Klein didn't beat around the bush. "Over a thousand pirates' achievements—want to buy them?"
That was a bombshell.
Rear Admiral Ayer stared at Klein in surprise, stunned. 'This guy really just graduated from the Marine academy?'
Anyone else would've thought he was some underworld broker.
Coming in hot with a massive fake merit deal? Ayer was floored.
Thinking of what Captain Bill reported earlier… this guy wasn't just a "money maniac."
He was a full-blown lunatic who'd do anything for cash!
Seeing that Ayer hadn't replied, Klein added,
"Not just this once. I'll be going all out hunting pirates in the next few days. You give me money, and the credit is all yours. How about it?"
"Pfft—!" Ayer couldn't hold it in. A mouthful of red wine sprayed across the table.
"Oi oi oi! Doing this even once is already insane!"
"Doing it long-term? Are you trying to get us both killed?"
Damn it, the guy caught over a thousand pirates in no time. In a few more days, wouldn't he have swept Sabaody Archipelago clean? Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⁂𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⁂𝔫𝔢𝔱
If there were no pirates left…
How was he, Ayer, supposed to keep raking in steady cash as the base commander?
And all the pirates' buddies—not to mention the new ones entering Sabaody—would pin the blame on him!
Klein grabs the pirates. Klein gets the money. Klein earns the fame. Meanwhile, I stay here and take the heat from enraged pirates?!
'No way,' Ayer thought. 'I can't let this lunatic stay in Sabaody a second longer. Gotta find a way to get him out—fast.'
Klein was practically a plague upon him.
So Ayer made an offer:
"The deal's on—but only for those thousand pirates. And you must leave Sabaody tomorrow."
Sabaody was prime territory for pirate hunting. And the pirates that made it here had survived long voyages across the seas. Without strength or luck, they'd end up like Brook's Rumbar Pirates—dead before reaching the island.
He was planning to hit it big while passing through.
Now they wanted him gone?
Trying to block his profits?
That wouldn't end well.
Klein kicked his legs up onto the table and dropped the pretense.
"I came here to make money. If you won't let me, then this is going to be a problem—"
"Besides, capturing pirates is a Marine's duty, isn't it? On what grounds are you stopping a righteous Marine from doing his job?"
The nearby hostesses all felt the room temperature plummet to freezing.
Goosebumps everywhere. Faces pale. No one dared move or speak.
You extort even your own colleagues—are you a poet or something!?
Ayer's face darkened to the point of dripping ink. He thought of Klein's overwhelming strength—how easily he'd crushed Powell.
The greatest Marine genius in history... The one who defeated Kong...
He swallowed his fury and lit a cigar, inhaling deeply.
"...Name your price. Or tell me what it'll take for you to leave."
"500 million Berries!"
That number made Ayer's face twist in shock. He shot to his feet, furious.
"Oi! Bastard! I said name a price, not make a damn wish!"
What do you take me for, a wishing well turtle!?
Captain Bill also glared at Klein, his tone laced with threat.
"Hey, Klein. Don't push your luck. Commander Ayer's willing to pay—if the price is fair, everyone walks away happy."
"Don't make this uglier than it needs to be!"
Klein looked at them with contempt.
Back at Marine academy, I raked in way more than that.
You run all of Sabaody, with all these people, and can't cough up 500 million?
"I'm hunting down every pirate in Sabaody."
"Nobody can stop me!"
As he spoke, he grabbed the unconscious Os by the back of the collar like a stray cat and lifted him effortlessly.
You think you can stop me from making money?
Those pirates are worth a fortune. And you expect me to just walk away?
This 'Justice' cloak on my shoulders isn't just for show.
Tell me not to catch pirates? Even if Red-Haired himself showed up and used the Face-Fruit, I'd still say no!
Just as Klein turned to leave, Ayer's expression shifted and he called out,
"I don't have 500 million—but I can give you 100 million. And I know a way to get even more. If you've got the guts to win."
The implication was clear. Klein smirked.
"Exactly. At the casino, if you win, 500 million's nothing." Ayer smiled, but a dark glint flickered in his eyes.
If they want you to win, you win. If not, you'll lose even your boxers.
And when that happens...
You're no longer in control.
"Casino, huh... Well, I'm interested." Klein still had Os slung over his shoulder as he turned to go.
"I've got other things to handle now. Take me there tonight."
He left behind a final line:
"I'll come find you tonight."
As the private room door slammed shut, Ayer's face turned stormy, eyes flashing with murderous rage.
Captain Bill was seething.
"That bastard's a new rear admiral, and he dares act that arrogant in front of you, sir? Unbelievable!"
Ayer shouted at the women in the room,
"Get out. All of you."
The hostesses scattered like they were fleeing war.
Ayer grabbed a plate from the table and smashed it on the floor.
"Damn it! Sabaody is my turf, and you're breaking the rules like it's nothing!"
"The greatest Marine genius? I'll turn you into the most fallen genius in Marine history!"
"I'll destroy you completely!"
He smashed things in every direction, venting his rage.
Outside the luxury hotel
Klein regrouped with his team. On the way, Os finally came to with a groggy,
"Weren't we... weren't we just eating seafood in the private room?"
"Yeah, the talks broke down," Klein said, totally unfazed.
"We're Marines. What kind of Marine doesn't catch pirates? Sooner or later, they'll slip up."
"You were completely useless. What if it had been a female pirate?"
"I'm a sniper. If it were a female pirate... I'd just shoot her. If she didn't die, she'd be too hurt to resist. The others can capture her."
"...Fair enough." Klein was speechless.
"No worries. Just train more."
Soon they arrived at the detention site for pirates. Klein gave the order:
"Bring all of them out. They're coming with me."
"Where to, Sir Klein?" Os asked curiously.
"Two-for-one special. We're selling them!"
Klein grabbed a map of Sabaody and pointed straight at the slave market.