After wandering around the city for a while, Alucard had a complete understanding of the situation here. The flag on the pole was undoubtedly Whitebeard's. However, this didn't mean Whitebeard himself was on the island; it signified that this island was Whitebeard's territory.
This island was called New Kaba. It was one of the closest island cities to the New World entrance and a relatively prosperous industrial hub.
Being at the entrance of the New World essentially put it in a dangerous zone, as the further one ventured into the New World, the more tumultuous it became, and the lower the chances of survival.
The entrance was considered one of the safest places, yet the unrest was particularly intense there. Moreover, New Kaba being a wealthy city only added to its allure. Both Whitebeard and Kaido had once vied for control of this place, with Whitebeard ultimately claiming it.
Since Whitebeard wasn't on the island and he had ample alcohol packed away, Alucard hadn't intended to stay too long. But before leaving, he decided to enjoy himself at the most famous bar here.
The biggest difference from other bars was that this one featured dancers and other performances, and also offered the service of women for companionship. Of course, whether there were deeper services, Alucard didn't know, but as a man, how could he not take a good look when he came to such a place?
Entering this large bar, which spanned several hundred square meters, Alucard chose a seat to the right of the stage.
The dancers performed in successive batches. New dancers appeared regularly.
After Alucard sat down, less than ten minutes later, five slender women in revealing, ethnically-flavored attire appeared. As they cast alluring glances at the audience, the pirates and local residents below screamed in delight.
Alucard took a swig of his drink, a smile flashing across his eyes as he muttered to himself, "I see, this is indeed much more interesting than an ordinary tavern."
Though he enjoyed alcohol in his previous life, Alucard had never frequented places of pleasure. While he told his friends he was afraid of getting sick, in reality, he preferred quiet environments. The deafening music of nightclubs was something he truly couldn't stand.
Just as the five dancers on stage were about to finish their routine, the bar's main door suddenly opened. This wouldn't normally draw attention, but upon seeing who entered, the people, whose attention had been focused on the dancers, gasped in surprised whispers. Some even showed expressions of fear.
"Rode Crassien! That guy hasn't left yet!"
"Shh, don't say that. Be careful he hears you."
"Exactly. He's a pirate crew under Whitebeard, practically half of the Whitebeard Pirates. Don't forget whose territory this island is."
"The Gold Shark Pirates, right? I wonder how he got on Whitebeard's ship."
Alucard turned to look, and the three men with bronze-colored skin made him recall a species of fish-men he'd seen recently.
Indeed, the man named Rode Crassien looked like a fish-man, somewhat resembling a younger Arlong, but with bronze skin.
'Is there really such a bizarre fish-man race?' Alucard chuckled inwardly, then heard the discussions of other island residents nearby and couldn't help but think, 'A pirate crew under the Whitebeard Pirates? That old man's sons truly are spread far and wide!'
However, seeing the fearful expressions of many residents, it seemed this Crassien wasn't a good person either. Of course, some of this might just be the ordinary populace's inherent fear of pirates.
"Oh, new merchandise. Not bad, not bad." Crassien and a few of his subordinates walked to the central seats closest to the stage.
They were originally occupied, but upon seeing Crassien and his group arrive, the people there were so scared they automatically scurried away. From their practiced movements, it was clear this wasn't the first time such a thing had happened.
The five dancers felt Crassien's invading gaze from below the stage. After finishing their last dance, they bowed to the patrons below and quickly retreated backstage.
Immediately, a man in a red suit, resembling a host, stepped onto the stage. When he saw Crassien and his group, a hint of fear flashed across his face, but he forced a smile and stood on stage, saying, "Alright, everyone, next is our bar's weekly companion service. I'm sure you all know the rules, but perhaps some new guests have arrived, so please allow me a few more words."
"The companion service is strictly for companionship. Please do not do anything excessive. Any method is fine, as long as the girls are willing to offer you their companionship. This time, the companion service will be provided by the five beautiful new dancers our bar just hired."
BANG!
No sooner had the man in the red suit on stage finished speaking than Crassien impatiently slammed the table, standing up forcefully and shouting, "These five women are mine, of course! Do you think anyone dares to object, Zinn?!"
Zinn was the name of the host in the red suit on stage, and also the owner of this bar.
Crassien had been his most frequent customer over the past two months, and arguably, the customer he hated the most in his life.
His bar's weekly companion service was originally a popular event in town, neither too big nor too small. The "companionship" was truly just that; customers might flirt a little, but the owner would step in to prevent anything beyond that.
After all, his establishment wasn't a brothel. If word got out, who would dare to work there? And this level of companionship was something the women in the bar could grudgingly accept.
Originally, business at the bar had been booming because of this activity, but everything was disrupted by Crassien's arrival.
——————
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to my patreon ——— patreon(.)com/JuanFiction [remove the parentheses ( )]
There are over 100 advance chapters available for you!