Chapter 576: Location Confirmed!
"Very interested."
"We've been hunting him for a long time, but his hiding place is simply too remote."
"So we never found him."
"Now you tell me you've got his location, of course I'm excited."
"As for the reason, I don't think you're in any position to ask."
"Or do you think I'm already being too kind to you?"
As Kirito spoke, his expression turned strange.
For a moment, he even had the urge to cut this guy down.
Being nice clearly did not earn him the same courtesy in return.
"No, no, no!"
"My lord, I understand!" Hudlow blurted out.
"I don't know much about him either."
"But you know the Dragon Hunter Pirates, right?"
Hudlow did not want to get sliced a few more times.
The moment he finished, he snatched the life essence from Kirito's hand and gulped it down in one go.
"The Dragon Hunter Pirates?" Kirito blinked.
"Hey, are you messing with me?"
"Is there any pirate on the seas who doesn't know the Dragon Hunter Pirates?"
Kirito sounded almost embarrassed.
If that was the question, there was no need to ask at all.
"The Dragon Hunter Pirates have also been searching for Vegapunk's whereabouts," Hudlow said quickly.
"I originally planned to use this information to trade for money."
"So I'll only tell you this much."
"I hope after you get the information, you keep your promise and let me go."
Hudlow swallowed hard, forcing the words out.
His life was in someone else's hands now.
Of course he was cautious.
No one joked about their own life.
"I see?"
"I can give you my guarantee, but whether you believe it is your business."
"But if you keep wasting our time, I'll just kill you."
Kirito's patience was thinning.
Kirito was usually calm and tolerant.
But Hudlow's nonstop nagging was wearing him down.
This guy had a real talent for pushing people.
"I used to have a business and a place to live on Alcatraz," Hudlow hurried on.
"My residence was even in the core of the outer ring."
"It wasn't eye catching, but it was…"
"I don't care how amazing your little hole was," Kirito cut in.
"Talk about Vegapunk."
Kirito took a deep breath, forcing down the urge to punch him.
If he did not stop him, Hudlow would probably spend an hour praising Devil's Island scenery.
Hudlow flinched and sped up.
"The reason I left Alcatraz is because they drove me out."
"When it happened, Carmel, the World Government's chief scientist, called that person 'sir.'"
"And based on what everyone on the island analyzed, there's only one man Carmel would call 'sir'."
"Vegapunk."
Hudlow spoke rapidly, like he was afraid of getting interrupted again.
"You got driven out?" Kirito asked, eyes narrowing.
"How long have you been away from Alcatraz?"
"A week," Hudlow answered.
"At first, I was furious."
"But once you learn who they really are, being furious is pointless."
"So we agonized for a few days, then decided to find a new base."
Kirito stared at him.
"If it really was Vegapunk's people…"
"With your strength, how did you escape?"
Kirito had found a massive hole in the story.
If Vegapunk's side made a move, this bunch should not even have had time to breathe, let alone run.
"It's because they don't want anyone to know they're there," Hudlow replied instantly.
"If they kill us, my bounty is over a hundred million."
"If someone like me dies, people will notice."
"Then word spreads."
"And with Morgans' information network, he'd sniff it out fast."
Hudlow did not hesitate at all.
They had been confused by this too, so they had thought it through before.
That was the conclusion they reached.
Hearing that, Kirito was already mostly convinced.
"I see."
"You can go."
"Give him a small boat and toss him off."
Kirito did not waste more words.
He simply gave the order.
"Hah?"
Hudlow froze.
That was it?
Even Hudlow himself could not believe how easily Kirito let him off.
As he was being escorted away, Hudlow's mind raced.
Who exactly was Kirito?
And why was he so desperate for Vegapunk's information?
Kirito's voice followed him coldly.
"I hope we never meet again."
"Otherwise, I might not be able to stop myself from killing you."
With that, Kirito grabbed a Den Den Mushi and walked aside.
He needed to pass this information on immediately.
"Move," a pirate on Kirito's ship snapped.
"Don't linger on our deck."
"Or you might end up stuck here forever."
They shoved Hudlow into a small boat and pushed him off.
Hudlow drifted away, still stunned.
"That's really… all?"
"Who are they?"
"Could it be…"
Bang!
A bullet punched straight through his skull.
In the instant before everything went dark, a name surfaced in his mind.
Dragon Hunter Pirates.
Only people from that crew would be this obsessed with Vegapunk's whereabouts.
And only people from that ship would be this terrifying.
But none of it mattered anymore.
The one who fired was Jiraji.
This could not be allowed to leak.
If it leaked, they would be walking into a Vegapunk who was already fully prepared.
Even Jiraji's group did not dare underestimate that monster.
One wrong step, and they could end up trapped on Alcatraz for good.
…
Kirito said nothing about the shot.
He already knew someone would deal with Hudlow the moment he was released.
Since someone else had done it, there was no reason for Kirito to dirty his hands.
He lifted the Den Den Mushi.
"Kazuto Kirigaya?"
Doflamingo's voice oozed from the receiver, amused as always.
"Why are you contacting me now?"
"We've confirmed Vegapunk's current location," Kirito said bluntly.
"Ah?" Doflamingo chuckled.
"Where?"
At that moment, Doflamingo was sitting in the royal palace of a certain kingdom.
A trembling noble knelt at his feet.
They had originally come to interrogate him about Vegapunk's whereabouts.
They still had no answer.
And then this call arrived.
"Alcatraz," Kirito said.
"And I know the exact location."
"But don't come yet."
"Let the other teams move in first."
Doflamingo's smile thinned.
"Why?"
He was confused.
Finding Vegapunk had been assigned to them.
Even if Kirito found the lead first, Doflamingo's side should still have been the ones to take charge.
So why keep them out?
"Because your presence is too obvious," Kirito replied without hesitation.
Doflamingo paused.
Then he understood.
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