The sky above Loguetown was clear, dotted with scattered clouds and birds flew over the bustling port town. The Going Merry had been docked ashore among dozens of other vessels of Marines and Pirates alike.
"What will you guys be doing?" Nami asked, glancing at the crew.
"I'm going to see the execution platform!" Luffy shouted excitedly.
"I'll go buy supplies for the journey ahead," Sanji said, lighting a cigarette. "Our captain has already depleted half of what we brought from Cocoyasi Village."
"I'll go with you Nami," Nojiko added. "I would like to buy a few things for myself."
Leo adjusted the huge bag full of treasure on his back. "I've got something to take care of. I'll meet you all in an hour or two here on the ship."
In his mind, Leo recalled the rough map scribbled on the back of the letter he had received from Big News Morgans, the marked location of a underworld branch in Loguetown. That was his destination.
"I'll buy some materials to upgrade my gadgets," Usopp chimed in.
"I need to buy new swords," Zoro added calmly, asking for a small loan from Nami.
Just as the group was about to split, Nami suddenly gathered their attention.
"Wait… something's wrong." Everyone paused, confused at her remark.
"The wind… and the air pressure has suddenly changed ," she said. "A storm is coming. A big one. We should leave from here as soon as possible. and don't forget, this island is crawling with Marines so be careful."
Leo noticed the fine hairs along her smooth arm stand to end and couldn't help but wonder if she possessed some innate instinct for reading the weather.
"You're right," Nojiko said, scanning the horizon. "Look, the birds are already fleeing, and storm clouds are gathering in the east. We should hurry." With that, the group split up, each heading toward their own task.
***
Leo stopped by a nearby shop and bought a black long, full-body coat with a hood. Pulling it over himself, he concealed his identity before continuing toward the downtown district.
It didn't take him long before he found the place.
An old bar stood at the edge of the street, its signboard cracked and barely held with faded letters hardly visible from afar…
"Fool's Bar"
There was nothing about it that suggested it to be the branch of the underworld, rather then just another rundown establishment.
Even though the sign on the door showed "Occupied", Leo stepped forward and knocked.
"Knock! Knock!"
A few minutes later, the door creaked open and a man with a large built stepped out, his face partially hidden beneath a green hood. His appearance screamed criminal even with the concealment.
For a brief moment, his black eyes met Leo's blue ones.
The man's brows knitted—as if he recognized something, then, without a word, he walked past him.
Just as Leo turned to look at his back, the street appeared empty as if the man had been swallowed by the earth… or never existed in the first place.
'Mystery man… I'd better not mess with people here,' Leo thought and just as the sign outside flipped back to 'Open', he pushed the door and stepped inside.
The bar was empty, Not surprising. No ordinary person would walk into a place this rundown place unless they already knew what it really was.
Behind the counter stood a lone bartender, slowly polishing an old wine bottle. His eyes landed on Leo, studying him curiously with a smile.
Without a word, Leo pulled down his hood and the man's gaze relaxed as if he had been expecting his arrival.
A faint gust of wind brushed past the entrance behind Leo, and the sign outside flipped again. Leo frowned, unsure how that mechanism worked.
"Oh… the 'Little Butcher' is here, I have been waiting for you," the old man said calmly.
Leo dropped the heavy treasure bag onto the counter with a thud.
"You were expecting me?" Leo asked.
"Oh, yes," the bartender replied, setting the bottle aside. "We rarely entertain uninvited guests." At that, the old man's gaze shifted toward Leo's pocket.
Understanding the cue, Leo pulled out the letter and handed it over… his invitation.
The man skimmed it briefly before tucking it away.
"So," he continued in a smooth professional manner, "What brings you here? Information? Membership? Tracking someone? Issuing a bounty… an assassination… or perhaps assigning a task?" his lips curved into a menacing smile. "Anything can be arranged if you pay the price. Our network runs deeper than even the Marines."
Leo leaned slightly forward. "For starters… I want to become a member of your Network."
The bartender's eyes flicked to the treasure bag.
"I see." He tapped the counter lightly and the treasure bag moved toward him.
'A Devil fruit user.' Leo observed the old man.
"The Silver tier membership requires a deposit of one hundred million berries," the old man continued. "Further beyond that is the Gold tier which isn't just about money… you'll need to finish some tasks and earn contribution points from the organization along with another four hundred million berries deposit to reach the next stage…"
"You can skip the contribution points part, if you have sufficient strength or reputation… but that may be difficult in your present situation."
Leo didn't react much and asked. "And the VIP tier?"
The bartender's lips curled upward showing his teeth a little.
"Ambitious one." He continued. "One billion berries deposit, and then, a task will be assigned to you by an Emperor of the underworld. Complete it, and you ascend."
"There are exceptions to this tier as well… if you're a Celestial Dragon."
For a second, Leo felt a flicker of irritation at the mention of those fat pigs, who had put a bounty on his head just to capture him alive and turn him into a slave…, even his looks had become a liability in this world.
"I know that look," the old man said with a chuckle. "You can curse those pigs here if you like… just don't take that habit outside." Leo let out a short laugh, and spoke.
"I like you, old man," Leo said, relaxing on his seat. "What's your name?"
The bartender shook his head.
"Names are a liability in our field of work, attracting trouble for us and our family thus we deal in aliases."
He met Leo's gaze again.
"You can call me Fool."
***
Author Note: Another chapter coming in few hour...