I am the Bandit King of the East Sea.

Sig sat near the bar, his arm resting directly on it. From Rayleigh's angle of view, a few bandages could be vaguely seen peeking out from the cuff of his sleeve.

His gaze sharpened slightly.

Sieg also keenly noticed Rayleigh's gaze and quickly denied it:

"This isn't a wound..."

Crocus, standing nearby, nodded and smoothly picked up the conversation:

“Rayle, you’re overthinking it. The injury on Sig’s arm is more than just a simple injury... You’re underestimating him.”

Sieg paused slightly.

He suddenly had a bad feeling.

The next moment, Crocus turned and looked seriously into Rayleigh's eyes, explaining:

"The power of the Black Flame Dragon is sealed on Sig's arm!"

Sig: "........"

He never expected that such a sentence would come out of the old man Crocus's mouth, and his brain almost went blank.

Crocus accepted this setting so easily?

Rayleigh was also stunned for a moment after Crocus said those words.

"Black Flame Dragon? Never heard of it. Is it the power of some kind of Devil Fruit?"

Rayleigh leaned closer and stared intently at the bandages on Sieg's hand.

"Black Flame Dragon? I've never heard of it before. How interesting."

Xia Qi, who had been listening quietly the whole time, was also very curious.

She's an intelligence expert; she knows all about the famous rookie pirates, and she also knows a lot about the abilities of Devil Fruits.

But what about the Black Flame Dragon... and a Black Flame Dragon that could be sealed with bandages? This was something she had never heard of before, and it piqued her curiosity greatly.

Watching Shakky and Rayleigh seriously studying the Black Flame Dragon Seal on Sigur's arm, Sigur couldn't help but blush.

My arm is just a regular bandage, and there's only arm hair underneath it!

Yuta's compatibility needs to reach at least 25% in order to accumulate 50 energy and unlock the so-called [Dark Flame Master] ability.

Sieg is actually in a bit of a predicament right now.

Meanwhile, Crocus was earnestly explaining something to the world:

"Sigur's body has likely been corrupted by the Black Flame Dragon. If he's not injured, it's fine, but if he is, it could easily develop into a serious injury with massive bleeding..."

"His current physical condition is not well-suited for combat."

Sig: ......

That's enough. You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? You're definitely trying to mess with me, right?

That cunning old man!

Sieg chuckled dryly, his face flushing slightly as a sense of shame began to rise within him.

He grabbed a wine glass from the table and gulped down several mouthfuls of wine to hide his embarrassment.

Chapter 298 Truth Revealed After Drinking

Inside Xia Qi's extortionate bar.

Rayleigh, Crocus, Shakky, and the others were seriously examining the bandages on Sig's arm, while Sig was chugging down bottles of alcohol.

"The corruption of the Black Flame Dragon?"

Rayleigh muttered to himself.

The ocean is vast.

Rayleigh and Crocus both followed the Pirate King, conquered the entire Grand Line, and once circumnavigated the world.

Even so, there are still many secrets in this world that they cannot access.

The more you know, the more awe you tend to have for the world.

Rayleigh pondered for a moment, his eyes showing surprise.

"Krokas, when did Sig's physical condition begin?"

Rayleigh found the crux of the problem, and his expression gradually turned serious.

Crocus is a kind-hearted old doctor. He joined Roger's ship partly to find the Rumbar Pirates for Laboon, and partly because Roger was seriously ill, and as a doctor, he could not stand idly by.

So, was the same reason why Crocus left Twin Capes and came to the Sabaody Archipelago with Sig?

"Higurashi helped Crocus find the Rumbar Pirates, and Higurashi's body..."

"This situation is quite similar to Roger's back then."

Crocus also pondered for a while, as he was also thinking about this question.

Crocus noticed that Sig had a physical problem when he first met him at Twin Capes.

And it's a big problem!

The amount of bleeding back then... even this veteran doctor was somewhat shocked by it.

Strangely, despite his medical experience, Crocus couldn't find the problem afterward.

It wasn't until recently that Crocus discovered the truth!

This is not an injury, nor is it a serious illness, but rather... the erosion of the Black Flame Dragon!

“Sieg’s physical problems existed before I met him, so they certainly didn’t appear in a short period of time,” Crocus thought to himself.

The situation of excessive bleeding has been present for a long time.

But the bandages on Sieg's arm were only recently applied.

What does this mean?

Crocus blurted out:

"His health has been problematic for a long time, but it has recently deteriorated, which is why he's wearing these bandages..."

"Sigurd, has the Black Flame Dragon's corruption worsened?"

Crocus's eyes trembled slightly as he spoke loudly.

Sig: ......

Please, could you please keep your voice down? I'm so embarrassed...

These elderly people, all over sixty, were seriously discussing the Black Flame Dragon around him, which left Sieg speechless. He could only continue drinking in silence.

The bitter wine hurts my throat and my heart aches!

This scene, witnessed by Rayleigh, sent a chill down his spine.

He became interested in Sieg after talking to Shanks.

According to Shanks, Sieg had an extremely illustrious record in the past, but it had always been hidden behind the curtain of time, unknown to anyone!

He had been lying low for so many years, but recently he suddenly rose to prominence like a comet, and in the blink of an eye he has become a pirate worth billions.

What made Sieg abandon his years of seclusion and so eagerly step into the limelight?

Rayleigh once suspected Sieg's identity and wondered if he was plotting something.

But after seeing Crocus and Sieg appear in person, that doubt gradually faded.

Shanks is one thing, but now even Crocus has been brought to the Sabaody Archipelago.

This is no small matter!

It's true that Roger's pirate crew fell apart back then, but each member carried their own mission.

They are waiting for the right moment, for a "great war" that could overturn the world.

Before that opportunity arrives, they need to lie low and accumulate strength.

Therefore, Crocus's sudden appearance in the Sabaody Archipelago is quite unusual.

But now, he understands.

It wasn't that he had any ulterior motives, but rather because... his health was gradually deteriorating, which was why he was in such a hurry.

Rayleigh's gaze was somewhat complicated as he looked at Sieg, as if he saw Roger's shadow in him.

Roger was also suffering from a terminal illness, and it was with Crocus's help that he was able to become the Pirate King.

Was Crocus also on Sieg's ship for this reason?

Thinking about this, Rayleigh was also somewhat moved and asked:

"Have you always been fighting with this kind of body?"

These words created a somewhat awkward atmosphere in the bar.

Sieg didn't answer, but just took another swig of wine.

Stussy and the bald man sat quietly to the side, their expressions complex.

Finally, Xia Qi, observing the situation, directly reprimanded him:

"What kind of questions are you two asking? If you can't speak properly, then drink more."

Shaki poured Rayleigh another glass of wine.

Upon hearing this, Rayleigh and Crocus exchanged a glance, both as if waking from a dream.

Since they started talking about the Black Flame Dragon, Sig has barely said a word and has been drinking alone in silence.

Meanwhile, Crocus and Rayleigh went to ask Sigurd about his painful past...

With their experience, they should have realized that something was wrong long ago.

Perhaps because they had been drinking and were thinking about Roger from back then, they spoke somewhat recklessly.

"A hero grows old..."