The night wind howled, and the moon was exceptionally full tonight.
Creak—Crack—
Capone Bege, draped in a cream-colored overcoat, pushed the iron gate of the 'Coral' headquarters manor, only to find it unlocked.
The guards weren't there either... Well, that saves him from making a commotion.
Capone Bege exhaled a puff of cigar smoke, slowly walking across the spacious manor lawn towards the luxurious headquarters mansion.
Shadows, one after another, continuously emerged from beside Bege; they were the members of the 'Capone Gang' who should have been disbanded long ago! They silently surrounded the headquarters building, all fully armed.
"Leave 5 swordsmen in my castle." Capone Bege commanded with sinister eyes:
"Besides Little Bane's Unit 6, the entire 40-man musketeer unit is to wait at the 'Chest Drawbridge.' Goatie is to guard the 'Hand Gate' with the heavy weapons unit. The rest of you guard this headquarters well; don't let even a fly escape."
Thud, thud, thud...
Just then, footsteps echoed from the headquarters building's main entrance. The door was then pushed open from inside; it was Clansner, dressed in a black overcoat and leaning on a gentleman's cane.
Clansner held a squirming sack in his right hand and casually tossed it at Capone Bege's feet.
"This is the guy who secretly informed you and 'Gun-Tailed Snake' Suleiman to ambush Boss Victor, isn't it, Bege?"
Clansner's face no longer held its usual smile, only cold fury.
Capone Bege didn't even glance at the struggling sack at his feet. He pulled out his pistol and fired two shots directly into the sack. The sack twitched violently, then went still. Soon, the lawn was soaked by steadily spreading blood.
"Hmph hmph... Clansner." Capone Bege's eyes under his bowler hat grew even colder: "Although I already guessed your answer, I still have to ask—do you want to join my ranks?"
Clansner picked up his cane, slowly drawing the twin-bladed rapier concealed within it: "You know very well how I'll answer... Don't make it too difficult for yourself, Bege."
"...A foolish decision." Capone Bege's eyes showed some disappointment: "Among 'Coral,' you were the easiest to talk to. I thought we could be good friends."
"Can't you see this overwhelming disparity in forces? Don't be foolish, Clansner, no matter what, 'Coral' is destined to fall today!"
Capone Bege's emotions suddenly became agitated, and he roared loudly: "Do you know what awaits Victor in Clock Tower Village!? He and those two girls will meet a fate worse than death! And 'Coral' will be personally destroyed by me, then the new 'Capone Gang' will rise from the ashes of 'Coral'! Come to my side, the position of 'Capone Gang's' second boss is yours!"
Clansner held his sword in his left hand, its tip pointed downwards, calmly watching Capone Bege vent his emotions. Once Bege finished speaking, he said: "Bege, Boss Victor is my benefactor, and also the great leader I've sworn to follow to the death. I no longer wish to continue small talk with a traitor like you. Come, let's fight to the death with real blades."
Capone Bege let out a few cruel sneers:
"Forget it, it's not worth getting angry over a fool like you... Kill him!"
Several Capone gang members closest to Clansner raised their long swords and charged forward, howling. But only several flashes of blades were seen. Then, these few men all fell to the ground, blood gushing from beneath them.
"Fantasy Song: Dance of Fire."
Clansner held his sword in his left hand, lightly pinching the tip of the blade with his right, his feet positioned one in front of the other like a preparatory stance before a dance.
"I almost forgot, you said someone in your ancestry served as a guard captain for the Elu Kingdom. Although he later went out to sea, his exquisite swordsmanship was passed down to his family members, and you even improved upon it."
Capone Bege perfunctorily clapped his hands, intending to continue mocking him, but then saw Clansner exert force with his foot, and a swift thrust shot straight towards him.
"Serenade: Three-Step Dance!"
At the same time, gunshots rang out! Several drawbridges appeared on Bege's chest, with a line of musketeers kneeling inside, firing simultaneously at Clansner!
Clansner dodged several lead bullets by turning sideways, but a spray of blood still burst from his waist. His sword thrust remained undiminished, striking straight at Bege's throat.
Creak...
