Someone was behind him!?
When?!
The smile on Shuuki's face froze.
Although he had only recently joined Baroque Works and currently ranked as a Million Envoy, his strength was already on par with a Billion Envoy's. All he lacked was the record of achievements.
Someone had appeared behind him without him noticing at all. Didn't that mean he would already be dead if the other person had meant him harm?
Shuuki turned around stiffly and looked at the two red-haired youths standing behind him.
Those familiar faces belonged to the very targets he had hoped to report as achievements: Mad Blade Rod and Black Spear Nerl!
Shuuki's heart gave a faint tremor, and he forced a smile.
"Let's hear it. Who are you?"
Rod picked up the intelligence booklet the other man had left on the ground. He flipped through it casually as he spoke.
"We're members of Baroque Works. We've been staying on Tiger Shark Island, gathering intelligence and looking for suitable prey so we can earn bounties."
Knowing that the people before him were opponents he couldn't resist, Shuuki candidly revealed their identities.
"Baroque Works?"
Hearing a familiar name from the other man, Rod paused and took another look at the two before him.
A familiar male-female pair working together, and the inconspicuous Baroque Works insignia on their clothes.
It had to be them.
"Our company's headquarters are on the Grand Line..."
Thinking Rod didn't know about their company, Shuuki was about to explain it in detail, hoping to give him pause and keep him from killing them outright.
"I know. It's the criminal organization founded by Crocodile, headquartered in Alabasta."
"What!! Crocodile!!"
At Rod's words, Shuuki and Margery's eyes bulged and their jaws dropped to the ground. They treated Rod and Nerl to an impressive display of exaggerated expressions.
"Oh, right. I remember now. Everyone in your company uses code names, and your identities are kept secret."
As if he'd just remembered something, Rod patted his head and looked at the two before him without a hint of apology.
"Sorry about that. I think I've gotten you into trouble. I heard Crocodile doesn't want anyone to know he's the boss of Baroque Works, so he kills everyone who learns the secret."
"We're doomed!!"
Shuuki and Margery felt their lives turn bleak. Now that they knew such a secret, they were sure to be hunted down.
They didn't think they could survive a Shichibukai's pursuit.
"Who were you calling just now?"
"Mr. 11. He's on the island because he's trying to recruit some powerful guy."
"Mr. 11?"
Rod thought hard but still couldn't recall anything about him.
His number was too low down the list. Rod had no impression of him at all!
"Did you really think Mr. 11 was strong enough to beat us?"
Rod looked utterly baffled.
He was a pirate with a bounty of 71 million now, after all. Even on the Grand Line, he was far from an insignificant nobody.
What gave them the confidence to think someone so low in Baroque Works' ranks could take him out?
"We thought you must have done something special to get such a high bounty..."
Shuuki was still gripped by the fear of being hunted by a Shichibukai. Feeling that his life was already over, he answered Rod's questions without holding anything back.
"Since Mr. 11 couldn't handle that monster, the headquarters apparently sent the chief executive to take over the mission."
"The chief executive?"
"That's Mr. 5, along with the higher-ranking officers."
Could it be number three?
When Rod thought of the higher-ranking members of Baroque Works, the first person who came to mind was a man with a "3" on his head, elegantly holding a teacup.
If it really was him, Rod wanted to test the strength of this so-called "strongest right-hand man."
"I don't know who exactly."
Noticing the thoughtful look on Rod's face, Shuuki quickly added.
When Rod looked his way, Shuuki put on a fawning expression and asked cautiously, "Since I've been so cooperative, could you two keep what happened today a secret?"
After panicking over the prospect of being pursued by a Shichibukai and imagining countless terrible futures, Shuuki suddenly saw things clearly.
The two of them were insignificant nobodies in Baroque Works. They might have accidentally learned their boss's true identity, but as long as they didn't tell anyone, nobody would know that they knew the secret. After all, even the chief executive didn't know the President's true identity.
All he needed was for the two dangerous men before him to keep quiet.
He couldn't beat them, so all he could do was ask them to keep it secret.
"You're pretty quick on the uptake."
Rod looked at the unremarkable man before him in surprise.
He hadn't expected to run into one of the rare quick-witted people in a world where almost everyone was so simple-minded.
"Don't worry. I'm not that kind of bore."
Rod readily nodded, then waved the intelligence booklet he'd taken from Shuuki in front of him.
"Answer three last questions honestly, and we'll let you go."
"First: are there any excellent chefs on this island?"
"Chefs?"
Shuuki and Margery exchanged glances. After a moment's hesitation, he answered, "The northern part of the island is a commercial district. There are a few pretty good restaurants there. Maybe their chefs are good..."
"Fine. I guess it won't be that easy."
The answer clearly didn't satisfy Rod, but he'd only asked on a whim and hadn't expected much. He'd take a look around there later.
"Second question: where is that Mr. 11 you were looking for?"
Since the other party had decided to come after him, Rod might as well go find him himself. That would save them the trouble of making a big show of searching for him.
"He's in the northern district too. Mr. 11 likes fine wine and beautiful women. Since he came to the island, he's been at the North Blue Scenery bar in the northern district."
What a coincidence. Everyone he wanted to find was in the northern district.
"Third question: who's the monster your company is trying to recruit?"
At Rod's question, a trace of fear crossed Shuuki's face, while Margery blushed slightly, her eyes filled with admiration.
"He's a real monster. An immortal monster!"
Seeing the doubt on Rod and the others' faces, Shuuki quickly added, "It's true, I saw it myself! Fists, swords—none of them could kill him. Even with his chest pierced and his arm broken, he kept fighting and wiped out every last enemy!"
The story was getting more and more exaggerated. Rod glanced at Nerl, who gave a slight shake of his head, indicating the man wasn't lying.
"We call him Zombie Man Genos!"
Before you continue