Or perhaps one of the underworld kings? Like Umit, the Shipping King in the transportation sector, who controlled the marine shipping industry in the New World, with influence spanning the entire globe.
And his Four Seas Exchange was directly competing with Umit's business.
It would be perfectly normal for Umit to want him dead.
After all, cutting off someone's source of wealth is like killing their parents. That kind of grudge is no small matter.
But in the end, who it was no longer mattered.
Because from the moment he decided to establish the Four Seas Exchange, these people were destined to become his enemies.
A confrontation was inevitable sooner or later.
But for now...
"Heheh..."
Lancelot stood on the platform created by the Castle-Castle Fruit at Lise's chest, letting out a cold laugh.
Then, with a powerful push from his legs, he leaped directly from the platform.
In the next instant, he was outside the range of the Castle-Castle Fruit. His body rapidly expanded, returning to its original size as he stood in the room.
He looked down at the position of the shadow on the ground, his gaze sharp and piercing.
"This..."
The assassin was completely stunned, unable to believe what he was seeing.
Seriously!
Who would dare believe that a person could jump out from a woman's chest? At least he couldn't quite believe it, even though he saw it with his own eyes.
Most importantly, Lancelot's sharp gaze was now locked directly with his.
Clearly, he had been discovered.
This had never happened before, and it was even more shocking than seeing this Marine emerge from the woman's chest.
Swish...
As an assassin, a killer, the principle was to flee immediately when the situation turned unfavorable.
He could always find another opportunity to assassinate later.
Confronting the target head-on was the most foolish move.
So, he immediately headed toward the door crack at extreme speed. Obviously, he intended to retreat the way he came.
"Since you're here, why not show yourself and have a chat?" Lancelot's lips curled slightly, his eyes carrying a hint of mockery.
At the same time, he lifted his foot and stomped directly toward the shadow.
Armament Haki surged from within his body, entangling around his foot.
"Ah!"
The shadow was fast, but Lancelot was faster.
Before the shadow could escape, Lancelot had already pinned it beneath his foot.
Although Armament Haki couldn't force it back to its original form, it rendered the shadow unable to escape, as if nailed in place.
No matter how much the shadow struggled, it was useless.
Lancelot's foot felt like a massive mountain, crushing it until it could barely breathe.
However, he wasn't one to surrender easily.
He quickly activated his ability, and the surrounding shadows seemed to come alive, intertwining with each other before transforming into vine-like tendrils that entangled around Lancelot's foot.
They rapidly spread across Lancelot's entire body, finally coiling around his neck.
Lancelot raised an eyebrow.
Admittedly, this move wasn't bad. Especially the force squeezing his neck—if it were anyone else, even if it didn't break their neck, it would have choked them unconscious.
But who was he?
Lancelot!
As the shadows transformed into vines and entangled around his foot, Armament Haki surged from his body, eventually covering him entirely.
It formed an invisible armor, shielding Lancelot within.
Against this invisible armor, the shadow's power was utterly insignificant.
"How is this possible?"
The shadow let out a startled cry.
Now he understood why this guy had such a high bounty placed on him by Doflamingo.
Swish...
Lancelot placed his hand on the hilt of Shusui at his waist, then instantly drew it, pressing the tip against the shadow.
"Will you show yourself voluntarily, or shall I make you?"
"Hiss..."
The shadow couldn't help but gasp, but it still made the wise choice and revealed itself.
The shadow transformed into a tall, thin figure.
Lancelot said coldly, "Introduce yourself!"
The tall, thin figure replied, "World Assassin Organization, Cheon ma. Codename: Shadow Killer. Gold-ranked assassin..."
"The World Assassin Organization?"
Lancelot was momentarily taken aback, but quickly found it reasonable.
Assassin organizations existed in every world, let alone in a world like One Piece where strength reigned supreme.
Especially in a world where many places were in utter chaos.
Such a world is the perfect breeding ground for assassin organizations. It would also be a world where assassin organizations are most active.
However, it seemed he hadn't provoked any assassin organization, yet they had come for him anyway.
In that case, there was only one possibility: he had been given a bounty in the underworld.
The world's assassin organizations were targeting him for that bounty.
"Doflamingo?" Lancelot instantly thought of him.
Still, he probed further, asking Cheon ma, "Am I right?"
Hearing this, Cheon ma's expression stiffened.
He then said, "I can't reveal who it is. That's the rule of the world's assassin organizations... But I can share some other information with you."
Lancelot: "Go on..."
Cheon ma fell silent for a moment before continuing.
"Lancelot, Rear Admiral, East Blue Governor, and head of the Four Seas Exchange, bounty 600 million Berries."
"Mr. 2, former intelligence agent of Baroque Works, Paramecia-type Clone-Clone Fruit Ability User, bounty 100 million Berries.
"Mr. 3, former intelligence agent of Baroque Works, Paramecia-type Wax-Wax Fruit Ability User, bounty 80 million Berries.
"Miss Golden Week, former intelligence agent of Baroque Works, possesses special abilities... specifics unknown, bounty 60 million Berries.
"Mr. 5, former intelligence agent of Baroque Works, Paramecia-type Bomb-Bomb Fruit Ability User, bounty 50 million Berries."
"Is that all?"
Lancelot's face immediately darkened, his gaze turning hostile.
After all that talk, all he had learned were their bounties in the underworld.
If he really wanted to know, that information wouldn't be hard to obtain.
Cheon ma was a keen observer of people.
Seeing Lancelot's expression and hearing his tone, he knew that if he didn't offer something substantial today, he might not leave this place alive.
So he quickly added, "Moreover, from what I know, aside from me, two other Gold Rank assassins have taken on the mission to assassinate you.
"I was ranked as Gold Rank thanks to my Paramecia-type Shadow-Shadow Fruit. Its abilities are extremely bizarre and perfectly suited for an assassination."
"These two Gold Rank assassins, however, rely on genuine strength... Their real names are unknown, only their aliases. They are Blood Hand and Kill Emperor.
"Blood Hand is a master of physical combat, with exceptionally powerful Armament Haki. He once defeated a pirate with a 600 million Berry bounty head-on...
"Kill Emperor is the true sovereign among assassins. Not only is he a master swordsman, but he also possesses all three types of Haki. In particular, he once clashed with Red-Haired Shanks before he became an Emperor."
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