Chapter 5
When Iron Hand Baro plops down across from me, I raise an eyebrow, my gaze tinged with amusement. I size him up and toss back a question. “Iron Hand Baro, captain of the Iron Hand Pirates, right? I heard you were gearing up for the Grand Line not long ago. So, what’s got you slumming it here?”
“Well, well…” Baro’s eyes flicker, a half-smile curling his lips. “Looks like the East Blue’s top bounty hunter keeps tabs on my crew.”
“Obviously,” I say with a shrug, not bothering to deny it. “Your head’s worth twelve million Berries. As a bounty hunter, I’d be a fool not to keep an eye on you. But showing up here with just two lackeys? You’re not worried I’ll drag you in for the cash?”
Baro chuckles, his eyes glinting with a dangerous edge. “From what I hear, you’re a real bounty hunter. You work for whoever pays, no matter who they are—not one of those posers who only pick fights with pirates.”
I smirk, not arguing. He’s not wrong. I’m not some righteous pirate-hunter. In my three years grinding missions, I’ve taken jobs from Marines, pirates, underground bosses—anyone with coin. Principles? Those are for suckers.
“Besides…” Baro pauses, locking eyes with me. “If you want my bounty, you’d better have the skills to back it up.” His gaze burns with arrogance. Makes sense. You don’t get this far in the East Blue without an ego the size of a galleon.
His words border on a challenge, and I lean forward, meeting his stare. “So, you’re here to test if I’ve got what it takes?”
Before Baro can answer, one of his burly goons loses it, reaching for the pistol at his waist. “Damn it! Talking to our captain like that? I’ll make you—”
Bang!
The goon’s words cut off with a scream. His hand, halfway to his gun, is a mangled mess of blood and bone. Across from him, I’m holding my revolver—the one with my name carved on the grip—white smoke curling from the barrel. Just fired.
“Fast!” The bar’s patrons gasp. One second, I’m lounging in my chair; the next, this guy’s hand is a bloody ruin. Nobody saw me draw. Not a soul.
Baro’s eyes flash with caution, but he hides it quickly. He turns, barking at his other goon, who’s itching to jump in. “Enough! Stand down!” Then he faces me, voice steady. “Morgan, we’re not here for trouble. We’re here to talk business—a big job.” He emphasizes “big job” like it’s a treasure chest.
“Oh?” I keep my lazy tone, unimpressed. “If it pays less than your bounty, don’t waste my time with ‘big job’ talk.”
“Ten times,” Baro says, lowering his voice.
That gets my attention. I drop my feet from the table, sitting up. Ten times his bounty—1.2 billion Berries. Now he’s talking my language. I flash a businessman’s smile, softening my tone. “My apologies for the rudeness, Mr. Baro. So, what’s this big job?”
Baro doesn’t answer right away. He glances around, wary. We’re in a corner of the bar, and normal chatter wouldn’t carry, but this noisy dump makes him paranoid. Someone lip-reading could screw things up.
I catch his drift and nod to Wendell, who’s still hovering nearby, half-stunned. “Wendell, pull the curtain.”
“Uh… right, right!” Wendell snaps out of it, scurrying to drag a curtain from the wall, hooking it to create a private nook around us—a proper “booth.”
“There you go, Mr. Baro. Speak freely,” I say, gesturing for him to continue.
Baro’s still not convinced. He turns to his two goons. “You two, guard outside.”
“Yes, sir!” Even the one with the mangled hand obeys, and they step out, posting up on either side of the curtain.
Satisfied, Baro leans in. “Alright, Morgan, let’s talk. The job’s simple: get me something from a ship. The pay’s what I said—1.2 billion Berries.”
“A ship? Pirate ship?” I ask.
“No.” Baro shakes his head. “Just a regular cruise liner. Mostly nobles on board. Low risk.”
“There’s more, right? I’m not getting 1.2 billion for a joyride,” I press.
