Conditions

Vito placed the assassin's file on Bege's desk.

Bege took a sip of water and picked up the file. "You know my requirements for an assassin, Vito."

Vito stood with his hands behind his back and nodded. "Of course. At the very least, he must be able to kill Gotti with ease."

"Mm."

Bege picked up the file and examined it carefully.

At first glance, he frowned—far too young!

The man in the photograph... or rather, the youth, looked to be around seventeen or eighteen. He had a shaved head, with faintly whitening hair visible beneath it, a scar over his right eye, and thick lips. Wearing only a white tank top, his muscular body was powerful yet sleek. With that cold expression, he did somewhat resemble a ruthless, cold-blooded assassin.

Bege continued reading.

This person was a rookie assassin who had only become active in the West Blue underworld in recent years.

Mission completion rate: 100%.

"Ordinary."

So far, Bege had not seen anything special.

The Capone Family had assassins with a 100% mission completion rate as well.

But none of them were a match for Gotti.

There truly were only a few people in West Blue who could rival Gotti.

That was why he had so confidently handed the list to Gotti back then. Who would have thought...

Shaking his head and suppressing the anger surging in his heart, Bege patiently continued reading.

Judging from his record, this man probably possessed strength close to Gotti's.

If that was all he had, then he definitely did not meet Bege's requirements. He knew Vito had to understand that.

"So... what is special about him?"

Frowning, he flipped all the way to the end and saw a line in the summary.

[...According to eyewitness accounts, his body is hard enough to deflect bullets and withstand blades. His fingers can cut through stone... It is highly likely that he is a Dice-Dice Fruit user!]

A Devil Fruit user?!

Bege perked up, finally interested.

If he was a Devil Fruit user, then Gotti was absolutely no match for him!

"No... he might even pose a threat to me!"

The Dice-Dice Fruit sounded like an exceptionally offensive Devil Fruit!

He reread the file again and again, his eyes growing brighter as he did. At last, his gaze fell on the name in the upper-left corner.

—Daz Bones.

"Good!"

A savage grin appeared on Bege's face as he tossed the file onto the desk.

"Him!"

"Give him access to the Capone Family's intelligence channels. Let him name his own price."

"Tell him that within a week, I want Jogo's head on my desk!"

Vito adjusted his glasses. His lizard-like tongue flicked out as he smiled as well. "I'll contact him immediately!"

Bege nodded, looking a little more energized.

He energetically took a drink of water, energetically stretched his stiff neck, energetically replaced his cigar, energetically lit it... then looked up at Vito, who was still standing in front of him.

"Why are you still here?"

Hadn't he said he would contact the man immediately?

"Well... well..."

Vito looked at the exhausted Bege, hesitating to speak.

"Just say it, Vito. What else is there?

"You're the only person I can rely on now. We don't need to stand on ceremony with each other." Bege took a deep drag on his cigar and spoke indifferently.

He knew Vito must have run into something difficult to handle.

That was why he was being so hesitant.

But trouble was the one thing Bege feared least right now.

After the torment of the past two days, he had developed the feeling that one more debt would not make a difference.

"Isn't it just trouble? One more or one less doesn't matter."

Vito cautiously said:

"Well... the buyer for that shipment called. He wants you to reply to him immediately."

Bege's hand holding the cigar trembled, and the stub fell into his lap. Under Vito's concerned gaze, he stiffly brushed away the scorching cigar butt without changing his expression.

It had finally come?

The enormous mess his father had created alongside him had finally come knocking.

As the pressure abruptly mounted, Bege also felt a faint sense of relief, as if the huge stone hanging over his heart had finally fallen.

He collapsed against the backrest, closed his eyes to rest for a moment, then held out his hand. "Bring me the Den Den Mushi!"

Before long, a Den Den Mushi wearing a suit and smoking a cigar was brought to Bege.

Bege dialed back the number that had been left behind.

The call connected quickly, with the faint sound of ocean waves in the background.

"Hello, Capone Family?" An impatient voice came through.

Bege lowered his voice. "I am the current head of the Capone Family, Capone Bege..."

Before he could finish, he was interrupted.

"I don't care who you are. You lost the shipment in your hands. How does the Capone Family plan to answer for this?"

