"Hasn't the Guild already gotten enough attention?"
That was Cyrus's answer to Morgans.
Too much of anything could become counterproductive.
The Hunter Guild had already gained more than enough fame from everything that had happened before.
When someone was stronger than everyone else, people might admire or worship them. But when that strength surpassed imagination entirely, admiration quickly turned into fear.
In the future Cyrus remembered, Imu had destroyed the Kingdom of Lulusia with an Ancient Weapon to intimidate the world.
Cyrus had restrained his attack this time, avoiding the worldwide earthquakes and tsunamis such destruction might otherwise have caused, but the result was still much the same.
"At a moment this important, we should use every advantage available," Morgans argued, understanding Cyrus's concern.
"The number of applicants may already be enough, but you're obviously not doing all this just to hold an exam. What you really need is the influence the exam will create."
Morgans grew more excited the longer he spoke.
He had originally been throwing out whatever arguments he could think of to persuade Cyrus, but halfway through, the larger picture suddenly clicked into place.
"You're trying to build a power that can rival Marine Headquarters and the World Government—no, perhaps even surpass them. That's exactly why you should let me publish it."
"You know too much, Morgans."
The other end of the line immediately went silent.
"I was only speaking off the top of my head," Morgans said again, considerably calmer now. "The decision is still yours. I simply think it would be a terrible waste."
"Plenty of people could reach the same conclusion. Publish it if you want."
After a moment's consideration, Cyrus gave his permission.
Morgans had not expected him to change his mind so suddenly.
He ended the call at once, apparently afraid Cyrus might reconsider.
"Morgans has worked fairly hard for us lately."
Once the call ended, Crocodile's voice came from outside.
The shrivelled Den Den Mushi had disappeared, presumably handed over to someone else for treatment.
"He doesn't have many other choices."
"That's true. The World Government has been targeting him for a long time. Their concern over the newspaper's cooperation with the Hunter Guild has kept them from moving too openly, but they've already taken quite a few of his information channels away."
"That's only natural."
Cyrus was not surprised.
Public opinion carried enormous power.
The World Government would never allow Morgans to control all of it, especially now that he was clearly distancing himself from them.
"The situation is still manageable," Crocodile continued. "Morgans has held on to plenty of channels, so anything he publishes can still spread across the world very quickly."
As he spoke, Crocodile kept his eyes on Cyrus.
He could not sense any overwhelming aura coming from him, yet he somehow knew Cyrus had become even stronger than before.
"That's enough about Morgans. How are preparations for the exam going?"
Cyrus waved the matter aside, rose, and took the seat Crocodile had previously occupied.
This was now a formal report.
Crocodile stepped forward and began explaining the current state of the Hunter Exam.
The grounds had been completed.
The publicity campaign was already in place.
Several routes to Sky Island had been opened, and the selection of applicants had entered its final stage.
"Chairman, there is still one major issue. What happens if someone passes the exam but refuses to join the Guild? Or if they only want to remain a temporary member?"
Crocodile watched Cyrus's calm face, concern creeping into his voice after he finished the report.
"They still receive whatever reward they earned."
Cyrus had already considered that possibility and answered without hesitation.
"But we're giving away Devil Fruits."
Crocodile looked pained.
"The Guild worked hard to collect those. We may have quite a few, but they're still treasures of the sea."
The promise of Devil Fruits was one of the main reasons the Hunter Exam had attracted so many people, second only to Cyrus's reputation.
Many stories claimed Cyrus had become so powerful because he possessed the Logia-type Flame-Flame Fruit.
People naturally imagined that obtaining a powerful Devil Fruit might allow them to become another Cyrus.
Of course, anyone capable of thinking that way was nowhere near the highest level and lacked the insight to understand the truth.
But most people in this world had never received any real education. It was hardly surprising that they saw things so simply.
"It doesn't matter. The Guild won't lack Devil Fruits in the future."
Cyrus shook his head.
Now that he possessed the Dark-Dark Fruit, Devil Fruits were no longer especially rare to him.
Uneaten fruits might be difficult to find, but Devil Fruit users were everywhere.
And after suddenly obtaining great power, most users did not exactly become good people. Taking their abilities would hardly trouble his conscience.
"You mean…?"
Crocodile paused.
Cyrus lifted one hand, and darkness began spreading across his palm.
"The Logia-type Dark-Dark Fruit can extract a Devil Fruit power from its user."
He saw no reason to hide it from his second-in-command.
That single sentence left Crocodile stunned.
"Chairman, Devil Fruits are supposed to…"
His thoughts had become tangled.
"Yes. A person can normally only eat one. That rule doesn't apply to me."
Cyrus nodded.
Crocodile leaned his head back slightly and drew in a sharp breath, unable to hide his shock.
No wonder Cyrus had said the Guild would never lack Devil Fruits again.
An ability capable of extracting powers from their users was utterly absurd.
Even if someone received a Devil Fruit from the Guild and later turned against it, they could simply take the power back.
"I have no further objections."
Only after a long silence did Crocodile nod, his expression gradually returning to normal.
"Where are Robin and the others?"
"Robin, Issho, and the rest have already returned to Paradise. They didn't stop at Sabaody and are heading directly to Sky Island. Boa Hancock is also on her way with Dark King Rayleigh. Judging by the timing, they should be almost there."
Cyrus nodded.
"Are you planning to go to Sky Island early?" Crocodile asked. "Whitebeard and the others appearing there caused quite a commotion. Hawkeye went to challenge Whitebeard."
"Oh?"
Cyrus immediately became interested.
"How did it go?"
"Hawkeye lost. Badly."
Crocodile had found the news entertaining when he first heard it.
