"Are you Adams Dillon?"
Not long after leaving the entrance of "Shakky's Rip-off Bar," a woman's voice sounded behind Dillon.
A woman nearly as tall as Xiduo stood on the street corner, her head covered in a hood.
Dillon looked at her without speaking.
Today was the day that Linlin had promised to "pay," and the person who came should be from the Charlotte Family.
So tall, a long-leg tribe member?
"Smoothie?" Dillon raised an eyebrow. At this time, the term Sweet Commanders didn't seem to exist yet, but Smoothie's ranking in the Big Mom Pirates should also be very high.
Sending this kind of guy, could it be that Linlin wants to freeload?
The woman leaning against the wall shook her head: "I am Charlotte Snack. Smoothie is my older sister."
"Hoo~ What is it? It's just a nobody, did you bring the stuff?"
Anger flashed across Charlotte Snack's face hidden under the hood, but she didn't act out.
After all, this man could easily defeat Daifuku-nii, and with her strength, it was really difficult to resist.
"Are you going to inspect the goods here?"
"Hmm..." Dillon hadn't intended to inspect the goods, but the other party seemed to have a deep meaning: "Go to the bar in front."
Charlotte Snack silently followed Dillon into "Shakky's Rip-off Bar."
"Owner, Dong Perrier."
When Shakky behind the bar saw the two of them, she was slightly stunned at first, then smiled freely.
"Oh my, what rare guests, thank you for your patronage."
Rayleigh, sitting in the corner, narrowed his eyes slightly when he saw Dillon walk in: "Navy kid..."
"This has nothing to do with you, old man, drink your wine."
After shutting Rayleigh up, Dillon walked to the front of the bar and sat down, looking at Charlotte Snack: "What good stuff do I have to inspect? Could it be a Logia? Or a Mythical Zoan?"
In the corner, Rayleigh pricked up his ears, paying attention to Dillon's every move.
"It is a Paramecia Devil Fruit - the Castle-Castle Fruit." Charlotte Snack opened the suitcase in her hand, revealing a gray-white Devil Fruit, the pattern on the fruit's skin resembling a stone slab.
Dillon took the Castle-Castle Fruit and looked at it, then looked at Shakky: "Owner, is it genuine?"
Shakky covered her mouth and smiled: "It is indeed the Castle-Castle Fruit, it is a Devil Fruit with very unique effects."
"Hey, I asked you to help inspect the goods, not to increase its added value, it's hard for me to do business like this, Owner."
"Is that so?"
Shakky elegantly exhaled a puff of smoke and said with a smile: "I'm really sorry, Navy kid, then I'll treat you to Dong Perrier."
Dillon fiddled with the Castle-Castle Fruit in his hand, then turned to look at Charlotte Snack standing beside him: "It's a bit useful, but... it's not like a mere Paramecia Devil Fruit is more valuable than Daifuku's life, right?"
Charlotte Snack shook her head: "Of course, that's not what I mean. It's just to ensure a face-to-face transaction, and also to show the Charlotte Family's sincerity. Mom means that there will be opportunities for cooperation in the future."
"Hoo~ Is that so?" Dillon stroked his chin, scrutinizing Charlotte Snack.
The Big Mom Pirates, although one of the Yonko in a few years, would be the weakest in strength.
Linlin herself was extremely unstable, with her hunger pangs, Mother Caramel, and her inability to recognize her family after going berserk.
Even every member of Totto Land had to hand over their souls and lifespan to Linlin.
Many unstable factors made this seemingly huge pirate group full of loopholes.
"Go back and tell Linlin that the transaction is over. As for what happens later, we'll talk about it later."
Dillon waved his hand, and Charlotte Snack silently walked out of "Shakky's Rip-off Bar" when she saw this.
Shakky folded her arms in front of her chest, watching Dillon gently tapping the bar with his fingers.
Rayleigh in the corner sat next to Dillon without showing any emotion.
"Navy kid, have we met before? You seem to have a strange hostility towards me?" Rayleigh placed one hand on the bar and held a wine bottle in the other.
"You are a thief, and I am the law. Isn't it normal for me to be hostile to you? Just because you are 'Roger's Right Hand - Dark King Rayleigh,' should I abandon my faith and position?"
Dillon put the Castle-Castle Fruit back in the box, stood up, and shook his cloak: "You and I are naturally opposed, but you have stopped for many years, and Garp didn't kill you all back then, then that means you are not unforgivable. But Rayleigh..."
"Shanks should have come to you, right? The same words, I'll say it to you again, and only once. I don't care if you take care of your old age, but don't cross the line. You have your persistence and waiting, and I have mine."
Hearing the word "waiting," Rayleigh's glasses flashed: "Oh? You..."
Before he could speak, Dillon pushed the door and walked out, leaving Rayleigh sitting there in deep thought.
Shakky walked around from behind the bar and gently stroked his back.
"What's wrong? Are you worried about the 'fire' of the new era? This doesn't seem like you."
Rayleigh raised his head and took a sip of wine, then asked Shakky after a moment of silence, "Shakky, when we were young, were we this strong?"
