Chapter 69

From Eclair's perspective, Lin Cheng smiled slightly with disdain at the old man scolding him before him.

Lin Cheng had some memory of this old man before him.

If he remembered correctly, the name of this councilor was Mikaelo, who appeared in the original Mingfuzhi Sect arc as a character who bullied the weak and cowered before the strong.

He had been so easily frightened that he urinated himself before the Jiugui Sect's wolves.

"Of course I know this is the Fapingyi Society."

"What I mean to say is, on the Grand Line there is an enemy of our Bai Huzi Pirate Crew — that enemy's name is the World Government, and beneath the World Government is an organization that calls itself absolute justice."

"So, Mr. Chairman."

Eclair ignored the councilor Mikaelo, who looked like a clown, and smiled at Chairman Crawford, who loomed above him: "Whether the Bai Huzi Pirate Crew is justice or evil, in my view, doesn't matter."

"What truly matters is whether the Fapingyi Society has truly prepared itself to stand against the Bai Huzi Pirate Crew?"

With Eclair's words falling, the scene once again plunged into absolute silence.

Even Mikaelo, who had just shouted at Eclair, now felt palpable pressure.

This fellow named Eclair seemed utterly unwilling to bow to the Fapingyi Society.

To be honest, the Fapingyi Society had never intended to forcibly convict Eclair or stand in opposition to the Bai Huzi Pirate Crew behind him.

From the beginning, they had only planned to suppress Eclair's arrogance and then discuss other matters.

Normally, any matter required several rounds of back-and-forth before a final decision was reached.

But no one in the room had expected Eclair to be so reckless, directly acting as if he wanted to tear everything open.

"Portgas D. Eclair."

"Do you know what your words just meant?"

"Are you declaring war on the Fapingyi Society in the name of your Bai Huzi Pirate Crew?!"

Chairman Crawford stared at Eclair, his brows deeply furrowed.

At this moment, Chairman Crawford was already beginning to regret not having cut straight to the point with this young man.

He should have been direct — straight to the matter at hand.

Once the discussion was nearly done, he could simply invite Eclair to become the Sixth Saint Ten Wizard, replacing the late Yuese Pola.

But now, unexpectedly, he was caught in a difficult position.

Realizing this, Chairman Crawford quickly signaled to several nearby councilors, gesturing that he would play the villain while they played the hero — quickly ease the tension.

The dignity of the Fapingyi Society must not be lost.

Only by having the other councilors create a face-saving exit could both he and Eclair step down.

Unfortunately, Lin Cheng was not fooled by this tactic.

Lin Cheng had originally been thinking about how to reasonably introduce new plotlines; his purpose in coming to the Fapingyi Society was simply to explain his script's setting — the division of major factions and so on.

But he hadn't expected the Fapingyi Society to be so cooperative, trying to give him a warning — now things were getting interesting.

"Mr. Chairman."

Eclair glanced at the councilors trying to find an excuse to back down and smiled: "Save the name-calling."

"If the Fapingyi Society truly wishes to test this, go ahead."

"As for your earlier question, Chairman — whether the Bai Huzi Pirate Crew is justice or evil."

"I can answer you, Chairman: the Bai Huzi Pirate Crew is certainly not justice."

"It's getting late. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

Saying this, Eclair turned and walked straight toward the meeting hall's exit.

'He's giving absolutely no room to back down.'

'This is going to be troublesome.'

Zikrein smiled as he watched Eclair's back as he turned away.

It wasn't just Zikrein who thought this.

In the instant Eclair turned to leave, everyone in the room knew Chairman Crawford was about to explode.

Then Zikrein turned his gaze to Chairman Crawford, not far away.

'Chairman Crawford probably can't swallow this insult.'

'I wonder how this Mr. Eclair, who killed Yuese, the guild master, would fare against Elder Ulfheim of the Four Heavenly Kings of Ishgaria?'

Because of the immense power Eclair had displayed, the Fapingyi Society's chairman and all councilors had summoned him — naturally, they wouldn't have left without protective forces.

Although among the councilors was Zikrein, the Ninth Saint Ten Wizard, a formidable combatant.

But no one had forgotten that Eclair had killed the Sixth Saint Ten Wizard; a single Ninth Saint Ten Wizard like Zikrein likely couldn't guarantee everyone's safety.

So the Fapingyi Society had summoned the Third Saint Ten Wizard — the true top-tier combatant — Ulfheim.

To guard against any unexpected situations.

Clearly, Eclair's refusal to cooperate — even tearing open relations with the Fapingyi Society — was exactly such an unexpected situation.