Chapter 53 - CHAPTER 53 - Moris’ Harbinger of Doom

Yet no matter how he thought about it, Moris couldn't figure it out. Everything that happened tonight had been completely spontaneous. Before this, he had never even interacted with Crocodile—there was no way the man could have understood him. Even if Crocodile did understand him, the decision to act had been made at the last moment. How could he have anticipated it? And even prepared a Den Den Mushi call in advance? An oversight? No—this wasn't a miscalculation on Moris' part. This move had simply been beyond his scope of prediction. "Shichibukai, the Marine base near Wine City has received orders from Marine Headquarters. Two vice admirals and three warships are en route. Please cooperate in apprehending the bounty hunter Moris." Vice Admiral Mole's voice came through the Den Den Mushi. "Of course, we're allies, after all." Rosen replied lazily before cutting the call. Moris' expression darkened even further, but he quickly regained his composure. The Marines wouldn't arrive immediately; they needed time to mobilize. The island's current forces were nowhere near enough to stop him. Rosen exhaled a cloud of smoke, his gaze calm. "It seems our roles have reversed, Moris. Since you were preparing to establish your Bounty Guild, I assume you have funds and supplies ready. There's still time to make your escape." His words carried an implicit warning—if Moris didn't leave now, he would soon face both the Marines and Crocodile himself. With Rosen's injuries, while he had recovered somewhat, he was far from his peak. If Moris was reckless enough to fight now, it would be a serious problem. Moris remained silent for a moment. He fully understood Rosen's underlying message. Then, unexpectedly, he laughed. "Life is unpredictable, Crocodile. I truly underestimated you. But tell me one thing—how did you know I would strike tonight? I'm certain I only decided on this at the last moment." Rosen smirked. "You're giving me too much credit. I didn't predict tonight's events—I was simply taking precautions against Captain Luka's possible betrayal." "If Luka had tried to turn the situation to his advantage, my conversation with him would have been reported to Marine Headquarters. Even if they tried to cover it up, it wouldn't matter. Luka wanted to kill me, but he failed. I couldn't kill him outright with so many witnesses. However, once the Marines knew he attempted to assassinate a Warlord for personal gain and failed, his fate would have been sealed. I was merely preparing for that contingency." He paused briefly before continuing. "But before you appeared, I had already been pondering a very simple question." Moris, intrigued, leaned slightly forward. At this point, with his plans in shambles, he had regained his composure. Initially, he had planned for his guild to develop quietly before inevitably clashing with the Marines. Now, that confrontation had been drastically accelerated. But there was no changing the situation now. "And what question was that?" Moris asked. "If Wine City descended into chaos—if the Marines got involved, if merchants suffered losses, if pirates looted at will—then afterward, who would be the biggest winner?" Rosen exhaled another puff of smoke. "Coincidence or conspiracy, it doesn't matter. The biggest winner never remains silent or idle." "So I thought about it—and wouldn't the Mekdo Winery profit the most?" Moris' eyes widened in realization. Sometimes, playing too clean a game could be a mistake. He laughed dryly. "I take back what I said earlier. You're not my lucky star—you're my harbinger of doom. Next time we meet, I hope you're still alive." He had miscalculated. Crocodile had prepared for both Luka and whoever would benefit the most. And that person had been Moris himself. Rosen chuckled. "I'll be expecting you." Moris turned to his men. "Prepare to set sail. Minimize losses. It's not the right time to go head-to-head with Marine Headquarters." Even though he was being forced into the life of a pirate, he had far bigger plans. If he stayed and fought, it would only delay his escape and result in further losses. Years of careful planning—and now, it was all crumbling so easily. As he walked away, Rosen called after him. "If you ever get tired of running from the Marines—or if I ever lose my Warlord title—why not consider working for me?" Moris froze in place. Crocodile was trying to recruit him? Where did he get the confidence? Even at full strength, Crocodile might not be able to beat him. Moris scoffed. "A Warlord title won't protect me from what I did today. And if you ever lose your title, you won't be far from death. Forget it—you'll probably die before I do." He let out a loud laugh. Crocodile truly was an interesting man. "Just make sure you don't die before we meet again." Neither of them took the conversation too seriously. Even if Moris had accepted, Crocodile couldn't have protected him from the Marines right now. Moris didn't respond further—he had no time to waste. As he left, Daz Bones turned to Rosen. "Boss, why not take him down? If we worked with the Marines, we might have had a chance." Rosen exhaled. "We can't beat him right now." Daz fell silent. Bam must have been stronger than expected— Rosen had taken serious injuries from their fight. "Let's head back to the ship and regroup. Dawn is coming, and the Marines will be taking control of Wine City soon. Stay alert." As they walked, Valentine approached, draping a coat over Rosen's shoulders. Rosen glanced at her but accepted it. "Thanks." Wearing tattered clothes, missing a hand—he wasn't exactly looking his best. Then, his gaze landed on something. "That arrow on the ground—pick it up." The laser-tipped arrow that had killed Luka was still embedded in the ground. It twitched slightly, attempting to crawl away. Valentine picked it up before it could wander off. "Any serious injuries tonight?" Rosen asked. Robin smiled faintly. "A few crew members were wounded, but no casualties." Rosen nodded in approval. As they approached the harbor, Daz Bones narrowed his eyes. "That figure lying in a pool of blood over there... looks familiar. A Marine?" (End of Chapter) ========================================================= DROP THEM POWER STONES PLEASE SUPPORT ME ON P@TREON IF YOU'D LIKE ACCESS ON ADVANCED CHAPTERS PAT REON . COM / TurdTranslations (Just remove the space).