Aboard the specially commissioned Marine battleship docked at Water 7's Northern Port.
A beam of light reformed into the figure of Borsalino, who reappeared casually on the main deck. A middle-aged Marine officer, who had been observing the distant battle through a telescope, saw him return and hurried over with urgency in his steps.
"Admiral Kizaru, was that the newly appointed Warlord of the Sea, Chris T. Aeridar, aboard the Chris?" the officer asked, gesturing toward the distant ship with uncertainty in his voice.
"Ah~ that nasty guy," Borsalino replied with his usual languid drawl, "I was just saying hello, but with all that gold on board, he didn't even offer me a cup of tea. So stingy."
When Borsalino and Aeridar had exchanged a few probing blows atop the Chris, the wind had swept aside the black cloth covering the ship's deck—revealing heaps of glittering gold.
"Uhh…" the officer's mouth twitched. He'd seen the whole thing through the telescope, and calling that 'just saying hello' was a bit rich, especially when it was done with your leg. No wonder no one invited you for tea.
Not that either of them paid much mind to the piles of gold. After all, he's a pirate, and not just any pirate, but a Warlord. If he'd plundered some treasure or stumbled upon a hoard, it was hardly worth a fuss.
What the Marines didn't know, however, was that Aeridar's crew had uncovered the fabled City of Gold, and the treasure they'd taken was worth tens, if not hundreds, of billions in Berries.
"Alright, alright, forget about that guy," Borsalino waved his hand nonchalantly, as if brushing off an annoying fly. "Go check with the GP Agency. Have they found any trace of the Demon Mask Pirates yet?"
"Yes, right away," the officer answered.
"And tell them," Borsalino added in a rare serious tone, "if they get duped by those guys again, the embarrassment won't fall on just the Marines, it'll reflect on all three factions."
"Understood," the officer bowed slightly and left without delay.
Aboard the Chris.
"Captain, are we still heading into that port?" Dimitri asked, peering toward the Marine warships docked in the distance.
"Nope," Aeridar replied flatly. "Backan, turn the rudder. There's no way Water 7 only has one damn port."
He wasn't interested in seeing Admiral Kizaru again.
"Got it... Captain," Backan replied crisply, immediately adjusting their course and steering the Chris, pirate flag flying proud, around the city toward another harbor.
Before long, they'd reached a different port, this one just as lively, and sailed in without hesitation. Other pirate ships were already moored there, flags waving defiantly. It was unclear if these pirates were brave or just suicidal. Aeridar, at least, had his Warlord title backing him. Who knew what those other captains were relying on?
Once docked, the crew disembarked as planned.
Aeridar stepped off with Millie, Mina, and a few standard crewmen.
Arlan and Backan went their own way, also with a handful of men, and were tasked with overseeing repairs and upgrades to the Chris at the local shipyards.
Dimitri and Gorbo took another group to stock up on clean water, food, weapons, and ammunition.
Each squad carried hefty bundles of gold, just a small fraction of the ship's hoard, meant to both lighten the ship and fund their operations.
Oliver, predictably, was assigned to stay behind and watch the ship. Given that the bulk of their treasure was still locked in the cargo hold, with over a hundred crewmates standing guard, it was a job even he could handle.
...
Inside The Blue, a high-end exchange house in central Water 7.
The interior was spacious, divided into four ornate counters, with VIP rooms tucked further back.
Aeridar entered confidently, flanked by Millie and Mina, and followed by three crew members, each lugging a massive sack of treasure. They approached Counter No. 2.
The young clerk manning the station looked up, surprised, but maintained his polite tone: "Good afternoon. How can I help you?"
Aeridar didn't bother with pleasantries. He pointed to the sack-laden crewmates and went straight to the point.
"We've got a load of gold. You do exchanges here?"
One of the crewmates opened a sack, revealing a dazzling pile of pure gold inside.
"H-Holy sh—!" The clerk's breath hitched as he sucked in a sharp gasp. His eyes widened in disbelief. Is this a dream?!
He had never seen this much gold before. If it weren't for the intimidating presence of the customers, and the impossibility of carrying it all alone, he might've made a run for it himself.
"S-Sumimasen! I can't authorize something this big. Please wait just a moment while I fetch the manager!" The clerk bowed hastily and dashed away.
Manager's Office.
BANG!
The door flew open with a crash.
"M-Manager! Someone's here to sell gold, huge sacks of it!" The young clerk burst in, waving his arms wildly to demonstrate the size.
"Nani?!" The manager jolted upright, ready to scold him, until he caught a glimpse of the frantic gestures. His eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"What are you waiting for?! Take them to a VIP room! Brew some tea, the best tea! Hurry!"
"Y-Yes sir!" The clerk nodded furiously and bolted.
After a short wait, Aeridar's group was led respectfully into a lavish VIP room.
Aeridar plopped down comfortably on a plush leather sofa, Millie and Mina nestled on either side. The three crewmen gently set the bulging gold sacks onto the redwood coffee table, almost buckling it with the weight, and stood respectfully behind him.
Moments later, the clerk returned, placing multiple cups of fragrant tea on the table. The aroma was rich, floral, and immediately filled the room.
Aeridar sniffed appreciatively. "Not bad. This is… Kōzancha, right? From the West Blue?"
"Ho ho ho! A connoisseur, are we?" The door swung open again as a well-dressed man in a pristine white suit and shoes strode in, laughing warmly. "You're absolutely right, straight from the Kōzancha estates of the West Blue."
Kōzancha tea was a world-class luxury, favored by World Government elites. Grown only in the Dorut Kingdom of the West Blue, the tea was so prized that the kingdom had earned its status as a World Government affiliate purely on its export. Nobles, Celestial Dragons, and even high-ranking Marines were known to drink it.
A single pound sold for over ten million Berries, and even then it was hard to find.
Back when Aeridar was still a gang leader, he'd only ever gotten half a pound as a gift for saving a merchant ship.
"Welcome, honored guests," the man said with a deep bow. "I'm Dodi, the manager of The Blue. It's a privilege to host you."
"Cut the chatter," Aeridar said bluntly, tapping the table. "Appraise it. If the price is good, I'll sell."
"Of course!" Dodi patted his chest, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Leave it to me!"
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