From that day on, all of Dressrosa was plunged into a wave of overwhelming fear.
Soldiers assigned to the search began dying—randomly, without warning.
Sometimes at dawn. Sometimes during sunset. Sometimes deep in the night… but every single day, a soldier would end up dead. This continued across the entire city for a full month!
And every single corpse shared the same terrifying feature—completely devoured flesh, with nothing remaining but bloody scraps, a skeleton, and a tattered uniform.
As the bodies piled up, the air of dread spread like a plague across the kingdom.
The once-bustling city streets became desolate… Until the killer was found, no one felt safe. Everyone feared they might be the next one devoured by the so-called "man-eating monster."
To deal with the crisis, every officer under the Donquixote Family was mobilized. Day and night, they patrolled and searched for the killer.
But no matter how hard they searched, not a single clue ever led them to the monster.
And while all of Dressrosa reeled in panic, one place near the coast—the Black Zone—was thriving.
This illegal quarter was a haven for pirates, murderers, and criminals with heavy bounties on their heads.
Despite being just a single street, it was like a separate city of its own—filled with gambling dens, brothels, and every form of debauchery imaginable. It brought in a sizable income for the Donquixote Family. That's why neither the police nor the Marines were allowed to enter, much less enforce laws here.
Inside a lively tavern—
"Hahaha! Those idiots in the main city must be losing their minds! They thought staying in the 'safe zone' would protect them? That man-eating freak has been tearing through all of Dressrosa, but he's never touched this street. That means even he fears us! This is the safest place in town!"
"Exactly! So what if we're banned from the city center? People are dying every day over there—soldiers getting eaten alive! Go back there, and you're as good as dead. Way better to stay here!"
"Did you see the wanted poster? Turns out the monster is human—some kid, barely looks like an adult… but he's worth 100 million Berries! If we catch him, we'll be rich!"
"Keep dreaming! There are pirates here with bounties over 100 million—hell, some have 200 or 300 million! That freak wouldn't dare show his face here!"
"You got that right! Hahaha!"
Unlike the dead silence of the city, the Black Zone was alive with laughter, booze, and pirate banter—even in the dead of night.
But none of them noticed that in the far corner of the tavern, the very "man-eating monster" they were mocking was sitting alone, quietly sipping a drink, reading intelligence reports, and listening to every arrogant word they shouted.
"Laugh while you can… because after tonight, none of you will be laughing again."
Lance smirked.
The reason he hadn't touched this place for the past month was simple—he didn't know enough about it yet. And he had needed to avoid the patrols scattered across Dressrosa.
But with Kuro at his side, how could those useless soldiers ever catch him?
If anything, Kuro had torn through dozens of them—feeding on their corpses and feeding Lance more power.
And tonight, Lance had come here for one reason only: to hunt a pirate, slaughter him, devour his flesh… and steal his wealth.
As those pirates had said themselves—this illegal street often attracted pirates with bounties over 100 million.
Over the last two days, Lance had observed closely, even bribed the bartender for intel. Unfortunately, no major names had shown up. Just some low-level pirates with bounties in the ten- or twenty-million range.
"That's enough."
"These pirates should still provide a decent boost in power… and in profit."
Lance took a swig from his beer.
Pirates were perfect prey—not only were they criminals with money and rewards on their heads, but they also possessed unique fighting techniques and abilities.
You couldn't survive in Dressrosa without being strong.
After all, this was the New World.
And in the New World, every pirate was a deadly elite.
"Hey, you know that girl we caught today? She's gonna fetch a huge price at the auction. I guarantee it. Hehehe…"
Just then, Lance overheard a group of drunkards at a nearby table.
"Human traffickers?"
"Not surprising in the pirate world."
Lance's eyes narrowed.
He had found tonight's target.
If they were slavers, they were sure to be loaded with cash.
And in Doflamingo's territory, slave trading was perfectly legal. In fact, the Donquixote Family ran a major slave auction house in the Sabaody Archipelago—one that made them a fortune every year.
"Kuro… looks like it's time for a party."
A deadly gleam sparked in Lance's eyes.
…
Just before dawn, the traffickers finally left the bar one by one.
"Come on, just one more drink!"
"Damn it, we haven't even finished yet. I'm not drinking with you next time!"
The others stumbled off, leaving one drunken man behind, wobbling toward the exit.
Lance casually left a few bills on the table and followed.
"Master… they're dead… all eaten… delicious…"
Kuro crouched on a nearby rooftop, whispering hoarsely.
"Well done, Kuro."
Lance slipped his hands into his coat pockets and smiled faintly.
The men who had just left? He'd already sent Kuro after them. Every last one was dead. Their base destroyed. Their bodies devoured, and the energy returned to Lance—boosting his power once more.
"Head back now… this one's mine."
(End of Chapter)
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