Rising Star

"Someone like me, who started from bootlegging?"

Begg swallowed the other half of the Devil Fruit and looked at the middle-aged man with utter contempt.

"Simó, with your narrow vision, it's no wonder the Colo family ended up in your hands."

With that, Begg extended his right hand to his side.

Behind him, a subordinate dressed in a black suit handed Begg a white napkin at the opportune moment.

Begg picked up the napkin and wiped his mouth.

He figured he wouldn't forget this indescribably disgusting taste for at least a month.

Tonight, he had almost lost his life for this thing called a Devil Fruit.

He could only hope the rumored ability was worth the risk he took.

However, judging by the outcome, even if the ability wasn't to his liking, being able to eliminate two rivals in one fell swoop was reason enough to celebrate with a hundred gunshots.

Simó, the boss of the Colo family, one of the Five Great Gangs, tried to struggle to his feet but couldn't.

Blood flowed from his wounds, slowly draining his strength.

Even though he could still speak, he couldn't refute Begg's words, only showing a look of hatred and unwillingness.

Twenty years of accumulation couldn't compare to the rise of a bootlegging business.

One wrong move, and it was a complete loss.

"As long as you're on the right path, even the cheapest liquor can be worth more than gold."

Feeling Simó's unwillingness and hatred, Begg, in his victor's posture, continued to trample on Simó's last shred of dignity.

"As for stubborn old fools like you, trapped in the past, your exit was only a matter of time."

Begg threw away the napkin and turned to leave.

"Only by keeping up with the times can you go faster and farther. Do you understand now, you stray dog of the Colo family?"

The white napkin slowly drifted down and landed on Simó's head, obscuring his last hateful gaze towards Begg.

Begg's subordinates stepped forward, all aiming their guns at Simó.

Bang, bang...!

The gunshots suddenly became as dense as rainfall.

"You didn't lose with dignity, but I can grant you a dignified death."

Listening to the dense gunfire behind him, Begg's face was stern.

In the chaotic auction hall, quite a few guests remained.

Most of the guests had been escorted to safety by the auction house's armed team when the disturbance began.

But no matter where you went, there were always people who enjoyed watching the show.

The famous Devil Sheriff Lafitte was one of them.

So were Kid and Killer, who were there to buy guns.

Saul, who had already acquired the Fifty Crafts property's quick blade, was even more so.

As for Arthur, he didn't want to get involved, but Saul forced him to stay as company.

He had personally watched Begg eat the Devil Fruit he'd always dreamed of, and all he felt was jealousy.

He had thought about snatching it, but that would have been pure suicide.

The corpses littering the floor were proof of that.

Capone. Begg...

He's truly ruthless!

Having witnessed firsthand Begg's tactic of using himself as bait to eliminate two rivals, Arthur could only marvel at Begg's ferocity from the bottom of his heart.

Beside him, Saul watched the imposing Begg leave the auction house and said seriously, "I heard Devil Fruits taste worse than shit."

Arthur glanced at Saul, thinking that even if it tasted worse than shit, as long as he could get a Devil Fruit, he wouldn't mind eating a ton of it.

"But in reality, just one bite is enough."

Saul touched the long sword in his hand and chuckled, "I wanted to give him a friendly reminder, but the timing wasn't right."

"..."

Arthur's mouth twitched.

Saul first cast a subtle glance at Kid, then looked towards the hall entrance and said, "The show's over, it's time to go home."

With that, he walked straight towards the door.

What surprised Saul the most tonight wasn't just the ambitious demeanor Begg displayed, but also the formidable new faces like Lafitte.

As for familiar figures like Kid, they were also the rising stars Saul had initially favored the most.

But now...

A figure appeared in his mind.

Saul smiled, holding the Fifty Crafts quick blade, and left the auction under the watchful eyes of Kid and the others.

On the scene, there was no reason for Lafitte and others to stay any longer, and they all left.

Killer looked at the captain beside him, who was full of satisfaction, and said, "Kid, it's time to go."

Kid nodded, gently stroking the short knife and short gun at his waist with his right hand.

These were the weapons he bought tonight, and their quality was quite good.

Although far inferior to Keanu's firearm, he could use them for now, and he would always find better ones after setting sail.

He looked at the last few figures leaving.

Tonight, not only did he watch a good show, but it also allowed him to see many peers worthy of attention.

"It's time..."

The corners of his mouth turned up high, and he strode towards the door.

Recruiting personnel.

A long-distance sailing ship.

In this place, as long as you have money, anything can be prepared.

The top floor of the auction house.

Ralph, the owner of the auction house, still dressed in a deep red suit, stood with his hands behind his back by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at Mad Hatter Town, ablaze with lights.

Listening to his subordinate's brief but thorough report, Ralph's eyes were still filled with a pitch-blackness that showed no emotion.

So dark it was inhuman, deep as an abyss.

After the subordinate finished reporting, Ralph looked up at the [Wall Mountain] standing in the distance under the moonlight.

Compared to the commotion tonight, the other side of the mountain was what truly held his heart.

"Any situation at the factory?"

"Everything is as usual."

"You may go."

Ralph nodded.

The subordinate left quietly.

Ralph was left alone in the room.

He gazed silently at the [Wall Mountain], speechless for a long time.

The pier.

Haku stood at the edge of the deck, his expression slightly relaxed as he watched the two people who had arrived together in the night.

Sabo and Clara had returned to the ship safely.

"We got it, the layout map from behind Wall Mountain."

Clara showed Haku the blueprint in her hand.

"Well done, Koala."

Haku smiled slightly.

The mission was completed, so there was no need to use a pseudonym anymore, and he called Koala by her real name.

"Not only did we get the topographic map, but Sabo also figured out the approximate troop strength and the number of slaves in the factory."

Koala glanced at Sabo, who was unusually silent.

"Sabo, what's wrong? You've been acting strange since a while ago."

"Ah, it's nothing."

Sabo looked up and smiled.

"I was just wondering if we needed to leave someone behind before the action begins."

"You want to stay?"

Koala immediately understood Sabo's thoughts and looked surprised.

Haku directly denied it, "There's no need."

Without waiting for Sabo to speak, Koala, who knew Sabo's operational patterns well, asked again, "Why?"

Sabo scratched his head and said seriously, "I met a masked person tonight. He's most likely a Marine lurking in town, so he might have a lot of earlier and more useful information."

"Huh?"

Koala immediately thought of the figure who had shot and saved the Fish-Man slave.

"Was he carrying a flintlock rifle?"

Sabo looked at Koala with some surprise upon hearing this.

Koala then briefly described Maud's attire and how he had shot to save the Fish-Man.

After hearing Koala's account.

Sabo suddenly understood.

Haku, being a Fish-Man, said gravely, "This place actually has a Marine like that..."

"Well, it hasn't been confirmed yet."

Saul returned to the weapon shop and immediately smelled the aroma of food.

Following the scent to the kitchen, he saw Maud and Sunny eating noodles.

"Yo, you even prepared some for me."

Looking at the steaming beef noodles on the table, Saul felt his stomach rumble with hunger.

He casually placed the quick blade he had just acquired on the table and grabbed a bowl, starting to eat.

Maud's gaze was drawn to the long sword.

"Saul, is that the quick blade, one of the Fifty Crafts to be auctioned tonight?"

"Slurp slurp..."

"Yes, its name is Chidori."