Mihawk always carried himself with such cold arrogance that merely imagining Whitebeard beating him made Crocodile want to laugh.
Then he remembered that Whitebeard had beaten him before too, and the corner of his mouth dropped again.
He had no room to mock Mihawk.
"Then Sky Island really does need someone overseeing things."
Cyrus nodded.
"Enel would be more than happy to handle that."
Crocodile offered the suggestion.
"True. Enel is fast."
Cyrus nodded again.
The Rumble-Rumble Fruit was not as convenient as the Door-Door Fruit, but in terms of pure speed, Enel was no slower than Cyrus using the Flame-Flame Fruit.
"Before that, should you visit them one more time and warn them not to interfere?"
Crocodile pointed in the direction of the Red Line.
"There's no need."
Cyrus knew he meant Mary Geoise and shook his head.
"You already warned them?"
"No. A warning wouldn't stop them. They'll interfere anyway, and they may even attack Sky Island directly."
"What?"
Crocodile was startled, then fell into thought.
"If that's the case, wouldn't it be better to strike first?"
Sky Island was still floating peacefully above the sea for now.
"There would be no point. Even if Sky Island were destroyed, we could hold the exam somewhere else later."
Cyrus smiled.
"I see."
Understanding dawned on Crocodile.
"They're waiting until all the applicants gather on Sky Island before attacking."
Those candidates were effectively the Hunter Guild's future core members.
If the World Government managed to bring down the island, the casualties would be enormous.
Combined with the Guild's current members already stationed there, it could severely weaken the organization in a single blow.
"Something like that. Though they may not have the nerve to do it."
Cyrus waved a hand.
Who knew whether the World Government still had the courage?
Everyone understood that if they destroyed Sky Island, Cyrus would retaliate. Mary Geoise might end up sharing Wano's fate and vanish completely.
The Holy Land remained the symbol of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons.
Despite Cyrus's repeated attacks, as long as it still stood, their authority remained visible to the sea.
If it were erased entirely, the World Government's ability to intimidate the world would collapse.
"Are there any applicants who need special attention?"
Cyrus changed the subject.
"Quite a few. Besides the people who are already famous across the sea, we've discovered a surprising number of others."
Even Crocodile found it difficult to believe.
"Tell me."
Cyrus was curious whether any familiar names had appeared.
"Leaving the Grand Line aside, there are hidden powerhouse in all four seas. Many of them aren't even well known within their own countries."
"There's a young man in West Blue who possesses a strange power he calls Nen. It appears to be completely separate from Devil Fruits and Haki. Supposedly, he has been trying to teach it to others, but so far there are no confirmed cases of anyone succeeding."
"Nen?"
Cyrus paused, then smiled.
"Chairman?"
Crocodile noticed the change in his expression and quickly reached a conclusion.
"Could it be that…"
"There's an eighty percent chance."
Cyrus nodded.
If the man was here, then judging from Crocodile's report, he had probably wandered into this world by accident and become stranded.
"Should I send someone to bring him here?"
"No need."
Cyrus waved the suggestion away.
"We'll meet him eventually. Anyone else? Especially people with unusual abilities—something like Shikai or ninjutsu."
"?"
Confusion appeared on Crocodile's face.
"Or ki."
Cyrus tried another example.
"We haven't received any reports like that."
Crocodile shook his head, though he committed Cyrus's words to memory.
Anything the chairman asked about personally was probably extraordinary. He would arrange a targeted investigation later.
"How is the straw-hatted kid doing?"
"The same as before. He's with someone named Ace now. Apparently they're brothers, and together they've been turning Sky Island upside down. If you hadn't specifically ordered us to leave him alone, I would've had both of them thrown off the island already."
Crocodile shook his head in irritation.
"Have they caused anything serious?"
"Nothing major, but small problems keep happening. Those two seem capable of creating trouble wherever they go. Recently, they somehow got involved with Whitebeard."
Crocodile paused.
"Though Ace was the one who started it this time."
Cyrus's mouth twitched.
He had captured Whitebeard, while the Hunter Guild had been chasing Ace.
Yet the two had still somehow ended up meeting.
Was Ace simply destined to become Whitebeard's son?
"This Ace…"
Crocodile looked at Cyrus, remembering the earlier reports.
Cyrus's juniors had both chased the boy before, though they had never actually captured him.
"He's Roger's son."
Crocodile's face went blank.
For a moment, his thoughts simply stopped.
"You mean Pirate King Roger? The one executed in Loguetown?" He asked uncertainly.
"Is there another Roger worth remembering?"
Cyrus gave him a strange look.
"That's…"
Crocodile opened his mouth, unable to find the words.
"The straw-hatted kid is also Garp's grandson," Cyrus added.
"I already knew that."
Crocodile nodded repeatedly, then suddenly frowned.
"The Hero of the Marines' grandson and the Pirate King's son are brothers?"
His eyes widened again, but his mind quickly caught up.
"Wait. Garp did this."
"You figured that out quickly."
"So it really was him."
Crocodile stared at Cyrus in confusion.
"Chairman, how do you know all of this? It should be an extremely closely guarded secret."
He knew the World Government had caused a great deal of bloodshed while searching for Roger's descendants after the Pirate King's death.
They had found nothing, because Garp had secretly hidden the child.
Very few people could possibly know the truth.
Crocodile looked carefully at Cyrus.
If the chairman truly came from another world, why did he know so many secrets about this one?
"I know more than that," Cyrus said, staring directly at him. "I also know you used to be a woman."
Crocodile's entire body jolted.
His eyes widened before he forced a smile onto his face.
"Chairman, you must be joking. How could I possibly have been a woman?"
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