"That guy's bounty was 8.7 million Berries. If I remember right, his crew was wiped out by the Marines, so why is their captain, Steve, a gang leader in the Asriel Kingdom?" Andy muttered to himself, his voice laced with confusion. "No matter what, I'm not letting that 8.7 million bounty slip away."
However, he knew he couldn't act rashly. Even though Nico Robin had saved him, he couldn't be sure the other gang members would treat him as an ally. He wasn't sure if Nico Robin would even side with him if a fight broke out, considering she was still wary of the very gang she was with.
"If I can't show myself, it looks like I'll have to take out Steve from a distance." His calm tone quickly turned cold. He reached into his system inventory and pulled out his sniper rifle. The cool metal felt reassuring in his hands as it gleamed in the dim light. After carefully observing his surroundings, he found the perfect spot. He crouched down, rested the rifle on a stool, and slowly adjusted the scope, his eyes focused on Steve in the distance.
Steve, surrounded by his men, had a ferocious look on his face. He knew there was no escape this time, so he decided to go out with a bang. "Heh heh heh," he laughed. "Kaib, you think you've won? We're all dying together!" With that, he quickly pulled out a flare and fired it into the sky.
A bright "whoosh" sound filled the air as the flare shot up, exploding into a beautiful firework display that lit up the night sky. The expressions on Kaib's crew instantly changed from confidence to fear. Even the usually composed Nico Robin tensed up, her eyes wide with surprise.
At that exact moment, Andy pulled the trigger.
"Bang!"
The gunshot rang out like a clap of thunder in the quiet night. The several-hundred-meter distance was nothing for Andy. By the time the gang members heard the shot and reacted, the bullet had already pierced the back of Steve's head. Steve's body shivered slightly, a look of disbelief flashing across his face before he fell to the ground, motionless.
[Ding~]
[Bounty Points + 8.7 million!]
[Drop: Sea Stone Water Motorcycle!] (It boils water!)
Not only were the gang members shocked by the sudden turn of events, but Andy also froze. "What in the hell? A Sea Stone vehicle that boils water?" he thought to himself.
As soon as Steve fell, Nico Robin disappeared into the darkness, hiding herself from Andy's sight. The gang members scattered as well, with Kaib quickly hiding behind his men, afraid that he would be the next target.
The ones who were surrounded immediately dropped to the ground. Several hundred meters away, Andy quickly regained his composure. He didn't have time to think about the situation and slipped away from the slums.
From her hiding spot, Nico Robin watched his figure disappear, and a familiar feeling washed over her. She instantly remembered the man she had saved earlier. "It's him!" she said, a look of surprise on her face.
"Hahahaha~~~ Kaib, so you're here! You really made me look for you!" a new voice roared. "Zelas! It's you!" Kaib said, gritting his teeth in frustration. He finally understood what Steve meant by "dying together." Hidden in the shadows, Nico Robin was also surprised.
Zelas, formerly a mountain bandit of Asriel, had a bounty of 23 million Berries from the World Government. He later formed a gang that ruled the Sagamia district near Iceberg Bay. The King of Asriel had even granted him the official title of mayor, and although his bounty was never canceled, the Marines had tacitly agreed not to pursue him.
As Kaib spoke, a large group of gang members in suits surrounded them, and Kaib's men instantly fell into despair. Zelas confidently walked over to Steve's body and kicked him. A cruel sneer appeared on his face. "Look at these pirates. They're such ungrateful ingrates.
If I hadn't saved you from those Marines, you would've been wiped out long ago!" he said. "Now you have the audacity to try to become a high and mighty mayor like me? Don't make me laugh!" After speaking, he waved his hand as if giving a command. His men immediately raised their guns and began shooting at Steve's surviving men.
"Please spare me!"
"Boss Zelas, it was Captain Steve who incited us!"
"Please, just this once!"
The dozen or so survivors immediately knelt before Zelas, begging for mercy. But Zelas ignored their pleas completely. The next moment, bullets rained down on them, and the air was filled with the smell of blood and death. Kaib and his men watched in terror, their bodies shaking uncontrollably, unable to even hold their guns steady.
However, Zelas didn't pay attention to them. Instead, he looked in Nico Robin's direction, a playful look on his face. He seemed to have known she was there all along. "Nico Robin, the Devil Child.
Are you interested in joining us? My current status is the Mayor of Sagamia, and I can give you legal protection," he said. "That's much better than this trash Kaib. He doesn't have an official identity now. What do you say? Think about it?" Zelas said, as if he had her completely under his thumb.
Kaib's face turned even uglier. He had cooperated with Nico Robin because he was confident of obtaining the title of Mayor of Iceberg Bay, but now...
"Uh heh heh," Nico Robin chuckled as she walked out. "Then... I'll be in your care from now on, Mayor Zelas."
"Nico Robin, you..." Kaib was furious. He had expected her to agree, but he didn't expect her to agree so readily.
"Sahahahaha!!! That's great, Nico Robin! Welcome to the crew!" Zelas was overjoyed. Even though Nico Robin had a bounty from the World Government, it wasn't a problem for him. Plus, she was a Devil Fruit user! With his goal achieved, Zelas no longer had a use for Kaib's crew and ordered his men to slaughter them as well. He did this to show Nico Robin what he was capable of.
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