Chapter 85 85: The Red Count’s Visit, a Fallen Former World Noble
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
The Rocks Pirates were basically slaughtering everything in their path.
In a short period of time, five World Government affiliated nations located in the New World had already been plundered clean.
It could even be said that those entire nations had already been destroyed.
All of this happened within just one month.
And as everything erupted, everyone across the entire sea completely boiled over.
If the Rocks Pirates attacked a single affiliated nation, that could still be considered understandable.
But now!
They had actually attacked five affiliated nations in one breath, and they had acted so ruthlessly?
What exactly were they trying to do?!
It could be said that the current Rocks Pirates had already aroused the vigilance of the entire world, and had also drawn the attention of the entire world.
As for these matters, Newgate's attitude was that he did not give a damn.
He did not care about these things.
Newgate took the roughly three billion Berries he had received from this operation and happily returned to the Totto Land sea area.
What a joke.
He had earned so much money. Of course he had to go home and deliver it. Besides, Redfield had said he wanted to visit the Totto Land sea area. Under the current circumstances, Newgate was bringing Redfield back to the Totto Land sea area, while everyone else in the Rocks Pirates had begun celebrating wildly.
"Whitebeard." Redfield said calmly, "You and the entire Rocks Pirates seem somewhat out of place with each other."
"Gurararara~~~"
Listening to Redfield's words, Newgate said casually, "Red Bat, you're saying that about me? Aren't you the same? You don't fit in with the Rocks Pirates either. However! I have no sense of belonging to the Rocks Pirates, and I'm not that crazy either. I joined the Rocks Pirates only to make money."
Newgate was not afraid of his purpose being passed into anyone's ears.
Because!
In the Rocks Pirates, aside from those brainless madmen, wasn't basically everyone there for the sake of making money?
What else would it be for?
Following Rocks to work hard and create glory again?
Brother! Are you feverish? Wake up a little!
"Indeed." Listening to Newgate's completely unsurprising words, Redfield said calmly, "Your Edward Family is developing very quickly. Moreover! Your younger brother, Ike, has already achieved the most important point. He had his bounty removed. For a family, that is the most central and most important point."
"Hm?!"
Newgate looked at Redfield with interest and said, "However! Red Bat, although when we first made the agreement, you said that if you lost to me, you would join the Rocks Pirates, I feel like you seem to be searching for something within the Rocks Pirates."
"Am I searching for something?" Redfield silently shook his head. "I am only searching for a special Devil Fruit that once belonged to me. Joining the Rocks Pirates was indeed because I lost to you."
"However!"
"Indeed…"
"On this boundless sea, finding a special Devil Fruit is simply far too difficult. Within the Rocks Pirates, the possibility is the greatest."
Redfield was like Teach. In Teach's view, only the Whitebeard Pirates had the highest possibility of finding the Dark-Dark Fruit.
And!
In Redfield's view, the Rocks Pirates had the highest possibility of finding that Devil Fruit.
As for Newgate's arrival, it had also become an opportunity for him to join the Rocks Pirates.
"Fine…"
Newgate also nodded and did not say anything more. The two of them could not be considered particularly familiar, even though they were companions in the same pirate crew.
But companions in the Rocks Pirates?
Hehehe~~~
Those who understood understood!
"Mm~~~"
Ike rubbed his chin and muttered with interest, "Patrick Redfield. This man, who was said in the original story to be a terrifying monster capable of rivaling the Roger Pirates, Whitebeard Pirates, and Flying Pirates by himself, actually wants to visit me? Or rather! Make a deal?"
"Interesting!"
Ike also became interested.
As for the praise Redfield received in the original story?
Ike felt it was very normal!
No joke!
If Ike were alone, he could also be called a powerhouse comparable to the three legendary pirate crews. The reason was simple, and it was the simplest logic. He was barefoot and not afraid of those wearing shoes. If he could not beat them, he would run, then come back and mess with them again.
Let's see if they would be afraid or not.
In the future, the world's greatest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk, was basically in the same kind of situation, wasn't he?
"However…" Ike murmured, "What exactly does his arrival mean?"
It had to be admitted.
Ike did not believe he had any connection with Redfield. Since the other party had come looking for him, whether he wanted to chat or make a deal, it was quite interesting.
