The Rain Dinners casino was an architectural marvel, a massive building shaped like a fat crocodile built in the center of a man-made lake. A single, wide bridge served as the grand entrance, welcoming high-rollers and dreamers to the heart of Rainbase.
"This is the place," Jerry said, nodding at the ostentatious sign. He led the way, his crew following close behind.
As they approached, the immaculately dressed receptionists at the door stiffened. One of them did a double-take, his eyes widening as he mentally compared Jerry's face to a notorious wanted poster. After a frantic, silent confirmation with his colleagues, the head waiter hurried forward, his professional smile strained with fear.
"Welcome, distinguished guests," he said, bowing low. "It is an honor to receive you. May I escort you to our VIP lounge?"
"It's a bit early for you to be so happy to see us," Jerry replied with a smirk, causing the man to flinch. "Ahem. No need for special treatment. We'll just look around on our own."
He waved off the offer and led his group to the main counter to exchange some chips. As they dispersed into the bustling casino floor, a younger waiter leaned toward his boss.
"Boss, who are they? Why did you tell us to be so careful?"
The leader shot him a sharp look. "You're lucky you listened to me for once and didn't run your mouth," he hissed, his voice low and urgent. "I tell you to keep up with the news, but you never listen! The one with the fishing rod on his back is the man who defeated the legendary pirate Shiki the Golden Lion. His bounty is nearly a billion Berries!"
"What?! He's—mmph!"
The leader clamped a hand over the young man's mouth. "Are you trying to get us all killed? Shut up!" He glanced nervously at the crowd, relieved to see their infamous guests had already blended in. He quickly pulled out a Den Den Mushi and began reporting the situation to his superiors.
Inside, Carrot quickly grew bored with the table games, which she played with no regard for the rules or the concept of winning. "Hehe, Sister Carina, you lost all your money so fast," she chirped, tugging on the pouting thief's sleeve. "Let's go get some food! They have so many desserts over there!"
"Well... okay," Carina grumbled, staring at her empty hands. Even with a mountain of gold waiting for her, losing still stung.
Jerry strolled casually through the opulent hall until a familiar figure at a roulette table caught his eye. He grinned and sat down beside him. "Well, if it isn't the blind swordsman. Fancy meeting you here."
Issho, still dressed in his simple purple yukata, was placing his bets with cheerful excitement. Hearing Jerry's voice, he smiled warmly. "Hello there, brother. Long time no see." He tilted his head. "So? White? Did I win this round?"
"You sure did, old man," Jerry confirmed with a laugh, watching the dealer's eyes widen as he recognized him. "Let's go again. I'm betting with you."
"Excellent! Then let's bet on white again!" Issho exclaimed, clenching his fist with determination.
Jerry casually shoved all his chips onto the table. "All in."
"Brother! Why would you go all-in so soon?" Issho cried, reaching out to stop him. "My luck hasn't been so good today, I've lost several times already!"
"It's fine. I came into a small fortune recently," Jerry said nonchalantly. "This is just a drop in the bucket." He pulled out a few packets of spicy dried fish. "Like I promised, I owe you some snacks. Care to try?"
"Haha, then I will not be polite," Issho chuckled, accepting the offering and taking a bite. "Delicious!"
When Carrot and Carina returned from the buffet, they found the area in an uproar. A huge, noisy crowd had gathered around one table, where Cavendish was busy soaking up the attention of a throng of swooning women. The two squeezed their way through to find a roulette table at the center of the commotion. The most conspicuous players were two men, casually eating snacks while a mountain of chips grew in front of them.
Carina's eyes went from normal to berry-shaped in a nanosecond. "Whoa! So much money!" she shrieked, diving toward the table. "How did you win so much?!"
The two gamblers attracting all the envy were, of course, Jerry and Issho. Whether it was Issho's incredible luck or some other, unseen force guiding the ball, they had barely lost a hand since Jerry sat down. The mountain of chips had grown so large they'd had to call for a cart just to hold them all. This kind of spectacle was a magnet for every gambler dreaming of getting rich overnight, and Rain Dinners, as Crocodile's famous and reputable casino, was full of them.
"Ahem," Issho said, swallowing a piece of fish. "I think that's enough for today. It has been a most pleasant experience playing with you, my friend." He neatly stacked his winnings. "But it seems some troublesome guests are about to arrive. We should play again another time."
"Hmm?" Jerry glanced around, then back at his friend. "Alright. Here, take some more of these for the road." He passed a small bag of system-produced snacks into Issho's hand.
"Ah, thank you, brother. Your snacks are truly comparable to my favorite soba noodles," Issho said, accepting the gift. He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper. "If you have no other business here, it would be wise for you to leave soon as well."
"I understand. You go on ahead, old man. We've got some more sightseeing to do," Jerry replied with a knowing smile.
After waving goodbye to Issho, he turned to the mesmerized Carina. "Go cash these in."
"You didn't have to tell me twice! Leave it to me!" For once, Carina didn't argue, grabbing the cart piled high with chips and running for the cashier's cage like her life depended on it.
Jerry clapped his hands, stood up, and casually flicked his fishing rod. The line shot out, wrapping instantly around a large, fierce-looking man who had been inching closer.
"Well now," Jerry said lightly. "What do you scum think you're doing?"
The man's accomplices froze. Realizing they'd been caught, a young man with a sinister face sneered. "Hehe. Finders keepers, old man. Whoever sees it gets a share."
"Haha." Jerry's contemptuous laugh hadn't even faded when, in a blur of motion, the sneering man was sent flying with a single, devastating kick. "What was that?"
The thugs, failing to grasp the immense gap in their strength, roared and rushed forward. "Get him!"
Jerry just sighed, swinging his fishing rod like a staff. He used the thug still entangled in his line as a makeshift flail, sweeping him through the air and bowling over the entire group in a single, chaotic motion.
By the time the onlookers snapped out of their shock, Jerry, Carrot, and Cavendish were already walking away. A few moments later, they strolled out of Rain Dinners with over ten million Berries in winnings, leaving a trail of envious glares and unconscious thugs in their wake.
Inside the casino, the head waiter reported the incident to his superiors in a cold sweat. Deep in the owner's suite, a phone snail went silent.
"Damn you," a low, rasping voice growled. "How dare you come to my city and cause trouble." Crocodile crushed the receiver in his hand, his golden hook glinting in the dim light.
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