At this very mont inside Rain Dinners,
Countless gamblers, eyes bloodshot, were fixated on the sheets of paper Ozz was casually flicking through in his hand.
One hundred sixty billion?!
Just hearing that number made it feel like reality had snapped in half.
But no one dared to make a move. They just stared, scalp prickling, at the gambling table, witnessing what could only be described as the most extravagant wager in history.
Yet Crocodile's reaction was a letdown.
Her pearly teeth clenched tight, even the crossed, snow-white legs she'd been lounging with dropped down stiffly. Her face was now shadowed with dark lines no one had ever seen before.
"That amount… how the hell am I supposed to gamble with that?!"
Even if she was confident in beating Ozz at the table...
She knew, down to her pinky toe, that she would never be able to get her hands on that kind of money. One hundred sixty billion enough to kill for and then so.
On this brutal sea, it wasn't rare for the strong to decide life and death.
Even she herself had never shied from ruthless ans to get what she wanted.
And it wasn't like she was guaranteed to win. Even if she believed the odds of losing were negligible...
If she did lose, the debt that followed would shadow her for the rest of her life an unpayable burden.
"Hah?"
Ozz narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at the already-heating-up Little Croc, who looked seconds away from blowing her top. He crossed his hands behind his head.
"Worried I'll use force to duck out of the bet? Or maybe…"
A beat passed.
His expression shifted feigned surprise, then sharp ridicule, enough to stab at the soul.
"Could it be… you're scared?"
Before Little Croc could even retort, Ozz snapped his fingers.
"Ey, Hawk."
With a resigned look in his eyes, Mihawk reached into his coat and pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
After a brief activation, the Visual Den Den Mushi locked its eyes on the table, framing both Ozz and Crocodile in its sights.
"What is that…" Little Croc stared, dumbfounded.
"A Visual Den Den Mushi~"
"The live broadcast kind, to the whole world."
anwhile...
World Economy News Headquarters
A tall humanoid bird weaved between busy operators, barking orders, his face lit up with excitent.
"Big news! Big news! The greatest gamble in history, now airing live for the world to see!!!"
"Lord Ozz didn't lie to . That Den Den Mushi finally ca in handy!!!"
Even though Morgans, the self-proclaid King of News, hadn't yet spread his empire to every corner of the world...
Years of groundwork ant he'd already installed Den Den projection screens in nations across the globe, even in so major powers.
"Hey, look at the central plaza screen wait, is that…"
"No way… that looks like."
"Report!!! Lord Buggy! We've received a live broadcast… of Lord Ozz! It's not from the newspaper!!"
"Shanks, look… isn't that the guy you ntioned before?"
"The brat from Roger's crew, Marco?"
"Mamamama… he's grown into a strapping young lad, Ozz has."
"Orolorororo!!! hic What is this, so kiddie ga?! Let's fight to the death already! BLACK BULLET!!!"
Even in places beyond the reach of Morgans' broadcast network, once Ozz's na hit the wind, people found ways to tune in.
"So…"
"This gamble will now be witnessed by the entire world. That should ease your mind, yeah, Little Croc?"
Crocodile could no longer afford to care about the nickna.
She stared at the Den Den Mushi in shock.
She had been lying low for so long not exactly a secret, but intentionally unnoticed all in pursuit of the mythical ancient weapon.
Now, she had beco a household na in front of the entire world.
Realizing this, a stream of sand began to swirl in her hand.
"Don't move, Little Croc."
The sand froze in midair, then drifted back to her side. Ozz said casually,
"No one's allowed to back out midway now."
Right on cue, everyone watching the broadcast suddenly heard a booming voiceover.
"Ladies and gentlen, this is the World Economy News bringing you the most extravagant wager of the century!!!"
"First, on the left side of your screen!"
"She once road the Grand Line with impunity, clashed with the Demon Heir Douglas Bullet, and narrowly lost to one of the world's great titans, Whitebeard. A fearso pirate.
Crocodile!!!"
"WOOOOOAAAHHH!!!"
With her fierce aura, bold outfit, and that biting stare through cigar smoke, Little Croc instantly won over a legion of sea-faring n across the globe.
"Next, on the right side of your screen soone who needs no introduction!"
"Yes, that's right!!!"
"The legendary pirate!
Crew mber of the Pirate King!
The man who single-handedly fought off the entire Marine Headquarters, with a bounty of four billion four hundred ninety million Berries!
At just seventeen years old, he commands absolute authority over the sea the king of the next generation!!!
The Black Emperor, Lord Ozz!!!!"
After that noticeably longer introduction, even those unfamiliar with Ozz instantly understood who he was.
Especially that title, The Black Emperor.
Just hearing it sent shivers down spines and air from lungs.
Old Zeek, watching the broadcast, turned beet red with excitent. He shook the shoulders of a nearby guard like a madman.
"Did you see that?! That's my grandson! Hahaha!!!"
"And now, the two will engage in the most outrageous duel in history! The wager is."
A beat of silence, pulling taut the curiosity of every single viewer.
"One hundred sixty billion Berries!!!"
The announcer's voice echoed from the Den Den Mushi.
"Nani?!"
"One hundred sixty billion?! How many zeroes is that even?!"
"You kidding ?! That much Berry would pile up into a mountain!!!"
The cara finally cut to the two contestants.
On the right, Ozz sat calm and collected. Neither the global attention nor the absurd wager seed to faze him.
He just quietly watched the woman across from him now fully locked in.
The truth was, this move of his had been perfectly calculated.
For soone like her so proud, so ambitious to admit in front of the whole world that she couldn't bet, or dared not to?
That would be worse than death for soone who dread of becoming Pirate King.
Whether it was the pressure of public opinion or Ozz's own jabs,
Little Croc was now trembling slightly, her face flushed, chest heaving
After a long pause, she slowly lit another cigar.
"…"
That familiar expression returned to her face, detached and tired of the world. She blew out a slow stream of smoke, her sharp gaze piercing through it as she stared Ozz down.
"I don't know what you're after, pulling all this…"
"But you really think you've got cornered?"
"Fine then. Let's bet, Ozz."
…
…
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