“Naturally.” Baro nods. “The thing I need is an Animal-type Devil Fruit.”
A Devil Fruit—the sea’s secret treasure, worth at least 100 million Berries on the market. They’re the embodiment of sea demons, granting unique powers at the cost of turning you into a landlubber cursed by the ocean. Even the weakest Animal-type fruit could spark a bloodbath in a backwater like the East Blue. No wonder Baro’s so cagey. He wouldn’t mention it unless the job demanded it.
“A Devil Fruit?” I raise an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. In three years, this is my first job tied to one. They’re rare as hell in the East Blue.
Right then, the Hunter’s Shop pings in my head, spitting out a mission evaluation:Mission: Retrieve a Devil Fruit from the Paradise Emperor
Difficulty Rating: D
Bounty Rating: B
Overall Rating: C
Hunter Points Reward: 5,000
The high bounty bumps the overall rating from D to C, and the points are 2,000 higher than my last job.
“Well, Mr. Morgan?” Baro leans forward, smug. “That’s my sincerity—telling you the target before you even commit. This is a real big job. In the whole East Blue, you’re probably the only one who can pull it off. And 1.2 billion? That’s gotta be the highest bounty around.”
I nod, grinning. “Can’t argue with that. Alright, I’m in. Give me the details—time and place, Mr. Baro.”
“Nice. Straight to the point.” Baro’s smile isn’t pretty, but it’s there. “Ten days from now, on a cruise liner called the Paradise Emperor. It sets sail from Marshmallow Island in eastern East Blue, stopping at Flower Island, Pearl Island, and the Goa Kingdom—fancy spots. You can board at Marshmallow or any of the stops.”
“Tourist traps, huh,” I remark, biting into another apple slice.
“Exactly,” Baro says. “It’s a pleasure cruise. They stick to wealthy islands. No idiot would sail to a pirate-infested dump like Orange Town, and the folks there couldn’t afford a ticket anyway.”
I chew thoughtfully. “The Paradise Emperor… that’s Badsey’s ship, right? The shady merchant?”
Baro’s eyes flicker with panic at the name, but he covers it fast, keeping his face neutral. “You know Badsey? Worked with him before?”
“Nah, just heard the name,” I say, shrugging. “Guy’s got a big business, but a rotten rep. They say he’s one wanted poster away from being a pirate. His black-market bounty’s only, what, two million? Too cheap for my taste.”
“I see…” Baro exhales, like he dodged a bullet, then continues. “One more thing, Morgan. There’s a time limit.”
“Time limit?”
“Yeah.” He nods. “The Paradise Emperor cruises the East Blue for nearly two months, but I’m not that patient. You’ve got twenty days. Max. I want the fruit in my hands. My men will be here waiting. Show up, and I’ll find you to close the deal.”
“Fine by me. I’m not big on waiting either,” I agree.
Baro’s grin widens. “Good. It’s a deal.” He stands, extending a hand. “Here’s to a successful partnership.”
“Successful partnership,” I echo, my smile carrying a hint of something darker as I shake his hand.
Outside the curtain, Baro’s goons hear “partnership” and visibly relax, figuring their boss sealed the deal.
Sure enough, the curtain parts, and we step out, looking chummy. Baro pulls a fat stack of Berries from his coat and slaps it on Wendell’s counter. “Morgan’s drinks are on me. Keep the change.”
“Oh… thank you, thank you!” Wendell’s eyes light up as he scoops up the cash.
“See you soon, Mr. Morgan,” Baro says, turning to me.
“Count on it,” I reply, nodding, my smile still in place.
“Let’s go.” Baro waves to his goons, and they swagger out of the bar like they own it.
My grin doesn’t fade, but anyone sharp enough to read me would catch the malice lurking behind it.Wendell, happily counting his Berries, glances at Baro’s retreating crew, then at me. His face twists with an odd expression before he shakes it off and goes back to serving customers.