One Piece: Nobody has more Devil Fruits than me.

Bucky shook his head.

Ella, standing next to her, didn't show any surprise.

Russell is the kind of person who has even killed Celestial Dragons, so how could he possibly be afraid of a mere Shichibukai? Let alone a Shichibukai, even if a Shichibukai had the identity of a Celestial Dragon on his head, he would still kill him without hesitation!

Doflamingo is nothing more than the king of a mere kingdom.

"Alright, you lead the way. When we get there, grab what you need and don't embarrass me."

Russell patted Bucky on the shoulder. "You used to be an intern in the New World, you shouldn't be scared off in this situation, right?"

Bucky puffed out his chest: "Of course! What haven't I, Lord Bucky, seen?"

……

Kochia Island.

From the outside, the island looks like an ordinary trading port, with ships coming and going and the harbor full of merchant ships of all types.

But only those in the know understand that the real business is hidden underground.

In an inconspicuous gray building in the center of the island, a middle-aged man in a well-tailored suit was bending over, opening two boxes in front of him one by one.

The box was filled with neatly stacked bundles of pesos, all in denominations of ten thousand, arranged as neatly as bricks.

Kogia Island was once attacked by Germa 66, and now it has become the most important underground black market in the East Blue, controlling the entire underground world of the East Blue.

And the person in charge here is Allen.

Allen's current status is due to his association with the Don Quixote family.

This is the person standing in front of Allen.

"Lord Rao G, the profits from the East Blue this year are 200 million Berries, and they're all here."

Allen wiped the sweat from his forehead, his tone almost obsequious, "And this important Devil Fruit, I'm also grateful for your personal escort, sir."

Rao G nodded expressionlessly. "Take the things out."

Allen turned around, opened another safe, and carefully took out a box wrapped in silk cloth.

Upon opening, there was a bright green Devil Fruit with winding, spiraling patterns, resembling a lifelike giant python.

Rao G picked up the fruit, examined it for a moment, and put it back in the box after confirming that it was correct.

“Well done,” Rao G praised.

"No, no, it's my honor to serve the young master!"

Allen repeatedly said, "I'm just a small businessman. It's my good fortune that the young master thinks highly of me!"

"Alright, leave your things here, you can leave now."

Allen felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He bowed and backed out of the room, closing the door behind him.

The moment the door closed, a hidden door on the other side of the room was pushed open from the inside.

A tall man in a black suit walked out.

The man wore sunglasses, had a bluish stubble around his chin, and had a blank expression, but exuded an aura of quiet authority.

Vergo, one of the top executives of the Don Quixote Family and a Red Heart spy.

At this moment, he is still outwardly a Rear Admiral of the Marine Headquarters, but in reality, he has long been a pawn planted by Doflamingo in the high command of the Navy.

"Two hundred million Berries, one ancient Zoan-type."

Vergo walked to the table. "It's quite lucky to be able to get an ancient species in a place like the East China Sea."

An ancient species belonging to the animal family, with the form of a Titanoboa.

There's a reason why the family attaches such importance to sending two cadres.

Zoan-type Devil Fruits are very common, like the Cat-Cat Fruit and the Dog-Dog Fruit, but frankly, they're pretty trash.

However, among the Zoan type, there are two relatively rare series.

Ancient species and mythical beast species.

Those can all be compared to the scarcity of natural elements.

That's why two officials were sent to retrieve the fruit.

For Lao G, coming to a place like the East Blue is enough. However, considering his somewhat careless personality, he might lose this important Devil Fruit, so Vergo, who is on vacation, was also sent there.

Rao G. nodded. "The young master has received the news. He asked me to tell you that you will be promoted to lieutenant general when you return from this leave. He is very happy."

Vergo's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile: "Please thank the young master for me."

"Mr. Vergo, you can actually laugh?!"

Rao G. stared wide-eyed.

Upon hearing this, Vergo glanced at him expressionlessly.

If it were a junior member of the family like Luo who dared to joke with him, he would have already raised his fist.

He still respected the elderly and cared for the young, even towards an old guy like Rao G.

Most importantly, he didn't forget to address himself as "Mr."

Rao G. was an elder in the family and naturally knew Vergo's character.

I'm the kind of person who might not understand reasoning, but I know a little about martial arts.

So he quickly pulled a newspaper from his pocket and pushed it over, "A new pirate crew has recently emerged in the East Blue, with an initial bounty of 50 million Berries, which is quite rare in the four seas. Young Master's idea is that if they have potential, we can try to recruit them."

With an initial bounty of 50 million Berries, he has the potential to become a supernova.

Vergo took the newspaper and turned to the page with the bounty.

The wanted poster had no photo or name, only a line of text and a hastily drawn image of a demon.

[Demon Pirates - Captain - Identity Unknown]

[Bounty: 50 million Berries]

Vergo raised an eyebrow: "Unidentified? Is the Navy's intelligence department this unreliable now?"

You're in the navy too.

Rao G silently muttered a complaint to himself.

"It is said that the World Government suppressed the news, but the specific reason is unknown."

However, someone capable of setting a 50 million bounty in the East China Sea is certainly not an incompetent fool; the young master has always been interested in such people.

Vergo remained noncommittal and casually tossed the newspaper back onto the table.

Generally speaking, such a high initial bounty must mean that something big has happened, but based on his understanding of the young master, he should be more interested in what the other party has done.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door, and Allen stumbled in, his face pale.

"Lord Rao G, something terrible has happened!"

Vergo silently took out a bamboo stick, already intending to punch a hole in Allen's head.

Until he heard,

"Pirates have invaded!"

Chapter 34 I'm furious!

Boom!

Rumble!

On the sea, the twelve guns on the broadside of the USS Snard spewed long tongues of fire, and shells trailing thick smoke crashed down on the coastal defenses of Kochia Island.

The wooden fortifications were shattered into pieces in the explosion. What decent fortifications could there be in the East China Sea? Under the heavy artillery bombardment, only charred craters with smoke rising from them remained.

"Beat them! Beat them hard!"

Russell said fiercely.

He's definitely a bit angry right now.

As soon as he appeared on the horizon, he was enjoying the sea breeze at the bow of the ship, pondering how to have a friendly conversation with the merchants once he entered the black market.

I, a pirate, am robbing!

That's how it should be—concise and to the point.

Before I could even finish thinking about it, a shell came hurtling over from the island.

If he hadn't reacted quickly and slapped the cannonball back, the pirate flag, which had only been raised for a few days, would probably have been riddled with holes.

He had one leg on the fence, cursing, "If I find out who fired the cannon just now, he's dead."

The pirate flag hadn't even been properly displayed before it was attacked; this was simply unacceptable.

Do the guys in the black market look down on pirates?

They would wave any pirate flag they saw on the ship; anyone who didn't know better would think the place had been occupied by the Navy.

Pirates are big spenders on the black market!