Manpower and Funding

The sea breeze carried dampness as it swept through the silent dock district. Only a few gas lamps struggled in the darkness, casting dim, wavering halos of light.

Suddenly, a shriek that tore through the air came from high above, drawing closer from afar before finally becoming a dull boom that shattered the night's silence.

Dawn descended from the sky and landed steadily on the soft earth at the edge of the island, stirring up a faint ring of dust.

He carefully set Robin down. Though the girl's face showed some weariness from the journey, there was little panic in her eyes. Instead, she carried a calmness far beyond her age, along with... a barely noticeable reliance.

Dawn said nothing more and pulled a Den Den Mushi from his pocket. Its "pururururu" rang especially clearly through the quiet night.

"Stella, we've arrived. Where are you now?"

Less than ten seconds later, the Den Den Mushi was answered. Dawn picked up the receiver and asked directly.

A gentle female voice came from the Den Den Mushi's mouth:

"Walk about five hundred meters east along the coastline. You'll see a path half-hidden by weeds. Follow it in—I'll be waiting for you at the tavern at the end."

"Got it. Stay alert. We'll be there soon."

After confirming the location, Dawn put away the Den Den Mushi and gestured in a direction to Robin. The two moved one after the other, disappearing into the shadows deeper within the island.

Before long, following Stella's directions, they found a solitary wooden tavern at the end of the dense forest.

Dawn pushed open the wooden door, and a strange odor mixed with cheap alcohol, sweat, and... something burnt washed over them.

The scene inside the tavern was rather bizarre.

A group of burly men lay sprawled across the floor. Their faces were twisted, frozen in lecherous, sleazy expressions. Each bore burns of varying severity, blackened marks seared into their skin. The scorched smell hanging in the air came from them.

In stark contrast to the mess covering the floor was the graceful figure seated behind the bar.

Stella rested her chin on one hand while idly playing with an empty wineglass in the other, smiling brightly at the two who had entered.

Robin's gaze merely swept over the people on the floor. There was little change in her expression as she rushed straight behind the bar, her voice carrying dependence and a faint, imperceptible grievance.

"Big Sister Stella!"

Stella hurriedly set down her glass and opened her arms to catch Robin as she rushed over. Gently patting her back, she spoke in a voice tender enough to melt water.

"There, there. It's good that you arrived safely. You didn't run into any trouble on the way, did you? Look at that little face of yours—it's all dusty."

Robin rubbed against Stella's embrace, then raised her face and complained in a slightly coquettish tone.

"It was fine. It's just that Dawn flew too fast. The wind made my face hurt."

Dawn did not interrupt the warm scene. He silently glanced at the unconscious burly men at his feet and immediately understood.

Most likely, these blind fools had seen Stella alone and beautiful, then, emboldened by drink, tried to harass her. In the end, they had kicked an iron plate and been effortlessly taken down by Stella's increasingly skillful flame abilities.

In the Four Blues, where people generally relied on martial arts and flintlock guns, it was practically a crushing advantage across entirely different levels.

Dawn could not help but feel a trace of emotion. To ordinary people, the power of a Devil Fruit truly was like a natural disaster.

Without drawing attention to himself, he activated Black Hole and absorbed the trash that needed to be dealt with into a compressed space. Then he casually shut the tavern door, completely cutting off prying eyes from outside.

Only after finishing all that did he turn his gaze back toward the bar.

Stella was carefully wiping Robin's face. The latter wore the bright, cheerful smile a girl her age ought to have, but one that had been nearly absent from her past experiences.

Seeing how close the two women were, like sisters, a trace of barely perceptible softness flashed through Dawn's eyes.

It seemed that under my influence, Robin's personality has completely changed...

If things had followed her original fate, she definitely could not have been as cheerful as she was now, trusting others. She would have instinctively closed off her heart and never easily revealed her feelings to anyone. Still, the way things are now is ultimately a good thing.

With that thought, Dawn walked to the bar, pulled out a wooden chair that looked fairly sturdy, and sat down.

He extended a finger and lightly tapped his knuckles against the wooden countertop, producing a "knock, knock" that drew the attention of the two women conversing in low voices.

Stella and Robin turned to look at him at the same time, questions in their eyes.

Dawn gathered his thoughts and stated his plans one word at a time.

"I've thought about it. Constantly running away is ultimately the worst option. If we only passively take hits, sooner or later we'll run out of strength."

"I don't intend to keep running forever. I know very well that there is only one way to truly escape the World Government's endless pursuit: destroy them instead. But that requires massive financial backing and reliable manpower."

Stella spoke at just the right moment.

"So, are you planning to start accumulating funds first, or recruit like-minded companions first?"

Her heart had long since become tied to Dawn's. She had no objection whatsoever to the seemingly mad idea of opposing the World Government.

Robin, however, was more practical and reminded him without hesitation.

"If we're accumulating funds, Dawn, are you sure you know how to do business? Big Sister Stella and I aren't good at that either."

She and Dawn were both targets of the World Government, so they naturally shared the same position. She had no objection to opposing the World Government, but she cared more about whether it could actually be carried out.

Dawn gave Robin's straightforwardness an approving smile. He had clearly already thought it through.

"I've decided to prioritize accumulating funds. I don't have an urgent need to recruit companions in the short term. Building trust takes time, and acting hastily might bring disaster instead. We should wait until our foundation is more secure."

He leaned forward slightly and continued in a lowered voice.

"As for how we'll accumulate funds... I'm not planning to do legitimate business. You both know our identities are sensitive. We can't withstand scrutiny through official channels.

"I plan to start with the Underworld. It's a place where all sorts of people gather and rules are written by strength. It's exactly the right stage for people like us. And in the West Blue... there is no shortage of shady industries that bring in staggering profits."

Stella casually picked up a freshly opened bottle of fruit wine from the bar and took an elegant sip. The golden liquid complemented her hair color perfectly. Her eyes shifted as she looked toward the spirited blond youth.

"Since you've thought things through so thoroughly, then you must have already decided on a target as well, right?"

Dawn nodded confidently, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"While restocking supplies aboard the merchant ship, I heard the sailors chatting about information on the base of West Blue's largest gunpowder supplier.

"Interestingly, he's also the only major figure in the West Blue Underworld who hasn't deliberately concealed the location of his headquarters.

"That arrogance has given us the perfect opportunity. He'll be our first target!"

In the current pirate world, military technology remained largely stuck in the era of flintlock guns. Selling standard-issue weapons was certainly highly profitable, but the profits could not compare to controlling the sales channels for a strategic resource like gunpowder.

The use of any flintlock weapon was inseparable from gunpowder. By controlling gunpowder, one could, in a sense, seize the lifeline of countless forces and pirate crews.

Seeing that Dawn's thinking was clear and his target well-defined, Stella and Robin exchanged a look. They both saw approval in the other's eyes, then nodded together.

"Alright, we'll do as you say."

TO BE CONTINUED