The barkeep turned without another word, heading into the back.
At the end of a narrow corridor, he unlocked a door and pushed it open, revealing a pitch-black tunnel yawning into the unknown.
He lit an oil lamp, pressed it into Jin's hand, and muttered, "Just keep walking straight, and you'll arrive where you wish to go. I can only take you this far. Once you're inside… you'll understand the rest."
He paused, adding one last instruction. "When you reach the end, take out two hundred-Berries. That's the signal." His eyes softened a fraction. "I hope you live long enough to use them."
At the far end of the tunnel, a brutal, ugly man stood guard. When Jin held out the the berries, the man's scowl softened. Without a word, he pushed open the heavy door.
A flood of light spilled out.
Behind it lay an enormous underground casino, packed wall-to-wall with pirates. Dice rattled, glasses clinked, drunken voices roared. The air reeked of sweat, alcohol, and greed.
Banners of pirate crews fluttered along the walls, while overhead, suspended from the ceiling beams like some grotesque trophy, hung the hull of a captured pirate ship.
"Oi, you here to gamble, boys?"
A gambler near the entrance slurred at them. "The boss is upstairs."
Jin smiled faintly. "No. We're not here to gamble."
"Eh?"
The gambler blinked in surprise. "Then… you're here to compete?"
He barked a laugh, waving his hands. "Forget it, forget it! You'll be dead before you know it. Not worth the trouble!"
Mocking voices joined in.
"Do you even know what the competition means?"
Jin cast them a sidelong glance, his voice low and calm.
"It's the contest held by pirates among pirates. Any means allowed. A race to the very end of death itself."
"Every time, the finish line is different. But the starting point is always here."
"The finish is determined by the direction of the permanent log pose given to each entrant."
"The rules are simple. Whoever reaches the destination first, wins. And earns the prize money."
"Anything goes on the way."
"That's right—anything. Including sinking ships, and killing your rivals…"
The mocking man fell silent, face burning, for Jin's explanation was flawless.
The gambler chuckled. "Hah, kid, you do know your stuff. A third of the people here are contestants. If you want to sign up, go upstairs and see the boss."
He pointed the way.
Jin and Wilson climbed the stairs. The floor trembled beneath two deafening roars of laughter. Looking down, Jin saw them: two towering giants, sitting like mountains among the crowd.
"They're from Elbaf," a voice explained. "Warriors born to the sea—Bobby and Boch."
Jin's gaze shifted upward.
A fat man with a rooster-like tuft of yellow hair, a gold chain around his swollen neck, and a blonde beauty draped across his belly was laughing loudly. He was the "boss" here, master of the stage.
"And over there," the man bellowed, raising his drink, "that's Willy—the killer whale Fishman!"
Willy gulped down a massive mug of ale, his predator's ears twitching. His sharp eyes lifted, spotting Wilson across the hall. For a moment, surprise flickered across his scarred face.
"That man…"
By the time he lowered his drink, Wilson's hulking figure had already disappeared up the stairs into the boss's loft.
"Brother, what is it?"
"I saw someone I know."
In the quiet loft above, Jin signed the competition contract, paying the entry fee. In exchange, he was handed a permanent log pose—its needle locked on the contest's finish line.
"Aska?"
"That's right," the boss drawled, squeezing his woman's waist. "The seas around Aska are treacherous. Currents crisscross, creating whirlpools—both visible and hidden. Without a skilled navigator, one slip and the ocean swallows you whole. Watch your step, eh?"
Jin smiled faintly. "More dangerous than that will be the contestants themselves, don't you think?"
He flipped through the contract.
"Number three: the giant brothers."
"Number two: the Fishman."
"And Number one… who is it?"
The boss grinned. "Gasparde. Bounty—ninety-five million Berries."
"He was once a rear admiral of Marine Headquarters. But one day, he stole his own battleship and defected to the seas. The Marines call him their greatest stain."
"His flagship is a steam-powered vessel—the Salamander. He's already taken first place once before."
Jin's smile deepened.
So it's you, the candy man.
Paramecia—Candy Candy Fruit.
Weakness—powder.
A fine prey indeed.
"Oh, by the way," the boss chuckled, "don't you want to place a bet? Everyone can wager. Win, and you'll be paid out three-hundred-and-fifty times."
Jin's eyes lit with interest. "Is there a limit?"
"In theory? None."
"Then," Jin said smoothly, "I'll bet… on myself."
He raised one finger.
The boss smirked. "One million Berries? You've got guts."
"No."
The smirk faltered. "Hm?"
"One hundred million."
Thud!
The boss collapsed backward, stunned. The blonde shrieked.
"One—one hundred million?!"
The underlings in the room gaped, eyes bulging.
"Idiot! Betting one hundred million on yourself?!"
The boss slammed his palms onto the table, staring wide-eyed at Jin. "Do you even understand the monsters you'll be facing?!"
Jin remained calm as still water. "What's wrong? Can't handle one hundred million? Or are you afraid you won't be able to pay me when I win?"
The boss leaned forward, eyes nearly popping, trying to pierce through Jin's facade. Was this man insane with arrogance—or a beast in disguise?
After a long pause, he suddenly burst into hearty laughter. "Welcome! My establishment always has room for our biggest customers."
But inside, he was already scheming.
"As long as you put down the one hundred million first…"
Jin's smile sharpened. "No problem. But if I win, and you fail to pay me…" His voice dropped to a whisper. "…then everything in this place will belong to me."
The Razor Pirates had already given Jin sixty million in loot. Add to that the Fire Kingdom's ice mushroom trade and the Berry collections through the Merit Coupon system… Jin's coffers now brimmed with two hundred million in cash.
And Little Ai was currently studying the composition of Berries. Once counterfeits were perfected, Jin would never lack funds again. A flood of false currency would ignite economic chaos, striking at the very foundation of the World Government.
But for now—until his strength grew—he would tread carefully. Build high walls, stockpile grain, stay low.
When Jin placed one hundred million Berries on the table and signed the contract, the boss watched his back vanish into the shadows.
He blew a smoke ring.
"This contest just got interesting."
"Spread the word—tomorrow, anyone who sinks these Pirates gets an extra fifty million."
Within half an hour, the entire island of Hannabal was buzzing. The news of a fool who had wagered one hundred million on his own victory spread like wildfire.
"That guy's insane!"
"He must be begging for death!"
"I've seen his kind before—arrogant brats who thought they were special. Their bones are already rotting in the bellies of fish."
"This time, the prize is one hundred million… plus fifty million. Madness!"
The colossal wager transformed the contest into a furnace of anticipation.
Spectators roared with gossip, while true predators sharpened their blades.
Aboard the Salamander, Gasparde's voice rumbled like thunder. "Is he truly a fool with strength but no brains?"
"Go test him."
The giant brothers Bobby and Boch cracked their knuckles, snarling. "Fifty million… already ours!"
Willy the killer whale Fishman sneered. "Pathetic human trash. His head will be mine."