Carter and Kosha followed close behind the masked man, twisting and turning through a maze of paths before arriving at a secluded, pitch-black alleyway.
It was a strange thing: whenever these World Government agents met up, they always preferred picking these out-of-the-way, shadowy little corners. Whether it was purely out of professional habit or to keep information from leaking out was anyone's guess.
"Long time no see, Black Cat, Iron Rooster."
The CP0 agent in the white suit stood with his hands behind his back. The eyes behind his mask scanned the two of them in turn, his completely flat tone devoid of even a trace of warmth expected in a reunion after a long separation.
Yet Carter and Kosha didn't display the slightest displeasure toward the masked man's cold demeanor. Instead, they bowed slightly to show their respect.
Although all three belonged to the World Government's secret intelligence agencies, this masked man was a government official who served the Celestial Dragons directly—a night-and-day difference in status.
And strictly speaking, this guy was currently their superior.
"To cut a long story short, I came to find you two for two main reasons." The masked man paused before continuing, "First, to confirm the status of the mission the organization assigned to you previously."
Hearing this, Miss Carter and the mohawk-wearing Kosha had subtle shifts in their expressions. Looking at their awkward faces, it was obvious that their previous work hadn't been progressing very smoothly.
The masked man's expression could not be seen behind his mask. He turned his head toward Carter and asked, "Black Cat, how went your investigation into the Millennial Dragon in the East Blue?"
"Well..." Carter scratched her head awkwardly, the two tufts of hair on her head that looked remarkably like cat ears twitching slightly.
"I covered almost more than half of the East Blue, but everything I dug up was just baseless rumors. There wasn't any valuable intelligence."
"And according to my investigation, the royal family that was rumored to be able to communicate with the Millennial Dragons was indeed completely wiped out in that Buster Call ten years ago."
"Completely wiped out?"
The masked man let out a light humph. "Not necessarily. Twenty years ago, didn't that Demon Child survive the Buster Call on Ohara?"
Shaking his head, the masked man turned his gaze back to Kosha. "And you? Did you find the exact location of that undersea ruin?"
A fresh row of dark lines instantly broke out across Kosha's forehead. Regarding the mission the organization had assigned him, this mohawk-wearing man had long been at a loss for words to complain.
I'm a damn landlubber who ate a Devil Fruit, he thought to himself. Why the hell would you send me to investigate an undersea ruin? I'm not a damn Fish-Man...
Though inwardly screaming at how absurd it was, the sunglasses-wearing man offered a sheepish grin. "I didn't find the exact location of that ruin, but I did obtain some intelligence. That ancient ruin seems to be related to the annual mega-tsunami in Water 7, Aqua Laguna."
"Oh, right—I also discovered a Poneglyph on a deserted island in that sea area."
"Oh? A Poneglyph?"
The masked man's eyes instantly lit up, and he chuckled. "Not bad. With just this Poneglyph alone, you'll be able to fulfill your report. That Lord takes a very keen interest in Poneglyphs."
Carter and Kosha felt their hearts settle slightly. But right after, confusion began to creep in over the masked man's words.
The existence that CP0 referred to as "that Lord" naturally went without saying, but why would a World Noble be interested in Poneglyphs? Could that Celestial Dragon lord actually read the ancient text?
"Alright, now for the second matter."
The masked man shoved his hands into his pockets and lowered his voice. "You two should already know that the Demon Child, Nico Robin, has currently joined the Straw Hats and is right here on this island."
The two nodded in unison. For professional intelligence agents like them, obtaining this piece of information wasn't difficult at all.
"Your former superior, Spandam, wants to capture her. So, provided it does not compromise your primary mission, I want you two to act within your capabilities. That woman is extremely cunning and cautious—remember, do not startle the snake in the grass..."
"By the way, if I remember correctly, besides the Demon Child, that Sorcerer should be with them as well, right?"
At the mention of a certain bespectacled youth, Carter's heart suddenly thudded violently. Images of that crimson lightning spear overflowing with destruction flashed in her mind—the Sorcerer's actions back in Mock Town had left an exceptionally deep impression on her.
"As for the Sorcerer..." The masked man pondered for a moment before speaking slowly:
"Keep a slight eye on his movements. That Lord seems to be very... 'interested' in him as well."
While these three agents were secretly scheming in the dark...
Inside the top-floor room of the Oswald Family's stronghold in Hannabal:
Even though it was late at night, the magnificent lighting still illuminated the extravagantly decorated room until it was bright as day.
"Heh, quite a lot of pirate crews registered for the Dead End Race this time..."
A deceptively handsome blonde youth was lying brazenly sideways on the sofa, holding a thick stack of dossiers in his hands and leafing through them rapidly.
"With so many pirates, their combined bounties add up to an astronomical figure. I wonder if the Marines can even swallow such a huge gift from me..."
A deep, meaningful smile appeared on Aros's face. He tossed the precious documents aside at random, his icy-blue eyes turning to look at the stone-faced, middle-aged man standing beside him like an iron tower.
"Was that Crescent Membership Card handed over to the Sorcerer?"
"Yes, Young Master Aros," Basso Kalo replied with a nod.
Without a doubt, the only person who could make the Clay-Faced Man—an officer of the Oswald Family—call him "Young Master" was the Penguin's only son: the one who had run away from home straight to the first half of the Grand Line just to avoid becoming BIG MOM's live-in son-in-law.
"Hmph, actually spending a billion Berries just to buy a slave... That guy sure has money to burn."
Aros let out a soft snort, sat up from the sofa, and muttered to himself, "Even though he wasn't born in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, his extravagant, wasteful style really has a bit of that Celestial Dragon flair."
"It's really strange, though... Given how Father and Silver Hair are at complete loggerheads, why has he never laid a finger on Silver Hair's younger brother? Has the Sorcerer not been recognized by the Sarsalian Family?"
Aros knew his father's temperament all too well. Petty, vindictive, ruthless, and cruel—using such words to describe him was practically a compliment.
If someone crossed the Penguin, the person themselves might not suffer immediately, but all their relatives and everyone they cared about would become the targets of the Penguin's insane retaliation!
In Aros's memory, he had seen his father more than once vividly describe the tragic deaths of an opponent's friends and family right in front of their eyes, then gleefully admire the process of that opponent turning from rage into utter despair.
To the Penguin, mercilessly crushing an enemy's spirit was an extraordinarily fascinating pastime.
So here came the question: with the Silver-Haired Pirates being the Oswald Family's top enemy, according to the Penguin's usual style, shouldn't the Sorcerer—as Silver Hair's younger brother—have died who knows how many times over by now?
(Could it be because of Sarsalian? But his hair isn't silver...)
Aros fell into deep doubt. He had a faint feeling that nine times out of ten, this matter was tied to that bizarre, silver-hair-obsessed family.
"Young Master Aros, thinking about these things now is meaningless anyway."
Basso Kalo's clay-like face remained completely expressionless, his tone stiff as he chimed in: "The Straw Hat Pirates he belongs to have already entered this Dead End Race as well."
"Ah, that's true." Aros blinked and offered a slight smile.
"After all, every single participant in this Dead End Race... will be used as a 'sacrifice'."
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