However!
No matter how he thought about it, he still could not guess the other party's purpose. In that case, he simply stopped guessing. He would know once the other party arrived.
"Hattori!" Ike suddenly spoke calmly. "Go collect intelligence on Patrick Redfield. No matter what kind of information it is, even if it is some unofficial record or miscellaneous writing, collect it for me. I want to see what exactly this man's background is."
"Yes!"
Hattori's figure flickered in and out of the darkness, then immediately disappeared without a trace.
Patrick Redfield.
This man!
He was extremely mysterious. Ike wanted to see exactly what kind of identity this mysterious man had.
"Hmph!"
A faint smile appeared. Ike was quite curious about this man.
Splash~~~ Splash~~~
"Gurararara~~~"
As the pirate ship docked at Cake Island, Newgate laughed with overwhelming dominance. "Red Bat, do you see it? This is the Totto Land sea area of the Edward Family. How is it?"
"Very good."
Redfield did not deny it at all and nodded. "Although the overall construction is probably only around one-sixth complete, it can be seen that a great deal of care has been put into every aspect. Combined with the terrain around the outer perimeter of the Totto Land sea area, this is a sea area that is very easy to defend and difficult to attack. No wonder the Eternal Kingdom set its sights on this territory of you brothers."
"Let's go."
"Mm."
Newgate, Redfield, and two figures accompanying them, both wearing pitch-black cloaks, gradually walked toward a huge building on Cake Island.
Mm!
The reception hall!
Ike had temporarily built it. However, with the speed of Wano Country craftsmen, over the course of this month or so, that was naturally a small matter.
As for who those two people were?
He did not know!
They were people Redfield had brought along. Most likely, they were also related to the matter he wanted to discuss with Ike this time.
As for Newgate using Observation Haki to check?
Stop joking!
Newgate would never do something like that. It would be embarrassing! If he really did that, it would truly be disgraceful to the extreme! That would be genuinely shameful.
"Scarlet Bat."
"Welcome!"
Ike looked at Redfield, the corner of his mouth curling into a faint smile as he nodded.
"Edward Ike…" Redfield also looked at the young-looking man before him with golden hair. Yet it was this man who had developed the Edward Family to this point.
After a brief exchange of greetings, both sides sat down separately. After the tea was prepared, the doors of the reception hall were also closed.
"Red Bat." Ike said very calmly, "I am not someone who likes wasting words, and there is no need for nonsense either. I am very curious. Why exactly have you come looking for me?"
Over this nearly one-month period, Ike had indeed found a little information. But precisely because he had found something, he found Redfield's identity even more interesting.
"I wanted to see."
"What exactly the Totto Land sea area has become under the hands of your Edward Family."
Redfield's voice was calm and filled with indifference. "After seeing the Totto Land sea area, I seem to understand. Your Edward Family is indeed very terrifying. Or rather, Edward Ike, you are a very terrifying man."
"Sure enough!"
While his big brother still looked confused, Ike nodded with understanding. "It's exactly as I predicted. The Baloric family truly matches the little bit of information I found. Your family was once a World Noble, wasn't it?"
Ike had found a rather interesting piece of unofficial historical information. It was truly very unofficial, actually claiming that the Baloric family had once been World Nobles.
Originally, Ike had treated it as a joke.
But!
Looking at Redfield's attitude, Ike suddenly felt that this unofficial history might not be so unofficial after all.
"What?!"
Even Newgate could not help exclaiming in shock, staring at Redfield in astonishment. This guy looked like a noble, but in the end, he had actually really been a World Noble?
After learning Redfield's identity, Newgate instead looked at Redfield with disdain. How embarrassing!
Good grief!
Money? As a dignified World Noble, he had actually ended up in such a state that he needed to join the Rocks Pirates to make money?
Look at the World Noble the two brothers had robbed back then. That person had spent more than ten billion Berries just to buy a Tremor-Tremor Fruit, purely for collection.
Heh!
That person had done it just for fun. Now look at Redfield? How embarrassing!
"Yes." When Redfield mentioned this matter, his tone still carried arrogance. He said with great pride, "The Baloric family was once a World Noble family. Moreover, we held the title of count."
