Oboro collected another card.
Then he placed all the treasure chests directly into his system storage.
He needed funds.
That was exactly why he had set his sights on the Slick Pirates in the first place.
Money was absolutely essential in the world of pirates.
Running operations on such a large scale meant the crew had accumulated vast wealth — wealth that would cover all their expenses once they reached the North Blue.
"Come on… let's go inside and find something to eat."
Oboro moved casually toward the building's entrance, as if he had just done something completely ordinary.
He raised an arm and gestured for Dom to follow.
"You've gotten even stronger, haven't you?"
Dom couldn't shake the feeling.
To him, his captain seemed far more formidable than he had been back at Sabaody Archipelago.
Even when they were hiding inside the Sea King, Dom had witnessed Oboro's "uncanny" abilities — the state he entered while cultivating and channeling his energy.
Instinct told Dom that it was a power way beyond his understanding.
But he wasn't sure… had Oboro always possessed this level of strength, or had he grown even stronger in less than a month?
If it was the latter, that was terrifying beyond belief… he dared not even imagine it.
Yogi had clearly been far more dangerous than Zidall or Mepon. As captain of the crew, Dom knew that if he had fought Yogi, he would have been killed within minutes.
In the world of pirates, anyone who managed to carve out a foothold on the Grand Line was no ordinary person.
Years of experience and countless battles had sharpened their instincts and honed their survival sense.
The aura in their eyes and the air they carried were different… and the longer they had lived at sea, the deeper their understanding of this became.
Often, they knew instantly whether they could defeat an opponent without even throwing a single punch.
That was why some powerful pirates could terrify their enemies to their knees just by looking at them.
Pirates… in the end, it was a world where the strong preyed upon the weak.
"But… even pirates worth tens of millions were cut down so easily by Captain."
Dom spoke excitedly as he walked past Yogi's headless body, then hurried to catch up.
As a subordinate, the stronger his captain became, the happier and safer he felt.
Frankly, he knew his situation well enough: if he were separated from Oboro now, he wouldn't have the slightest clue how to escape or what to do next.
But now it was simple — he just had to follow in his captain's footsteps.
The interior was lavishly decorated, with countless rooms. It was clearly the crew's headquarters, built for their members to live and rest in comfort.
Dom quickly found the kitchen and plenty of ready‑made food.
Before long, both were seated at the large dining table, eating heartily.
After days of eating nothing but raw fish inside the Sea King, they were both sick of it.
Meanwhile, Oboro had already searched the entire building and placed every valuable item he found into his system inventory.
"Everyone's gone…"
A while later, Dom wiped grease from his mouth, holding a large bone in his hand.
He walked to the floor‑to‑ceiling window and looked down at the streets and town below.
In such a short time, a place that had been relatively lively had turned into a virtual ghost town.
All of them had fled in fear.
"'Dom the Cunning Fox'… Heh." Dom chuckled.
Even a small‑time pirate like him now had a name that resounded across the seas.
Because he was small and lean, and his fighting style was slippery and tricky, his old crewmates in the Flame Dragon Pirates had taken to calling him "Fox"… and since he also liked to brag and talk big, people said he was "cunning" by nature.
It seemed the World Government had done their research and spoken to people who knew the Flame Dragon Pirates.
It all felt like a dream.
Across the whole ocean, and even in history, there had never been a "rookie" who caused such a sensation the moment they appeared.
Of course, he didn't count himself as a rookie — he was talking about Oboro.
Thinking about it, Dom turned to look at Oboro, who was still eating with calm elegance.
"Captain… after we reach the North Blue, are we going to build our own force? A pirate crew? Or some kind of organization?"
He was called "Fox" for a reason — Dom was actually quite sharp and clever. Otherwise, he would never have risen to become a junior officer in his old crew in just a few years.
Compared to a monster like Oboro though, his cleverness didn't amount to much.
But they had looted the entire wealth of the Slick Pirates, and that was certainly for a purpose.
"Pirates, naturally."
Oboro smiled softly, not bothering to hide his intentions.
"If it's a crew… we'll need a lot of people," Dom hinted.
Recruiting capable subordinates was never easy. Although there were countless crews out there, truly powerful and famous figures were rare as phoenix feathers.
Every successful pirate had loyal, capable partners. Those who tried to sail alone and still hold their ground… you could count them on one hand.
The most famous example was Dracule Mihawk, among the Seven Warlords.
And besides… considering their identities and the bounties on their heads… who in the Four Blues would dare to join their ship?
"Navigator, shipwright, helmsman, cook… when you add it all up, you need hundreds of people minimum," Dom continued.
A crew of hundreds was considered standard for the Grand Line.
He was still thinking based on his experience in the Flame Dragon Pirates.
But from Oboro's perspective, a tiny, insignificant crew like that was hardly a model to follow.
"We don't need that many. The partners I want are elite, not numerous."
Oboro replied, "Once we have the core structure, we can expand the fleet later as our influence grows. Don't worry about it for now — finding truly exceptional people is difficult. And right now, for both of us, there is only one priority: survival."
"Every eye in the sea is fixed on us. News that we are alive will spread across the world soon enough, causing another uproar. Everyone is waiting to see if we can endure the pressure, and how long we'll last… As long as we gain a foothold and survive — even without confronting the World Government directly — just staying alive will be proof enough of our strength!"
"Because… simply doing what we have done is already something the world considers impossible."
"Once we demonstrate our true abilities, people will be drawn to us… Admiration for strength is part of human nature."
"And besides… on this great sea, there is never a shortage of madmen and ambitious rogues."
Oboro finished speaking and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"Right!"
Dom's eyes lit up.
He could tell his captain already had a detailed plan and strategy in mind.
BRUUU BRUUU.
Suddenly, the sound of a Den Den Mushi echoed through the room.
Oboro walked over, picked up a discarded snail from the floor, and answered the call.
"Yogi?"
The snail's face shifted, taking on feminine features, and a low, magnetic voice spoke from the other end.
"The Captain is unavailable. May I ask who is calling?"
Oboro replied, feigning politeness.
...
The moment he spoke, silence fell over the line.
"I take it… he is already dead. And you… must be the famous God‑Slayer, aren't you?"
The woman laughed. The sound made Oboro's eyes shine with interest.
Sharp. She had seen through everything instantly.
He paused for a moment, then spoke clearly.
"Should I call you Miss All Sunday… or Nico Robin, the Devil Child?"
At those words, the confident, amused laughter on the other end stopped abruptly.
Complete silence.
Then — CLICK.
Without warning, the call was cut off.
"Haha…"
Oboro smirked.
How rude… Did I scare her?
____________________
For more advance chapters visit my patreon
patreon.com/kane45
Tier: 10$ Casual Reader - +20 Advance Chapter
20$ Intermediate Reader - +40 Advance Chapter
40$ Expert Reader - +80 Advance Chapter
Update: "Monday to Friday - Update 3 Chapters a Day"
"Saturday and Sunday - Off"