Chapter Eighty-Five: The Time Has Come

To seize the gang’s treasure, the pirates fought with everything they had.

The dock was strewn with corpses, and even the sea around the ships had been dyed red with blood.

In the end, after such slaughter, they had only grasped empty air.

How could they possibly accept that?

The blood-soaked pirates could scarcely catch their breath.

Who could have imagined that the captain had hidden every last fortune within his own body?

And with his death, the contents inside him vanished along with his power, no one knew where.

That was the true reason the gang’s ship held no wealth at all.

By contrast, Mod and Sunny had returned laden with spoils.

Had they not been limited by human strength, Sunny would even have torn down the pearl mirror frame in the captain’s bathroom.

After the looting was done, the two of them, burdened with huge sacks and bundles, left the pirate ship of Abel with great satisfaction.

Before leaving, Mod kept a wary eye and tucked several bundles of banknotes into his clothes, then tossed Dark Raven, mission complete, into the sea.

Several chips had broken from Dark Raven’s blade, and it had already lost the value it should have had.

But with the money they had plundered, Mod had more than enough to buy a far better sword.

As for a famed sword, that was the sort of thing one could only encounter by chance; even money did not guarantee a purchase.

Mod did know that Logtown had one or two fine blades, but for the moment he could forget about them.

For now, it would be wiser to visit the town’s weapon shop and look around properly, or else go see Tatum and buy another.

...

Mod and Sunny returned to the weapon shop.

The moment they stepped inside, they saw Saul seated behind the counter.

"Come, come, just put them here."

Saul glanced at the large bundles in their arms, then hopped out from behind the counter and smiled as he pointed to the empty space ahead.

Mod and Sunny exchanged looks at once, and could only do as told, setting the bundles on the floor.

Saul immediately untied one of them and tipped it out, revealing a heap of banknotes and coins.

A man who had dealt with money all his life needed only to fiddle with them a little before roughly estimating the amount.

"About eight million."

With that, he untied the rest of the bundles and dumped everything out.

Besides the banknotes and coins, there were only a few small pieces of gold and silver jewelry, some gems, and a handful of well-made crafts.

Seeing the money scattered across the floor, Sunny could not help scooping up a handful, her eyes narrowing into little crescents with delight.

Mod picked up a gilded craft item; it felt quite heavy in his hand, but it probably would not fetch much.

Saul, meanwhile, was estimating the total value of everything combined.

A moment later, the result came to about twenty million.

After tallying the haul, Saul looked at Mod and Sunny with a kindly expression, as though regarding children who had come to offer gifts at his door.

"Good, good. The two of you are becoming sensible at last. You even know how to be filial to your elders. Then I’ll reluctantly accept it."

"?"

Sunny.

"?"

Mod.

Saul only smiled at them, then in a blur of motion snatched the banknotes and crafts from their hands and tossed them onto the pile of money.

"All right, it’s already this late. You should go rest."

"..."

Mod and Sunny could not help looking at each other.

After a moment, the unwilling Sunny struck first, saying seriously, "Saul, we never said we were giving these things to you."

Having said that, she shot Mod a look, clearly expecting a bit of support.

Mod, however, turned a blind eye and let a faint smile touch his lips.

It was not that he wanted to take a small revenge for Sunny’s tattling to Saul last time, but simply that he knew Saul had already spoken the matter to this point, leaving no room for retreat.

Besides, before coming back Mod had hidden several bundles of banknotes on him, and money came easy in Mad Hatter Town. Even if Saul intended to pocket tonight’s spoils, Mod did not mind.

Saul indeed intended to take everything for himself.

First he glanced at Mod, who was playing dead, then looked at Sunny and said meaningfully, "Sunny, you really never said you were giving these things to me. But I’ve already felt your intentions, and that is enough."

"..."

Seeing that Saul was dead set on taking the haul, Sunny gave up.

Expressionless, she said, "Fine. I was originally trying to save up a little coffin money for you, but it seems I can’t do that after all."

At this, Mod could not help laughing aloud.

Saul did not care in the least, and instead turned suddenly to Mod.

Seeing Saul look his way, Mod instantly reined in his smile.

Then Saul held out a hand toward him and said with a smile, "Take it out."

"Take what out?"

Mod was startled inside, but his face remained blank.

Saul said seriously, "What else? The bundles of coffin money I left with you at the back of your waist, of course."

Mod realized he had underestimated Saul’s shamelessness.

What do you mean, left with you...

He sighed softly, then under Sunny’s disbelieving stare took out the bundles of banknotes hidden at his lower back.

Saul briskly took the money from Mod’s hand and tossed it onto the pile.

Sunny pointed at Mod in shock. "Mod, y-you actually hid money!"

Mod spread his hands helplessly. "It was just in case, all right? In the end, I still couldn’t keep it hidden."

"You should have told me! After all the trust I put in you."

Sunny dropped her hand sharply, a trace of anger appearing on her face.

"Uh..."

Mod looked at Sunny, puzzled.

Something about this felt off.

Sunny suddenly took out the medicine she had been carrying, slapped it onto the counter, and snorted coldly, "Just apply it yourself. I’m going to sleep."

With that, she strode quickly toward the corridor.

"Sunny, didn’t I leave a bundle of coffin money with you as well?"

Saul smiled toward Sunny’s retreating back.

At Saul’s words, Sunny stiffened and stopped.

"Take it out."

"I don’t remember anything like that."

Sunny slowly turned around, making a final struggle.

Saul sighed. "That’s why I’m reminding you, isn’t it?"

"..."

After a long silence, Sunny resigned herself and took out the bundle of banknotes hidden on her person.

This time, it was Mod’s turn to stare at her in surprise.

As if to say, you hid money too?

Sunny glared at Mod, then threw the banknotes in her hand onto the pile.

Saul nodded in satisfaction.

By the corridor, a fat weasel silently shrank back.

He could not help missing that free and easy great forest again.

Thinking of it now, the air there... had been so clean.

Inside the shop, Saul sat atop the mound of money and waved to Mod and Sunny.

"All right, you two should go rest."

What else could Mod and Sunny say? They obediently headed for the corridor.

"Wait."

Saul suddenly called after them again.

"Starting tomorrow, the shop will be closed for a while."

"Why?"

Sunny turned back, looking at him in confusion.

Saul said flatly, "It’s time to teach you both Haki."

"Really?"

Sunny’s face lit up at once.

Mod’s eyes sparkled.

Saul glared. "When have I ever lied?"

Mod and Sunny were both left speechless.