Shakky pondered while holding a cigarette, then shook her head: "He didn't make a move, I can't judge, but what's certain is that at the same age, he is far stronger than you and Roger." "Yeah..." Rayleigh's expression was a little lonely: "He should be a few years younger than Shanks. Since Shanks met him, the will of 'fire' has been shaken."
"Rayleigh..." Shakky sat back against the bar, glancing at Rayleigh: "Your mission has been completed, the 'fire' has been successfully passed down, the next thing should be left to fate."
"Fate?" Rayleigh laughed self-deprecatingly: "So one day we can only silently wait for fate to arrange everything."
"It's always been like this, hasn't it?"
...
Holy Land - Mary Geoise.
In a huge palace, the Five Elders gathered together.
"According to CP's intelligence, Adams Dillon seems to have reached some kind of transaction with Charlotte Linlin, and had contact with 'Dark King' Rayleigh."
The Five Elders with the long beard shook the intelligence in his hand: "How should we look at it?"
The Five Elders holding the long sword wiped his weapon while saying nonchalantly: "I don't think there's a need to care. Judging from his past experiences, he is indeed not an unbearable person. Trading with pirates, as long as it's beneficial to the stability of the world, is also acceptable."
The Five Elders with the birthmark on his head crossed his hands, seemingly disagreeing: "This man... is still shrouded in mystery. His strength is beyond doubt, but some of the special abilities he has shown have to be worrisome... Is it possible that he is also one of the 'D.'? Or in other words... 'fire'?"
"We can't rule out this possibility, but we think the chances are small. After all, after joining the Navy camp, it's difficult for him to gain the approval and help of those ancient families, which is almost equivalent to losing the right to become 'fire'."
The scene fell silent for a while. The blonde Five Elders thought for a moment and said: "Since it's difficult to distinguish, then... let's ask Imu-sama... I believe he will give us the correct guidance."
"Seconded!"
"Seconded!"
...
G-5 Base.
After two months of construction, the base had been completely renewed.
Inside the base, Bellemere was sitting in Dillon's office with her legs crossed, wearing a Marine Major's cloak.
"Vice Admiral, I heard from the people at the Headquarters that you were like a Demon Lord in the East Blue. Why haven't you made a move for so long since you came to the Grand Line?"
Dillon put his feet on the table and glanced at Bellemere and Shiryu.
"Did I have to say it's because you are too weak? This is the 'New World,' not the 'Paradise,' let alone the West Sea. If you go out to 'hunt,' you'll easily come into contact with the great pirates. The current level of G-5 isn't enough."
"I see, G-5 doesn't have many available combatants indeed." Shiryu said while wiping the blade of "Raiu."
"Ahhh~~ It's really being underestimated." Bellemere leaned back on the sofa, humming listlessly.
Shiryu turned his head slightly to look at Bellemere, paused, and then said: "Although I don't know why Dillon values you so much, I think you should improve better in battles. After all, your talent is far from that shipwright outside."
Hearing the word "shipwright," Bellemere's expression stiffened.
That guy Tom...
After mastering Armament Haki: Hardening, coupled with his unparalleled brute force...
In terms of strength alone, even a monster like Dillon was slightly inferior to him.
Even though he had reached this point, Dillon still asked him to constantly cultivate his Armament Haki: Hardening and strength.
Therefore, near the G-5 Base, you could often see a fat figure with two warships on his shoulders doing leapfrog along the beach.
As for Armament Haki...
Tom simply covered it and stood still, letting Bellemere attack him. Bellemere herself was the one who got hurt.
"Damn it! Aren't we all humans? How can the gap be so huge!" Bellemere slapped the table.
Puff~~~~~
Shiryu exhaled smoke: "That guy isn't human, he's a Fish-Man."
Bellemere looked up at Shiryu: "Then you, you're human, right?"
Shiryu squinted his eyes and held the cigar with three fingers: "Even among humans, there are huge differences. Like him."
Shiryu raised his chin towards Dillon's direction: "Even without a Devil Fruit, just in terms of Haki, swordsmanship, and physical skills, he's one of the top existences on the sea. And..."
Shiryu returned Raiu to its sheath: "How old is he?"
Hearing Shiryu's words, Bellemere had a meltdown, cursing as she left the group chat.
After Bellemere went out, Dillon rocked the chair and said to Shiryu, "What you said makes sense, her potential can't be stimulated through training. How about this, let her go to the West Sea in a few days. Let her go to Flower Kingdom to practice, you secretly follow, unless she encounters a fatal danger, you don't have to care about her."
"Flower Kingdom... The Happo Navy? I heard that there are some tricky guys inside."
"Not a problem," Dillon stretched his body: "With your current strength, you should be able to handle even Chinjao."
"'Chinjao' the Drill?" A red light flashed in Shiryu's eyes.
Sensing the madness in Shiryu's emotions, Dillon frowned:
"Your task is to secretly watch Bellemere, not to blindly vent your killing desire. The 'will' of 'Asura' is to challenge the strong, not to meaningless slaughter the weak, Shiryu."
"Understood!"
Shiryu lowered his head slightly, indicating that he understood.