radicalducati Chapter 76 An Alliance with Hidden agendas
Chapter 76 An Alliance with Hidden agendas
Meanwhile, in the port rainforest battlefield.
Akainu's face was so gloomy it could drip water.
He stood on a patch of scorched earth, the burn marks still burning beneath his feet.
The cooked duck flew away! And in such a bizarre way, completely beyond his comprehension!
"What exactly happened?" Akainu spat out the words through clenched teeth, magma churning uncontrollably on his fist.
He glanced at Arjuna beside him, whose face was equally pale.
"Archer, can you feel it? Who dares to toy with the Navy like this?!"
Arjuna frowned, his gaze fixed intently on the depths of the rainforest.
"It's not just space. That power contains immense authority. It's probably a god."
Arjuna, who had seen countless gods, was very familiar with the feeling of manipulating mortals in the world.
The opponent is not simply an enemy, but more like a chess player who is high above.
"Hahaha..." The black-bearded man's laughter rang out, tinged with lingering fear and a deeper greed.
"What terrifying power, Admiral Sakazuki. It seems our 'ally,' Crocodile, has indeed summoned a formidable 'monster.'"
He licked his lips, his gaze subtly sweeping over Arjuna. The power displayed by the Smoke Mirror startled him, but it also fueled his desire for the power of top-tier Heroic Spirits!
The thought of getting Arjuna or even the Smoke Mirror... grew wildly in his mind like a poisonous weed.
The count elegantly adjusted his cuffs, his eyes cold.
"Gods interfering in mortals' games... Hmph, but this also means that the 'fun' of this Holy Grail War has been greatly enhanced."
A twisted smile curled at the corner of his mouth, as if he saw more drama unfolding for revenge.
"What do we do now?" the black-bearded man asked, shrugging.
"Ace got taken away by that guy, and we're just sitting here doing nothing?"
Akainu suppressed his anger, knowing that acting impulsively now would be futile.
His cold gaze swept over the black beard.
"Blackbeard, mind your own business and your men's. Don't cause me any trouble until you find Fire Fist Ace!"
He needed to question the crocodile and reassess the danger level of his Heroic Spirit. Arjuna's attitude also made things difficult for him.
The man with the black beard chuckled: "Don't be in such a hurry, General Sakazuki. We're 'allies' now. Or maybe it's just you and me..."
As Blackbeard finished speaking, Akainu stood on the scorched earth, bathed in lava and artillery fire, his face still grim.
This fickle thing has started again.
Although he felt utterly contemptuous, he forcibly suppressed his anger and transformed it into a cold, resolute decision.
He watched the officer directing the naval soldiers to clear the wreckage and treat the wounded, then glanced at the black-bearded man with a fake smile on his face.
"General Sakazuki." The black-bearded man rubbed his hands together, grinned, and walked over, trying to adopt the posture of an "ally."
"What do we do next? We'll do whatever you say. Just give me a position as a Shichibukai afterward."
"That kid Ace and his Heroic Spirit, they've been taken to some corner by Crocodile's Heroic Spirit. This rainforest is really weird right now, it won't be easy to find them."
Akainu glanced at him with disgust, suppressing the urge to give him a bath in lava.
Blackbeard was right; the power displayed by the seemingly divine being made the search extremely difficult.
"The main force of the Red Team is approaching, General." The black-bearded man's voice was seductive, as if he were enticing him.
"Straw Hat Luffy, Revolutionary Army's Sabo, and Alabasta Princess Vivi—the heroic spirits they summon are quite troublesome, not to mention Fire Fist Ace and Karna."
"The opponent has four Masters and four powerful Servants. Although we don't know who Vivi summoned, according to the intelligence, they are no ordinary people."
Akainu's eyes were burning with rage. He knew that Blackbeard was definitely up to no good, but at this moment, it was indeed a good strategy.
He paused, then looked sharply at Arjuna, who stood silently to the side.
"Archer, your power is crucial to the search for Karna. I can sense some special connection between you."
Arjuna slightly raised his eyes, his deep gaze looking into the depths of the rainforest, as if it could penetrate the layers of branches and leaves.
