"Who?! Capone Bege?!"
Dier abruptly sat up, a flicker of excitement flashing in his eyes.
Capone Bege - a future Supernova and Paramecia-type Castle Fruit Ability User.
He could create a separate space within his body, freely manipulating all inorganic matter within that space.
Objects entering his body would shrink in size, returning to normal once outside his ability's range - essentially a mobile spatial ring.
Robin frowned in confusion. Was this someone familiar to warrant such excitement?
"I'm not sure if he has a surname. He only said his name was Bege. If you're in a hurry, I can have Gunpowder summon him now?"
Dier shook his head, rejecting Robin's suggestion:
"No, don't involve Gunpowder. Hand me the Den Den Mushi."
Bege had a peculiar hobby - assassinating organization leaders.
Not for territory or subordinates, he'd simply rob treasures after each assassination before fleeing. Even Big Mom nearly fell victim to him.
Not wanting to become a target, Dier took the Den Den Mushi and called Geno to inquire about Bege's appearance.
Short and stocky build, stubble on his upper lip, always with a cigarette or cigar in his mouth.
"So it really is him."
Hanging up, Dier rubbed his hands excitedly. Such talent couldn't be let go.
The future Bege would unite all West Blue mafia families before growing bored and becoming a pirate.
"Did he claim to be an Ability User when joining?"
Robin shook her head.
"Hmm...has your identity been exposed?"
Robin shook her head again.
Gunpowder had purchased a house serving as their base, with Robin working inside while issuing orders under Gunpowder's name.
She wore a mask and elevator shoes daily to disguise herself when entering/exiting.
In public, she showed Gunpowder utmost respect, repeatedly emphasizing she was merely a secretary.
In reality, she was Blackfire's true mastermind.
"Perfect!"
"Proceed normally tomorrow. Be careful not to let Bege discover your identity. Leave the rest to me."
"What's going on? Is there something about Bege's identity?"
Robin was completely baffled. How could a few questions lead to immediate action?
Dier got out of bed, placing the Den Den Mushi on the table while dialing another number:
"That guy's obsessed with assassinating leaders. This time he's probably after Gunpowder's head."
"Moreover, both his fruit ability and personal skills are exceptional. He'll eventually unite West Blue's mafia."
"With his ability, we can leave West Blue and go anywhere we want."
The four seas connect through the Red Line at Mariejois, where ordinary people can cross between oceans.
Near the Red Line's base by the Calm Belt lies a port where civilians can ascend to cross between seas.
Centuries ago, the "Liarman" Roronoa had returned from the Grand Line to West Blue this way.
Large objects like ships couldn't ascend, so the port bought/sold vessels - with price differences profiting the World Government handsomely.
If an ordinary person from the West Blue wanted to travel to the East Blue, they would likely choose a passenger ship—first heading to a port, crossing the Red Line to reach a port in the East Blue, and then selecting another passenger ship to their final destination.
However, those who could travel across seas were usually not ordinary people, as the cost for a single trip was substantial.
For Dier and Robin, money wasn't the issue—their identities were.
Robin's disguise couldn't be maintained for long, and two wanted criminals going to Mary Geoise would be like walking straight into a trap.
But now, they had Bege—a man with a clean record and the ability to hide people inside his body.
Buru buru buru~
Click~
"Ara, boss, what are your orders so late at night?"
A seductive woman's voice came from the other end of the line, accompanied by the faint sound of running water.
"Could it be that you've finally decided to favor me?"
"Julia, clear out the hot spring sessions for the seventh. Blackfire is reserving the place."
"Understood, boss! Though there's a small issue recently that requires your personal—"
Click~
The call was ruthlessly cut off.
Hypnosis only made a person loyal to Dier—it didn't change their personality or preferences.
Just like Brandon still loved drinking, Geno still loved seeking fun, and Julia still loved preying on minors.
"Is that Bege really that strong?"
Robin could see Dier's plan—it was no different from setting a trap in advance, just like they had done with Gunpowder.
But she didn't understand why they had to be so cautious, mobilizing the entirety of Blackfire just to deal with Bege.
Dier began dialing again:
"Whether he's strong or not depends on whether he's eaten a Devil Fruit. If he hasn't, then he's weak. If he has eaten that fruit, there's a chance the entire Blackfire wouldn't be a match for him."
Most of Bege's combat power came from the Castle Fruit.
If he hadn't eaten it, he was just a slightly stronger ordinary person.
If he had, he was a mobile war fortress with an army and weapons deployed inside his body.
Dier planned to prepare for both scenarios—if they couldn't win, they'd flee immediately.
Buru buru buru~
Click~
"Prepare a large ship, with sailors working in shifts to ensure it can set sail immediately upon my command."
"Yes, boss!"
Buru buru buru~
Click~
"Dispatch a water pump along with hoses to the hot springs."
"Yes, bos—"
Buru buru buru~
Click~
"Purchase fire oil and high-proof liquor—the more, the better."
"Understood…"
...
The next morning.
Bege woke up in the inn and habitually lit his first cigarette of the day.
He was twenty-two years old and had been a mafioso for four years. He enjoyed smoking, drinking, and assassinations.
A month ago, Gunpowder had publicly announced the cancellation of the plan to capture the Child of the Devil, which made a certain high-ranking member of Bullet feel humiliated.
I order you to do something—you can fail, but you can't just not do it!
Though displeased, the executive didn't take further action, merely complaining about it at a banquet.
Bege overheard and decided to use his rare vacation to indulge in a personal hobby—
Assassinating the leader of Blackfire, Gunpowder.
Putting on an ill-fitting black suit and tying his tie, Bege exhaled a puff of smoke and stepped out of the inn, heading toward the tavern.
"A new recruit? You look sharp in that suit."
Some brave civilians on the street greeted Bege. Since Gunpowder had ordered no oppression of civilians and the protection fees collected were much lower than before, most people's attitudes toward Blackfire had improved.
Bege nodded in response, feeling quite awkward inside.
Since when had the mafia become so people-friendly?
This operation was somewhat special for Bege.
By habit, he wouldn't join the organization he intended to assassinate. Instead, he would sneak in quietly or disguise himself as a waiter or similar role to get close to the leader.
Then—bang!
A perfect assassination plan completed.
But this trick wouldn't work on Gunpowder. The Paramecia-type Gunpowder Fruit allowed him to avoid most physical damage, making a sudden assassination attempt far too difficult.
Thus, Bege chose to join Blackfire to carry out a poisoning at the right opportunity.
Today, he would investigate Gunpowder's eating habits before deciding whether to infiltrate the tavern or the canteen!
Mulling over his assassination plan, Bege—the newest member of Blackfire—entered the tavern.
It was tax collection day, and most of the manpower had been dispatched to various streets to collect taxes, so the tavern wasn't crowded.
Just as Bege lamented his bad timing, Brandon's voice suddenly rang in his ears:
"Hey, Bege, you've been exposed!"