For the sake of a Devil Fruit, the West Blue had become a gathering ground for all kinds of outlaws and eccentrics.
This place was supposed to be a grand carnival for pirates and those from the underworld.
However, a few bold bounty hunters, lured by greed, had taken the risk to infiltrate the chaos in disguise. Among them were undercover Marines willing to risk their lives for intelligence.
Aside from these, there were also some truly special guests.
The sea breeze blew gently as an unremarkable small pirate ship slowly sailed into the inner harbor of Mad Hat Town.
At this moment, the waters near the docks were already crowded with ships, leaving no space to anchor.
But this small ship, thanks to its compact size, maneuvered skillfully between the larger vessels, managing to find a narrow spot to dock.
The ship's pilot clearly possessed extraordinary skill.
On the deck, a young man with wavy, golden short hair and a scar over his left eye dropped the anchor into the sea.
Splash!
The anchor plunged into the water, sending up a large spray before sinking to the seabed.
After securing the anchor, the young man clapped his hands and, without turning around, praised, "Hack, your steering skills are as impressive as ever."
"You forgot again, didn't you?"
The tall man at the helm ignored the compliment and instead offered a cryptic reminder.
"What?"
The young man blinked in confusion.
Thwack!
Before he could react, a chopping hand smacked the back of his head.
The perpetrator was a young woman with a slender figure, dressed in a short, one-piece dress and black thigh-high stockings.
Her vigorous motion caused the red hat strapped with a diving goggle on her head to tumble onto the deck, revealing her orange hair.
Wearing a faintly annoyed expression, the girl ignored her fallen hat and glared at the confused young man.
"How many times do I have to remind you? Use the aliases! Do you even understand what an alias is?!"
"Ah, sorry, sorry. I forgot."
The young man laughed it off nonchalantly. Picking up the red hat, he gently placed it back on her head.
The girl puffed her cheeks, her expression a mix of exasperation and helplessness.
"Well then, Steelpipe, let's make sure you remember this time. What are you supposed to call me? And what do you call Hack?"
"Clara and Spottedback."
"Good. If you mess up again, you'll face the consequences!"
The girl, now introduced as Clara, clenched her fist threateningly before heading below deck.
The young man rubbed the back of his head and muttered, "Even as an alias, did you have to give me a ridiculous name like 'Steelpipe'?"
"What are you standing around for? Get ready. We're going ashore," Clara called out impatiently from inside the cabin.
"Coming, coming."
Steelpipe hurried toward the cabin.
Moments later, both had changed their attire slightly, donning darker sunglasses.
Steelpipe added a black fedora to his outfit, while Clara removed her red hat and tied her hair back.
What stood out most was the water pipe now strapped to Steelpipe's back.
"Hac... Spottedback, the ship's all yours," Steelpipe said, catching himself just in time under Clara's warning glare.
Standing at the cabin door, Spottedback—the alias of Hack—nodded solemnly. "Leave it to me. You two, though, be careful."
"Don't worry. It's not like we're here to cause trouble," Steelpipe replied, waving casually as he and Clara disembarked.
The two walked side by side along the dock.
Clara glanced at Steelpipe and lowered her voice. "I can't believe you'd call that stolen pirate ship 'home,' even as a joke."
"Well, it did carry us here. It's only fair to show a little appreciation," Steelpipe replied casually.
Clara sighed. "Fair enough. Still..." She shook her head, letting the matter drop.
Her tone turned serious as she said, "Remember, the goal of this mission is to gather intel. Don't cause any unnecessary trouble."
Steelpipe adjusted his hat, his expression earnest. "I know. The priority is to map out the manpower distribution at the 'Labor Factory.' If possible, securing a detailed layout would be even better."
Clara nodded. "Good. Just stick to the plan."
As they moved further into the bustling harbor, Clara surveyed the growing crowd.
"With this many people just at the docks, I can't imagine how crowded the town itself must be," she muttered.
"Exactly. With such chaos, it'll be easier for us to operate unnoticed," Steelpipe replied, his sharp gaze skimming over the environment, memorizing key details as he went.
"Clara," he suddenly said, his expression tightening. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the side of the road.
"What's wrong?" Clara asked, startled.
"Sorry. I'm overly sensitive to killing intent. It's not directed at us, but…" Steelpipe explained, his eyes subtly shifting toward a group of bloodthirsty pirates approaching from behind.
Clara followed his gaze briefly before turning her attention back, the two silently slowing their pace.
The pirate group passed them, heading deeper into the town.
"That's the Redhorn Pirates," Clara whispered after a moment. "Not well-known in the West Blue, but their captain, Kazte, is a Zoan Devil Fruit user. He's strong.
"A few days ago, one of the largest trading companies in the West Blue, the Platinum Guild, had its armed merchant ship attacked. Likely their doing."
"Ordinary pirates wouldn't dare target a Platinum Guild ship," Steelpipe remarked calmly. "It must've been a joint operation."
"Probably," Clara agreed.
"Either way, as long as they don't cross our path, it's none of our concern," Steelpipe said, averting his gaze.
The chaotic gathering boasted far more dangerous individuals than the Redhorn Pirates.
Clara gave him a curious look. "What?" Steelpipe asked, noticing her gaze.
"Nothing. I'm just surprised by your unusual restraint. It's almost…mature."
"..."
The two continued into the heart of the town.
The streets were packed with armed pirates, most traveling in small groups, with few daring to walk alone.
In just a few hundred meters, several bloodstains could be seen on the ground.
The air was filled with noise—shouting, clashing swords, and the occasional gunfire from a distance.
One swordfight unfolded nearby, ending with a pirate collapsing in a pool of blood.
"Hah! That's what happens when you mess with me!" the victorious pirate laughed maniacally, looting the fallen bodies without hesitation.
The surrounding crowd cheered as if watching a gladiator match.
"What a mess," Clara muttered under her breath.
Steelpipe, however, kept walking, his expression impassive.
Chaos like this was nothing new.
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