Chapter 30: Fortified City Fruit?

The West Blue was home to the Hippolyte family, whose island bore a rather long name—"The Island of Sunshine and Hope Given by God." It carried the same meaning as the name Hippolyte D. Asa himself.

This island was not particularly large. In the past, when the Hippolyte family thrived, it had been a lively place. However, after most of the family ventured into the Grand Line for business and lost contact, the remaining servants left one after another, leaving the island desolate.

After traveling halfway around the world, following his vague memories, Asa finally returned to this so-called home a few days later.

Stepping onto the ground—now overgrown with weeds and moss—he gazed at the dilapidated castle in the distance.

The iron gates were rusted, the once-clear windows shattered, and the garden flowers had long withered, swallowed by overgrown weeds. It was clear that no one had tended to this place for a long time.

"If it's broken, so be it. The world is vast—where can't I call home?" Asa sighed, his lingering memories stirring a sense of nostalgia he hadn't expected.

"Squeak..."

The iron gate creaked painfully as he pushed it open, its long, mournful screech echoing through the empty estate.

Asa stepped inside the castle and pulled out the sapphire necklace he had carried for years.

This was a gift from his parents. They once told him that it could open the treasury in the basement.

He wasn't particularly interested in the treasure. He simply wanted to see if there was anything left behind by them—something he could bury as a token of remembrance.

After two hours of rummaging through the treasury, Asa successfully erected a joint tomb in the castle's backyard, honoring the parents who had passed in this lifetime.

He rubbed dirt into incense, offering a simple prayer before rising to his feet.

Just as he was about to leave the island and embark on his journey to the Grand Line—

Suddenly…

"Huh? Someone's coming to the island?" Asa raised an eyebrow.

With his Observation Haki, he sensed a large group of people landing on the island one after another.

Every tree, every droplet of dew, every snake, insect, and rodent beneath the soil, even the faintest whispers of the wind—they all painted a vivid picture in his mind.

"What are they doing here?"

With a flash, Asa disappeared, streaking toward the ruined pier at lightning speed.

To anyone watching, it would have looked as if he teleported—arriving at the scene in less than a second.

The Chase

"Young Master, your ship has been destroyed! Where do you plan on running now?"

Two groups of people had landed on the island.

At the front was a young woman, her once-fair face now smudged with soot and dirt. Even in her disheveled state, her beauty was undeniable.

Chasing after her were a gang of mafia thugs, dressed in black suits, leather shoes, hats, and sunglasses, each armed with firearms.

They weren't rushing—rather, they stalked her like a pack of predators toying with their prey, hurling crude and degrading remarks.

"Hey! Look at her twisting that waist—she's gonna feel amazing once we catch her, huh?"

"Shut up! Don't forget, this is business for the boss!"

"Young Master, stop running and just hand over what our boss wants!"

Despite their sleek suits, these men were no different from street thugs.

"Young Master, just hand over the whereabouts of the 'Fortified City Fruit,' and we promise not to hurt a single hair on your head!"

The mafia leader sped up, forcing the girl into a dead end, his grin widening as his men surrounded her.

Even as she was cornered, the girl remained strong-willed. Clenching her fists, she spat through gritted teeth:

"In your dreams! Capone Bege is a backstabbing traitor! My father gave him everything, and he repaid us with betrayal!"

As she spoke, her eyes reddened, and tears streaked down her smoke-covered face, carving clean trails through the soot.

"Tch! It's just survival of the fittest. Even if Boss Bege didn't betray your father, someone else would have! He simply took the first step." The mafia leader shrugged, clearly uninterested in morality.

"Young Master, the 'Fortified City Fruit' is something Boss Bege desires. Just tell us where it is, and we'll even give you a boat to leave safely. Sounds like a fair deal, doesn't it?" He smirked.

"Keep dreaming! Kill me if you want!" The girl, Aurora, closed her eyes, standing her ground despite the overwhelming odds.

The mafia leader frowned.

"Tch! Stubborn brat."

One of his men whispered, a greedy glint in his eyes:

"Boss, how about we let the boys have some fun? We have ways of making her talk..."

Several of the black-clad men licked their lips, grinning lecherously.

"Be careful not to kill her," the leader muttered, adjusting his sunglasses before stepping aside.

At his command, a group of thugs rushed toward Aurora, smirking and laughing.

"Get away from me! I, Aurora, swear I'll kill you all!"

She screamed, backing against the cold stone wall, her tears falling freely.

As she trembled, the soot on her face washed away, revealing delicate, flawless features.

"Heh... Young Master, just talk and avoid unnecessary pain. Otherwise... the boys might 'accidentally' put a few scars on that pretty face of yours."

One of the gangsters snickered, his hungry gaze locked onto her.

"Maybe we should sell her to 'Happy Street'? A beauty like her would bring in some serious money, hahahaha!"

As they cackled, Aurora's face turned deathly pale, her teeth sinking into her lip as she shook in fear.

An Uninvited Guest

Just then—

A nonchalant voice came from behind the stone wall.

"Uh… could you guys hold on for a moment?"

The mafia thugs froze, their laughter cut short.

The leader spun around, his hand flying to his flintlock pistol.

"Who the hell is there? Show yourself!"

A young man squatted atop a boulder, looking at them with innocent curiosity.

"Ah… sorry to interrupt. I was napping here, and you all seem to be making quite a bit of noise. Could you maybe wait until I move to a quieter spot before continuing?"

His bright eyes twinkled mischievously, his expression sincere—as if he were an innocent bystander caught in the wrong place.

"Tch! Kill this nosy brat!" The mafia leader snapped.

Two burly thugs lunged forward, their thick fingers curling into claws as they moved to grab Asa from both sides.

Aurora's eyes widened.

"Idiot! Run! Why get involved in this mess?!"

But—

The very next second—

BAM!

The two thugs screamed, their bodies rocketing backward like cannonballs.

They slammed into the ground, skidding for dozens of meters, leaving deep trenches in the dirt.

Their chests caved in, their eyes bulged in shock, and dark red blood spilled from their mouths.

They were dead on the spot.

(End Of Chapter)

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