Dawn.
As the first light of the sun fell upon the golden stretch of beach, the tide rose and broke in frothing waves as white as snow. The cries of battle that had echoed throughout the town the previous night had now faded into silence.
The streets and markets, once bustling with the noise of merchants and laughter of children, now stood eerily empty. Only a few bold figures dared peek out from behind shutters and corners. Some were curious, eager to know what had happened in the night. Others were opportunists, hoping to seize advantage from the chaos.
Inside the palace.
Jin sat leisurely at the banquet table, savoring a rare delicacy offered by the King of the Fire Kingdom: a kind of exotic fruit that grew only near the volcanic ridges.
The captain of the royal guards entered, bowed, and reported, "Your Majesty, Captain Sherlock has arrived."
The King of the Fire Kingdom, a plump middle-aged man with a bloated face and uneasy eyes, hesitated, then muttered in a low voice, "Let him in."
Clack… clack…
Measured footsteps echoed through the hall. Sherlock strode in from the great doors, his garments still stained with dried blood. In his hand he carried a cloth bundle. The closer he came to the throne, the faster his heart pounded. He could feel himself walking toward a future that he once never dared to dream of.
At last, it had arrived.
"Your Majesty," he said, his voice steady though his eyes betrayed his excitement, "the traitor Bonar Sherlock has confessed his crimes and was slain amidst the battle. This here is his head."
He tossed the cloth bundle to the ground. It rolled across the polished tiles and opened with a dull thud, spilling forth a severed head with upturned mustache, blood still clinging to it.
"Ahhh! Take it away, take it away!"
The King shrieked and jumped to his feet in terror.
The guard captain quickly snatched the head up and carried it out.
The King clutched at his chest, gasping. Raised in luxury since childhood, he had never once laid eyes on severed heads or mangled corpses, not even when the scheming minister Sherlock had usurped his power. His meals, his silken robes, his gilded bed—all had been preserved for him.
Now, confronted with raw blood and death, his stomach churned violently. He gagged but could not vomit, his face twisted in misery. "Why… why must you stir up such chaos? What is it you want?"
Jin calmly set down his spoon. "It's very simple," he replied.
"You remain the King of the Fire Kingdom. Nothing changes in your throne."
"Captain Sherlock, under your commission, has purged Minister Sherlock and his allies. He will inherit the Bonar family's enterprises and wealth."
"And as for me—I receive the five million Berries owed to me."
"In addition, I represent the Drum Kingdom of Winterhan. I propose establishing formal diplomatic ties with your nation, along with opening a free trade zone."
"We each gain what we need, and together we look toward a prosperous future."
The King was silent for a long while. Then he asked quietly, "As far as I know, Minister Sherlock had a partner by the name of Gano. Have you captured him yet?"
Jin blinked, caught off guard. He glanced at Captain Sherlock, who frowned deeply. Neither of them had anticipated this piece of information.
Sherlock lowered his voice. "I was not involved in every detail of the family's dealings."
The King explained, "Gano is a merchant of minerals. Yet rumor has it…"
His voice dropped.
"…that he and Minister Sherlock were engaged in weapon production and smuggling. Their base of operations lies in the northern cliffs of the island."
"And this Gano… his origins are shrouded in mystery. It is said he has ties to a shadowy organization known as Baroque Works."
Crocodile's organization?
Jin raised an eyebrow. "What does he look like?"
The King answered, "He wears glasses. His hair is tied into a topknot shaped like the number '3'. He appears frail and weak, but his mind is dangerously shrewd."
At once, Jin's thoughts sharpened.
That description could only point to one man.
Gal Dino. Known in whispers as "Mr. 3."
A man of wit and cunning. A man favored by fortune. One who would later rise to become the strategist of an Emperor's crew, among the strongest of right-hand men, always handling the highest-level games.
In the story yet to unfold, Gal Dino would make his debut on Little Garden, where with nothing but guile and wax, he forced two giant warrior captains into mutual defeat—while sipping coffee. He nearly annihilated the Straw Hats in one stroke.
Later, he would defect to Buggy, swiftly becoming his indispensable lieutenant, and with his aid, Buggy himself would rise to claim the title of Yonko.
