Chapter 363: Morgans's Enlightenment!
Zicardo spoke of the Dragon Hunter Pirates with uncontainable pride, like a believer preaching his faith. Once he started, it was hard for him to stop.
He talked about their last major clash with the World Government—a battle that should've been reserved for the elite. Yet even the weaker crew members, the odd-job workers, were given a choice to join. Anyone who wanted to fight was allowed to.
Those who chose to stay behind weren't scorned. Instead, they were stationed as reserves to guard the base. Ryuunosuke had made his stance clear from the start.
"Fear is natural. If you feel it, that's okay."
He never looked down on those who hesitated. Had he not insisted on leaving a defense unit behind, Zicardo believed the entire handyman squad would have followed him into the fire.
None of them knew about the possibility of resurrection at the time. They believed they were marching toward death—yet many still went forward without a second thought.
And that... was the soul of the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
"I see…" Yakos muttered, falling into a thoughtful silence.
He had once believed the Dragon Hunter Pirates were nothing more than a vicious, chaotic band of monsters. After all, they were feared across the world.
And since joining, Ryuunosuke had assigned him directly to missions, leaving Yakos little time to interact with the rest of the crew. He'd never gotten to see what life aboard truly looked like.
Now, hearing Zicardo's words—his unshakable faith—it all started to make sense.
Perhaps… he had misjudged them.
Still, Yakos decided to keep his personal motives to himself, at least for now. The weight of his mission was too great. And trust… trust required time.
…
Back at the main base of the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
After receiving Yakos's intel on Bullet, Ryuunosuke reached for the Den Den Mushi and dialed a direct line.
The one man who would undoubtedly know the full story—Morgans.
As the world's foremost information broker, Morgans had ears in every shadow. If Bullet was planning something involving Raftel, he would've already informed Morgans.
The call connected.
"Captain Ryuunosuke! I was just about to call you!" Morgans cackled. "Guess what kind of invitation landed on my desk?"
"You were invited to spectate Bullet's battle for Raftel's Eternal Pose, weren't you?" Ryuunosuke asked flatly. "What's the location? Send me an Eternal Pose."
There was a pause.
"…Eh? You already knew?"
Morgans squawked, feathers practically ruffled through the Den Den Mushi.
"The battle will be held on the some Islands. It's an unclaimed island in the New World—barely any residents, no occupying forces. They're already transforming the place."
"The event's scheduled for one month from now."
"I see." Ryuunosuke nodded. "By the way, you've been slacking lately. You've kept me in the dark about too many things."
"Oi, oi! We're partners, not boss and subordinate!" Morgans squawked defensively. "I'm not your personal secretary, you know!"
But even as he protested, Morgans winced inwardly.
Over time, he had become just that—Ryuunosuke's unofficial intelligence officer. What started as mutual cooperation had evolved into something else entirely.
Yes, he was technically the Minister of Information. Yes, he still managed his own operations. But more often than not, he found himself taking orders, running errands, and feeding Ryuunosuke classified intel.
He was starting to question if he even worked for himself anymore.
Still, he couldn't deny it—the power, the protection, the exclusives. Being associated with the Dragon Hunter Pirates had its perks.
"Let's not argue," Ryuunosuke said casually. "So, what's the World Government been up to?"
"…You're lucky I like you," Morgans muttered, before continuing. "I was waiting to confirm a few things, but here's what I've got."
"Remember Vice Admiral Kasiguna? The one you killed not too long ago?"
"I remember. Weak."
Morgans choked. "Weak?! That guy was strong enough to chase Sabo—the Revolutionary Army's Chief of Staff! That's not weak!"
But Ryuunosuke's silence said it all. For someone who regularly fought Yonko-level monsters, Kasiguna was hardly worth mentioning.
"Anyway," Morgans huffed, "he wasn't just some Vice Admiral. He was planted directly by the World Government. His strength was comparable to candidates for Admiral—like Tokikake or Gion."
"But he wasn't alone."
"CP0's Commander-in-Chief, Dazelar, has entered the seas. His goal isn't you—it's your squad leaders."
Ryuunosuke's brow lifted slightly.
"And that's not all. I've uncovered traces of a new organization—one that rivals the Admirals in power."
"Still digging for details, but their presence is no joke."
Ryuunosuke let out a low whistle. "Morgans, you've been holding out on me. If you do that again, I'll personally come pay you a visit."
"Okay, thanks for the intel."
"Oh, and one more thing—there's going to be big news in the North Sea soon."
"Germa 66 has officially allied with the Dragon Hunter Pirates."
And with that, Ryuunosuke hung up.
Morgans stared at the silent Den Den Mushi, jaw slack.
"Germa 66… allied… with the Dragon Hunter Pirates?!"
Without hesitation, he pulled out another Den Den Mushi and dialed Judge's frequency.
If this was true, it wasn't just big news—it was front page news.
The mighty Vinsmoke family, once feared across the North Sea, had joined forces with the most dangerous rising pirate crew on the seas.
This alliance would shake the balance of power. And Morgans would be the first to report it.
Even better? He could sell the scoop to the World Government and stir the pot even more.
A grin split his beak.
"I really am a genius," he muttered. "Being Ryuunosuke's tool isn't so bad after all…"
Yes. He'd finally come to terms with it.
Ryuunosuke didn't ask—he expected. And if Morgans didn't play along, he'd still get dragged in anyway.
May as well enjoy the perks.
…
Back aboard the Dragon Hunter Pirates' main ship.
"Should we inform everyone to be on alert?" Najenda asked cautiously.
She wasn't worried about the Phantom Troupe, the Seven Deadly Sins, or Akatsuki. Those elite divisuon could handle anything.
But the odd-jobs teams—the less battle-hardened divisions—were another story.
Even though they had units like the Mink Tribe led by Conrad or the Thunder God team led by Enel, there were still squads with less polished combat experience.
And the World Government's shadow forces weren't to be taken lightly.
"No need to send warnings," Ryuunosuke said calmly.
"Meliodas contacted me two days ago. He encountered some resistance but already understands what's going on."
"Morgans's mysterious organization? Sounds like the same force."
"As for the support crews, they may not be our strongest fighters, but they've all undergone the same hellish training. They've survived. That's enough."
He smirked.
"If it were the original Enel or Doflamingo, I might worry. But these versions… they've long since surpassed their former selves."
"And let's be honest—even Luffy with his Rubber Fruit couldn't take down Enel back then."
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