The Night That Changed the World

"I see. So that guy actually..."

The lavish, oversized living room was filled with elegant decorations. The chairs, murals, and even the floor tiles spoke of wealth.

A man sat on a large sofa, dressed in a fine suit and wearing a black hat. He had a scraggly mustache, and his enormous square chin was his most distinctive feature.

Boss Maron, a West Blue mafioso.

Late that night, Maron held a stack of documents, leafing through them with a sidelong glance.

He had been away during the day, dealing with business, and only heard what had happened when he returned that evening.

Though he had some regrets, he learned the whole story from his subordinates.

He knew Loki, but was astonished that the man had caused such a huge commotion. News of it had spread like wildfire across the island, and it was no exaggeration to call it sensational.

Just then, several men in black walked in.

"Godfather, we have something to report. It happened at Tom's Tavern during the day..."

It seemed like a very minor matter, but when connected to what had happened with Loki, it became somewhat unusual.

"You mean a small-time pirate used a bow and arrow? And the power was a lot like Loki's?"

"Yes!!"

After his subordinates confirmed what they had seen with their own eyes, Maron's expression grew more solemn. He picked up the red wine on the table and gently swirled it.

Ripples spread through the red liquid. The wine in the glass was as unsettled as his heart at that moment.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open.

Several of his men instinctively went on guard, but relaxed when they saw who it was.

"Oh, is it your turn today, Maron?"

"What is it..."

Maron lifted his eyelids, glanced at the man who had entered, and said his name.

"Ochoku."

"Hehehe~~"

Ochoku wore his usual smile, which, combined with his distinctive face, made him look oily.

"Where's Shakky?" Ochoku asked as he sat down on another sofa, casually picking up a plate of desserts from the table and starting to eat.

"She's already asleep. She said she has to get up early tomorrow." Maron wasn't at all surprised that Ochoku had asked about Shakky.

"I see." Ochoku was a little disappointed.

"Since you're here, have a drink." Maron had someone pour Ochoku some wine. Ochoku smiled but didn't touch the glass.

As Hachinosu's greatest treasure, Shakky would be targeted by pirates all over the world. For her safety, the pirates here had established a rule.

They would take turns protecting Shakky while she slept at night!

The job seemed ridiculous, but the pirates all fought for it, because it meant they might have a chance to get to know Shakky more intimately at night.

And today, it happened to be Maron's turn on guard.

Other people had come looking for Shakky before, so Maron wasn't surprised by Ochoku's sudden late-night visit.

Even if they only got to talk to Shakky before bed, many pirates were satisfied and drifted sweetly off to sleep.

"Say, Shakky must have taken a bath before going to bed, right? You didn't peek, did you?" Ochoku wore a lecherous expression as he said this.

"Unfortunately, I failed." Maron took a sip of wine and forced an ugly smile.

"Useless! When an opportunity like that's right in front of you, grab it properly, idiot!" Ochoku laughed, slapping the armrest of the sofa.

"Shakky said that if I behave well during this period, she'll give me a piece of her underwear. Do you think I should sell it?" Maron said, showing off nonchalantly.

"What? Don't you dare! That would cause upheaval across the world! It would wreck the price of everything!" Ochoku reacted dramatically, hurriedly trying to stop him.

Nearby, the subordinates looked on enviously, then turned their heads and whispered among themselves.

"Is the boss really going to get Shakky's panties?"

"Damn it! That's the greatest treasure~"

"I'm dying of envy! That's our boss for you!"

"You should all learn from the godfather's methods!"

His men weren't speaking quietly, and Maron could hear them. Though he remained calm on the surface, he was delighted inside.

No one else had enjoyed such treatment, especially when he noticed the jealousy on Ochoku's face.

He even went out of his way to offer some feigned consolation. "Don't worry. You'll get your chance too."

"Yeah..." Ochoku lowered himself slightly, his tone strangely odd. "I'm not sure whether I'll get a chance, but you definitely won't get another one!"

Shing-

Before Maron could react, Ochoku had drawn his blade and plunged the long dagger straight into his chest!

