Inside the Mafia headquarters on Sicily Island.
The officers of the Rocks Pirates were being waited on like royalty by the Mafia men.
None of these Mafia Executives ever imagined their boss would simply join the world's strongest pirate crew—the Rocks Pirates.
Overnight, they had become a subordinate force of the Rocks Pirates.
But the thought of having the Rocks Pirates at their backs made them untouchable in the West Blue underworld; even pirates from the Flower Country and the Mulberry Country wouldn't dare touch them.
Probably not even the West Blue Marine Branch would dare arrest them.
"first mate, that Assassin you asked about—he was active in the West Blue for a while, but it looks like he's entered the Grand Line now."
When Malone heard Fang Huo asking about the Assassin who ate the Castle-Castle Fruit, he quickly passed along his newest intel.
He'd originally wanted to recruit the famous West Blue killer himself, but the guy was too proud for the Mafia and had already sailed for the Grand Line.
"Slipped away again..."
There was a trace of regret in Fang Huo's tone, but more of an easy-come-easy-go acceptance.
If he couldn't get the Castle-Castle Fruit, he'd just find an even stronger spatial power.
Maybe a mighty ability that never appeared in the original story would show up in the future.
"A mere Castle-Castle Fruit isn't worth fretting over; I think that ability is beneath you."
Whitebeard Newgate actually thought Fang Huo was upset; after a swig of liquor he offered comfort.
Right now Fang Huo possessed the mutated talent to choose Devil Fruit abilities—an enviable gift.
In Newgate's eyes, Fang Huo was the favorite child of the Goddess of Fate; he would shape the entire era—and every future to come.
"Ze-ha-ha-ha! If you want him, Fang Huo, we can chase him into the Grand Line!"
Golden Lion Shiki bared his teeth in a grin, eager to max out Fang Huo's goodwill while Rocks was away.
He hadn't given up his ambition of pulling Fang Huo into his own camp.
A Prophet who could pinpoint the three Ancient Weapons had to be claimed.
"Does the first mate want to recruit that Assassin?"
Malone was puzzled; was Fang Huo so fixated on the Castle-Castle Fruit user that he'd send the whole crew hunting?
That killer wasn't all that strong, was he?
He probably couldn't even beat Bolo Gram.
Would the Rocks Pirates really go to such lengths for someone like that?
"It's not that..."
Fang Huo sipped the West Blue's signature wine and spoke casually; after Malone spent time aboard the gibecks sword he'd naturally learn about Fang Huo's talent.
The wine of the West Blue really was something.
No wonder the future Red Hair Shanks would bring West Blue wine to the Moby Dick to visit Whitebeard Newgate, creating the first classic clash of the Four Emperors.
And Brook's Binks' Sake was from the West Blue too, if he remembered right.
---The Rocks Pirates' officers lingered on Sicily, living it up while they waited for Rocks to return.
Golden Lion, Silver Axe and the rest were even addicted to the Mafia's Casino, playing till they were in over their heads.
Stussy, that scientific bandit, actually found an improved model of gun among the Mafia—quite powerful.
She immediately snatched the tech and modded several pistols for herself.
Even Four-Armed Gun King Kiel Bastard paid a fat sum to have Stussy upgrade his handguns and sniper rifle.
---News that the Rocks Pirates had surfaced in Mafia territory had long since reached the World Government and Marine HQ.
Learning that the crew had just recruited the rising Mafia boss Malone,
they realized the Rocks Pirates hadn't stopped expanding—still courting powerful newcomers.
The CP Agents and undercover Marines planted by the World Government and Marine HQ still had a chance to infiltrate the crew.
Room of Authority, Holy Land Mary Geoise.
"Rocks isn't with the Rocks Pirates—where did he go?"
"He hasn't shown up in Flanders Kingdom or Sicily; with that flamboyant nature of his, he wouldn't hide on a ship."
"There's only one truth: for some reason, Rocks has temporarily left the crew."
---The Gorosei analyzed the intel; they didn't believe officers like Fang Huo could kill Rocks and take over.
Which meant the reason Rocks had left was obvious.
Rocks' hometown was most likely in the West Blue.
This lawless man of the D Clan didn't seem to trust even his own crew; he hadn't told them where his hometown was, so he'd gone off alone.
"Have Garling lead the God's Knights, drop the search in the Grand Line and the other three Blues, focus everything on the West Blue."
"Once we find Rocks' hometown we can learn everything about him—and use his family to control the Brute."
From nothing more than Rocks' absence aboard the gibecks sword, the Gorosei had deduced his hometown's location.
Meanwhile, scouring the back half of the Grand Line's Paradise for clues, Garling figured someone among these kingdoms and islands must have aided Rocks.
After all, Rocks had vanished to recuperate ever since escaping Holy Land Mary Geoise.
If he could find whoever had sheltered Rocks, more intel might surface.
But after receiving the Gorosei's orders, he quickly returned to the Holy Land, dropped the Paradise search, and set sail straight for the West Blue.
What Garling didn't know was that his deduction had been spot-on: the next kingdom on his list—Rulusia—was where Rocks had stayed.
On that island lived a girl of the D Clan whom Rocks had once met.
---Right now, in Shadow Port of Rulusia Kingdom.
A tough, unkempt girl scanned the newspaper about the Rocks Pirates and quietly cursed the D Clan man for his 'ingratitude'—leaving without even saying goodbye.
Honestly, she wished she could be as strong and free as Rocks.
Instead of hiding and scraping like now, too scared to reveal her own D name.
If she could, she'd board the Rocks Pirates and be a free pirate.
Sadly, she wasn't strong enough to sail.
She didn't have money for a sailing ship; surviving in Shadow Port already took everything she had.
"If I ever meet you again, you'll pay for this!"
Alice glared at Rocks' wanted poster and muttered another curse.
For some reason she didn't swoon over Kozuki Fang Huo, the Supreme Great Succubus, like other girls; she cared more about Rocks, the D Clan man she'd met.
The domineering guy who'd stormed Mary Geoise and killed an Admiral was far more attractive to her.
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