That’s right, Edward Newgate, Whitebeard, the Yonko leader, user of the Paramecia-type Tremor-Tremor Fruit, possessed terrifying power even more monstrous than an actual monster, earning him the title of ’World’s Strongest Man.’ But Whitebeard was, after all, a contemporary of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger. While called a ’living legend,’ in other words, he was old.
Moreover, the Tremor-Tremor Fruit was both his blessing and his curse. It granted Whitebeard the power to destroy the world, but every time he used its power, the intense seismic waves resonated with his internal organs. While the user could greatly mitigate self-damage, the cost of borrowing natural power could not be entirely eliminated. This continually damaged Whitebeard’s body. If his body itself wasn’t more monstrous than an actual monster, he would have died long ago.
Therefore, regular consumption of SS agents would have the effect of cleansing his body and maintaining vitality, delaying aging. This would be a significant help to Whitebeard’s already battered body, which explained Marco’s urgency.
After all, his contemporary, Shiki the Golden Lion, with a ship’s rudder stuck in his head, could still fight Sengoku and Garp at Marineford and later escape Impel Down after cutting off his legs. Although his strength had significantly declined, he was still lively.
Meanwhile, Whitebeard, despite never suffering major injuries, was confined to his ship, receiving IV drips and even being scolded by doctors and nurses for drinking due to the Tremor-Tremor Fruit’s effects. It was truly somewhat tragic.
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