Chapter 399: Cross Guild

Saint Mars puzzled, asking:

"What do you mean?"

Saint Warcury sat steadily in his seat, hands resting on his cane, his gaze sinister and gloomy:

"Roubo Luqi is a seed cultivated by CP9 since childhood; under normal circumstances, there is absolutely no reason for him to betray the World Government."

"However, this time, following up on the information Lord Im inquired about, we have discovered many interesting things."

"The third-party force artificially erased by Roubo Luqi is highly likely to be Knight Gao Wen's people."

"Furthermore, Roubo Luqi once went undercover under Knight Gao Wen; as for the reason, I believe everyone present is clear on it. In other words, perhaps his stance had already wavered at that time."

"His return to our ranks might even mean he is a spy planted in reverse by Knight Gao Wen."

"After all, wasn't such a matter dealt with just a few years ago?!"

As his voice landed,

the gazes of the several people present grew somewhat cold.

New recruits cultivated by the CP organizations can basically be regarded as reserves for CP0.

And CP0's other title is none other than the Shield of the Celestial Dragons.

If even CP0 has been infiltrated, once the opponent wishes to do something to Mary Geoise, the potential threat could be even greater than that of the Neo Marines!

After all, visible blades are easy to guard against; it is the invisible bullets that are truly fatal!

Saint Nusjuro puzzled, asking:

"Then isn't this letting the tiger return to the mountain?!"

"I roughly understand now."

Saint Mars stood to the side, glanced at Saint Warcury, and said lightly:

"The world only sees Knight Gao Wen's overwhelming, crushing power, yet they do not know that every single step this man has taken to reach his current position was within his calculations."

"In other words, only his own mind, or perhaps the presence of a meticulous deputy by his side, could have made this possible."

"Roubo Luqi's combat strength is quite good, but he is by no means irreplaceable!"

"But as a chess piece for probing, he is entirely qualified."

"And for us at present, what is more important is Knight Gao Wen's attitude!"

"Compared to that,"

"even letting this world fall into temporary chaos is insignificant."

"After all, that fellow..."

"... is the strongest in the world in the eight hundred years since the establishment of the World Government, second only to Joy Boy!"

At the same time.

Somewhere in the New World.

A dilapidated pirate ship was docked within a certain bay.

Smoothie led people to scout the surroundings; confirming that the Beasts Pirates' pursuers had moved far away, she finally set her mind at ease.

After hiding the ship, she immediately returned to a temporary camp near the bay.

Wrapped in bandages and with a withered aura, Katakuri squatted among the crowd, expressionlessly gazing at the bonfire in the center.

Crackle—pop!

The sound of burning wood splitting, and the flickering flames illuminated everyone's faces in red, yet they could hardly dispel the bewilderment in their eyes.

Now that Totto Land had been occupied by the Beasts Pirates, and their leader Katakuri was heavily injured,

regarding where exactly this dilapidated great ship should sail, everyone felt uncertain in their hearts, turning their gazes toward Katakuri one after another.

To this day,

even if Big Mom were to retake Totto Land and become the master of that land once again, the leader acknowledged in everyone's hearts remained the Katakuri before them.

There was no other reason.

No one likes a leader who is capricious, punishes without measure, flies into rages from time to time, and even eats her own children.

Compared to Big Mom's decades of rule, Katakuri's mere two years of rule brought them a completely different feeling.

The feeling of truly being protected as family.

Even Perospero, who had previously harbored subtle dissatisfaction toward Katakuri, now genuinely recognized his qualification to serve as the leader of Totto Land from the bottom of his heart!

After a long while,

Daifuku looked up at Katakuri, sadness in his eyes:

"Oven was captured alive, Counter died in battle, and Opera succumbed to severe injuries while fleeing..."

With each name spoken, Katakuri's fist clenched tighter, only to loosen again powerlessly:

"This is my failure of duty."

Perospero stood up and patted Katakuri on the shoulder:

"This is not your fault, Katakuri; after all, no one could have predicted that Mother would join forces with that Kaido again. To have saved so many younger brothers and sisters, you have already performed admirably enough."

"It is just that for what comes next, regarding exactly where we are to sail, you, as the captain, must take the helm."

Katakuri turned his head, looked at his only elder brother, and for a moment stood stunned.

He saw only encouragement and recognition in the latter's eyes; the faint trace of threat and unwillingness from the past had completely vanished.

At this moment, he even recalled that in their childhood, Big Mom was basically a hands-off manager; the one who took care of the younger brothers and sisters was almost always the elder brother.

And the one responsible for taking care of Katakuri was precisely Perospero, who was two years his senior.

He looked around.

It was a pair of eyes full of hope, just like himself as a child, waiting for his older brother to return with food.

Katakuri closed his eyes, feeling only a fire burning in his heart, just like the bonfires blazing among the crowd at this moment!

"I understand."

When Katakuri opened his eyes, the haze and dejection within them had vanished completely, and the broken trident in his hand was gripped tightly.

He took the sea chart from Cracker beside him, unfolded it, and placed it before him.

Locations and their corresponding forces flashed through Katakuri's mind one by one; finally, he placed his finger on an island deep within the New World.

"We go here."

"Hachinosu!"

"After Wang Zhi left, this place became ownerless—!"

Boom!

A roaring sound came from the distant sea.

Katakuri looked up and saw Armand, who was responsible for the front line, flying backward; after smashing through several Shanfeng in succession, she was buried under rubble.

As Big Mom's third daughter, Armand wielded the famous blade 'Shirauo', was proficient in swordsmanship, and her combat strength ranked among the highest of all the officers in Totto Land.

To instantly kill someone capable of such power without them offering any resistance meant the newcomer's combat strength could not be underestimated!

"Who is it?"

"Kaido's pursuers?!"

"A member of the Tobiroppo, or is it King the Calamity?!"

Everyone was immediately roused, appearing as if facing a great enemy.

Katakuri looked toward the distance with an expressionless face.

One after the other, two figures emerged from the shadows.

"Ha~ Ha~ Ha~ Ha~"

"Sashi burida na~"

"Katakuri~"

Xiang Keluo walked forward slowly, as if entering an uninhabited land.

Mr. 1, Daz Bonez, followed closely behind, his expression calm, as if cast from steel and iron.

After escaping Impel Down, Xiang Keluo immediately began gathering his former subordinates; barring those already dead, most members originally belonging to Baroque Works had already returned.