In the middle of the day, as sunlight filtered through the narrow gaps between the branches of the trees, the forest was quiet. The dirt road stretched between the herb fields on one side and the dense forest on the other. The place was perfect for an ambush. No escape. No clear view for those approaching from afar.
Six heavy wooden carts were moving slowly. The carts were loaded with burlap sacks full of dicinal herbs. The sll of herbs filled the air, mixed with the sll of dirt and horse sweat.
Twenty guards walked beside the carts. So carried guns. So carried swords. They all seed tired and comfortable at the sa ti. Comfortable because they had traveled this road hundreds of tis before and nothing had ever happened to them. Tired from the heat under the sun.
None of them noticed the n waiting for them behind the trees.
Suddenly, Pablo erged from between the trees. He stood in the middle of the road. Marco was on his right. Shigo on his left. Behind them, a line of their n, their guns aid at the guards.
The carts stopped. The guards stopped too. For a mont, no one understood what was happening.
Then one of the guards stepped forward. He was a man in his forties, his face reddened by the sun, carrying a long gun. He looked at Pablo from head to toe. He saw a young man no older than fifteen, but his eyes were different. They were the eyes of a man who was not afraid.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
Pablo did not reply. He did not move.
The man felt the danger. Their stance. Their eyes. The aid guns. All pointed to one thing.
"Do you know who these carts belong to?" the guard said, raising his voice, trying to hide his fear. "This goods belong to Noble Cross. Yes, Cross himself. Perhaps you have heard of him. He is one of the richest nobles of the north. Whoever touches these carts touches Cross himself. And he does not forgive easily."
Pablo smiled inwardly. Cross. A fat noble, his face so full that his eyes almost disappeared, his nose hooked and his smile yellow. He was known for his greed and cruelty toward the poor. He had previously investigated the most influential n in this kingdom, and Cross was one of them.
Pablo did not reply.
The guards looked at each other. They knew these were not ordinary bandits. Bandits usually fled at the re ntion of Cross's na. But these n stood still. Unwavering. Their guns still aid.
The guard's grip on his gun tightened. Sweat began to trickle down his forehead.
"I will tell you one last ti—"
He did not finish his sentence.
Pablo pulled the trigger of his pistol. One shot. Pierced the guard's forehead. He fell to the ground like a log. He did not move.
"Kill them all." Pablo said quietly.
Marco pounced on the nearest guard. His fist shattered his nose before he could scream. His leg sent another to the ground.
Shigo was faster than his shadow. His sword cut a guard's neck before he touched the ground. Then another guard. Then another.
Pablo's n began firing. The shots were steady, cold, deadly. Each shot found its target.
The guards were chaotic. They fired in every direction. But most fell before they could hit anyone.
The battle lasted less than three minutes.
When it was over, the twenty bodies lay on the ground. Blood stained the dirt. The sll of gunpowder mixed with the sll of herbs.
Pablo lost no n.
"Move the bodies off the road. Hide them in the forest. Leave no trace." Pablo ordered.
His n worked quickly. They dragged the bodies into the forest. Covered them with leaves and branches. The road returned to being clean as if nothing had happened.
"Pull the carts to the cave. Quickly."
The n tightened the carts' straps. The horses were panicked, but they cald them and pulled them along the side path leading to the river and then to the cave.
Pablo stood looking at the place for the last ti. He was satisfied.
"We leave."
They disappeared into the forest.
Hours later, the place was completely quiet. The birds returned to singing. The insects returned to crawling.
---
Noble Cross's Palace
In the north, Noble Cross was sitting in his luxurious palace. The room was spacious, filled with golden furniture and silk curtains.
Cross was a very fat man. His face was so full that his eyes looked like two small slits between layers of flesh. His nose was hooked like an eagle's beak. His fingers were short and thick, and they wore large gold rings.
He was sitting on his wide chair, drinking a glass of wine. In front of him, on the table, the Den Den Mushi looked at him with its glassy eyes.
He called the guards.
The snail rang once. Twice. Three tis.
No answer.
Cross frowned. He called again.
No answer.
"Strange." he muttered. The guards usually answered on the first ring. They were afraid of him.
He called the head guard. The man leading the convoy. He knew he would not dare ignore him.
No answer.
His expression changed. He turned off the Den Den Mushi and summoned one of his servants.
"Go to the southern road. Find out why the convoy is delayed."
The servant nodded and left.
An hour passed. Then two.
The servant returned. His face was pale.
"Sir... there is no trace of the convoy. Nor of the guards. They have completely disappeared."
Cross stood up. His chair almost tipped over.
"What?!"
"I spoke with the farrs who loaded the herbs. They said they handed the goods over to the guards in the morning. The guards set off. But they never arrived here."
Cross's face reddened. Silveria Azure. This herb was not ordinary. It was the most valuable thing he owned. He had planned to sell it to rchants in the major islands for over fifty million Beli. And now, it was gone.
