The traitor!

"I refuse!"

Both Ian and Luffy spoke up at the same time.

And then they both turned to each other in surprise.

This proclamation by both Ian and Luffy shocked the rest, however.

For Luffy, he was already on the bad side of Kaido, and their plan revolved around taking him down.

Not to mention that they had been traveling together for a while now, and their goals were the same.

As for Ian, by taking down Jack, he was also now targeted by Kaido. So it made sense that he should get allies to fight alongside him.

Unless he thought he could fight the great army behind Kaido on his own… if that was the reason then maybe they should reevaluate their opinion about Ian…

Meanwhile, for Ian's crew, they knew that he must have something up in mind if he refused. They had absolute trust towards their captain, as such, they stayed silent for now. But if Ian didn't provide a sufficient enough reason, then Elene and Robin were going to wipe the floor with him…

It took a minute of silence after that for Luffy's crew to start hounding him.

"What-What did you just say?" Usopp asked in disbelieve. He didn't think that it was possible for someone to be this stupid to kick a gift in the mouth. A gift they were in desperate need of. Otherwise, if they didn't join this alliance, they might as well just commit suicide instead of waiting for their death that was absolutely coming to them.

"I said I refuse!" Luffy repeated again. And Ian stayed silent for now as he waited for Luffy to finish what he had to say.

"Why just why?" Usopp yelled at him.

He couldn't understand why he would do this.

"We have already been traveling together as friends for a while now!" Usopp yelled at him.

Kin'emon raised his head in shock.

These were valuable allies to them. He couldn't afford to not have them on their sides.

Truthfully he expected Ian to not want to get entangled in their mess… however he didn't expect Luffy to refuse too.

"Luffy…" Kin'emon muttered as he looked at him.

"I refuse!" Luffy repeated a third time.

With his friends behind him yelling for him to not refuse!

"Don't" The trio of Franky, Usopp, and Chopper said in unison.

"Please tell me you're just joking, Luffy…" Chopper spoke up with tears in his eyes.

"Why can't you get it? We have to join hands with them to stand a chance! Are you out of your mind!!…" Usopp told him as he started to shake him.

All attention was gathered on Luffy. Everybody was waiting to see what his reasons were, but the antics of his crew delayed that action.

After that, he went forward and told Kin'emon to wait for a bit and forget about what Luffy had said…

And then they proceeded to kick his ass on the floor and telling him to rethink it.

But then Luffy who was held down finally had enough and brushed them off him.

When he stood up he finally addressed Momo.

"Are you just a figurehead, Momo?" He asked him.

He then ignored what his friends were saying about him being just a child. This was just bullshit to him.

When he was the same age, he was thrown into the forest for weeks to survive by his grandpa. Him telling Momo to man up and OWN his position is not even 1% of what he went through. This was a child of a samurai, not a piece of chocolate that will melt in any second…

"You say it! I thought that you were supposed to be some sort of great guy? You are the leader of these great men, aren't you? Or are you just gonna cry?" Luffy told him.

And then surprising everyone, Momonosuke who was still bawling his eyes walked until he was right next to Luffy and spoke up amidst his crying.

"I want to bring Kaido Down!! He was an enemy to my parents! He killed my Mother too!" He said crying his eyes out!

And to some this was new. They didn't know that beforehand.

"I want to grow up quickly, become strong, and avenge my parents! I want to protect my retainers too!"

Said retainers too had trouble holding their emotions in check.

Nekomamushi even went so far as to say.

"It's good enough to know that you feel like that!" He said.

Momo however ignored all of his surroundings as he focused just on Luffy.

"But my body is still young and small… that is why I want you to fight with me! Please" HE was going to go so far as to bow, but a hand stopped him up.

"I got it!" Luffy told him seriously. Before a smile spread on his face.

"Let's join hands! We're allies!" Luffy told him as the two then shook hands.

This was indeed a happy occasion.

But then Inuarashi remembered the other person who refused.

"Young Ian, would this alliance not be helpful to you?" He questioned him.

And at that everyone focused on them both.

Kin'emon and his friends stood up and came closer to Inuarashi.

So far Ian had been nothing but helpful so they wanted to hear his reasons.

Ian sighed.

"It is not so hard to understand where I'm coming from. I simply will not join an alliance that is doomed to fall!" Ian replied. He explained his reason.

And while the straw-hats were a bit offended at that, the others knew that Ian meat something more with what he said.

"Is our strength not enough?" Inuarashi asked him. Although he had a feeling that that was not it.

Still, he listened to what Ian was going to say.

"You and Nekomamushi know what I'm talking about," Ian told them.

"Raizo was hidden in Zou right?" Ian asked them. And when they nodded back he continued to say.

"Who knew of that information?" Ian asked.

"Well apart from us, that leaves, Momonosuke, Kanjuro, and Kin'emon!" Inuarashi said. Not quite understanding where he was going with this, but he stayed silent for now.

"Well, then how do you suppose Jack found Zou and came searching for Raizo when only a very few of you knew about this?" Ian asked them sarcastically.

And then when it dawned upon them, they finally understood Ian.

"That's right, among you is a traitor! This is the reason why your alliance would fail! Because you're supposed surprise attack had already been known by Kaido via the traitor most likely!" Ian told them.

At this everybody stayed silent.

Inuarashi and Nekomamushi knew that each of them can't be the traitor. Otherwise, they wouldn't have fought against Jack so seriously.

That left Momonosuke, Kin'emon, and Kanjuro…

Bar Momo who is obviously not the traitor that left the two samurais.

Both of them stared between Kanjuro and Kin'emon.

And at that Ian gave them a nod.

"Between those two, one of them is definitely a traitor!" He said confirming their guess.