Chapter 61 - CHAPTER 61 - Five Hundred Million Beli Reward

That night, a small boat quietly departed from the Dawn, taking advantage of the darkness. A thick fog had rolled in over the sea, and the wind had picked up. There were only four people on board—two rowers, along with Rosen and Robin. The Marines had informants keeping an eye on the Dawn, watching for any major movements. If they sailed out on the main ship, they would be spotted and monitored for a while. And if they had to turn around and come back, it would look suspicious. A small, silent departure was the best option. "Isn't there a chance they'll be lying in wait for us? If it's an ambush, we could all be wiped out," Robin speculated, always considering the worst possible scenario. "Hard to say," Rosen exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. Even he couldn't be sure—this was a gamble from the start. And if they were targeted by artillery fire, they would be in serious danger, given that both he and Robin were Devil Fruit users. Once this was over, he needed to master Moonwalk as soon as possible. The two oarsmen shuddered at Robin's words. If this really was an ambush... they were doomed. But they had already set sail—there was no turning back now. After rowing for half an hour, they finally spotted a cluster of reef formations in the distance. —— On a large ship hidden behind the reefs, a spotter peered through his telescope. "Twelve o'clock! A shadow approaching through the fog—looks like a small boat." "Check carefully for Marine warships nearby," Bate ordered, wary. "In this fog, they could be hiding a fleet, and we might not even see them." "Nothing spotted yet," the spotter reported, scanning the waters closely. "Relax. Have a drink," Moris chuckled from the ship's bow, taking a deep swig from his bottle before offering it to Bate. Bate didn't take it. He needed to stay sharp. "More for me, then," Moris smirked, pleased. Bate sighed. "Cheap bastard," he muttered. He knew his captain well. Moris could give away a billion Beli without a second thought, but if you asked him for a drink, you were lucky to get half a bottle. —— "The target is Crocodile. He's coming aboard. No enemy ships nearby," the spotter confirmed. As the small boat approached, Rosen and Robin climbed aboard the larger ship. Rosen didn't mind the rain. In fact, he found it soothing. His Devil Fruit ability, however, hated this kind of weather—it severely weakened his Sand-Sand Fruit powers. The moment Rosen stepped on deck, the crew surrounding Moris drew their weapons with a clang. Rosen frowned. "I came here in good faith. Is this how you treat your guests?" "Stand down. Don't embarrass yourselves," Moris waved his crew away, leaving only Bate by his side. "State your business. If I don't like what I hear, this ship will be your grave," Moris said. His usual carefree demeanor vanished, replaced by a deadly intensity. The pressure of his presence surged forward. Robin felt her legs weaken. She had been holding an umbrella over Rosen, but her hands trembled, and the rain started dripping onto Rosen's shoulder. This presence was different from Vice Admiral Onigumo's killing intent. This was raw, primal dominance—the kind of a beast standing at the top of the food chain. "Conqueror's Haki?" Rosen was genuinely surprised. He had expected Moris to know Haki—that was normal. But Conqueror's Haki? That was rare. This kind of dominance made it clear that Moris was a dangerous man. "You don't want to talk, then?" Rosen smirked, showing no weakness. He still hadn't fully mastered his own Haki, but there was no way he would let Moris intimidate him. Moris studied him for a moment, then smirked and withdrew his presence. "Fine," he said, slouching back into his usual lazy demeanor. "Let's hear what you have to say. If I don't like it, then we'll fight later." Rosen took a drag from his cigar and finally spoke. "Five hundred million Beli. I want you to kill someone." Robin's eyes widened in shock. She had thought this meeting was about something else—maybe gathering intelligence, maybe causing trouble for the Marines in small ways. Even that was risky enough for a Shichibukai. But assassination? Was he insane? Moris blinked. Then he burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! Did I hear you right?" "A Shichibukai wants me to kill someone? You're Crocodile! If you want someone dead, just kill them yourself!" "You don't seem like the type to lack confidence." Moris calmed down, his eyes narrowing. "But five hundred million... That's a serious offer." "Who's the target?" Rosen snapped his fingers. The rowers on the small boat tossed up two large briefcases. Rosen caught them, opened them, and revealed stacks of crisp Beli notes. "Five hundred million Beli." "Kill Vice Admiral Onigumo." Moris froze. Kill a Marine Vice Admiral? This wasn't just a fight. This was a declaration of war. If he accepted, it didn't matter whether he succeeded or failed—he would forever be a wanted man, hounded by the full force of the Navy. This was why he had fled in the first place when two Vice Admirals arrived. But now, a Shichibukai—an official Marine ally—was offering to kill one? Had Crocodile gone mad? Moris' instinct told him no. This man wasn't an idiot. And that made him even more dangerous. "Five hundred million is not nearly enough," Moris finally said. Rosen smirked. "I figured as much. But let me remind you... Didn't Onigumo seize a fortune from your operations in the city?" "Your ships, your crew—all taken. That was, what... seven or eight hundred million Beli?" "The Marines always store their confiscated treasures on their ships." "In other words..." Rosen's voice lowered, carrying an edge. "If we kill Onigumo, you'll get all of it back—and more." Moris hesitated. He couldn't deny the logic. It was a massive risk... But also a massive reward. "I'd still have to deal with two Vice Admirals," Moris pointed out. "Maybe you should hear my plan first," Rosen said, exhaling smoke. "And by the way—I'm not sitting this one out. We'll do it together." Moris's eyes gleamed. A Shichibukai. A legendary bounty hunter. Teaming up against one Vice Admiral. If that happened... That Vice Admiral wouldn't even have a chance to escape. (End of Chapter) ========================================================= DROP THEM POWER STONES PLEASE SUPPORT ME ON P@TREON IF YOU'D LIKE ACCESS ON ADVANCED CHAPTERS PAT REON . COM / TurdTranslations (Just remove the space).