CHAPTER 20 - The Three Great Wineries and the Black Pot
"General Harry, a pirate ship has entered the harbor. Should we warn them, drive them away, or capture them?"
A navy soldier hurriedly ran into the office to report at a military base shaped like a bunker, located within the Harbor Affairs Department.
General Harry, one of the heads of Louis Winery, one of the three great wineries of the Wine City, had a primary mission: to ensure that the finest wines of the city reached the world government and high-ranking navy officials without fail. Additionally, he was in charge of collecting the "winemaking tax."
Harry, standing on the balcony with a telescope in hand, observed the busy harbor. Ships from all over the world were docked in the harbor, and his naval base, located to the east of the port, had a clear view of the entire area. It was part of his daily routine to spend some time observing the ships. After hearing the soldier's report, Harry, now in his thirties, set down the telescope, his face darkening.
"No need to worry. Let them dock. That's a ship from the Shichibukai, Crocodile. He's a troublesome one. Last time he came, we nearly had a full-blown battle here in the Wine City. I hope it doesn't cause trouble again."
"The Shichibukai?!" The sailor was shocked. No wonder he had recognized the pirate flag—it seemed familiar.
"That's right," Harry replied. "Although the navy is nominally allied with the Shichibukai, don't expect too much. Pirates are pirates in the end. We still have to keep a close eye on them. A new batch of fine wines is set to sail in the next few days to the headquarters, so we can't afford any issues."
"Understood, but Colonel Luca seems to have already gone to the harbor. Do you think there will be a conflict?" The soldier hesitated before voicing his concern.
"Colonel Luca? Don't worry about him. He knows how to handle things," Harry said flatly.
However, if Colonel Luca really were to have a confrontation with Crocodile, Harry wouldn't mind—it would actually suit him fine. But of course, he couldn't say this aloud to his subordinates.
Luca was a direct subordinate of the World Government, stationed on the island of Metlan. Though both he and Harry were naval officers, Luca technically outranked Harry, and their decisions often clashed due to their differing positions. Many of the officers below them seemed to favor Luca, often ignoring Harry's commands in favor of aligning with him.
The Luca family had long served the World Government, and Luca himself had been swiftly promoted to the rank of colonel. While Luca had skill and effective tactics, his overly commercial approach to things wasn't well-liked within the navy, which was supposed to uphold "justice," not profit. At least, that's how Harry saw it—he didn't care for Luca.
"This island is lively, isn't it?"
Because the Shichibukai and the navy were on the same side, Crocodile's ship was allowed to dock without any issues, unlike regular pirate ships that could never openly enter a navy-controlled harbor.
The harbor was still considered safe and strategically located, making it convenient for ships to come and go.
Soon, the Dawn, under the flag signal's instructions, docked. Some crew members stayed to guard the ship, while others followed Crocodile to explore the island. After some time, the crew would rotate and return to relieve the watch.
"There are a lot of navy soldiers," Daz Bones observed, eyeing the over two hundred soldiers stationed along the coast. They were alert, but didn't seem to pose an immediate threat. "Did they not realize that our ship belongs to the Shichibukai?"
"They probably don't see any trouble coming from us. Otherwise, they would have made a move earlier. Now, let's assign tasks. Daz Bones and MR.5, you two are with me. We'll head to the areas where pirates are most active. Bring the bounty posters with us. Let's see if we can find a pirate with a bounty over a hundred million to practice on," Rosen said calmly. His main goal was to complete a system task and earn a double-speed reward.
To Daz Bones and the others, Rosen's words sounded like a bold challenge—of course, they were eager to take part. Everyone knew that those who participated in the task would receive a share of the spoils. However, they were unsure whether there were any pirates with such a high bounty on this island.
"Nico Robin, take the crew and go get some supplies. Bring along some Valentine's Day items and see if the ship needs anything. Anything bought for the ship will be reimbursed." Rosen assigned tasks to everyone.
"I thought we agreed not to stir up trouble?" Robin muttered, her thoughts clearly troubled. It seemed this island wasn't going to be peaceful after all.
Rosen didn't see it that way. "I'm not starting trouble. If we find a pirate who's a killer without hesitation, and their bounty happens to be over a hundred million, it's just an opportunity to sharpen our skills."
A short distance away, in a narrow alley behind a gambling house, a small-time thug observed Crocodile's ship dock and relayed the news.
At the same time, news reached the three great wineries on the island. The head of the Mectro Winery, nestled halfway up a mountain, was busy drinking heavily in a dimly lit room. Even after drinking more than twenty kilograms of alcohol, he showed no signs of being drunk. Upon hearing the report, he stopped drinking and gave his orders.
"The Shichibukai, Crocodile, has arrived at the perfect time. Haha, this is interesting. Every time I think of the Shichibukai, that hateful title, my chest wounds start to ache again. No amount of alcohol can numb the pain."
"So, what should we do, sir?" one of his subordinates asked.
"Don't rush. Let's observe for now. Let's see what Crocodile's real purpose is in coming to the Wine City. Also, keep an eye on movements from Bordeaux Winery and Louis Winery. The production of top-tier wine is seriously lacking this time, and I suspect there may be some shady activities going on behind the scenes."
"Understood."
At the same time, Bordeaux Winery received news from the gambling house.
(End of Chapter)