Rising Stars

New chapter is live.

Settle in, take your time, and let's see what waits in the dark 🖤

✦

"A bastard like me, who built himself on bootleg liquor?"

Bege swallowed the other half of the Devil Fruit and looked at the middle-aged man with contempt.

"Simo, with that narrow view of yours, it makes sense that the Kolo Family ended in your hands."

After speaking, Bege extended his right hand to the side.

Behind him, a subordinate in a black suit immediately handed him a white napkin.

Bege took it and wiped his mouth.

For the next month, he might not be able to forget that indescribably disgusting taste.

That night, for something called a Devil Fruit, he had nearly lost his life.

He could only hope the so-called ability was worth the risk.

In terms of results, however, even if the ability did not suit him, using the opportunity to remove two competitors was still enough to celebrate with a hundred gunshots.

Simo, the boss of one of the five great underworld families, tried to struggle to his feet. He could not.

Blood flowed from his wounds, slowly draining what remained of his strength.

Even though he could still speak, he had no way to refute Bege's words. All he had left was hatred and disbelief.

Twenty years of accumulation had failed against a bootleg-liquor business that rose in a single wave.

One wrong move, and the whole board was lost.

"If you choose the right path, even the cheapest liquor can be worth its weight in gold."

Feeling Simo's resentment, Bege continued trampling on what little dignity the defeated man had left.

"An old fossil like you, locked in the past, was going to leave the stage sooner or later."

Bege threw away the napkin and turned to leave.

"Those who adapt move farther and faster. Do you understand now, beaten dog of the Kolo Family?"

The white napkin drifted down onto Simo's head, covering the last hate-filled look he aimed at Bege.

Bege's men stepped forward and raised their guns at Simo.

Gunfire erupted like heavy rain.

"You lost without dignity, but I can give you a dignified death."

The barrage of gunfire behind him did not make Bege flinch.

Inside the ruined auction hall, some guests still remained.

Most had been escorted to safer places by the auction house guards when the first signs of disorder appeared.

But no matter where one went, there would always be people who enjoyed watching the show.

The infamous Demon Sheriff Laffitte was one.

Kid and Killer, who had come to buy weapons, were the same.

Sol, who had already obtained the Skillful Grade blade, was even more so.

As for Arthur, he had not wanted to get involved at all, but Sol had forcibly kept him around as company.

Arthur personally watched Bege eat the Devil Fruit he had dreamed of obtaining. Other than envy, he felt only more envy.

He had thought about taking it, but that would have been suicide.

The corpses scattered across the floor were proof.

Capone Bege...

'He really is ruthless.'

After personally witnessing how Bege had used himself as bait to eliminate two competitors, Arthur could only sigh inwardly at how vicious the man was.

Beside him, Sol watched Bege leave the auction hall with his imposing presence and said seriously, "They say Devil Fruits taste worse than shit."

Arthur glanced at Sol and thought, 'If a Devil Fruit tasted worse than shit, I'd eat a whole ton of it if it meant getting one.'

"But actually, one bite is enough."

Sol stroked the long blade in his hand and gave a wicked little laugh. "I wanted to kindly remind him, but sadly, the timing never looked right."

Arthur had no answer for that.

Sol glanced discreetly at Kid, then looked toward the hall entrance. "The show is over. Time to go home."

With that, he walked straight toward the door.

What surprised Sol most that night was not only the ruthless ambition Bege had displayed, but also new faces like Laffitte, who clearly could not be underestimated.

As for Kid, someone Sol already recognized, he had originally been the rising star Sol found most promising.

But now...

A certain figure appeared in Sol's mind.

Sol smiled, holding the Skillful Grade blade as he left the auction under Kid's gaze and the gazes of others.

People like Laffitte also had no reason to remain. They left one after another.

Killer looked at his satisfied captain. "Kid, time to go."

Kid nodded and lightly touched the short blade and short gun hanging at his waist.

Those were the weapons he had bought that night. Their quality was acceptable.

They were far from Keane's gun, but they would do for now. Once he set out to sea, he would find better ones eventually.

He looked at the last few backs leaving the hall.

That night, he had not only seen a good show, but also finally seen several peers worth paying attention to.

"It's time..."

His grin stretched high as he strode toward the door.

Crew recruitment.

A seagoing ship.

In this place, as long as one had money, everything could be prepared.

On the top floor of the auction house, Ralph, still dressed in a deep red suit, stood before the floor-to-ceiling window with his hands behind his back.

He looked down over Mad Hatter Town, where the lights flowed like fire.

As he listened to his subordinate's brief but complete report, Ralph's eyes remained black and utterly emotionless.

So black they showed no humanity.

So deep they resembled an abyss.

After the subordinate finished, Ralph lifted his head and looked toward the distant Wall Mountain standing beneath the moonlight.

Compared with that night's disturbance, what lay on the other side of the mountain mattered far more to him.

"Any movement at the factory?"

"Everything is normal."

"Leave."

Ralph nodded.

The subordinate departed quietly.

Only Ralph remained in the room.

He stared silently at Wall Mountain for a long time.

At the docks, Hack stood at the edge of the deck and watched the two figures returning together through the night. His expression eased slightly.

Sabo and Koala had returned to the ship safely.

"We got it. The layout map beyond Wall Mountain."

Koala raised the map in her hand toward Hack.

"Well done, Koala."

Hack smiled faintly.

The mission was already complete, so there was no need to use aliases anymore. He called Koala by her real name.

"We didn't just get the terrain map. Sabo also figured out the rough troop deployment and the number of slaves inside the factory."

Koala glanced at Sabo, who was unusually quiet.

"Sabo, what's wrong? You've been strange since earlier."

"Ah, nothing."

Sabo looked up and smiled.

"I was just wondering whether one of us should stay behind until the operation begins."

"You want to stay?"

Koala immediately understood what he was thinking and looked surprised.

Hack rejected it directly. "There is no need."

Before Sabo could speak, Koala, who knew his habits well, asked again, "Why?"

Sabo scratched his head and said seriously, "Tonight, I met someone wearing a mask. He's most likely a Marine hiding in town, so he may have earlier and more practical intelligence."

"Huh?"

Koala immediately thought of the figure who had fired to save the fish-man slave.

"Was he carrying a long flintlock?"

Sabo looked at Koala in surprise.

Koala briefly described Corvin's clothing and how he had shot to save the fish-man.

After hearing her, Sabo understood.

Hack, as a fish-man, looked grave. "In a place like this, there is actually a Marine like that..."

"We haven't confirmed he's a Marine yet."

Sol returned to the weapons shop and immediately smelled food.

Following the aroma to the kitchen, he saw Corvin and Sunny eating noodles.

"Oh? You even made a portion for me."

Looking at the steaming beef noodles on the table, Sol suddenly felt hungry.

He casually placed the newly acquired blade on the table, pulled over a bowl, and began eating.

Corvin's eyes were drawn to the long blade.

"Sol, is that the Skillful Grade blade from tonight's auction?"

Slurp.

"Yeah. It's called Chidori."

✦

✦

✦

Want to keep going?

You can read ahead on my Patreon, with early access, previews, and extra story updates 🔑

https://www.patreon.com/c/EliasVane