Chapter 224: The Ginyu Force?
Mistral Island.
A strange atmosphere hung over the island, which had been under the protection of the Whitebeard Pirates for years. The rainy port was as busy as ever, but there were noticeably more guards at every major intersection, and the merchants huddled together, whispering nervously.
In a damp, dark dungeon beneath the town.
"Whitey Bay, why?! Why are you doing this?!" 'Flower Sword' Vista, his limbs pierced and nailed to the wall, stared in disbelief at the woman before him. "Pops treated you like family! We fought side-by-side for decades! Why would you betray him?! Why would you betray the Whitebeard Pirates?!"
Across from the iron bars, the blue-haired woman in the purple captain's hat took a long drag from her cigarette and giggled. "You're so noisy... Do I really have to explain it to you? Isn't it better to go to your grave in blissful ignorance? Don't worry, you won't die for nothing. 'Flower Sword' Vista, Fifth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, with a bounty of 1,023,000,000 Belly... A head like that will fetch a very handsome price from the Marines."
She's going to kill me... and sell my head to the Marines?!
"Whitey Bay!" Vista roared, his eyes bloodshot with grief and rage. "How could you?! When did you become such a monster?!"
"Who knows?" she said with a lazy, taunting smile.
Just then, a tall, thin man hurried into the dungeon and whispered something in her ear.
"Hm?" Her expression changed. She glanced at Vista, then pulled the man over to the stairs. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure, Third Sister!" he said, swallowing hard. "It's him, Shane! He'll be at the port any minute! And that fat old man Henry is with him! They must be his backup!"
"A mere merchant can summon a man of that caliber?" she said, her eyes narrowed. "Hmph. I underestimated that old pig. I should have killed him on the spot..."
"What do we do, Third Sister?" the thin man asked, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Should we just run for it? We've already made a fortune. That fatso has probably told Shane everything. If he comes after us..."
"Let me think," she said, pacing back and forth. "When will the last payment come in? And what's the total?"
"The last two big fish arrive tomorrow. With their twenty billion and Vista's head, our total haul will be over one hundred billion."
One hundred billion? For a moment, her eyes glazed over. That was more money than she could spend in a lifetime... "It seems we have no choice," she said, licking her lips, her greed barely contained. "One hundred billion is a nice, round number. I'd be very upset if we left without it..."
"But, Third Sister..."
"Don't worry, Second Brother," she said with a snap of her fingers and a light laugh. "I have a plan. Just do as I say, and we can handle him. But... the identity of 'Whitey Bay' is no longer reliable. It's time for a change." She looked at Vista in his cell, then paused, a bold new idea taking root in her mind. More than a lifetime of wealth... what would it feel like to stand at the true pinnacle of the world? To no longer have to hide in the shadows, to scheme and to cheat, but to rule, to bask in the fearful gazes of all... The thought, once planted, grew like a wild vine, impossible to ignore.
"Second Brother," she said, turning to the confused man. "I think... our plan needs an upgrade..."
The Curtain Call docked at the port as the rain began to fall harder.
"We're here! This is Mistral Island!" Fat Henry was the first one off the ship. "My lord, see that purple castle in the center of town? That's the Ice Witch's base! All our money is in there with that..."
"I'm here now. There's no need to rush. Just lead the way," Shane said. According to Kuma, Whitey Bay was an honorable woman, a loyal veteran of the Whitebeard Pirates. This betrayal had to be more than it seemed.
"Yes, of course, my lord."
"Gin, Mochi, you stay here and guard the ship."
"Woof!"
Shane and his crew followed Henry into the town. Robin, as always, was at his side, holding a black umbrella over his head.
"Lord Shane, look over there," Kuina said, pointing to a small speedboat at the far end of the dock. "It's flying the Whitebeard Pirates' flag."
"So, Whitebeard has already sent someone to investigate," Shane mused.
"Perhaps we should find him before we confront the Ice Witch..."
