Chapter 722: A Flower Worth Five Thousand Beri
Chapter 722: A Flower Worth Five Thousand Beri
"Nice shot, Brother Kaku!"
At a golf course in the High-end District, Kuro's shout echoed as Kaku swung his club. The golf ball arced flawlessly into the hole.
"Hehehe, not bad technique, right?"
Kaku scratched his head, grinning at Kuro, who lounged lazily on a chair behind him.
Kuro lay sprawled on a sunbed beneath a shade umbrella, a bikini-clad beauty handing him a drink with a smile before placing it on the side table. He returned her smile, sipped the beverage through a straw, then set it down again, gazing at the sky. "I gotta say, this is pretty comfortable."
Kaku handed his club to another bikini-clad attendant and walked over. "I come here often. As long as you’ve got money, the service here’s top-notch."
"True enough. Money’s a universal currency, after all. Even pirates have to play by the rules sometimes." Kuro replied.
Pirates, too, followed regulations. They couldn’t just raze every place they visited. They simply obeyed different rules than the Navy’s.
They needed to buy supplies occasionally—buying was often faster and more convenient than plundering, especially when the target might fight back.
Here, Kuro had money, and so did Kaku.
At their level, wealth hardly mattered.
Navy Vice Admirals earned absurd salaries. Beyond that, officers of their rank controlled personal territories or industries. How could they possibly lack funds?
Even junior Branch Navy Commanders acted like petty warlords, governing towns and collecting taxes across sea regions.
Kaku, as a Base Commander, earned handsomely—not quite as lucratively as Kuro’s Pegasus Island industries, but certainly comfortably.
The World Government was just that rich.
The golf course belonged to them alone—except for Zoro, who’d gone to gamble.
When it came to gambling, she rivaled even Yi Xiao Brother, loving the thrill of high-stakes games and hedonistic venues.
"Little Brother Kuro", Kaku grinned, "wanna find some fun tonight?"
Kuro tilted his head toward the glittering Gold Tower nearby. "Pass. I’m uneasy without finding that person first. Once we do, this place will be too chaotic to enjoy. Tezoro’s not the type to let slights slide—he never eats losses."
"Oh? You know him well?" Kaku asked.
Kuro narrowed his eyes, sighing. "Just hearsay. Some people reflect after hardship, others descend into ruin. Of course, I’ve no right to judge. I’ve never faced his trials. If I had, maybe I wouldn’t have achieved half what he has."
True. If Kuro had endured Tezoro’s past…
The world would’ve burned long ago.
He’d have torn it apart with his dying breath.
"Without walking another’s path, one shouldn’t preach kindness."
Kuro bore no personal grudge against Tezoro—everyone’s will was free. But his own disdain? That, too, was freedom.
"Then what’s your plan?" Kaku asked.
A flicker of scarlet flashed in Kuro’s gaze before vanishing. He shrugged. "Just wait. What else can we do? We’ll sit back until he moves."
"You’re certain he’ll target us? We’re Navy." Kaku frowned.
"Of course he won’t act openly—he’s not stupid, Brother Kaku. You’ve been here often enough to know his habits."
Kaku nodded. "Unofficially, he funds numerous pirate crews. Some hunt treasure, others supply his finances. There’s a crew called the Silver Pirates that supposedly provides him with Silvers. We’ve never located their base—the government pretends not to notice. Talking about Tezoro? Even less likely."
He paused, adding, "Those who escape his grasp and re-emerge as pirates... without official proof, we can’t touch him."
"So, he’ll strike."
Kuro smirked. "My goal’s simple—capture him. But if we land this whale, Brother, you’ll help me reel him in?"
"Of course." Kaku grinned. "Still, shame to lose a playground."
"Plenty of fun spots in the world. No need to cling to one place. The Grand Line’s vast enough." Kuro chuckled.
With Kaku and Zoro by his side—two Admiral candidates—Kuro’s sense of security practically brimmed over.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Gold City…
Gold City differed from ordinary places. Its neon glow painted the "City of Eternal Night", its darkness illuminated by artificial brilliance even at midday.
In the Commercial District, Lida bounced energetically along the wide streets.
"This one!"
"This looks good too!"
"Wow, this tastes amazing!"
The white-haired girl, cloaked in a Navy-hooded cloak, darted like a phantom between shops, snatching bites as she moved while shouting,
"Klah! Pay the bill—and get me more!"
The bespectacled assistant scrambled to settle payments, collecting armfuls of goods to hand off to the Navy subordinates trailing them.
The Navy officers groaned under mountains of paper bags, all stuffed with food.
"Mr. Kuro…"
Klah pushed up his glasses, watching Lida’s exuberant antics with a bitter smile.
"I understand you asked me to keep an eye on Miss Lida, but the truth is… I can’t control her, and wouldn’t dare try."
Officially, Klah was a Commander.
Practically, he was a butler.
Deeper still—he was a servant.
Which of them listened to him?
Was this assignment a misunderstanding?
Not only had he failed to supervise her, but he’d become her personal valet instead.
Though he’d played this role countless times, he was still a Commander. Did Commanders carry bags for Commanders? Why single him out among all these Navy officers?
He wanted to enjoy Gold City too!
"Where’s Sazil?"
Growling, Klah turned to his subordinates.
"Commander Klah", a Navy officer replied, arms full, "Lieutenant Sazil left earlier."
Klah gritted his teeth. "Call him over! If I can’t watch her, at least let Sazil carry these damned bags!"
"Aye aye, sir!" The officer saluted awkwardly, hands too full to move properly.
Meanwhile, Sazil stood at the High-end District’s entrance, surrounded by Navy officers—and a swarm of children.
"Navy big brother! Buy a bouquet!"
A group of kids encircled them. One snotty-nosed child waved a withered flower desperately.
"Just five thousand Beri! Five thousand Beri for one flower!"
(End of Chapter)
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