Bang!
Inside the tavern, a burly man with a chest full of thick hair slammed a barrel of liquor down onto the table.
"So what if it's the Donquixote Family? I'll rob the Donquixote Family!"
"Afraid? If you're scared of everything, what kind of pirate are you? Go home and suck your mama's milk!"
His taunts immediately provoked angry looks from the men opposite him, and a few hot-tempered crew members even reached for their weapons to teach this loudmouth a lesson.
"You talking nonsense? Who's afraid!?"
"No manners. I'm talking to your captain. Who told you you could speak?"
"Damn it, I'm—"
"Shut up and get to the back."
The one who spoke was a man in a tight green combat suit with a rapier tucked into his waistband—his outfit as strange as his attitude. The reprimanded pirate gritted his teeth, swallowing his anger in silence.
"Black Bear Miles," the man in green said coldly, "you sent word saying you had a big opportunity, so I brought my men here. And it turns out you want to rob a Donquixote smuggling ship. Whether we succeed or fail, have you even considered the consequences?"
Miles scoffed.
"Ha! Consequences? If it comes to it, we fight to the death. The Donquixote Family? A bunch of trash. I thought Silver Sword Lawrence was something special, but after seeing you today—ha! You're just a coward. If your Hundred Swords Pirates don't have the guts to act, then my Giant Bear Pirates will do it alone. But listen up: if your crew dares to interfere, don't blame me for being ruthless."
The insult hit home.
The Hundred Swords Pirates bristled, their eyes burning with fury. Even Lawrence, the Silver Swordsman, looked murderous.
"If you're so eager to die, I can send you on your way right now."
They had been insulted in public. If Lawrence didn't respond, he might as well step down as captain.
"You?" Miles laughed. "A coward who shakes just hearing the name Donquixote? Hah!"
Miles the Captain of the Giant Bear Pirate burst into laughter, and his crew cackled along with him.
Lawrence knew he was being provoked, but the ridicule was unbearable.
A flash of silver light cut through the air.
Lawrence drove his rapier straight into Miles's chest.
That flash of "Silver Light" was how Lawrence earned his nickname. But to Lawrence's horror, the blade penetrated barely half an inch before stopping.
He looked up—just in time to see Miles grin and transform into a five-meter-tall black bear.
Thick fur rolled over his body like armor.
"Are you scratching me?"
Miles raised his massive paw and slammed it down.
With a thunderous crack, the heavy wooden table shattered into four pieces.
Lawrence narrowly avoided being crushed, retreating at the last instant. He remained uninjured, but his expression turned grim.
"A Devil Fruit user."
"Not bad," Miles growled. "At least you've got some brains."
Miles the Black Bear was a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user: the Black Bear Fruit.
In beast form, his strength and defense skyrocketed. Smashing skulls with a single swipe was child's play.
He was a rising force in the North Sea, with a 33-million-Berry bounty.
Lawrence the Silver Sword, having debuted earlier and accumulated greater achievements, held a 35-million-Berry bounty.
But from that exchange, it was clear Lawrence did not have the upper hand.
Still, who won or lost would only be decided in a real battle.
"Again!"
Lawrence lunged, blade flashing, and Miles met him with twin sweeping strikes.
Within seconds, the tavern was reduced to splinters.
Once the captains began fighting, both crews grew restless. They couldn't interfere in a captain's duel, but grievances were already simmering, and a brawl was moments away.
But then, just as suddenly as it began, both captains stopped.
Everyone stared in confusion.
Why stop now?
It wasn't hesitation—it was calculation.
Miles had enormous defense and strength, but his slow speed made it difficult to land a hit.
Lawrence was fast and precise, but his blade barely scratched the bear form. He would have to target vital spots like the eyes—and one mistake would cost him dearly.
In a prolonged battle, Miles had the advantage.
His Zoan stamina and durability far exceeded Lawrence's.
Yet Lawrence wasn't without chances. His swordsmanship was exceptional.
Both men understood that pushing further would lead to mutual loss with no guaranteed victory.
"Not bad," Lawrence said, breaking the silence. "You're strong. No wonder you think you can target a Donquixote smuggling ship."
Miles shifted back into human form, laughing heartily. "You're strong too. I haven't touched you once."
If Miles touched him, Lawrence thought bitterly, he'd be dead.
Aloud, he said, "Now I'm somewhat interested in your proposal. How about we go somewhere else to discuss it in detail?"
Miles grinned in satisfaction.
"Great! If the two of us join forces, even if the Donquixote ship has officers guarding it, they won't stand a chance!"
Cooperation required equal footing in strength and reputation. No one wanted a useless partner dragging them to their doom.
This duel wasn't wasted—both sides had measured each other.
It was the classic pirate way: fight first, become friends later. The tension evaporated, leaving their subordinates confused and questioning reality.
That was the difference between captains and underlings:
A captain who didn't understand timing was cannon fodder.
Meanwhile, Abel had no idea two pirate crews were already planning to raid the Donquixote Family's smuggling ship.
He was focused on the system.
Three days had passed—he had another search attempt available.
He hesitated. If he waited until going to sea, supplies would only grow scarcer. And he wasn't sure whether the next stage of his plan would proceed smoothly.
If he could complete a new order soon, he might receive a reward useful for immediate needs.
With that in mind, Abel decided to take the gamble.
Even if he drew a difficult order, he still had a Four-Star Positive Review Card as insurance.