In a secluded private residence high above the Centennial Clock...
A man sat cloaked in deep green, his entire silhouette swallowed by the shadows. As lightning flickered outside the window, the brief flashes revealed the distinctive, menacing tattoos etched across half of his face.
This was the man Chrollo was searching for: the Leader of the Revolutionary Army—Monkey D. Dragon.
Knock, knock, knock—
"Enter."
A man dressed as a common merchant hurried to Dragon's side, his voice laced with urgency.
"Lord Dragon, our scouts have detected multiple unidentified high-level individuals entering the island. The underground casino owned by Bartolomeo in the outskirts was just demolished by several men of terrifying strength. Additionally, strangers we've never seen before are intentionally making contact with our people."
The merchant paused, checking his notes. "And... Jewelry Bonney has been spotted. She's currently with a man in black... wandering through the night market."
He continued the report: "The shadows are also crawling with well-trained agents in suits. Our scouts believe they are CP members. Furthermore, the 'White Hunter' Smoker has just made landfall."
He looked at Dragon with concern. "Chief of Staff Sabo suggests you should leave immediately."
"I see..." Dragon's voice remained calm, as steady as the eye of a storm. "Tell me, what is Borsalino doing?"
"Admiral Kizaru has spent the last few days in the entertainment district. He seems to be... listening to music and tasting tea?" The merchant looked confused.
"..."
"Borsalino is the same as ever," Dragon remarked. "No matter. As long as he doesn't take the initiative, my safety is not in question."
Dragon rose from his seat, stepping out from the shadows.
"Where are you going, sir?"
A meaningful look crossed Dragon's face. "If someone has gone to such lengths to find us, it would be rude not to meet them. Besides... it's been a long time since I've seen Kuma's daughter."
---
### Ambiguous Justice vs. The White Hunter
"Moshi moshi~"
"Moshi moshi~"
"I can't seem to hear you~ I'll just hang up~"
"WAIT—!" Smoker's face was a mask of frustration as he shouted into the Den Den Mushi. "Admiral Kizaru, it's quite loud on your end..."
"It is a bit noisy~ Perhaps the signal is poor~"
In the background, Kizaru signaled the geishas to pause their dance. "What is it, Captain Smoker?"
"Reporting, sir. We tracked the trajectory of that cruise ship to this location. We have every reason to believe the Phantom Pirates are currently in Loguetown! This is the perfect chance to arrest them!"
"That sounds quite unfortunate~"
"What...?"
"Nothing... Captain Smoker, you must relax. Being too high-strung isn't always good for one's health~" Kizaru cleared his throat. "Don't worry, Sengoku-oyaji told me that CP9 is on the move. Their leader, Rob Lucci, is said to be the strongest in eight hundred years. Young people today are so scary~ If he's on the case, everything will be fine."
"But, sir—"
"Our job is simply to cheer from the sidelines~"
"BUT—!"
"Oh? The signal is fading again~ I'm hanging up now~"
Click.
Kizaru sighed, leaning back into his cushion. Why do people work so hard? Smoker-kun is still too young. He flipped from his side onto his back like a salted fish, took a sip of steaming tea, and pouted with satisfaction. How much do they even pay us to risk our lives like that?
He gestured to the performers. "Continue the music. Continue the dance~"
---
### The Chaos in the Underworld
Meanwhile, at the harbor...
"Wh-what did Admiral Kizaru say?" Tashigi asked, clutching a newly purchased named blade, her expression nervous.
Smoker stood in silence, looking utterly exasperated. He knew Kizaru was a slacker, but he didn't realize he was this much of a slacker. So this is 'Ambiguous Justice'? I'm not impressed.
The bounties for this group had just been released. Smoker didn't know how the higher-ups got the info, but the Captain, Chrollo, was sitting on a 720 million Berry head. A man like that wouldn't be caught by "cheering from the sidelines."
"Admiral Kizaru ordered us to take the initiative!" Smoker lied with a look of iron resolve. "We find them, and we take them down!"
He believed that if things got out of hand, Kizaru wouldn't be able to sit idle. Between the Kakin technology, the theft of the Heavenly Tribute, and the threat these pirates posed, Smoker refused to let this opportunity slip away.
---
### The Bath of the Cannibal
In the heart of Loguetown's underworld, inside a luxury palace...
Bartolomeo was soaking in a steam-filled bath, his signature green hair draped wetly over his shoulders. The tub was overflowing with bubbles as he hummed a tuneless song: "I love to bathe, I love to bathe~"
"BOSS—!"
A frantic shout pierced the steam. Bartolomeo scowled. "Who's there? Who dares interrupt my bath time?!"
"S-sorry, Boss! But... the underground casino... it's a disaster!"
"What could be more important than my bath?" He casually splashed some water. As the most powerful mob boss in Loguetown, he figured it was just another petty gang war.
"The casino... someone is wrecking it!"
"WHAT?!" Bartolomeo bolted upright, bubbles flying everywhere. "Did you tell those bastards who owns that place?"
"W-we did..."
"And?"
"They asked... 'Who's that?'"
"THOSE FILTHY—!" Bartolomeo shook with rage. "I'm the man who fired on civilians and lived to tell about it! I want to see which idiot thinks they can walk into my house and disrespect me!"
He wiped the water from his face, his eyes turning cold. "Tell me exactly what happened."
The subordinate reported tremblingly: "First, a shirtless guy with a massive chest and a samurai in a kimono showed up to enter the underground fights. We didn't think much of it... but they've won every single match! They've beaten every fighter we have to a pulp!"
"And there's a blonde guy and a short one in the stands. They've been betting astronomical amounts on the fights. We're broke, Boss! Our funds are completely drained, and when we tried to stop them... they started tearing the building apart! They said if we don't have the cash, they'll take it out of the walls!"
Bartolomeo's face turned darker with every word. "You're saying... they took all my money?"
"Y-yes, Boss."
"GET ME MY COAT!!" Bartolomeo roared, the sound echoing through the mansion. "TAKE ME THERE NOW!!!"
---
Loguetown is officially a powder keg! The Revolutionaries are watching, the Marines are (mostly) loafing, and the Spiders are currently bankrupting the local mob.