<><><><><><>
"A distress call?"
"A ship in trouble? If we can help, we should," Jin said.
Reiju's voice was sharp with caution. "This could be a pirate's trick. Some of them pretend to be shipwrecked sailors. They play on the sympathy of passing ships, get themselves aboard, and act as an inside man. If there's valuable cargo, their crew moves in."
Jin just chuckled.
"If it's pirates—even better."
—————————
The sea swelled.
On the deck of a large ship flying a pirate flag, Capone Bege took a long drag from his cigar, his deep-set eyes scanning the horizon.
He wore a pinstripe suit, a fedora, and a scarf, his cape billowing behind him.
He loved a challenge.
He loved war.
As a child, he'd already been taking what he wanted at gunpoint. It didn't take long for him to claw his way up from the streets, first as the head of a small gang, then, over two decades, as the leader of his own "Family"—the largest power in the West Blue's underworld, recognized by the Five Families themselves.
They called him the "Godfather."
But ever since he'd unified the West Blue's underworld, Bege had grown bored.
He had reached the top. No one dared to challenge him.
This quiet life was making him rusty.
Then, one day, the news of the new Emperor, Shanks, had hit the papers. The entire West Blue was buzzing. Ambitious men were raising their flags, taking up their swords and guns, and heading for the sea.
"To the sea, men!" Bege had declared. "To the Grand Line! To the New World!"
On land, he was a king.
But at sea, he was a rookie.
The dangers here were different—not just from other crews, but from the Marines, the vicious weather...
After half a year of exploration, he and his Fire Tank Pirates had finally adapted, carving out a territory of their own.
He had even acquired a Devil Fruit.
This was the beginning.
Conquer the West Blue. Then, the Grand Line.
That was the plan.
The towering figure of Gotti appeared behind him.
"Godfather. Vito's aboard their ship."
Bege blew out a puff of smoke. "I hear it's a ship from the Grand Line. And that there's a king of a member nation on board."
As the Godfather of the underworld, his intelligence network in the West Blue was vast.
A cunning look crossed Bege's face.
"Capture him," he ordered. "We'll use him to blackmail the World Government into making me a Warlord."
—————————
"Thank you! Thank you for saving me!" Vito said, bowing repeatedly after Law had pulled him from the water.
He subtly scanned his surroundings.
The ship was a carrack-style three-masted galleon, with a massive, curved stern and a large bowsprit.
Strange...
The crew was... small.
A long-haul vessel like this, fully loaded with cargo, should have had a large crew for security.
Vito was the "Counselor" of the Fire Tank Pirates. For this mission, he was the infiltrator. His job was to get a clear picture of the ship's layout and personnel before they made their move.
"He's the king."
Jin and Maya walked out onto the deck.
The king?
Vito looked up.
The man was dressed casually in a simple shirt, trousers, and sandals, but he was strikingly handsome.
As he was sizing Jin up, Jin was doing the same to him.
He was a tall man, with a long, serpentine tongue that poked out from his grinning mouth. His hands were disproportionately large for his body. His black hair was slicked back in a style similar to Crocodile's. He wore a magenta suit, a yellow bow tie, and a black coat draped over his shoulders.
Standing next to Jin, he was the one who looked more like a king.
In the West Blue, anyone with any status was meticulous about their appearance. Even the poor would scrape together enough for a custom suit, to project an image of wealth and class.
Jin had already become well-acquainted with the unique "Dandy" culture of the West Blue's pirates.
Vito gave an elegant bow. "A kind and benevolent king. Thank you for your assistance."
Jin smiled. He recognized him instantly.
"Monster Gun Vito. Bounty: 24,000,000 Berries. What brings you aboard my ship?"
A pirate?
Maya, Law, and Robin all tensed, ready to act.
Vito's head snapped up, his eyes wide.
Huh? My acting was that bad? He saw through me already?!
Jin produced a stack of wanted posters, pulled one out, and showed it to him.
"Did you really think I don't read the papers from the West Blue?" Jin said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
He'd known about Capone Bege. When he'd first arrived in the West Blue, he'd gathered a good deal of intelligence on the Fire Tank Pirates. Though at the moment, Bege was more famous for his "Godfather" persona than his pirate activities.
Staring at his own wanted poster, Vito felt a surge of embarrassment.
He was in a panic. Who would have thought the king of a Grand Line nation would be paying attention to this? Weren't you supposed to be looking for beautiful women and exotic food, not wanted pirates?
He'd been exposed the moment he'd stepped on board. What now?
"Your Majesty is wise," Vito said, his mind racing. "Your perception is as sharp as an eagle's eye. I am in awe."
As a counselor, his ability to think on his feet was his greatest strength. A little flattery, then he'd find a way out.
But Jin wasn't playing along. "Cut the crap. What are you doing on my ship?"
"What am I doing?" Seeing that the king wasn't buying it, Vito's expression turned vicious.
He lunged forward, his movements swift and agile. In mid-air, he drew the custom-made revolver from his hip.
"Since you've seen through me," he snarled, pointing the gun at Jin, "hands up! Or I'll kill you!"
He figured that if he took the king hostage, he could control the others.
He grinned, his serpentine tongue flicking out, a vicious smile on his face.
Hm?
Vito frowned. No one was putting their hands up. No one was even moving.
"Hey! What's with the looks? I said, hands up! Or I'll shoot him!"
Reiju felt a bead of sweat trickle down her forehead.
Kill the king? What should I do? Just kick this guy overboard? No... I shouldn't interfere. With Jin's strength, if he wanted to act, he never would have let Vito get this close.
Robin looked at Vito with a pitying expression.
Of all the people to pick... you picked the one person you can't beat.
She almost laughed, but her professional training kicked in, and she held it back.
Maya just muttered, "So he really is a pirate. This sea is full of bad people. You can't trust anyone."
Jin smiled. "Take the king first. Smart. But... you shouldn't have pointed that gun at me. I kill everyone who points a gun at me."
"I'm the one with the gun now," Vito snarled. "Your life is in my hands."
"You so sure about that??" Jin asked.
<><><><><><>
~ 60 Advanced Chapters Available on my Patreon!
https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
~# Every 100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter!
~# Add to Library!