"Hey, superstar!"
"Huh? Me?"
"Of course!"
"Cavendish-san, look over here!"
"Don't worry, I'm always looking at you all!"
In a state of deep narcissism, Cavendish was putting on a one-man show, playing the roles of commoners and reporters—both men and women—adoring him.
Everyone around him just stared.
"Is this guy an idiot?" a tall, burly man with a bird-like tattoo on his right cheek grumbled as he walked past, sneering at Cavendish's display.
"You bastard! What did you say?!" Cavendish snapped out of his daze and snarled at the man.
"I said you're an idiot!" the giant of a man, whose suit was stretched tight over his massive frame, said with disdain.
"You're dead! You want a fight?!" Cavendish was furious, a hand moving toward his sword hilt.
"Tch. Go on, then. I dare you! Idiot!" the big man taunted mockingly.
"You...!" Cavendish was seething. Just as he was about to draw his sword and teach the man a lesson, he suddenly realized something. His face darkened as he glared at the man. "You bastard! You're trying to provoke me into attacking you so the Chris Pirates can take me out, aren't you?!"
"So you figured it out, rookie!" the big man said with a look of disappointment, as if a very important plan had just fallen through.
"You dirty, sneaky bastard!" Cavendish stamped his foot, but he dared not make a move. The use of force was forbidden throughout the entire capital, especially in the Palace Entertainment City. Those who broke the rule were essentially challenging the Chris Pirates and would be killed on the spot by the officers stationed there.
Even if you were strong, and one officer couldn't take you down, what about two or three? The First Mate or the Head of Combat might step in. And if they still couldn't win, there was always the monster among monsters, Golden Ring Aeridar.
If you could take on the entire Chris Pirates crew, you'd be a Yonko. If you couldn't, you had no business causing trouble, or you'd just get yourself killed.
The burly man knew this, which was why he was trying to provoke Cavendish. If Cavendish hadn't come to his senses at the last moment, he would have fallen right into the trap.
"You...!" Cavendish narrowed his eyes. "Bounty 426,000,000 Berries... Kohl Goff, the Totem Warrior!"
That's right, Cavendish recognized the man. He was one of the Supernovas who had emerged during the same time as Aeridar.
"Heh heh. A rookie with a mere 280 million Berry bounty. Don't get so arrogant in the New World. Guys like you die all the time!" Goff leaned in close to Cavendish, his voice low and threatening. He then straightened up, waved his hand dismissively, and strode out of the hall.
As one of Aeridar's contemporaries, he hadn't achieved the same level of success, but he hadn't joined the ranks of a Yonko either. He had carved out a decent living for himself and the other "silver medalists" on an island, so he came here to have fun once or twice a year, and sometimes he would also visit Gran Tesoro.
"That bastard!"
Cavendish clenched his fists, glaring at Goff's retreating back. It was taking all of his self-control not to pull out his sword and go after the guy. He wasn't a complete idiot; he knew he couldn't take on an entire Warlord crew.
"Hmph. The next time we meet, I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget!" Cavendish vowed, shaking his fist angrily. Although the encounter had ruined his mood, he quickly calmed down. He'd come to have fun, and it was better to be magnanimous, or so he told himself.
Near a 3D roulette table, a steel ball was dropped into a rapidly spinning wheel.
"My, my, what a short-tempered young man. I'll take white!" a middle-aged man in a pale purple kimono said. The man's eyes were closed, and when he did open them, only the whites were visible. He had an X-shaped scar on his forehead, a circle of beard around his mouth, and a large build. He wore a dark purple sash and cloak and carried a staff sword.
"White... number 15," the dealer in a black suit said, swallowing hard as the wheel stopped. The steel ball had landed on white 15, and the dealer had to reluctantly push a stack of chips toward the man. It wasn't that the dealer was inexperienced, but the man at the table had won thirteen consecutive times since he sat down, accumulating over 50 million Berries in chips.
The dealer was getting a headache from the losses. If he hadn't noticed that the man was blind, he would have suspected him of cheating. Now, it was clear he was just an incredible gambler. Knowing he couldn't stop the bleeding, the dealer discreetly pressed a button under the table. This wasn't a cheat button, but an emergency alarm to notify management about an uncontrollable situation.
Clack, clack, clack...
Footsteps echoed as a young man with polished black shoes strode forward. He wore a coat with a black base and a white wave pattern, his chest was bare, and he had a sunny smile on his face.
"Fujitora-san, what a rare sight. Still enjoying roulette, I see!"
"Y-Your Majesty! Your Majesty the King!" The dealer's eyes widened in disbelief. He had expected a low-to-mid-level manager or a high-ranking employee, maybe even a vice-manager, but he never thought the King himself would show up. The difference was immense.
"Ah... that feeling... it's Aeridar-san." The man named Fujitora tensed for a moment before relaxing.
Aeridar grinned, waving to the dealer. "Fujitora-san, your luck is quite good lately. But isn't it a bit unfair to bully a dealer with your gambling skills?"
"My apologies, Aeridar-san, but this is the only place in the whole city with a roulette table," Fujitora said, turning around without any trace of embarrassment.
"Hoh hoh hoh... Would you like some tea instead? I have the finest tea leaves," Aeridar chuckled, changing the subject.
"Ah, is that so? Now that you mention it, I am a bit thirsty," Fujitora said, smacking his lips and standing up. "I'll just add the chips to my tab. I'll come back and play next time."
"Hoh hoh hoh... Of course, no problem!" Aeridar said, waving a hand to the dealer.
And so, Aeridar and Fujitora left together, leaving the stunned dealer to count the mountain of chips.
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