Chapter 18: D Clan

Sky Island, open-air banquet hall.

Despite being covered in blood, Mihawk sat at his seat, drinking alone.

He drank not out of despair—after all, at only nineteen, losing to Kizaru, who was in his prime, was normal.

He drank because Barzab Seven had stunned all the native inhabitants of Sky Island, leaving no one to tend to his wounds.

Following Mihawk’s gaze, he saw Barzab and Kizaru apparently arguing.

“Big brother, the world shouldn’t be like this.”

“Little brother, don’t say that.”

Kizaru never imagined: he, a Vice Admiral and soon-to-be Admiral, would form an alliance with a World Government fugitive.

This kid even tried to persuade him to rebel.

It was outright heresy.

Learning the hidden truths of history had shattered Kizaru’s sense of justice, leaving him dazed.

Two conflicting wills now clashed in his mind.

【He’s been to the final island—this must all be true. The World Government is garbage.】

【So what? Pirates are always pirates.】

【I didn’t want to be a pirate either—it was only because the World Government and Marines were incompetent that I became one to survive.】

【Have you forgotten your own sense of justice?】

Kizaru rubbed his temples; his ragged breathing matched the heaviness of his mood—he just wanted to leave this demon behind and be alone.

“Little brother, are your people reliable?”

“Don’t worry.”

Barzab pulled out several photos from his pocket: “Here are all the photos. We’re not planning to go to the Blue Sea—relax.”

“Big brother, I have only one request.”

Kizaru burned the photos: “Speak.”

“Big brother, you know the World Government’s nature. I hope you’ll spare these weak Sky Island people and keep their existence secret.”

“Fine, I promise you.”

Thinking of the gold Barzab had promised, Kizaru felt a surge of heat—he’d earned enough for the rest of his life in half a day.

Truly worth the trip.

He could have killed Barzab and claimed all the gold in Gold City for himself.

Then again, this kid wasn’t easy to kill.

Besides, Kizaru couldn’t bring himself to do such a thing—ambiguous justice is still justice.

“Little brother, where are the prisoners you freed?”

“They ran,” Barzab said, shrugging helplessly. “While you were fighting Mihawk, he slipped away.”

“I see…” Kizaru frowned. “I’ll go after him. Better to catch one than none.”

He couldn’t miss the gold, and he still wanted to become Admiral.

Promising Barzab he wouldn’t reveal Sky Island’s location was an indirect way of saying: as long as you don’t leak the photos, I won’t leak the island.

Those destroyed photos? Try fooling a ghost.

Kizaru was certain this sly little bastard still had more photos of the two of them clinking cups at the pirate banquet—he was truly insane to attend such a thing.

And now he was being blackmailed with pictures.

With gold as the incentive, Barzab and the soon-to-be Admiral Kizaru reached a series of agreements.

Including, but not limited to:

Not pursuing Marines to the death, exchanging intelligence, and so on.

Before leaving, Kizaru spoke again: “You’re certain you won’t be active on the seas during this time?”

“Don’t worry—I keep my word.”

Watching Kizaru depart, Barzab carried a bucket and splashed water on each unconscious Sky Islander to wake them.

“Gan, Mihawk is injured—pick some nurses to tend to his wounds.”

“Yes, Lei Shen.”

Gan Full nodded and vanished—the ugly enemy must have been driven off by Lei Shen.

Truly worthy of the title Lei Shen!

Barzab returned to his seat and reflected on his recent poor decisions: he should have abandoned the idea of recruiting the doctor as a crewmember sooner.

The Surgical Fruit’s strategic value was undeniably high.

But now that the doctor had escaped into the sea during the chaos, if the World Government captured him again, Sky Island’s location would be exposed.

“I really shouldn’t have been soft.”

Just as Barzab felt regret, a furtive figure suddenly darted over.

“Captain, did he leave?”

Seeing who it was, Barzab kicked him: “You little bastard, you even tricked me.”

The doctor dodged, smiling apologetically: “It made it more convincing—he never would’ve guessed even you were fooled.”

“You’ve got some brains, then.”

Barzab grumbled: “You’d better find a place to hide—the World Government won’t give up on the Surgical Fruit.”

The doctor’s eyes dimmed slightly: “So you knew all along.”

“Then why didn’t you hand me over? If you did, you could at least remove the Marine bounty on you.”

Barzab rolled his eyes.

“Though I’m a pirate, pirates still have honor. Besides, a Marine bounty is a badge of honor for a pirate like me.”

The bounty was the Marines’ twisted form of recognition.

Only Roger and Whitebeard had bounties over five billion across the entire sea; among the Marines, only Akainu.

Loxs’s information was erased by the World Government after the Battle of God Valley.

Barzab patted the doctor’s shoulder.

“Find a place to hide—preferably one I don’t know about. I’m afraid I might one day give in and take you to the World Government for the reward.”

“Understood, Captain.”

Three days later, the Golden City of Shandora.

Before a massive stone stele, Barzab traced the newer inscriptions, memories of arriving on Sky Island two years ago with his captain flashing before him.

Beside Barzab, Mihawk was wrapped head to toe in Supreme Bandages.

“What does it say?”

Barzab shook his head: “I can’t read the earlier text. This later passage was dictated by Captain Roger and carved by Oden.”

“I have come here to guide these words to the final place—Pirate: Gol D. Roger.”

Mihawk frowned: “D?”

Barzab explained: “Captain’s real name is Gol D. Roger. The World Government publicly claimed his name was Golde Roger, deliberately hiding the ‘D’ in his name…”

“The D Clan… once stood in opposition to the World Government.”

“The World Government hates and fears the D Clan, so they erased their existence from public memory.”

Barzab grinned.

“In other words, even if we turn the world upside down, since we’re not of the D Clan, the World Government might even try to recruit us.”

Mihawk remained silent, then asked after a long while: “How do I get down?”

Even someone as strong as Mihawk could be crushed to pulp jumping from ten thousand meters.

Barzab spread his hands: “Mihawk, you won’t even call me Captain.”

Training never stops—especially for a proud man like Mihawk. Barzab seized every opportunity to psychologically manipulate him.

In response, Mihawk drew his black sword, Yoru: “Barzab, draw your blade.”

Barzab drew his own: “Find another place—don’t damage the stele.”

In truth, Barzab had already prepared the item to let Mihawk land safely in the sea: the Flying Bamboo Dragonfly.

Why not buy a Flying Cloak?

The Flying Cloak was cooler, but cost 1000 points; the Flying Bamboo Dragonfly only cost 500. Besides, Barzab had a wicked sense of humor.

Think about it.

The image of cold, proud Mihawk, perched atop a Flying Bamboo Dragonfly, flitting about like Doraemon—wouldn’t that be hilarious?

After a true man’s duel, Barzab pulled the Flying Bamboo Dragonfly from his pocket.

“Mihawk, put this on your head.”