Aaaah!!

Maron screamed as blood spurted from his body.

The subordinates were caught off guard. By the time they tried to act, their heads had already hit the floor, severed from their bodies amid the blood.

"Why..." Maron struggled on the floor, feeling the strength drain from his body like a receding tide.

Ochoku stood before Maron, his gaze cold.

Ochoku had already killed the others. Only Maron and Shakky, asleep in the room, remained.

Perhaps because he had succeeded, Ochoku didn't finish Maron off immediately. Instead, he spoke with a mocking look.

"You really are an idiot. Have you forgotten? Before you, I was the one standing guard here!"

"That bottle of wine you just drank was the one I left here on purpose before I left last time... Your expression changed. You've figured it out, right? That's right, I poisoned it long ago!"

"What a shame, Maron. If you hadn't been on guard today, you wouldn't have had to die."

"We actually got along pretty well, didn't we?"

After hearing him out, Maron's eyes gradually filled with despair. He had never imagined that Ochoku would dare make a move here.

But he didn't understand. He and Ochoku had no grudge against each other.

Was it because Ochoku was jealous that he had won Shakky's favor? Was that why he killed him?

He didn't know, and barring a surprise, he wouldn't live to figure it out.

Just as Ochoku prepared to deliver the finishing blow, a voice suddenly sounded from the doorway, startling him into a cold sweat.

"My timing is just right."

Who's there?!

Ochoku whipped his head around. When he saw who it was, his scalp instantly went numb, and sweat poured down his back.

They had clashed not long ago and had seen each other during the day. Because of what had happened with Loki, Ochoku had also gained a whole new understanding of this man.

"Kaya!" Ochoku clenched his teeth, forcing the name out between them as though using all his strength.

"Did I come at a bad time?" Kaya stood in the doorway, a faint smile on his face.

"No... you came at just the right time..." Maron was still alive, gasping as he spoke.

"You two?!" Ochoku was suddenly terrified.

"It was just a coincidence." Maron's smile was strained. Perhaps because he had gained some hope of survival, he spoke with more strength.

"I'm very interested in your affairs, Kaya, so I invited you here as a guest tonight."

"I was surprised you came first, but I didn't pay it any mind. I never imagined you'd come to kill me."

"...Man proposes, but heaven disposes."

Maron spoke the last words with genuine feeling.

To Ochoku, those words were like the sky collapsing and the earth splitting apart. He felt as though he had fallen into an ice cave, cold all over.

Why did it have to be today? If it had been tomorrow, or even yesterday, he would have succeeded by now. He would have had everyone in the palm of his hand!

"Kaya!!!"

Ochoku let out a roar, like a dying beast making one final attack. He could only hope to cut down Kaya, who stood in his way.

Kaya didn't move from where he stood, not even lifting a hand.

"Ring of Anguish!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~

Several beams of blue energy struck down like lightning in an instant, enclosing Ochoku and the entire house in an inescapable cage.

Before Ochoku could react, the streams of energy curved backward. Force came from some unknown direction, drawing them sideways into arrows.

The bowstrings were already drawn against the empty air, and bright blue arrows, drawn to full strength, shot out from every direction!

In an instant, the night was lit up.

Ochoku tried to knock the arrows away, but more came at him from every direction, leaving no blind spots, like a tide.

He couldn't dodge, and there was no time to defend.

The dagger in his hand shattered under an arrowhead, and in the blink of an eye, he had been grazed in several places.

The arrows he had knocked away with all his might pierced the ground. Large numbers of stones and fragments of the building came to life, floating up as though drawn by a magnet.

With the target at the center, the surrounding elements converged on a single point from every direction like a raging storm, engulfing Ochoku in an instant!

The commotion suddenly died down. The crescent moon still shone brightly overhead, but the event that would have affected the course of the world had been brought to a brutal end.

Maron's eyes widened, his mind blank.

A small mound had appeared there, with Ochoku's body buried entirely within it. Only his head protruded from the top, hanging limply like a dead man's.