Inside the Windbell Tree Bar at the port, Noah was quietly reading a newspaper, while Ari engaged in casual conversation with the bartender.

  Flipping through the test issue of the South Blue Weekly, Noah looked up at the bounty posters pinned to the bulletin board near the bar's liquor cabinet, showcasing some of the more notorious pirates of the South Blue.

  Noah's gaze swept over the row of bounty posters.

  He didn't recognize many of the faces—some of the ter Supernovas, like Kid and Killer, were still just kids at this point.

  However, one bounty stood out, an unexpected name among the others:

  Catarina Devon.

  Captain of the Crescent Moon Pirates, known as the "Beauty Head Collector" and "Crescent Hunter," as well as a future user of the Nine-Tailed Fox Devil Fruit and ter the sixth ship captain under Bckbeard.

  Though she would eventually take on the appearance of an old hag, Noah knew that when she first joined Bckbeard's crew, she was only 34 years old. At this moment, she was just 20.

  What surprised Noah more was that she was originally from the South Blue.

  According to the bounty description, Catarina Devon had already consumed the Nine-Tailed Fox Fruit and had recently hunted several young women from affiliated nations.

  Suddenly, the bar door creaked open.

  "One Earl Grey tea, please. And a pte of biscuits."

  'Well, well... is it really him? Interesting!' Noah's lips curled up slightly.

  The newcomer was wearing a blue and white striped short-sleeved shirt and matching gsses.

  The bartender was tempted to make a remark about someone ordering tea in a bar, but being seasoned in dealing with the oddities of life on the seas, he wisely kept his thoughts to himself. After all, as a bartender, self-preservation often meant keeping one's mouth shut to avoid trouble. He quickly prepared the tea.

  The man sat not far from Noah, casually picking up the newspaper and gncing at the bounty posters.

  Soon after, the bartender brought over a teapot, a cup, and a pte of biscuits, quietly setting them down by the man's left hand.

  "Are you a bounty hunter?" Noah asked, his interest piqued.

  The man set down the newspaper and took a sip of his tea. "Are you in the business?"

  "No," Noah replied with a smile. "Just a simple merchant. I'm pnning to head to the Bck Sea Kingdom soon. If you're willing to take on a bodyguard job, I'm prepared to pay 500,000 Berries."

  "Bck Sea Kingdom?" The man raised an eyebrow. It was clear he knew of the recent turmoil in the waters near the Bck Sea Kingdom. However, 500,000 Berries for a single escort job was a generous offer in the world of merchant shipping. After a brief moment of thought, he nodded.

  "Alright, I accept. I'm bounty hunter Galdino."

  Noah raised his tea cup, smiling. "Noah, president of Noah Trading Company. I look forward to working with you, Mr. Galdino, over the next two weeks."

  They toasted their tea cups.

  Two hours ter, a commercial transport ship that had been stored in a card appeared at the port of Whitewood Isnd, its deck loaded with barrels of rum.

  Noah, accompanied by Ari and a disguised Kuro—who was here as part of an internship—boarded the ship, which was named Fortune's Favor.

  As for Wyper, Raki, and Mantis, their distinct Sky Isnder features made it difficult for them to blend in with the locals in the South Blue. Since Noah pnned to continue on a regur sea voyage, he had sent them back to Sky Isnd for now.

  "Kuro, how are you adapting?"

  "Quite well, President," Kuro replied with a nod.

  After more than a year of modifications, Kuro’s physical strength had significantly improved, and his mindset had undergone a major shift as well.

  In the training camp, Kuro specialized in navigation and strategic pnning, which is why he now served as the temporary navigator aboard the ship.

  Ari, on the other hand, acted as the first mate.

  After boarding, Galdino reclined on a deck chair, sunbathing without a care in the world, oblivious to the immense power hidden among the crew.

  The reason for this was simple: the gap in strength between them was vast. Even though Galdino had consumed the Wax-Wax Fruit, his crude combat skills were no match for the elite members of the Noah family who had come through their rigorous training camp.

  The requirement to graduate from Noah’s training camp was to master at least one Rokushiki technique and awaken at least one type of Haki.

  Currently, the dozen or so temporary crew members aboard the ship were all proficient in Rokushiki and had awakened two types of Haki, making them some of the finest members of the Noah family.

  Meanwhile, Noah was in the captain’s cabin, reviewing intelligence gathered by the family’s brewery operations in the South Blue. Among the files were reports on Galdino and Catarina Devon, one of the more notorious pirates in the region.

  "Boss, we’ve just received word from Tequi, stationed at the brewery. The Crescent Moon Pirates were spotted on Fuli Isnd. After killing several young girls there, they plundered the isnd's resources. Tequi managed to slip her Vivre Card into some of the stolen supplies."

  Ari handed Noah a gss vial containing a Vivre Card. The card inside was pointing steadily in a certain direction.

  Noah set down his documents. "Head in that direction."

  "Understood."

  A week ter.

  In a calm stretch of sea, Fortune's Favor continued to sail at full speed.

  Meanwhile, Galdino was growing increasingly anxious. Although Noah hadn’t confronted him directly, he had found ways to subtly let Galdino "accidentally" see some of the ship’s reading materials.

  After browsing books like The Five Volumes of Dragon Sying, An Analytical Report on East Blue, The Fall of the Flevance Kingdom, and Human Hunting and Nation Destruction, Galdino became more and more unsettled.

  At this point, Galdino only wanted to finish the escort mission as quickly as possible and leave Noah and his crew behind before getting caught up in something far beyond his control.

  As Galdino’s mind raced with anxious thoughts...

  "Captain, there’s a small isnd to the southeast. Shall we dock for a rest and resupply our freshwater?" Kuro called out loudly to Noah from the deck.

  Noah’s lips curled into a smirk. "Sure."

  They had arrived at their destination.

  In the captain’s cabin, the Vivre Card inside the gss vial was now pointing directly toward the isnd.

  At the same time, on the other side of the isnd, a rge sailboat y anchored in a hidden cove. Pirates lounged around a campsite near the shore, grilling meat. Inside the rgest tent, the sounds of a sordid affair filled the air, as several pale, writhing bodies intertwined.

  "Big Sis really knows how to have fun!"

  "Think those three boys can handle her?"

  "Hah, you should worry about yourselves instead!"

  The stronger pirates immediately paled at the reminder of their own nightmare experiences.

  Just then, a panting lookout rushed into the camp from the isnd’s peak.

  "Boss Sean! A merchant ship is approaching the other side of the isnd—they seem ready to dock!"

  The vice-captain Sean, a wiry man with gsses, stood up as soon as he heard the news and rushed to report to Catarina Devon in her tent.

  Standing outside the tent, Sean shouted, "Big Sis Catarina, there’s a merchant ship docking on the other side of the isnd. You should finish up quickly."

  "Tch! What a buzzkill!" Catarina Devon’s annoyed voice came from inside the tent.

  Despite her irritation, she quickly dressed, grabbed her weapon, and emerged from the tent.

  "Have they nded yet?"

  "Almost. When the lookout came to report, they were about a kilometer away from shore," Sean expined hastily.

  Lighting a dy’s cigarette, Catarina Devon smirked coldly. "I was just getting in the mood, and these fools show up at the perfect time. I’m going to personally cut off all five of their limbs!"

  Sean ughed along. "Haha, with you leading the charge, Big Sis, they’re as good as dead. But just in case they try to escape, how about we split into two groups?"

  "Not bad, Sean! You’re getting smarter. That’s why you’re my vice-captain!"

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