At that moment, Burns was so excited he nearly fainted.
As cunning as he was, how could he not understand what Figarland Shamrock's words implied?
From now on, both he and his son Lancelot would be under the protection of the Figarland Family.
Although he had previously worked under the Figarland family as well, the difference between the two situations was like heaven and earth.
One was replaceable at any moment, by anyone, should a Celestial Dragon be displeased.
The other held an extremely high status before the Celestial Dragons, wielding significant influence as an important minister...
It was like comparing an executioner who handled dirty work for the royal family in a kingdom to a kingdom's prime minister or great general.
Could the two even be mentioned in the same breath?
But then, Figarland Shamrock added, "You may now reveal your son's true identity to him..."
"What?"
When Burns heard this, he even forgot who he was standing before.
He jolted to his feet, staring at Figarland Shamrock with utter disbelief.
Because he understood the meaning behind those words… that his son might be granted the Figarland surname.
And become a true Celestial Dragon!
At this thought, Burns' mind went completely blank.
This was something he wouldn't even dare to dream of.
"Hehehe…"
Seeing Burns' reaction, Figarland Shamrock sneered coldly, "Don't celebrate too soon. For what you're hoping for to come true, he'll at least need to attain the position of an Admiral first."
Burns' eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
If before, it had only been his own speculation…
Now, Figarland Shamrock had all but spelled it out clearly.
"Hah…"
Burns took a deep breath, trying hard to calm himself down.
But no matter what, he couldn't steady his nerves.
Who wouldn't lose their composure in the face of such a sudden, overwhelming stroke of fortune?
Especially since he had come here expecting severe punishment—all because that brat Lancelot had killed the former Celestial Dragon, Doflamingo.
In his expectations… even if they managed to survive this ordeal, they were bound to face heavy penalties.
He had already prepared his arguments in his mind.
He had decided that from then on, all profits from Lancelot's Four Seas Exchange—as well as all interests in the East Blue—would be handed over entirely to the Figarland family.
He and his son would essentially work for free.
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined such a dramatic turn of events.
His head was spinning, and in the end, he didn't even know how he left Figarland Shamrock's presence.
...
Meanwhile, Lancelot had already traveled far from the Dressrosa Kingdom.
He arrived at a small island.
This island was one Lancelot had specifically sought out.
It was a place notorious throughout the New World—populated entirely by pirates, villains, wanted criminals, bounty hunters, assassins, and intelligence agents, all with blood on their hands.
It could be called a den of scoundrels.
Here, Lancelot could fight without any reservations.
If these people got caught up in the battle between him and Kaido…
It would almost count as a great act of charity.
"Huh?"
At that moment, Lancelot was still wearing his Navy "Justice" cloak.
So, the moment he appeared on the island, he immediately drew everyone's attention.
The people here were a motley crew.
Some of them recognized Lancelot at a glance.
Their expressions shifted repeatedly, and they quietly slipped away.
They intended to spread the news of Lancelot's presence here.
Others, who were well-informed and quick-witted, hurried toward the port.
They knew this place would soon become a battlefield.
A battlefield far beyond their level—one where even the slightest ripple of the conflict could mean death or severe injury.
Staying here almost certainly meant doom. If they didn't leave now, when would they?
However, not everyone could recognize Lancelot.
After all, not everyone kept up with all kinds of intelligence.
For instance, when Lancelot walked up to a tavern and pushed the door open…
He ran into two individuals.
On the right was a tall, slender man with a beard, who occasionally flicked out a long tongue.
On the left was a burly man holding a shovel, with a hairstyle resembling a chameleon's.
Just by looking at him, one could tell his reactions were visibly sluggish.
"What the…"
Lancelot was completely dumbfounded.
It wasn't that these two were particularly formidable, but rather he never expected these two individuals to appear here.
These two were: Caribou, captain of the Caribou Pirates.
In the original storyline, he became a Supernova two years after the Summit War, with a bounty of 210 million Berries.
He is a Logia-type Ability User of the Swamp-Swamp Fruit.
The other was his younger brother, Coribou, who specialized in burying alive the opponents defeated by his older brother.
These two brothers were infamous in the original work for murdering Marines, known for their bloodthirsty nature and cruel methods.
"Hehehehe..."
At this moment, Caribou naturally spotted Lancelot.
He froze momentarily, clearly not expecting to encounter a Marine here.
Then, looking at Lancelot, he let out a sinister chuckle, the killing intent in his eyes completely undisguised.
"Kekekeke..."
Lancelot, in turn, looked at Caribou and laughed with ill intent.
Because in his view, this was practically a Devil Fruit delivered right to his doorstep.
And not just any Devil Fruit—it was a Logia-type Devil Fruit... How could he not be thrilled?
'Wait, at this point in time... Did this guy already possess the Logia-type Swamp-Swamp Fruit ability from the original work?'
Caribou, meanwhile, stuck out his tongue to lick his lips again, then spoke arrogantly.
"Marine, do you even know where this is? To come here all alone... Hehehehe... Are you looking to die?"
At this moment, Caribou's eyes gleamed as he stared at Lancelot.
In his eyes, Lancelot was nothing more than a convenient way to boost his own reputation.
Lancelot couldn't be bothered with idle talk. Right now, only one thing occupied his mind:
'Had this guy eaten that Logia-type Swamp-Swamp Fruit at this point in time?'
Without hesitation, he lifted his leg and delivered a kick.
Of course, this kick wasn't imbued with Armament Haki, nor did he use much force—he was afraid of accidentally killing the guy with a single blow.
The difference in their strength was just that vast!
As a result, Caribou had no time to react.
"Thud..."
Lancelot's foot had already struck his abdomen.
Caribou wasn't sent flying; instead, his entire body behaved like a swamp.
Lancelot's foot sank directly into it.
Lancelot: "Kekekekekeke..."
Caribou: "Hehehehe..."
The two laughed one after the other.
The former laughed because this situation clearly indicated that Caribou had already eaten the Logia-type Swamp-Swamp Fruit.
For Lancelot, this was truly wonderful news!
The latter, meanwhile, laughed with a hint of smugness.
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