"Boss Bai Ye!"
Luffy was the first to burst, rushing to White Night again like a small cannonball, his silly face looking up, his eyes shining with an unprecedented eagerness.
"We still want to go! We still want to go on adventures in other worlds!"
He squealed, waving his small fists excitedly.
"That world with dragons was so much fun! Next time! Next time I'm going to punch a monster even bigger than that dragon!"
White Night leaned his head slightly from the rocking chair, looking at this unbelievably energetic kid, a playful curve on his lips.
He extended two fingers and slowly rubbed them together.
That extremely mercenary gesture made Ace and Sabo's eyelids twitch involuntarily.
"No problem."
White Night spoke lazily, his voice carrying an irritating casualness.
"Money in hand, anything is negotiable."
He yawned, then added unhurriedly, "As long as you can afford the tickets, let alone a world with dragons, even a world full of monsters is possible."
Money!
Money!
Money!
This single word, at this moment, was like a blazing flame, completely igniting the eyes of the three kids, Ace, Luffy, and Sabo!
"Bang—!"
The weathered wooden door of Dadan's house was violently slammed open from the outside by a brute force!
"I'm home! Dadan!"
Luffy's energetic shout exploded like thunder in the bandits' lair!
He rushed in first, followed by Ace, who was pouting with a displeased look, and Sabo, whose expression was still a bit subtle.
"You're so loud! You damn brats!"
Dadan, who was sitting with her legs crossed, drinking and scratching her feet, was so startled by the sudden commotion that she almost dropped her wine bottle.
She stood up abruptly, her plump body exuding an astonishing oppressive aura, ready to unleash a torrent of curses at Luffy and Ace.
But when her gaze swept over the two, finally landing on the well-dressed, distinctly different blonde boy, she froze.
Dadan's eyes widened, and she extended a trembling finger, pointing at Sabo, then looking at Ace and Luffy.
"Huh?!"
"Another one?!"
"You old bastard, Garp—!!"
Dadan's hysterical roar almost lifted the roof!
"Do you really think this old lady's place is a daycare?! One, two, three! You don't pick up trash like this!"
She was so angry that her fat jiggled, and she grabbed the wine bottle beside her, intending to throw it, but stopped halfway.
"Dadan! Meat!"
Luffy completely ignored the furious Dadan, rushing towards the kitchen as if he knew the way, sniffing hard at the air.
"Shut up! Eat, eat, eat! All you know is eating!" Ace kicked Luffy in the butt, sending him stumbling, then shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced at Dadan with his usual impatient look.
"You're so loud, old hag."
"What did you say?! You little brat!" Dadan's anger instantly shifted to Ace.
Only Sabo, looking at the chaotic scene of squawking chickens and barking dogs, and then at the furious but not truly violent bandit boss, twitched his lips, then politely bowed slightly.
"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Sabo, and I apologize for the trouble."
"Huh?" Dadan looked at the polite Sabo, then at the other two troublemakers, her brain completely frozen, unable to decide who to scold... Meanwhile.
Goa Kingdom, High Town's noble district.
In Otriluk III's mansion, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.
Bang!
An expensive porcelain vase was violently smashed to the floor, shattering into pieces!
"Useless! All of you are useless!"
Otriluk III's chest heaved violently, his once handsome face now twisted beyond recognition by extreme anger and humiliation.
In his mind, that scene in the forest replayed over and over again.
The White-haired Youth's languid gaze.
The finger that easily blocked the long sword.
And the eight black tentacles covered in suckers that had swept him into the air like trash!
Disgrace!
This was a profound humiliation he, as a noble, had never endured in his life!
"My lord..."
The Old Butler beside him bowed, trembling, not even daring to breathe loudly.
"Get out!"
Otriluk III roared.
"Yes, yes..."
The Old Butler, as if granted a great pardon, was about to retreat.
"Stop!"
Otriluk III, his eyes bloodshot, called out to him.
"How is the matter I asked you to handle?"
The Old Butler's body stiffened. He turned around and reported in an even lower posture, "My lord... I contacted the Marine's 16th Branch stationed nearby through some channels..."
"Get to the point!" Otriluk III interrupted him impatiently.
"Yes!"
The Old Butler swallowed, speaking cautiously.
"The Colonel of the 16th Branch, a man named 'Nezumi,' he... he is willing to take action to deal with that white-haired thug."
A chilling pleasure finally flashed in Otriluk III's eyes.
Marine!
No matter how strong you are, can you really go against the entire World Government!
"Very good." He spoke coldly, "What are his conditions?"
The Old Butler hesitated, his voice even lower.
"He... he wants this much."
He held up five fingers.
"five million berries."
"What?!"
Otriluk III's eyes instantly widened!
"A damned Marine Colonel dares to ask me for five million berries?!"
He trembled with anger, wanting to smash something again, but found there was nothing left around him to smash.
That fellow called Nezumi was practically rubbing salt into his bleeding wound!
But... thinking of White Night's face, thinking of those three little brats who had made him lose face... Otriluk III's face twisted again with hatred.
He gritted his teeth, blood almost seeping from between them.
"Give it to him!"
He squeezed out these two words through clenched teeth.
"Money is not an issue!"
His voice became incredibly venomous, like a demon crawling out of hell.
"Tell that worm called Nezumi! I don't just want that white-haired man dead! But also those three little bastards... Sabo's two commoner brothers!"
"I want them to completely, utterly, disappear from this world!"
The Old Butler trembled, burying his head even lower, his breathing becoming cautious.
"Yes, my lord..."
Otriluk III gasped for breath, stumbling a few steps to the large French window.
The afterglow of the setting sun stretched his shadow long, casting it on the luxurious carpet, making it appear dark and distorted.
He watched the sky outside gradually darken, a trace of anxiety flashing in his bloodshot eyes.
"Tonight..."
He murmured to himself, his voice carrying a bone-chilling coldness.
"His Majesty the King is also holding a banquet at the palace..."
He had to attend.
He had to appear before everyone as a perfect noble!
This thought made the hatred and humiliation in his heart burn even more fiercely!
He spun around abruptly, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the Old Butler!
"You! Go do it immediately!"
He roared, spitting saliva.
"Now! Immediately!"
"Tell that bastard Nezumi! I don't care what methods he uses! Before the banquet begins! I must hear the news I want to hear!"
He wanted the deaths of those commoners to be the most delightful appetizer at his banquet tonight!
"Did you hear me?!"
"Yes! Yes! My lord!" The Old Butler, terrified by this mad killing intent, scrambled out, tripping over himself.
"I'm going now! I'm going now!"
In the room, oppressive silence returned.
Otriluk III stood in place, his chest still heaving violently, but the madness on his face was slowly fading.
He walked to the mirror, looking at his disheveled, hideous reflection, an extreme disgust flashing in his eyes.
He reached out, meticulously straightening the collar of his expensive noble attire.
He used a handkerchief to wipe away the saliva that had splattered from his mouth during his roar.
He took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.
In the mirror, the twisted expression vanished.
In its place was a calm and arrogant face, belonging to Otriluk III, a great noble of the Goa Kingdom.