A flash of anger passed through Bege's eyes, but he restrained himself and said:

"You have one thing wrong. Not all the goods were lost. We transferred one-third of the shipment, and it can still be traded normally."

"Hahahahaha~"

The person on the other end burst into laughter.

"Is the Capone Family's new boss an idiot? At a time like this, you still want to conduct a normal transaction? Isn't that a little too naive?"

Bege's expression did not change.

"Normal transaction" had merely been a test.

To deal with this buyer, whom even the Capone Family found troublesome, he had long prepared sufficient plans.

"Why not hear out the Capone Family's proposal..."

The two sides haggled back and forth for a full hour.

The atmosphere became tense several times, nearly reaching the point of war, but in the end, they came to an agreement.

Bege secretly sighed in relief.

For a moment, he felt as though his heart was bleeding.

They had finally sold this one-third of the weapons shipment, but the money... it had practically drained the Capone Family to the marrow!

Even so, as long as he could quickly stabilize this buyer, it was all worth it!

"How do you want the delivery made?" Bege asked.

The Den Den Mushi made a pouting expression. "Didn't you ship the goods out of Sunflower Island? Then naturally, it will be at sea."

"We deliver them to your door?"

"Hahahaha~ Who would still trust the Capone Family's strength at sea?"

"Then how will you take the goods?"

"Of course, by 'taking' them. After all, the Capone Family doesn't want the Marines to know that you're trading with us, right?"

Bege neither confirmed nor denied it. Only after the call ended did he slump limply in his chair.

Vito wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief as well.

"I thought we wouldn't earn a single berry this time. As expected of Lord Bege!"

Bege shook his head and tiredly said, "My father was the impressive one."

"Do you think those people didn't want to default on their debt?"

"It's because my father had evidence of his past transactions with them!"

"Those people may fear neither heaven nor earth, but once certain things are brought into the open, they become very difficult to deal with."

"They also don't want to provoke the Capone Family too badly."

Bege leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed, feeling completely burned out.

"Go take care of it!"

"Remember, in a week, I want to see Jogo's head... It would be best if you could recover my father's head as well. Don't make me wait too long."

Vito acknowledged the order and withdrew.

Meanwhile, a thousand miles away, inside the luxurious cabin of a cruise ship.

Hina crossed her arms and glared at Jogo irritably.

"You mean you want to trade for the cultivation methods of the different types of Haki?"

As she said this, her cheeks puffed up with anger.

Jogo did not know why Hina seemed somewhat unhappy, but he still nodded.

Compared to the various unorthodox methods used by strange people around the world, the Marines possessed the most comprehensive power system in this world, and one best suited for ordinary people to cultivate.

One look at Hina's slender, graceful body—without lacking strength or explosiveness—was enough to tell him.

The Marines ate the finest food every day!

A top Marine student like her had definitely encountered knowledge related to Haki.

That was what Jogo needed most right now.

With the number of traits he currently possessed, whether he awakened Observation Haki or Armament Haki, his strength would undergo an enormous boost.

At the very least, the next time he grabbed Hina's beautiful legs, he would not have to hesitate over whether to admire them first or dodge first.

"That's right. As long as you teach me how to awaken Armament Haki or Observation Haki, I'll agree to everything I mentioned before!"

Jogo patted his chest in assurance.

"That's all you want?"

"Yeah."

"Nothing else?"

Hina leaned closer, her delicate nose nearly touching Jogo's.

Her exquisite face made even breathing seem to slow by half a beat.

Jogo frowned at Hina, feeling that this girl was nothing like the composed and resourceful person portrayed in the manga.

Maybe it was adolescence.

Just to be safe, Jogo asked, "Do you have anything more valuable on you than knowledge about Haki?"

You wouldn't give me traits anyway!

"No! I don't!"

Hina snorted through gritted teeth, grabbed the notebook and documents Jogo had given her, and turned away, unwilling to look at him.

But she soon turned back, snatched the blanket off Jogo's bed, and wrapped herself up tightly. She glared at Jogo again before turning away once more.

Jogo had not made any strange demands, which relieved her.

But why did she feel a little upset inside?