This one is talent incarnate.
If Crocodile had already planted seeds in the Fire Kingdom, then an early meeting with Baroque Works might be worthwhile indeed.
Jin rose to his feet. "I'll find him."
Captain Sherlock frowned with concern. "It could be dangerous. I should go with you."
Jin shook his head. "Your task is to show yourself before the people and secure control of the Bonar family's assets. The sooner you are seen as their rightful heir, the sooner the markets of the Fire Kingdom will be ours."
He had orchestrated this upheaval with one clear aim: to seize the Fire Kingdom's trade. He had no intention of letting complications draw him away.
"Don't worry. As long as he's a merchant, there will be room for negotiation."
Jin spoke with certainty.
First, he already knew everything about Gal Dino's fruit, abilities, and weaknesses. On the first half of the Grand Line, Haki was rare; a single Devil Fruit could grant dominion over seas. Yet every fruit had its flaws, exploitable weaknesses that could turn strength into defeat. Crocodile himself was the greatest example.
Second, Gal Dino was a thinker, a schemer. He preferred manipulation and traps to direct confrontation.
At present, the Fire Kingdom had already fallen under their control. Gal Dino had little room left to maneuver.
He could flee, but then he would bear the wrath of his "boss," risking demotion or even death at the hands of Baroque Works. Or he could strike back and attempt to reclaim control of the Fire Kingdom. Yet last night, he had abandoned Minister Sherlock without a fight. Clearly, Baroque Works' influence here was shallow, and Gal Dino lacked the confidence to face the storm.
It was important to remember: this was four years before Luffy's voyage. Crocodile had only just begun plotting Alabasta. Baroque Works was still in its infancy. Gal Dino's strength, too, was far from its future peak.
Jin was convinced—this was the time to negotiate.
And indeed, events unfolded just as he predicted.
North of Claw Island lay rugged cliffs riddled with sea-carved caverns. Sulfur-rich minerals glittered within, shaped by the island's volcanic breath. Few men dared tread there, for the air was thick with poisonous volcanic gas.
Hidden in one cavern, however, was a dark weapons factory—one of Baroque Works' sources of arms.
At this moment.
In the overseer's chamber, Gal Dino paced back and forth, his heart in turmoil. The upheaval of the previous night had thrown him into disarray.
Though clever, the early Gal Dino was still a coward when faced with mortal danger. Only years later, tempered by Impel Down and inspired by the likes of Luffy and Bon Clay, would he learn true courage.
Thus, when the chaos broke out, his first instinct had been to flee rather than fight, abandoning Minister Sherlock to his fate.
Now, regret gnawed at him. Sherlock had been a useful card—one he had discarded too hastily.
"If this affects the boss's plan, or the business, I'm dead!" he muttered, wringing his hands. He continued pacing, sweat beading his forehead.
"Then you'd better hope it doesn't."
A sudden voice pierced the silence.
Gal Dino froze. His eyes shot toward the window. There, crouched upon the ledge, was a shadowed figure wearing a beaked mask.
It was Jin, who had infiltrated the cavern. For safety, he wore a gas mask against the poisonous fumes.
"Who are you?!" Gal Dino snapped, startled. From his feet oozed a pale substance—the defensive wax armor of the Wax-Wax Fruit.
Jin raised a gloved hand calmly. "Candle man, I wouldn't do anything rash if I were you. You see all that nitre, sulfur, and charcoal piled around here? Together they make gunpowder. One stray spark and this whole place goes up in flames. Boom. None of us walk out."
Gal Dino's pupils shrank. How did this stranger know of his Devil Fruit? How could he possibly know he was the Wax Man? Only a few within Baroque Works had knowledge of it, and he had acquired the fruit after joining.
"Who… who are you?" he demanded, suspicion thick in his voice. "Were you sent by the boss?"
The words slipped out before he realized his mistake. His eyes widened, and he quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. If this intruder wasn't one of Baroque Works, then he had just revealed far too much!
Jin's gaze flickered.
Baroque Works operated through isolated, single-line communications. Its agents rarely knew each other, while he, from the story, knew them all in detail.
A thought sparked in his mind.
Perhaps… this could be turned to his advantage.