A Show of Force

The next morning.

The wreckage at the casino entrance looked especially desolate in the hazy dawn light.

Shattered windows, scorched walls, scattered chips, and debris silently told the story of last night's violence.

Dawn appeared at the entrance. He had originally been on his way back to Kuja, but Lucci's report via Den Den Mushi had piqued his interest, so he had changed course and come here personally.

First, for the two ability users. Second, to see for himself just how capable these new members Lucci had independently recruited or subdued over the past period were, using the authority and resources Dawn had given him.

The moment he stepped inside the casino, the light dimmed sharply.

Broken chandeliers, overturned furniture, dried bloodstains, and the lingering smell of smoke and blood formed a post-battle tableau.

When Lucci saw Dawn enter, he gave a slight nod, then tilted his chin toward the side hall. Two people bound in Seastone shackles were brought over.

Although Baccarat was injured and had received only simple bandaging, her allure remained impossible to conceal.

The instant she saw Dawn, her emerald eyes visibly brightened. She quickly examined the tall blond man, curiosity flashing in her gaze, along with reverence for the strong and... ambition.

She recognized who he was.

Tanaka, on the other hand, was far more reserved, his eyes cautiously watching from beneath his owl hood.

Dawn's gaze settled on the two of them.

"Work for me. The treatment will be better than what Du Feld offered. Are you willing?"

There was no introduction. Dawn believed that with his current status as a pirate with a bounty exceeding one billion Beli, along with the reputation he had built in the Underworld, any force or individual in these seas with even a little sense would know who