"The guards robbed !" he shouted. "Those cowards stole my shipnt and ran away!"
He began pacing the room with heavy steps. The ground almost trembled under his weight.
"Silveria Azure... my precious herbs... They do not know what they have done. This herb is irreplaceable!"
He stopped. His small eyes glead with anger and hatred.
"I will send a ship. I will send my n to search for them in every neighboring island. I will find them even if it takes months. And when I find them..." He stopped. "I will make them wish they had died here."
But Cross did not know the truth.
The guards did not flee. They did not steal the goods. They were all dead. And their carts were in Pablo's cave.
---
After hours of moving the goods into the cave, Pablo sat in his small room. On the table in front of him were piles of herbs. They were green, shiny, and had a strong sll.
Beside them was a thick book: "Rare Herbs of the South Blue: A Comprehensive Guide."
Pablo had been reading this book for days. He wanted to know the value of what he had stolen.
He flipped through the pages. Searched for the shape of the herb in front of him.
Then he found it.
"Silveria Azure"
He read in a low voice:
"A very rare herb. It grows only in the Sorbet Kingdom, in a special soil found only in the Sorbet Kingdom. It is used to treat incurable diseases: malignant fevers, internal organ inflammations, and certain types of poisons. Demand is very high in major markets."
Pablo closed the book.
He smiled. A small smile. He knew this herb was valuable. But he did not know it was this valuable.
This shipnt might be worth more than he expected.
He closed his eyes. He thought about the smuggler who would co from Naraka. About the price he would ask. About the profits he would make.
He stood up. He began to arrange a small sample of the herbs in a bag. He would give it to the smuggler. For him to see. For him to know its value.
---
The next day, Pablo was standing in the main port of the Sorbet Kingdom. He chose a crowded place, among the goods, carts, and people. In this crowd, two n could talk without being noticed.
He waited.
After a few minutes, he saw a man approaching. He was in his forties, his face tanned by the sun, with a small tattoo on his neck. His na was "Renold". He was a passenger ship captain in appearance, but in reality, he was a professional smuggler. Arthur had sent him from Naraka.
Renold approached. He looked at Pablo with expert eyes. He examined him from head to toe.
"Pablo?"
"Yes."
"I am Renold. Arthur sent ."
They shook hands. Renold's hand was firm. His eyes moved constantly, watching those around them.
"Let's talk quickly." Renold said in a low voice. "What do you have?"
Pablo extended his hand. He took out the sample bag from under his clothes.
"Silveria Azure."
Renold's expression changed. He looked at the herb with expert eyes. He raised it to his eyes. Examined its leaves. Slled it. He recognized its value imdiately.
"This is valuable. Where did you get it?"
"It doesn't matter."
"How much do you have?"
"Six fully loaded carts."
Renold was silent for a second. He was calculating in his head. Silveria Azure in this quantity... he knew its market value easily exceeded fifty million.
"Do you know its value?"
"I know. That's why I'm here."
"If you know, why do you need ?"
"Because I can't sell it here. The laws prohibit it. And you can get it out of the island and sell it without anyone asking."
Renold raised an eyebrow. "That's true. But I will be taking a risk. If I am caught, I will be executed."
"That's why I will sell it to you at a fair price."
"How much do you want?"
"Forty million."
Renold was silent. He was thinking. The price was high. But the herb was valuable. And the quantity was large.
"Thirty-five."
"Thirty-eight."
"Thirty-four. Final offer."
Pablo looked at him. Then he nodded.
"Alright. Thirty-four million."
Renold smiled. "You have a deal."
---
At midnight, Renold and his n arrived with their small boats at the river near the cave. They were six n, with three boats. Pablo lit a fire to be their guide.
The n carried the bags from the cave to the boats. They worked quickly, silently, as if they had been doing this for years.
In less than two hours, all the goods were on the boats.
Renold stood on the riverbank. He looked at Pablo.
"The money is with now."
He took out a heavy leather bag. He placed it on a rock between them. He opened it.
Pablo counted the money quickly. Thirty-four million Beli. The full amount.
He closed the bag. He looked at Renold.
"I hope we do business again."
"If you have more of this herb, I am available."
They shook hands.
Renold boarded his boat. He gave the departure signal.
The boats began to disappear into the darkness.
Pablo stood watching them until they vanished into the river.
He smiled.
A wide smile. For the first ti in a long ti. It was the smile of his first true victory in this kingdom.
Thirty-four million Beli. In his pocket now. From one operation.
And this was just the beginning.
He turned his back and returned to the cave. He thought about Noble Cross. About his cold eyes. About his anger when he discovers that his shipnts will disappear one after another.
"This is just the beginning." he muttered.
He entered the cave. His bag full of money was heavy on his shoulder.
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