Since leaving Cortes Kingdom, Andy had not placed Demon Blade Zhu Chi into his spatial pocket; it was either hanging at his waist or held in his hand.
Demon Blade Zhu Chi also needed to make a name for itself!
Indeed, as soon as he entered the city's vicinity, someone immediately noticed him, or rather, noticed the Demon Blade Zhu Chi in his hand.
"It's truly complicated. This island's geographical location is too good. What weak royal family would be allowed to continue occupying such a prime territory...?" Andy muttered to himself, looking at the city that still bore traces of its former prosperity.
With his Observation Haki, he could hear everyone's words if he wanted to, but he hadn't expected it to be so complex.
The chaotic and disorderly Silvia Kingdom now seemed to be in the harvesting stage for power-grabbers, but all of this was happening covertly.
No one dared to bring things into the open.
The World Government and the Revolutionary Army were locked in a power struggle, the West Blue's mafia seemed to want a piece of the pie, and pirates also sought to profit from it.
If things were brought into the open and strength was displayed in a full-scale war, Andy believed a victor would be determined quickly.
However, everyone wanted to have their cake and eat it too.
They wanted to bring the entire Silvia Kingdom into their fold while also maintaining a good reputation—like a prostitute trying to build a memorial arch.
The World Government was playing it cool, with CP Agents secretly stepping in, propping up some mafias and pirates to openly control certain cities, though in reality, both the mafias and the cities were under the World Government's control.
The Revolutionary Army was exerting influence everywhere; their target was the common people, gathering those who could fight or were willing to rebel, hiding them in the shadows, just waiting for the final moment.
The uninformed pirates and Marines would occasionally come here to plunder and kill, and they wouldn't stop them, as this would make things easier for them to handle later.
The most disgusting people were always the politicians!
Issho, that blind man, had been wandering the seas; he must have known about these hidden dirty dealings. Andy couldn't understand why he still joined the Marine.
Was it really just to abolish the Shichibukai system?
His objective shouldn't be that simple...
While Andy discovered the darkness hidden beneath this country, other factions also learned of his arrival.
Some were dismissive, others wanted to win him over.
After all, Andy's strength was indeed considered powerful in the West Blue.
Of course, there were hidden powerhouses, or people like Chinjao, whom he couldn't defeat.
In a luxurious manor in the city, surrounded by fierce-looking pirates armed with swords and guns, the interior of the manor was a world apart from the outside.
Waves of decadent music made one feel this was paradise on the island, and in fact, it truly was paradise here.
But that was for the pirates.
Suddenly, a panicked pirate rushed in, breaking the 'peace' within the manor, greatly displeasing the nearly three-meter-tall man with three grotesque scars on his face.
"Captain Balk, it's bad! We saw Red Hawk arrive here!" the pirate reported, his expression panicked.
On the nearly eight-meter-wide soft couch at the head of the table, Balk was about to scold his subordinate, but upon hearing the name Red Hawk, he instantly stopped his movements.
He slowly sat up, patted the woman beside him, signaling her to leave. The woman obediently rose and slowly exited the hall.
As the woman passed by the reporting pirate, a tempting, faint fragrance wafted, making the pirate's heart pound.
Seeing the Captain stop, everyone else also paused.
"Red Hawk... What is he doing here? But... no matter what he wants to do, I'm not afraid!" Balk's nearly ten-centimeter-long tongue darted out, licking the grotesque scar that almost reached the corner of his mouth, a sinister and arrogant expression on his face.
"But Captain, for some time now, Red Hawk has been hunting down pirates with bounties on the sea. Captain, you..." Thinking of Red Hawk's ruthlessness, the pirate's face still showed some fear.
Their Mad Lion Pirates had five bounty-listed pirates. Their Captain, Mad Lion Balk, was a Zoan-type Lion-Lion Fruit user.
His bounty was 89 million Berries!