Duke, marquis, count, viscount, baron!
This was the World Government's division of World Nobles apart from the Celestial Dragons. As the former third-rank World Nobles, the Baloric family's status was indeed rather noble.
After all!
The World Noble the Edward brothers had robbed back then had only been a viscount.
Looking at Redfield, Ike did not provoke him at all. Instead, he said very calmly, "But you are only a fallen World Noble. The Baloric family is probably no longer recognized by the World Government as World Nobles. The moment you became a pirate, that was already destined."
Pirate!!!
That was absolutely not allowed to become a World Noble. What kind of joke was that? World Noble was an identity that stood above countless people in this world. You think a pirate can hold it?
"I know." Redfield nodded and said quietly, "Only! Through normal methods, restoring the family is already impossible. Only through this kind of method can I find the Devil Fruit I want and thereby restore the family."
"So…" Ike looked at Redfield with interest. "You intend to make a deal through us brothers and have us help you restore the Baloric family?"
"I have no interest."
Ike's attitude was completely uninterested.
After all.
He was not a philanthropist. Why should he help restore the Baloric family?
Newgate sat at the side, quietly drinking tea. Although he did not like tea, he should not show it at a time like this.
As for the matters at this moment?
He could just leave them to his younger brother.
Every profession had its specialty!
This matter was not his responsibility, nor was it something he was good at. It was better not to participate.
Redfield was not angered either. Instead, he said very calmly, "I do not know what the final purpose of your Edward Family is. However! That does not matter to me. But! My arrival itself is to obtain the support of your Edward Family through a transaction."
Patrick Redfield.
His attitude had not lowered much.
Although!
He was only a fallen World Noble, and this time he had come seeking the help of the Edward Family.
However!
A transaction!
A transaction!
Since it was called a transaction, then it was something both sides agreed to willingly. If you were willing, then they would make a deal. If you were unwilling? Then forget it! This itself did not matter.
"Mm~~~"
Ike did not immediately answer Redfield. Instead, he fell into thought.
"Patrick Redfield." Ike thought secretly, "This man's potential, theoretically speaking, should be even stronger than Big Brother's. In other words, he should possess S-rank potential."
As for everyone in the Rocks Pirates…
Based on Ike's deduction, Rocks D. Xebec should have S+ rank potential, while Redfield was the only one with S-rank potential and talent. As for the remaining people—his big brother, Shiki, Linlin, Wang Zhi, John, Silver Axe, Chinjao, Bundy, Zeff…
And so on!
These future trendsetters of the sea were probably all S- rank potential.
Why?!
The reason was very simple!
Although they were all at the same level, there were definitely differences between higher and lower. Just like his eldest daughter Lily and his little twelfth, Acu. Although both had S+ rank potential and Talent, there were still differences in their growth ceilings.
Of course!
The meaning behind Ike thinking about these things was very obvious and very simple. That was! If he agreed to a transaction with Redfield.
Then…
The Edward Family could obtain a third genuine Admiral-level combatant.
They would not need to wait for the children at home to grow up.
Patrick Redfield.
This man, known by titles such as the Red Count and Red Bat, would directly become an Admiral-level combatant for the family. Even if he did not belong to the Edward Family, having him take action when it was time would definitely not be a problem.
"Mm~~~"
Precisely because of that, Ike hesitated.
After all!
The assistance of an Admiral-level combatant was absolutely extremely important to the development of the family.
After thinking for a moment, Ike finally spoke. "Red Bat, go ahead and tell me. What transaction do you want? Or rather! In your current situation, where you are nearly penniless, what kind of price do you think you can pay to make the Edward Family help you restore the Baloric family?"
Ike's expression was extremely calm. He narrowed his eyes slightly, yet his gaze instantly became sharp.
He wanted to see what kind of price Redfield could offer.
Would this transaction continue or not?
Newgate also looked at Redfield with interest. Things seemed to be getting interesting. If this transaction was truly completed, then both sides would become allies, and their identities would be completely different.
Of course.
In the Rocks Pirates, having a trustworthy ally was also very important.
"Heh~~~"
Ike's words made the corner of Redfield's mouth curl into a smile.
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