"Oh?"
"A treasure map?"
Roy took a roll of parchment from Bruno and spread it across his desk.
Under the dim light,
a crudely drawn nautical chart came into view.
Treasure maps concerning gold were common across the seas, but this was the first time Roy had seen one related to a Devil Fruit.
The crooked lines represented the various sea routes.
And where those thin lines ultimately pointed was a seemingly endless mountain peak, along with a slide-like ocean current.
The familiar sight made Roy pause in surprise.
After all, in the entire Pirate World, aside from Twin Capes on Mount Levius, there was probably nowhere else with a slide-like current.
"Could the so-called treasure on this map be hidden inside Twin Capes?"
Thinking of that enormous mountain slide that towered into the clouds and carried raging currents,
Roy picked up the parchment from the desk and could not help wondering whether this was some cruel joke.
After all, everyone knew how dangerous Twin Capes was.
Following the currents from the Four Seas to reach the Grand Line was already exceedingly difficult.
Yet according to the clues recorded on this parchment, that so-called treasure was actually hidden within the Twin Capes passage on the Grand Line side.
No wonder this treasure map looked so grimy.
Even if someone obtained this treasure map, they probably would not truly believe the treasure existed, would they?
Just as Roy was about to casually throw away the Devil Fruit map,
Bruno happened to say, "Lord Roy, according to the intelligence we extracted during the interrogation,
the reason the Giant Sword Pirates have remained in the first half of the Grand Line all these years was this treasure map.
And according to several core members of the Giant Sword Pirates, this map was once a Bambina family heirloom.
It was only lost because of a bout of chaos.
Bambina only recovered this treasure map half a month ago."
Roy's hand, which had been about to toss away the parchment,
paused after hearing Bruno's words, then drew it back.
He spread the parchment over the desk once more.
This time, Roy picked up the oil lamp beside the table and carefully examined the markings on the treasure map again.
"Something that made a pirate with a bounty close to a hundred million wander the first half of the Grand Line for so long probably isn't some cruel joke, is it?"
His fingers rubbed over the texture of the treasure map as he looked at the stains that resembled dried blood.
Jaya Island was not particularly close to Twin Capes.
And with a Devil Fruit worth hundreds of millions of Beli, it was indeed worth making a special trip.
But the one thing Roy was uncertain about now was whether this treasure map was genuine.
Seeing Roy study it so carefully, perhaps because he wanted to curry favor with this powerful superior who had just helped cover up Owl's mistake, Bruno could not help adding,
"Lord Roy, by my judgment, this treasure map is at least one or two hundred years old.
Though it looks grimy, it has remained structurally intact until now. I think it might be real."
Bruno's answer made Roy's eyes light up.
"How did I suddenly forget that CP9's daily training includes archaeology?"
After hearing Bruno's answer and confirming that the treasure map was indeed an antique,
Roy immediately decided to take Bruno to Twin Capes on Mount Levius.
In any case, all the stolen supplies had already been recovered.
According to the plan he had previously made with Spandam, as long as the goods were transported back to Enies Lobby, Spandam could handle everything left over there.
If this treasure map was real, Roy could make a fortune, and he might even get to eat a powerful Devil Fruit himself.
And if the treasure map was fake, he could simply treat the trip as a vacation.
Besides, with Bruno, a Door-Door Fruit user, making a trip into Twin Capes should not be too much of a problem.
Roy was a man who acted the moment he made up his mind.
As the arrangements to split into two groups were swiftly passed down,
the sky gradually brightened.
After the agents wiped out another wave of pirates in Mock Town who had been looking to make easy pickings,
two bloodstained ships headed back to Enies Lobby.
Meanwhile, Roy and Bruno boarded a ship bound for Mount Levius.
Reclining on the sunlit deck,
Roy and Bruno truly treated this voyage as a trip.
"Sir, this is the orange juice you requested. It's 100% freshly squeezed, and as you ordered, there isn't a drop of water added."
The once-arrogant pirate captain had become a humble waiter.
Roy, with cucumber slices covering his face, stretched out his left hand, and the juice was naturally placed into it.
Do not ask how Roy and the others managed that.
If one really had to ask, it was because Roy had given these pirates some heartfelt care with his fists.
"Edwards, how far are we from Whiskey Peak now?"
Roy took a sip of juice, and the fresh, sweet flavor left him very satisfied.
"Sir, based on the nautical chart and our confirmation after passing Little Garden, we should reach Whiskey Peak tonight."
The hulking man with the rooster crest, over two meters tall, wore a thoroughly servile expression.
Roy waved a hand.
The humble burly pirate beside him withdrew.
"Hey, Bruno, have you slacked off on developing your ability these past few days?
For this treasure hunt, I'm completely counting on your ability!"
Roy downed more than half the juice in one gulp and asked Bruno, who was resting beside him.
Although Roy had given Bruno special training every night for nearly a week, the closer they got to Mount Levius, the less certain Roy felt.
After all, it was a massive current that gathered the power of the Four Seas, one capable of smashing a ship to pieces in an instant.
Though Roy was confident in his physical strength, he could not help feeling concerned when facing the power of nature.
"Sir, rest assured!
Though I am not as strong as Lucci, I can still open a few doors from a distance."
Bruno understood his superior's concern.
In truth, he felt the same way. Facing the approaching Mount Levius, he was getting a little scared himself.
Night swiftly swallowed the day.
As the last streak of sunset in the sky
was devoured by darkness,
Roy and the others arrived at Whiskey Peak, the closest island to Mount Levius.
However, they did not stop there to rest and resupply.
When the Turkey Pirates' ship rounded Whiskey Peak and swiftly advanced toward Mount Levius,
with the ship speeding onward, a shadow that seemed to cut off the sky suddenly crashed into Roy's view.
Before you continue