The next morning, the palace of King Bekori was boiling with rage.
The great hall was full. The nobles stood in rows, their faces pale, their eyes fearful. At the front was the noble Valdemar, the owner of the warehouse. He was trembling from both anger and fear.
On the throne sat King Bekori. His face was redder than usual. His small eyes glead with an anger no one had ever seen before.
"A second warehouse!" Bekori shouted. "In less than a month! Over two hundred soldiers killed! Herbs worth millions of Beli stolen! How did this happen?!"
The nobles looked at the ground. No one dared to speak.
Valdemar stepped forward. His voice was hoarse.
"Your Majesty... the soldiers guarding the warehouse... all of them were killed. No one survived. I don't know how it happened. But I know this is not the work of an individual. This is an organization. This is a ticulous plan."
Bekori looked at him. His eyes promised death.
"I know it's an organization. I know there is a mastermind. That is why I summoned you."
He raised his hand. He gestured to one of his officers.
"Announce the order."
The officer stepped forward. He opened a long scroll. He read aloud:
"By order of King Bekori, the Kingdom of Sorbet announces a bounty of ten million Beli for anyone who provides information leading to the capture of those responsible for the series of robberies targeting the royal herb convoys and warehouses in the north."
The nobles raised their heads. Their eyes glead. Ten million... a tempting sum.
"I will buy the heads of these thieves." Bekori said in a cold voice. "I will pay anyone, from anywhere, who brings one correct piece of information. And I will make an example of these thieves for anyone who thinks of stealing from the north."
The nobles nodded. They left whispering. The bounty was large. And the fear was greater.
---
That sa day, in the usual place among the trees, Pablo was waiting for Reinold.
He did not wait long. Reinold appeared from among the trees, followed by many of his n, carrying heavy wooden boxes.
"One third of the shipnt." Reinold said as he opened one of the boxes. "4,000 guns, 1,000 swords, 67 cannons, and gunpowder and ammunition as you requested."
Pablo inspected the boxes. He nodded.
"Good. I also have sothing for you."
He gestured to his n. They brought the bags of new herbs.
Reinold looked at the quantity. His eyes widened. Even he, who had seen many deals, had not expected this.
"Again? How much did you steal this ti?"
"Don't ask. How much will you give ?"
Reinold looked at the herbs. He inspected the samples. He calculated in his head.
"The quantity is large again. But the market is becoming saturated. I will give you 178 million."
Pablo did not hesitate. "Agreed."
They shook hands. Reinold smiled. A genuine smile. It was not just the smile of a rchant. It was the smile of a man who had co to enjoy doing business with Pablo.
"To be honest, Pablo, I have never seen anyone do what you do. Your money is clean. Your deals are organized. And you pay on ti. I hope our partnership continues."
"It will."
Pablo took the money. He ordered his n to move the weapons to the cave. Another deal was done.
But Pablo was not thinking about the money now. He was thinking about sothing else.
---
The next day, Pablo put on simple clothes. He took no guards with him. He carried no visible weapons. He went alone.
He headed south. To the place he had been watching for weeks. To the small church where Kuma worked.
The church was modest, built of stone and wood. It stood on a small hill overlooking the poor fields. A low stone wall surrounded it. A wooden door was its only entrance.
Pablo stood before the door. He took a deep breath. Then he knocked.
A woman opened the door.
Jinny.
Pablo stopped for a mont. He was not prepared for what he saw.
She was beautiful. Not just beautiful. She was exceptional. Her long pink hair cascaded over her shoulders like silk. Her face was perfect: large amber-colored eyes, a delicate nose, full lips. Her skin was fair, smooth, as if it had never been touched by the sun.
Her body was perfect too. Her waist was strikingly slender, accentuating the curve of her large hips and full breasts. She wore simple clothes, but they could not hide her alluring figure. In the original One Piece world, Jinny was famous for her beauty. So much so that one of the Celestial Dragons specifically requested her, and his n set a trap for her. Now, Pablo saw why.
She was the most beautiful woman he had seen since arriving in this world.
She looked at him with wary eyes. She was not afraid. She faced strangers every day.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
His voice returned to him. "I am Pablo. I have co to speak with you and Kuma. About sothing important."
She hesitated for a mont. Then she opened the door wider.
"Co in."
Pablo entered. The place was simple. Wooden benches. A small pulpit. On the walls, simple religious icons. The sll of candles and incense filled the air.
From a back door, Kuma appeared.
He was massive. Pablo had never seen a human being this large. His height approached seven ters. His body was wide, a mass of muscle. He wore a simple black cloak and a hat with bear ears carved in the shape of animal ears. His face was long, his eyes sunken, his nose long.
On his hands, there were strange marks. Sothing like bear paws. Pablo knew they were from his ability.
Kuma sat on a large chair that looked small for his size. He gestured for Pablo to sit.
"You have co from afar." Kuma said in his deep, calm voice. "Why?"
Pablo sat down. He looked at them both. Then he said:
"Have you heard the rumors about the rebellion in the south?"
Kuma looked at Jinny. Then back at Pablo.
"We have heard. Soldiers killing peasants. Young people talking about revolution."
"Those rumors are not just talk." Pablo said quietly. "I am responsible for them."
Kuma was silent. Jinny stiffened.
"I am the one who planned the herb convoy robberies. I am the one who killed the king's soldiers. I am the one who sent my n to the villages to incite the youth. I am responsible for all the chaos currently happening in the Sorbet Kingdom."
Kuma did not move. He sat like a statue. But his eyes were burning.
"Why?" he asked in a low voice.
"Because this is the only way to overthrow King Bekori. The poor will not rise up on their own. They need a leader. They need money. They need weapons. I provide them with all of this."
"And your ultimate goal?"
"Revolution. Overthrowing the crown. Making Sorbet a kingdom for the people, not for the nobles."
A long silence.
Jinny was looking at Pablo with analytical eyes. She was reading his features. Trying to understand if he was sincere or not.
Then she said:
"Pablo... that na sounds familiar."
She paused. She thought.
"A few months ago, we heard that a famous pirate nad Bolly was killed by the Pablo Family on the high seas. The news was in every newspaper."
She looked directly at him.
"Are you... the head of the Pablo Family?"
Pablo was not shocked by her recognition and analysis. This girl, as a child, had managed to leak information about the treasure in the God Valley, causing the famous God Valley incident.
So there was no point in denying it.
"Yes."
Jinny smiled a small smile. It was the smile of soone who now knew who stood before her.
"So you are not just an instigator. You are a pirate hunter. A warehouse robber. A rebel."
"I am all of those things." Pablo said. "And I am here because I need your help."
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