Meanwhile.
Outside Mt. Colubo's dense jungle, on the main road of the Goa Kingdom.
Otriluk III and his group of defeated soldiers were scrambling, fleeing in a frantic rush.
This nobleman, who had been so arrogant just moments ago, now lacked any semblance of elegance.
His luxurious robes were torn to shreds by tree branches, his face was smeared with dirt and cold sweat, and his hair was disheveled, making him look like a beggar who had escaped from a garbage mountain.
"Useless!"
As he ran, he angrily roared at the equally disheveled guards behind him.
"All of you are useless!"
"Did the kingdom's salary only feed you good-for-nothings who can't even defeat a commoner?!"
The guards' faces were pale, and they lowered their heads, not daring to retort.
The shadow of death cast by those eight grotesque tentacles still loomed in their hearts.
That White-haired Youth… he wasn't human at all!
He was a demon!
As Otriluk III cursed, he also realized this problem.
He stopped, leaning against a tree, panting heavily, his chest heaving violently with anger and fear.
He knew.
Relying on his own strength, relying on these useless guards, he would never be able to get revenge in this lifetime.
That man's power had already exceeded his understanding!
But, should he just let it go?
The thought of his own humiliating display—being scared witless and begging for mercy in front of his son and those two little brats—sent an uncontrollable surge of humiliation and malice from the depths of his heart!
No!
He absolutely couldn't just let it go!
When had Otriluk III, the most noble aristocrat of the Goa Kingdom, ever suffered such a grave insult!
"Marine…"
A crazy thought flashed in his crimson eyes.
"Yes! The Marine!"
He suddenly straightened up, a sinister smile appearing on his twisted face.
"No matter how strong you are, can you be stronger than the World Government? Can you be stronger than the Marine's warships and cannons?!"
"I will report you! I will use all my connections to report you to the Marine!"
"I'll say that Mt. Colubo hides an extremely dangerous thug with Devil Fruit abilities!"
"I'll make Marineford send warships! To capture you, and those three little rats, all of you! To send you all to the gallows!"
The more he spoke, the more excited he became, as if he could already see White Night and Ace's three brothers being captured by the Marine, kneeling and begging for mercy before him.
"Hurry!" he roared at a trembling Guard Captain beside him, "Go to the nearest Marine base immediately! Use my name! Say that the Goa Kingdom has discovered a major threat capable of endangering the peace of the East Blue!"
"I want to make sure there's no place for them to hide on this vast ocean!"
...Three small figures hugged each other tightly.
Crying, shouting, and the joy of being reunited after being lost, echoed in the small forest.
White Night leaned against a tree, expressionlessly finishing the last chip.
He accurately tossed the empty bag into a tree hollow nearby, then clapped the crumbs from his hands.
"Hey."
He spoke lazily, interrupting the touching drama of brotherly reunion.
"Have you hugged enough?"
"Keep hugging, and it'll be dark soon."
Ace suddenly lifted his head from his two brothers' shoulders, roughly wiping his face with his sleeve, his red eyes burning with an unprecedented fire.
"Boss!"
He roared at White Night, his voice astonishingly loud.
"Our tuition!"
"We'll take you to get it now!"
Luffy also let go of Sabo, lifting his snotty, tear-stained, foolish face and nodding vigorously.
"Yes! Get the money! We want to get stronger!"
Sabo also stood up straight; he looked at White Night, and though there was still a hint of timidity in his clear blue eyes, there was more of a firm resolve, like one who had been broken and rebuilt.
He also wanted to get stronger!
He never wanted to be the one who could only watch, unable to do anything, again!
White Night pouted.
"Finally remembering the main business."
A moment later.
Deep within the Styx, inside the giant, hollowed-out tree trunk.
Ace and Sabo worked together, grunting and heaving, to drag out a heavy treasure chest.
With a "thump," it was placed before White Night.
"Boss Bai Ye! Look!"
Ace opened the chest as if presenting a treasure, his small face full of pride.
The chest was filled with Berries that the three brothers had painstakingly gathered and "scavenged" from various places over the years.
There were loose coins and stacks of banknotes; though disorganized, the amount was substantial.
This was the starting point of their dreams.
It was their entire savings, which they had agreed to use to buy a ship and sail out to sea in pursuit of freedom.
"It's all here!"
Sabo pointed to the chest, his tone incredibly solemn.
"One million Berries! Not a single one missing!"
Luffy was sprawled on the edge of the chest, drooling, his eyes filled with money symbols.
"So much money!"
White Night merely glanced at it lazily.
He reached out and casually raked through the pile of money, making a rustling sound.
"Tsk."
"You brats actually managed to collect it."
He didn't even bother to count it, just waved his hand.
The entire chest full of Berries vanished into thin air, right before the three brothers' astonished eyes.
"I've received the money."
White Night stretched, his bones cracking with a series of pops.
"So, the deal is done."
Ace, Luffy, and Sabo all held their breath simultaneously, their eyes wide and unblinking, staring at White Night.
Excitement!
Nervousness!
And an extreme anticipation for the unknown!
White Night looked at their expressions, which resembled little puppies waiting for food, and found it amusing.
Slowly, he conjured a translucent system panel in the void that only he could see.
[Beginner Dungeon Library]
Rows of various dungeon options were listed like a menu.
White Night's gaze swept across them.
[Dungeon Name: Zombie Siege]
[Difficulty: Beginner]
[Description: Survive in a city full of walking corpses.]
"No, no." White Night shook his head inwardly, "Too bloody, might leave psychological trauma on kids. And if they get bitten, I'd have to waste my energy purifying them, a losing business."
He looked further down.
[Dungeon Name: Academy City Disciplinary Committee Experience Card]
[Difficulty: Beginner]
[Description: Assist the Disciplinary Committee in maintaining peace and justice in Academy City.]
"This is even more ridiculous." White Night's mouth twitched, "Let these three brats be Disciplinary Committee members? If they don't turn Academy City upside down, I lose."
His finger continued to slide down.
One dungeon after another was mercilessly passed over.
Too simple, no training effect.
Too complex, these three aren't smart enough.
Too dangerous, easy to kill the clients.
Choosing things for kids is just troublesome.
Suddenly.
His finger paused.
His gaze fell on a newly refreshed dungeon with a "NEW" tag.
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