Accompanied by a grating sound that made one's teeth ache, the twin-bladed rapier in Clansner's hand simply could not penetrate the skin and flesh of Capone Bege's throat. He felt as if he had stabbed a thick castle wall.
"Hmph hmph... Clansner, you fool." Capone Bege sneered, exhaling a puff of thick smoke, and mocked with a grin: "After being almost blown to death by that bitch Perona's ten thousand ghosts last time, did you really think I wouldn't think of developing the Castle-Castle Fruit's defensive abilities?
Thanks to that girl, now I can say that no one but Victor can break my defense!"
Saying this, Capone Bege pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Clansner's forehead:
"Well, it's time to say goodbye, Clansner."
But before he could fire, an old voice came from the headquarters' main entrance: "It's time to give up, Clansner."
Capone Bege turned to look at the main entrance and saw the elusive old man Windrew. He was holding a pistol engraved with golden patterns, aiming directly at Capone Bege.
Behind Windrew was Nico Robin, who, somewhat nervously, held a Dan-Dan-Mushi in her hands against her ample chest. The Dan-Dan-Mushi's eyes indifferently looked at Capone Bege, but its face had changed into a gentle expression with a hint of a smile.
"Victor... How is this possible?" Capone Bege's face was filled with utter astonishment. At this moment, he truly understood the meaning of the word 'shocked fury.'
His plan to secretly amass forces had been flawlessly executed! His clandestine contact with 'King of the Zombies' hadn't even gone through a Dan-Dan-Mushi. How could this kid have found out?!
Unless...
"Ah, ah, I see by your expression. You're thinking, 'How could this kid possibly have found out? Unless he has the ability to foresee the future!' right?" The Dan-Dan-Mushi's speakerphone was on, and the familiar voice, calm yet with a hint of mockery, now sounded like a devil's whisper in Capone Bege's ears.
"Phew... You knew my plan all along?"
Capone Bege's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his subordinates around him also hesitated. There was no way around it; 'Ferocious Chains' Victor's fearsome reputation was simply too great for them not to be afraid.
The Dan-Dan-Mushi chuckled softly: "Your plan? Which one are you referring to? The secret recruitment of the remaining 'Capone Gang' members from half a month ago? Or your clandestine dealings with 'King of the Zombies' hiding on Sorinalfa Island via carrier pigeons? Or perhaps anonymously instigating pirate riots in other towns to draw away the gang's cadres under false pretenses?"
Unbeknownst to them, the area outside the manor was now densely surrounded by 'Coral' cadres and gang members, at least five hundred of them. A large portion of them were the skilled fighters who had been temporarily dispatched to other islands and towns in the past few days. At this moment, they were fully armed, looking at Capone's group in the manor with furious expressions.
"I gave you a chance, Mr. Bege." The voice on the other end of the Dan-Dan-Mushi grew colder: "Clansner didn't believe you would betray me, so I let him personally guard the headquarters building, to see with his own eyes how his good friend betrayed me."
"You think... you think I'd be like a stray dog, beaten senseless, all my bones stolen, my refuge destroyed, and then after a few comforting pats on the chin, I'd wag my tail and beg for mercy?" Capone Bege's veins bulged on his face as he roared hysterically into the Dan-Dan-Mushi:
"You're dreaming! Victor! You'll die if you go to Clock Tower Village, and if you don't go, not only you, but 'Coral' and all the surrounding islands and towns will be completely destroyed by 'King of the Zombies'! You have no choice!"
"And I! I will use the power of this Castle-Castle Fruit to completely destroy Algaro Town! You're not here, who do you expect to stop me? This old man with one foot in the grave? This cow who only knows how to flirt? Or this Clansner, who's so foolish he thought I was his friend?"
Capone Bege had completely gone mad. He laughed wildly, shouting to the surrounding Capone gang members: "'King of the Zombies' has already promised to grant me West Blue! Little ones! Kill them! Burn them! Hang this old man's head on a fence post! Violently rape this cow until she dies and then post the photos on the streets! Chop this foolish, ridiculous Clansner, who yearns for friendship like a child, into mincemeat!"
"I am 'Vicious Bandit' Capone Bege! I don't need friends, I don't need leaders! I am the lonely, sole leader!"
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