Raven Harbor.
Top floor of the City Lord's Mansion.
A man over three meters tall, draped in a black cloak, slowly lowered the comically oversized long gun in his hand. His brow furrowed ever so slightly.
"Ah la la~"
"So this is what they call the fate of a bullet..."
As he spoke, several guards cautiously approached, forming a respectful semi-circle around him.
"Lord Augur, have you dealt with the target?" one asked.
"What kind of question is that? Of course not."
Van Augur's eyes, half-lidded with disinterest, swept across the guards.
"Tell your Lord this: the enemy is far more troublesome than anticipated. If I'm not mistaken, one of their leaders is a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user."
He paused, then added, "And judging by their route, they're headed straight for us."
"A Devil Fruit user?"
The guards exchanged nervous glances. Their minds flashed back to the immense power their Lord Grayza had gained after consuming a Devil Fruit. Fear crept into their expressions.
"Even you can't stop them...?" one of them dared to ask.
"No. I mean... it'll just cost more," Van Augur replied dryly.
A few minutes later.
The report quickly reached Grayza.
"Money! Money! Money!" Grayza bellowed, slamming her desk.
"I haven't even employed him for a full month and he's already raised his fee multiple times! Does he think I'm made of money?!"
After several deep breaths, Grayza forced herself to calm down.
The previous battle had devastated the city's forces—most of Raven Port's guards had been killed or wounded, leaving them with little combat strength. While the Gawain Pirates could manage threats at sea, maintaining order in the city still fell on the guards.
That's why Grayza had begun a new wave of recruitment—and that was when Van Augur appeared.
With marksmanship that could pierce a target from thousands of meters away, the man was a sniper of unparalleled skill. A rare gem. Even if his price was steep, Grayza had grudgingly accepted it.
But now? This damned mercenary was treating her like a walking bank.
"Miss~" Jasmine called from the side.
"The enemy managed to slip past the surveillance routes Lord Gawain arranged. I doubt they're ordinary intruders. Perhaps Van Augur's just warning us."
Grayza exhaled slowly, her anger subsiding into a grim calculation. Her tone turned serious.
"Para Island's a bit too far. Gawain might not make it here in time. Notify the Cat Brothers immediately."
"And alert all guards at the port—if the enemy enters firing range, open fire without hesitation!"
"Yes, my Lord!"
Meanwhile, at sea...
A pirate ship, bearing a flag marked with a lizard's skull, loomed on the horizon.
The guards at the port didn't wait for orders. Cannons roared, launching a barrage.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Red-hot shells rained down, striking the ship's deck. But instead of destruction, only black scorch marks were left behind.
The guards stared in horror. Their weapons—useless.
Minutes later, two figures leapt from the pirate ship, soaring nearly 100 meters before landing heavily at the port.
Bang!
Their impact cracked the stone beneath their feet, spiderweb fractures spreading several meters outward. Civilians scattered in terror. Only a handful of guards held their ground, weapons trembling in their hands.
As the dust settled, they got their first clear look.
"A Cat and a Cheetah!?"
"Wrong… it's an Ocelot and a Maine Coon," corrected Lachet with a grin, his form shifting into a hybrid of beast and man.
The very next instant—
"AHH!"
A guard collapsed, his chest slashed open by Lachet's claws. After a brief, convulsive shudder, he stopped moving.
Lachet licked the blood from his fingertips, eyes gleaming with savage delight.
"Sweet with a touch of iron. Truly intoxicating."
The remaining guards, though terrified—some even losing control of their bladders—held firm.
They weren't defending just the port. Behind them were people they loved. People they had to protect.
Seeing their resolve, Lachet's grin widened. He crouched low like a cat ready to pounce—and then froze.
Bang!
A bullet whizzed past his chest, embedding itself deep into the wall behind him. Only millimeters away from piercing his heart.
He turned toward the source, eyes narrowing.
The shot had torn clean through a row of buildings. Even his enhanced Zoan body would've lost flesh if that bullet had landed.
"Interesting," Lachet murmured.
His gaze followed the bullet's path—up to a distant rooftop, where a black-cloaked figure was leaping down.
"That must be the sniper from before."
He waved at his companion. "I'm going after him. You take care of the trash here."
Without waiting for a reply, Lachet transformed into a sleek ocelot and rushed toward Van Augur.
"Lachet," the other pirate muttered, shaking his head.
He turned to face the gathered guards, smiling sharp and cruelly.
"Tell me—where is the woman named Grayza? She stole something from us. Something very important."
The guards remained silent. Afraid, yes—but unmoving. Many had survived the last battle. Grayza wasn't just a leader to them. She was a symbol.
They would not back down.
Labute sighed.
"Is that so?"
"Pity."
As his words fell, the pirate ship reached the port. Dozens of figures leapt off the deck, weapons raised, charging into the fray.
A chaotic battle erupted—swords clashing, smoke thick in the air.
Labute shoved aside the guards blocking his path and strode deeper into the port. His keen Maine Coon eyes caught sight of a woman sprinting toward the battlefield, flanked by two pirate allies with feline features.
"There she is... looks like the target's coming to us."
Nightfall.
A cold mist settled over Para Island.
In the stillness, Gawain sat at his desk, his expression dark, one hand gripping a Den Den Mushi receiver.
The voice on the other end crackled, barely audible.
"A group of pirates attacked Raven Port... injured the Cat Brothers and Jango... and kidnapped Grayza—along with the Devil Fruit she was preparing for me?"
Even without seeing him, one could hear the fury boiling beneath Gawain's voice.
But the voice on the other end responded blandly.
"Yeah. That's about it."
"This is fate."
"Also... if I die, could you send the payment for this job back to my hometown?"
Gawain paused, taken aback.
"What's your name?"
"Van Augur."
"And remember," he added with a smirk, "the fee's not triple anymore—it's five times the original."