He could indeed faintly sense Karna's sun-like, scorching, and pure aura, though it was intermittent and disrupted by the chaotic power of the rainforest.
However, this is a bond rooted in blood and destiny that cannot be completely severed.
"Yes, Master," Arjuna calmly admitted.
"I can sense his general location, but I can't pinpoint it precisely. This land is heavily influenced by the power of that 'Changer,' causing significant interference."
"That's enough," Akainu decisively ordered.
"You will lead an elite naval search party deep into the rainforest. Find and eliminate Fire Fist Ace before they rendezvous with the main Red Force force! Reduce the Red Force's strength!"
He looked at Blackbeard: "Blackbeard, I'm still considering your suggestion. The outcome depends on your performance."
"You and your Heroic Spirit are responsible for supporting Archer, and at the same time... keep a close eye on Crocodile's side! I need to know his Heroic Spirit's true intentions and movements!"
This was both exploitation and surveillance. It also kept these two dangerous individuals in check.
"Hahaha! Leave it to me, Admiral Sakazuki!"
The black-bearded man patted his chest in assurance, but a cunning glint flashed in his eyes. Support? Surveillance? Just what he wanted!
He could use this opportunity to find a way to move around in the war, or... observe or even plot against Arjuna and the Crocodile's spirits.
"Hmph!" Akainu stopped looking at him and strode towards the warship.
"The rest of you, follow me into the Rainlands! I want to see what tricks Crocodile and his 'monster' Servant are up to!"
He needs to be personally overseeing the situation while putting pressure on Crocodile to ensure that this "ally" doesn't stab him in the back.
Arjuna glanced at Akainu's retreating figure, then looked at Blackbeard's greedy face, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.
Associating with these people and carrying out such a siege mission is contrary to his "righteous law".
But his Master's orders, and his obsession with ending things with Karna as soon as possible, made him suppress his discomfort.
He silently turned and walked toward the assembled naval search party, his divine bow gleaming like stars in the dim light.
The secret chamber where Crocodile is located on the top floor of the Rain Banquet.
Crocodile stood before the shattered French windows, cigar smoke swirling around his somber profile.
"Tescatlipoca..." he murmured the name, his voice filled with suppressed anger and a hint of imperceptible powerlessness.
He learned everything that had happened at the port. He also clearly "heard" the declaration from the smoke goggles that resounded throughout the battlefield consciousness.
These words were like a resounding slap across Crocodile's face.
The heroic spirits he summoned at great cost possessed the power to change the world, yet they completely disobeyed his commands.
Even at crucial moments, he openly declared that they were not his servants and that his intervention to save the enemy was merely for "game fun"?!
The chaotic reports from the port and the cold, indifferent oracle of the Smoke Mirror gnawed at his nerves like venomous snakes.
He does need power, but more importantly, he needs control.
He wanted to be the master, not to be treated as a puppet on a stage by the heroic spirits he summoned.
"Lord Crocodile." A senior agent from Baroque Works, dressed in an expensive suit and wearing a mask, appeared silently at the door.
"News has come from the port that Akainu and the Blackbeard Pirates... seem to have reached some kind of temporary agreement. They are cleaning up the battlefield and have dispatched a large number of Marines into the rainforest to hunt down Portgas D. Ace."
"Hmph, just as I expected."
Crocodile snorted coldly, and his golden hook scraped across the crack in the glass, making a piercing sound.
"Faced with absolute power and a common enemy, even Akainu's stubborn 'justice' can be temporarily compromised, not to mention Blackbeard, a hyena."
A glint of light flashed in his eyes.
"That's fine too. Although we need to be wary of them, we can let them fight amongst themselves and wear down the Red Team's strength. We just need to..."
His gaze swept across the city, which was surrounded by an eerie rainforest, and finally settled on the magnificent royal palace in the city center—Albania.
"...ensuring that the key to ruling the world ultimately falls into my hands."
He muttered to himself, his ambition burning in the smoke.
Smoke glasses?
He can tolerate the process of using a piece that he cannot control for the time being, as long as he can use its power to create chaos to achieve his goal.