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(bonus chapter for the first 100 stones of this book)
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"Mission failed!"
"Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan Type: Azure Dragon Form!"
"Snake-Snake Fruit, Mythical Zoan Type: Yamata no Orochi Form!"
"Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Mythical Zoan Type: Giant Dragon Form!"
"Cat-Cat Fruit, Mythical Zoan Type: Sphinx Form!"
"Bird-Bird Fruit, Mythical Zoan Type: Phoenix Form!"
"And an individual suspected of being able to store and summon Devil Fruits, capable of producing a massive amount of sand out of nowhere."
In the shadows, a pair of sharp eyes observed the aftermath.
These men, dressed in white suits and wearing masks, belonged to CP0.
CP0—the most elite unit within the Cipher Pol organization, often referred to as the strongest shield of the Celestial Dragons. Their presence alone signified the weight of the situation.
The Five Elders clearly took Joey and the Charlotte Family very seriously. This wasn't just about the death of a Celestial Dragon. It was about the alarming growth of the Charlotte Family—rapid, ruthless, and overwhelming.
"This is all the intel we've gathered so far," one CP0 member reported.
"Withdraw."
The CP0 operatives began their silent retreat. They had collected what they came for. Sending CP9 alone to kill Joey? That was never realistic. If it were that simple, the Charlotte Family would have been crushed long ago.
This operation was less about elimination and more about measuring the opponent's strength.
Even without factoring in Linlin, Katakuri, and others, the Charlotte Family already had its monstrous Five Pastry Generals.
"What's your evaluation of their strength?" one CP0 member asked.
"Five Mythical Zoans. Their physical resilience is extraordinary."
"In terms of power?"
"Above Marine Headquarters' Vice Admirals. They're as strong as elite Vice Admirals but not at the level of Admiral candidates."
CP0 continued its report. The World Government had its own classification system for strength, which ignored the weak entirely. Rankings moved as follows:
Vice Admiral
Headquarters Vice Admiral
Elite Vice Admiral
Admiral Candidate
then... Admiral (has many levels)
In terms of comparison:
An Admiral Candidate ranked as Bronze Level 9.
About to become an Admiral was Silver Level 1.
Admirals themselves began at Silver Level 2.
Charlotte Linlin, however, was already Silver Level 3, standing as one of the top-tier Admirals. Still, nothing was absolute, as talent and Devil Fruits could change everything in an instant.
"Gather all intel on the Charlotte Family. Do not act recklessly for now," CP0's leader ordered.
"Investigate the origins of their Gene Fruit, Skeleton Army, and Berserk Beasts!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Den Den Mushi call ended, and the CP0 members faded into the shadows.
The Gene Fruit was of particular interest. Without fully understanding its origins, taking action against the Charlotte Family was too risky.
This fruit's influence was expanding rapidly as Joey continued his journey.
If, in two years, Joey could gain the support of over 40 nations, even the Five Elders would be unable to ignore him.
They might even have to publicly support him to maintain the World Government's image. Failure to do so could fracture the alliance of affiliated nations.
For now, gathering intel was key. Know your enemy, as they say.
On the Charlotte Family's side, Joey turned to his five brothers with a satisfied grin.
"You five brats are finally stepping up! Now you're starting to look like real leaders."
"Ehehehe~~~"
"Hahaha~~~"
The brothers chuckled and scratched their heads, delighted by their eldest brother's praise.
Joey smirked. "Alright, quit the goofy grins. You've done well, but there's more work ahead."
"Keep training and improving yourselves. The family, the country—our future rests on your shoulders. Don't think you can slack off and leave everything to me, got it?"
The brothers froze, faces awkward.
Slack off? Not a chance. They all vividly remembered their younger days when Joey would ruthlessly punish them during training, saying they weren't working hard enough.
Still, they all remembered how their brother had helped them deeply, especially Opera, who was once timid and soft-spoken. Joey had 'helped' him grow. Now, Opera wasn't just confident—he bordered on arrogant.
Each of the five brothers had flaws in their personalities. But that's what made them human. Imperfections were inevitable. Together, their contrasting traits balanced out, creating a perfectly imperfect team.
Joey nodded in approval. "You all handled the situation well. Your individual issues? We'll address them in time. For now, take the night off and get some rest."
The brothers grinned like idiots as Joey headed back to the ship.
Once aboard, Opera turned to the remaining crew. "Stay alert. Carry on as usual. Clean up all traces of the battle and repair the damage."
The mafia soldiers responded immediately. "Yes, Master Opera!"
Opera wasn't lacking in ability—quite the opposite. He was sharp and capable, but his arrogance often got him reprimanded by Joey. Yet even Joey could see it: Opera had grown a lot.
— — —
Just as Joey settled into his quarters, a notification rang out.
[Joestar Clan Leader: "Charlotte Clan Leader, how's the preparation? The three-day deadline is up!"]
The reminder made Joey pause, rubbing his temples. The last few days had been hectic, but he quickly replied.
[Charlotte Clan Leader: "No problem, Joestar Clan Leader. Everything's ready!"]
[Joestar Clan Leader: "Then let's begin the exchange."]
A brilliant flash of light illuminated the room. Joey's five Devil Fruits vanished, replaced by three mysterious arrows.
Joey picked them up, muttering to himself.
"A Regular Arrow… A Soul Arrow… and The Requiem Arrow… Let's see what these can do."
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+80 advanced chapters at: patreon.com/_Coreal