Finally, Wright found his target.
Miss Buckin and Weevil had appeared in the casino of the Golden City.
"According to past intelligence, they never stay here for more than a week before losing all their money and returning to their pillaging."
Using his strongest "Confession" on the CP1 agent, Wright wondered if the man would be mentally unstable after waking up.
By Wright's estimation, this "Confession" would keep the agent unconscious for an entire day. After all, while he was a professionally trained intelligence operative with a resilient mind, he wasn't a top-tier powerhouse with exceptional mental fortitude. If it had been an ordinary person, they'd likely be out for two or three days.
Disguised as Swordsman Blazer, Wright used the CP1 agent's identity to avoid disturbances and left the room. By the time he reached the casino, his transformation was complete.
Noticing Weevil's left arm, now a prosthetic limb, Wright frowned slightly.
"Even with one arm cut off by me, this guy's strength is still recognized?"
Wright mentally cursed Vegapunk.
"That guy forgot to… well, it doesn't matter."
"Excuse me, are you the pirate 'Weevil'?"
Standing at a towering 6.8 meters, Weevil loomed over Wright's 2-meter frame. Wright had to tap Weevil's arm to get his attention.
"Huh?"
Weevil turned his head with a confused expression, glancing around until a faint cough from below directed his gaze downward.
A stranger was patting his arm. But Weevil remembered his mother's instructions: when she was gambling, he was to behave and not attack anyone without reason.
"Yes, I'm Weevil. Who are you?"
"This isn't the place to talk. If it's convenient for you, I'd like to discuss something important with you in private—it's a matter of great importance to you."
Wright deliberately ignored Miss Buckin, who was nearby. Before engaging with Weevil, it was crucial to understand who truly called the shots—this elderly woman wasn't to be underestimated.
"Mom! Mom!"
Weevil crouched down, leaning closer to Miss Buckin, who was engrossed in her game.
"Mom! Someone's looking for me!"
"What? Can't you see I'm about to win?!"
Miss Buckin growled under her breath, turning around. She had witnessed the Golden City's security firsthand when they first arrived. Pirates who caused trouble were wrapped in golden cocoons and sunk into the floor, their fates left to the imagination.
As one of the rare places in the world where pirates wouldn't be pursued by the Marines, it was foolish to provoke the "Golden Emperor," Gild Tesoro.
"You must be Miss Buckin?"
Wright stepped closer, lowering his voice as he addressed her directly.
"While I suspected as much, I can now confirm that you are the one who makes the decisions for Mr. Weevil."
"You…"
Miss Buckin was about to lash out at this presumptuous stranger when his next words made her pupils shrink beneath her sunglasses.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Blazer, an agent of CP1 under the direct authority of the World Government."
"I have important matters to discuss with Mr. Weevil. Please find a more private location for our conversation."
Miss Buckin fell silent. She understood the weight behind "World Government" and "CP1."
"Have they finally discovered my identity?"
She considered the possibility with unease.
"Even if they know I was once aboard Whitebeard's ship... CP agents aren't the Marines, so this might actually be a good thing!"
After making up her mind, Miss Buckin tapped her cane decisively.
"Fine! Let's see what's so important that it requires CP1 to get involved!"
As for whether this man was an imposter, she didn't dwell on it. CP agents acted under orders from the World Government, and such operations were always accompanied by official documentation.
Even if he were a fraud, her idiot son could easily kill him.
The three of them relocated to a private dining room. Wright presented an authentic document stamped with the World Government's seal: an invitation to join the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
"The World Government is inviting me to join the Warlords?!" Miss Buckin was overjoyed.
"I thought they were here to settle old scores!"
The invitation was genuine—bearing the unmistakable markings of the World Government, impossible to forge. Especially for a matter as significant as the Warlords.
"..."
"To be precise, the invitation is for Mr. Weevil."
Wright, still wearing sunglasses, maintained an inscrutable expression.
"However, the Government is dissatisfied with your recent performance. Three years ago, your feats were far more impressive."
"Has losing an arm weakened you that much?"
"Ridiculous!" Miss Buckin exclaimed.
"We've just been keeping a low profile… Yes, low profile! Three years ago, that was former Admiral Zephyr! Of course, we feared Marine retaliation!"
She glanced at Weevil's prosthetic arm, her face darkening.
"That cursed Vice Admiral Wright… If not for his slash, my son would've been even stronger!"
"But the Warlord position is an opportunity! The Government controls advanced technology. If my son can get a stronger prosthetic arm, my dream might come true!"
"Not to mention, Warlords can pillage legally! We won't have to keep hiding to avoid Marine attention!"
"Becoming a Warlord is my goal!"
"That's understandable." Wright nodded. With his advanced Observation Haki, he could sense Miss Buckin's thoughts clearly.
"Still, CP agents prioritize caution. I need to test Mr. Weevil's combat strength."
"Test?"
Weevil, who had been entirely ignored up until now, finally caught a word that piqued his interest:
"Mom! Does that mean a fight? I wanna fight!"
"Shut up, you idiot son! There will be plenty of time for fighting later. Right now, keep quiet!"
"This is confidential! If anyone else hears about this, I'll have to clean up the mess!"
A faint smile curved at the corners of Wright's lips as he suppressed the murderous intent in his heart. Speaking in an even tone, he said:
"What do you think? I'm confident in my abilities."
"While I might not reach the level of a Warlord of the Sea, if Mr. Weevil can completely dominate or even defeat me, it would certainly prove his strength."
Miss Buckin pondered for a moment—
That... didn't seem entirely unreasonable. Her dim-witted son rarely left survivors when he fought, which was why he didn't have much of a reputation. His bounty wasn't particularly high either. If not for that incident with Zephyr, he might never have even received an invitation to join the Seven Warlords.
By that logic, it made sense for this CP1 agent… Blazer, was it?—to want to test her son's strength.
Still...
"Uh... Mr. Blazer? My dim-witted son gets a bit carried away during fights. If he ends up injuring you, that wouldn't be ideal, would it?"
Miss Buckin put on an exaggerated air of concern. A mere CP1 agent? Sure, there were rumors about some CP operatives being as strong as Admirals in the Marine Headquarters, but there was no way this guy was one of them!
"No problem. I'm a swordsman, after all. Even if I can't win, I can at least defend myself. As long as I have my weapon, I feel much more secure—hand-to-hand combat isn't my strong suit."
"Alright then, where do you propose this test?"
"The Golden City occasionally passes near certain islands," Wright said leisurely. "Though it doesn't dock, we can head to one of those islands for the test. And to show my sincerity, if you pass the test, I'll personally ensure that your expenses in the Golden City for the next week are fully covered on behalf of the World Government."
"You said it! Don't think old Miss Buckin will forget a promise like that!" Buckin burst into laughter.
Weevil, seeing her amusement, started laughing foolishly alongside her. Wright picked up his glass, sipped from it, and offered a subtle smile of his own.
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