"No need for that! I've been waiting for you!" a hearty laugh echoed through the rain. A tall man in a top hat and a black cloak strode toward them.
"'Flower Sword' Vista?" Henry's eyes went wide with a mixture of shock and joy. "Hahaha, my friend! To think Whitebeard would send you! Have you dealt with Whitey Bay? What did she say?"
"You two know each other?" Shane asked.
"Yes, we've crossed paths a few times over the years," Henry said. "With him here, our problems are solved! He's one of Pops's strongest commanders! He can handle that witch with ease!"
"Is that so?" Shane said, his eyes narrowed. Even under his coat and cloak, he could tell that Vista was seriously injured.
"You have sharp eyes, my lord," Vista said with a wry smile, rubbing his wrist. "I've already dealt with Whitey Bay. It's a long story. Please, follow me to the castle. I'll explain on the way." He gestured for them to follow.
...
"So, Whitey Bay was being blackmailed by the World Government?" Henry said, stunned, as they stood before the castle gates.
"It seems her family was being threatened," Vista said with a sigh. "In any case, she is now locked in the dungeon. Lord Shane, perhaps you would like to see for yourself? As for the rest of you, I have prepared a welcome feast in the second-floor dining hall. Please, make yourselves comfortable."
"Ooh! A feast!" Bonney's eyes lit up. "Is there meat, Moustache Man?!"
"Of course, little miss. All kinds of meat."
"What do you say, big brother?" Nami asked, rubbing her stomach. "I'm hungry, too."
"Go on ahead. We'll be there in a minute," Shane said.
The others followed one of Vista's men to the dining hall, while Shane followed Vista down a dark corridor toward the dungeon. The air was damp and smelled of blood. As they descended, Shane's suspicion grew. The man's presence... it lacked the sharp edge of a master swordsman.
"After this is all over, how about a sparring match?" Shane asked casually.
"You jest, my lord," Vista said, glancing back at him. "You are an Emperor of the Sea. If you want a spar, you should ask Pops. I am not worthy."
Not worthy? A swordsman of his caliber, passing up a chance to test his skills against a stronger opponent?
Something is wrong.
Shane's Observation Haki flooded the dungeon. A few seconds later, he had his answer.
"Just ahead," Vista said, rounding a corner. "Whitey Bay is in this cell..."
THUD!
A heavy sound echoed from around the corner. The world around Shane suddenly became hazy, as if he had been trapped inside a giant, frosted glass box.
"A fun little trick," he said, touching the barrier.
"Ha! I got him! I got him!" a triumphant laugh came from around the corner. A tall, thin man appeared, clapping his hands. "Hehe! So much for an Emperor of the Sea! In the face of my Box-Box Fruit, he's trapped like a rat!" He turned to the other side. "Alright, Big Brother! You're up!"
"Nice work, Second Brother!" a bald, fat man lumbered out of the shadows. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth wide.
VWOOM!
A strange, yellow light shot out, and Shane suddenly felt as if he were moving through molasses.
"How do you like that!" the fat man boasted. "I am Gilan, user of the Slow-Slow Fruit! Anything hit by my Noro Noro Beam will have its movements slowed for thirty seconds! Even an Emperor of the Sea should be slowed for at least a dozen!"
"And a dozen seconds is all we need!" the two of them yelled, raising their right arms in unison. "Third Sister, it's your time to shine!"
"Vista" reappeared, a coy, feminine smile on his face. "I am the third sibling, Teashi," he/she purred, striking a pose. "User of the Parasite-Parasite Fruit, which allows me to take over the bodies of others. Thank you, Lord Shane, for so generously providing us with such a powerful new vessel."
"To think an Emperor of the Sea could be so naive... Hey! What are you doing?! I haven't finished my introduction!" he/she shrieked at Shane, who had bent over and was now pretending to vomit.
"Sorry," Shane said, straightening up with a sigh. "I couldn't help it. Seeing you make those moves in Vista's body... it's just... really disgusting. And it makes me want to hit you..."
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