The Intel from Armada island arrives
While Demian and Mayor Josef talked with the investors, Bryan arrived at Eastormel Fort with TinyGlasses behind him.
"Good Evening, Mr. Mountain"
"Good Evening, Mr. Mountain"
Where all the agents greeted him with a bow when they saw him.
"Rise and get back to work," Bryan said as he swiftly walked past them, surprising and alarming some of them since this was the first time they saw him in such a hurry.
But at the moment, Bryan couldn't care because of how scared TinyGlasses was acting. The information from Armada island might be terrible, really terrible. So right now, he couldn't care if some agents were alarmed.
He swiftly walked toward Intelligence Department and into TinyGlasses's office, where a Den Den Mushi and a recording machine sat next to it on TinyGlasses's table.
Bryan looked back at TinyGlasses, who instantly understood what the glance meant and started the recording while Bryan sat on TinyGlasses's chair.
After some time, the recorder started to play the audio with a Man with Deep Voice began to speak.
[ Beep... Beep... Beep... Clack! You all know why I gathered you here. It's because of Baroque Works. Since their arrival, our lives have changed drastically by their constant and never-ending desire to destroy-No erase us from existence! How many pirates have they killed or captured and made into slaves those past five months!.....] (A.N: I will use [ and ] when the recording was going and not " and " so that all of you can skip reading it if you want)
Bryan sat there listing to who he assumes is Don Krieg speaking through the recorder.
He learned about how the pirates know about the Baroque works Slave trade and how they also know that Mr.1 and Miss. DoubleFinger has left East Blue.
'Look like the spy gave the pirates a lot of intel... but for once, this is good. I could use their knowledge of the slave trade to pressure LittleFinger to stop.' Bryan thought with a sharp look and a soft smile.
He wouldn't lie that he is starting to like leading Baroque Works and how it operates this past week. His only dislike is their illegal trades. After he deals with that, he could finally work with great dedication to Baroque Work's East Blue Branch and not the entire organization since he still doesn't trust the higher-ups, whom he knows very little about them.
He then continues listening when he hears that Don Krieg starts to speak again after the servant returns with something.
[Four Days ago, I received intel that a Baroque Works' ship was coming from the Grandline and bringing something that would aid Baroque Works in their conquest. I immediately gathered my best men and set out to raid this ship. It was one of the reasons that Gin or I weren't present to greet you all...]
'What is he talking about?' Bryan thinks with his brows furrowing together in confusion as this was the first time he heard about a B.W ship coming from the Grandline containing something that would help them?
[Huh?] From the sounds of it, even Captain Kurl didn't know about it.
[What we found is...] Don Krieg says, attracting Bryan's attention.
[What is that?]
[Is that... No impossible!]
Bryan stared intensely at the Den Den Mushi, filled with pirates yelling in disbelief, making Bryan impatient to know what they saw. At the same time, TinyGlasses sat quietly, waiting for him to listen to all of the recordings.
[That A Devil Fruit!]
"What! impossible!" Bryan yells as he stands up in shock and disbelief, but what Don Krieg says following seals the deal and shakes him even more.
[Yes, Whahaha! What we found was Four Devil Fru-Clack!]
"Huff... Huff... " Bryan pauses the tape while breathing heavily and sweat covering his back as he tries to process the information he hears.
'This is bad... really, really bad... Mr. 1 alone could have defeated almost everyone in the East Blue with his Devil Fruit ability, and now four more monsters like him have joined the pirates' side!' Bryan thought as he walked back and forth in the office.
His first impression of a Devil Fruit user left a deep image that he would never forget in his entire life.
After some time pass and he calms down a little, he looks at TinyGlasses and orders her in a serious tone,
"Go and call LittleFinger and my assistant SquareGlasses."
"Yes, Sir!" TinyGlasses exclaims as she scrambles her way out of her office.
'For now, let's calm down until LittleFinger comes. She would definitely know what is going on,' Bryan thinks with a cold expression after TinyGlasses leaves the office.
He didn't appreciate how the headquarters made such a big blunder without informing him about it! And not just them, LittleFinger is also responsible for not informing him about this incoming ship when they were dealing with the spy. He could have sent Masterson and Zoro to guard the vessel or go there personally.
The more he thought about it, the angrier and more confused he became, causing his already slight doubt and distrust toward LittleFinger and the headquarters grew even larger.
'Something about all of this is slightly fishy... it's like Baroque Works wanted the pirates to get the Devil Fruits... But that isn't possible... is it?' Bryan's thoughts grew more dubious and outlandish as he walked back and forth until he halted for a moment and took a deep breath.
'Let's calm down, for now, and continue listing to the recording until LittleFinger arrives. Worrying wouldn't solve the problem, and besides, with this large blunder on her head. she is doomed.' After thinking about this part, Bryan smiles a little as he returns to the chair and turns on the recorder.
[Clank! -uit!]
[What! You had four? Then what happened to the other three?] an unknown pirate asked greedily.
'I see, so there is only one devil fruit left,' Bryan thought sternly as he learned that Don Krieg and his two Officers, Gin and Pearl, had eaten three of the four Devil fruit.
[Why Don't you show them your New Devil Fruit ability, Gin.] Don Kreig says.
[Sure, Captain] new voice specks that Bryan assumes is Gin.
[Look closely at that Hill,] Gin says and continues saying
[Strong-Strong Throw!]
[Wosh! BOOM!]