The remaining four had bounties ranging from 30 million to 60 million Berries, and one of them was him, with a bounty of 33 million Berries.
Just then, First Mate Tom, Combatant Arlong, and Navigator Sheila also ran in, looking panicked.
First Mate Tom's bounty was 66 million Berries, Combatant Arlong's bounty was 53 million Berries, and Navigator Sheila's bounty was 49 million Berries.
They had just been drinking in a bar outside, but upon hearing the news of Red Hawk's arrival, they immediately rushed back.
"Captain Balk, Red Hawk is here, what should we do?" Tom asked directly, his expression grave.
"What's there to panic about? It's just Red Hawk. Don't forget, we have those people supporting us. Red Hawk, does he dare to attack us?" Balk replied calmly.
Hearing Balk's words, the other four also realized; they had forgotten that they had the World Government's support!
Although it couldn't be said openly, if Red Hawk truly made a move, they certainly wouldn't worry too much, and the people behind them would have to help them.
But, attacking them would mean declaring war on the entire World Government!
Red Hawk would absolutely not dare to do that!
Thinking of this, they instantly breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't their fault for being so flustered; Red Hawk's reputation in the West Blue was simply too great.
"Although we're not afraid of him. However... having such a figure here is also very unfavorable for what we're about to do. He must be made to leave as soon as possible!" Balk stepped down from the soft couch and said in a deep voice.
"Then Captain, what should we do?" Combatant Arlong asked in a booming voice.
Balk's large mouth spread into a grin, his tongue again licking the scar on his face, and he said in a chilling tone: "What to do... Of course, gather our men, bring the Sea Stone weapons those people gave us, and drive Red Hawk out of Silvia Kingdom! But... if we can kill him, that's also a good option, though that will probably be very difficult. After all, his bounty is 110 million Berries..."
"Captain, to be safe, we should still contact those adults and the mafias," Navigator Sheila suggested at this moment.
Balk heard this and also thought it made sense. He nodded and said, "In that case, Sheila, you are responsible for notifying those adults and contacting the mafias. We will go and gather our men first."
"Understood!" Sheila immediately replied, then turned and left, her high heels clicking on the floor.
Balk watched Sheila's alluring back, but quickly reluctantly averted his gaze: "Let's get moving. Silvia Kingdom doesn't allow such an amazing person to exist!"
"Yes!"
"Captain!" Tom and the others immediately responded.
The reason they were more anxious than the mafia was because they had bounties on their heads, and almost everyone Red Hawk had eliminated recently were bounty-listed individuals.
They couldn't help but be anxious.
In a somewhat messy bar in the city, Andy was currently drinking, enjoying a moment of pre-battle leisure.
He was well aware of all the Mad Lion Pirates' movements, and he also knew the locations of those World Government CP Agents.
In the bar, everyone dared not make a sound, fearing they would provoke Red Hawk and be cut down with a single strike.
The most terrified was a pirate only three or four meters away from Andy, because he had a 27 million Berry bounty!
"Hmm... good wine, Bar Owner, your wine here is good. I'm leaving, thanks for the hospitality!" Andy finished the last sip in his glass, then stood up, ready to leave.
"Hehehe..." The Bar Owner gave an awkward dry laugh. "It's good that Lord Red Hawk liked it, but... it would be better if you waited until you're an adult to drink..."
"Hahaha... Thanks for the reminder, I'm off." Andy laughed loudly, then threw down a wad of Berries, at least 100,000 upon closer inspection!
"Clang!"
"Pfft!"
The moment Andy took a step, Demon Blade Zhu Chi instantly unsheathed, severing the head of the pirate with the 27 million Berry bounty!
[Ding~]
[Bounty Points + 27 million!]
Blood instantly gushed out, splattering onto several nearby customers and the floor!
"Bar Owner, the extra Berries are for cleaning the floor, hahahaha..." Andy laughed as he walked out of the bar.
Leaving behind the terrified patrons in the bar.
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