'...' Bryan sat there stunned and shocked, to the point that he could not utter any word, unable to believe what Gin's Devil fruit's ability might be capable of. He couldn't see it since it was just audio.
But by how astounded the crowd was, Gin might have destroyed something massive on the Hill or... the entire Hill. When Bryan assumed this, his anxiety increased significantly.
'He shouted Strong-Strong Throw. Before the explosion, is that his devil fruit ability? What does it do, increase the strength of the user or the explosion? Whatever it is, I bet these facts would help in learning more about what kind of Devil fruit it is.' Bryan thought.
[Take this...]
He then stopped thinking and continued to listen to the recording as Don Krieg gave the last devil fruit to Captain Kuro, with the condition that he join his crew.
Kuro agreed to the condition, which added another devil fruit user to Don Krieg's crew.
[With Kuro of the hundred plans, Captain Buggy's Buggy ball, The Fishman's SeaKing, My Devil fruit abilities, My leadership, and finally, all of you men, we will definitely erase Baroque Works from existence and Rule The East Blue!]
[To Rule The East Blue!]
[To Rule The East Blue!]
'So they have Kuro for their strategy, Buggy Balls for large-scale destruction, a Seaking for battle on the sea, five Devil Fruit users with one of them capable of destroying a hill, and an estimated 30 thousand men and higher... '
"For god's sake! An army large of this size and power isn't supposed to appear in the East Blue but the Grandline!" Bryan grumbles loudly at the end of his thoughts as he rubs his chin.
But deep down, he knew that this was all Baroque Works Fault... An organization from The Grandline coming to the East Blue to hunt small-time pirates. It is natural for the pirates to join hands to fight against a shared adversary.
Heck, if he was a pirate, he might join them. But unfortunately for him, he is their Foe's leader.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Did you call for me, Mr. Mountain?"
As Bryan was immersed in his thoughts. The office door was knocked on three times, and then the door opened as LittleFinger walked in.
"Good you came," Bryan said with a stern look.
"May I know why you called me?" LittleFinger asks, a little bit puzzled about Bryan's stern look.
"I would like you to listen to this," Bryan said as he pointed her to sit on the sofa and started the recording.
LittleFinger listened to Bryan, sat on the sofa, and started listening to the recording. as the recording progressed, Her expression became uglier and uglier Until the end of the tape.
[Captain Kurl Here... will be the first person to feel our resolve and fury!]
[Wash!! Clank!... beep.... beep...] a weird sound was suddenly heard, and then the transmission was cut off.
"Do you have anything to say to explain yourself, Miss.LittleFinger?" Bryan said with a cold and callous look, his entire demeanor changing as the air surrounding him grew colder with every word he said.
"..." LittleFinger was silent for a moment as sweat dripped down her back, and her eyes widened from shock as she bore the brunt of Bryan's calm anger. It was the first time she felt the air becoming this heavy from another person besides Mr.1. but then she calmed down, and she divulged everything.
"I... I was ordered by Miss. AllSunday and our leader, Mr.0, to not inform you about the ship's arrival."
"Why? " Bryan asked frigidly as the air became even colder and filled with bloodlust. Startling LittleFinger, who resumed speaking.
"They didn't want you to know because they wanted the Devil Fruits to be our last resort if the situation ever became dire."
"Jajajajaja!, How ironic, the thing that was supposed to help us in a dire situation made the dire situation! Isn't it funny? Miss. LittleFinger," Bryan chuckled sightly as his complexion became sterner when he heard what she said.
"...." LittleFingers cheeks reddened from embarrassment. Which Bryan ignored as He continued his questioning
"Then I let it slide since it is an order from our 'precious Boss.' But I would like to know why didn't you tell me about the ship being raided by pirates? Don't you know how important this information is! Numerous agents would have died if we fought them without knowing about this detail!"
Thud!
The more Bryan spoke, the angrier he became until he couldn't hold in his rage in slammed his fist against the table, smashing it into two halves. LittleFinger raised her hand to shield her face from the flying wood splinters.
"Huff... Huff..." Bryan breathed heavily as he glared at LittleFinger.
"You want to know why? It's simple..." LittleFinger said as she lowered her head, trying to hold back her emotions. But then she raised her head and yelled in frustration.
"I didn't want you to know of my and Mr.0 mistake! If you knew about it, you would definitely use it against me! You've been searching for something! Anything to use against me! Did you expect me to just give it to you! What would you've done in my position? Tell me, BRYAN!"
"I would've told you... Since this isn't a matter of one or two lives, but the entire East Blue," Bryan calmly said, Making LittleFinger pause for a moment and then said.
"Fufufufuf... That would've been your response..." While laughing bitterly and lowering her head to cover her face. She knew that what Bryan said was true. Those two weeks she spent with him gave her a good understanding of his temperament. So she knew if he was in her position, he would have told her even if it made him lose his position. (A.N: For those who want to know. Zoro spent six days on the ship and one day in logueTown, one week and four days in the sea, so it has been two weeks and three days in the story Lol.)
"..." Bryan looked at her silently with a brief sadness flashing through his eye, even though he didn't like her personality or how she handled things. It had been fun in these 2 Weeks, either on the ship or when they fought for power.
But everything has to end, so he looks deeply at her and says, "Miss.LittleFinger... No, Jeanne De Clisson, you are stripped of your rank and power for withholding critical information and sent to Neathormel prison, where you will stay until your sentence is decided."