<h4>Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Another Logia Devil Fruit?</h4>
On the docks of Sabaody Archipgo, udius stood watching Sengoku as he hurriedly boarded a warship bound for Marineford. With a smirk, udius called out, "Sengoku aren''t you supposed to report back to Mariejois first?"
Sengoku, halfway up the gangway, paused and turned. "No need for that. I''m just an errand runner on this mission, after all. The real responsibility lies with you, Your Highness. CP-X is spearheading this operation now. As for me, I''ve got urgent matters back at Marineford that require my attention."
udius raised an eyebrow. "Urgent matters, huh?" he muttered under his breath. This guy spent all of Fish-Man Ind talking about Whitebeard being his top priority. Now that he smells money, Whitebeard''s nothing more than a minor distraction. Typical.
Still, udius decided not to tease him about it further. He waved a hand in casual farewell and said, "Alright then. I''ll handle Mariejois. Good luck with your, ah... important matters."
Sengoku nodded but couldn''t help throwing in a subtle reminder. "And Your Highness, please keep this operation discreet. You know what I mean."
"Don''t worry, it''s all under control," udius replied with a reassuring smile.
"Very well. By the way, what about you? Heading back to Mariejois as well?" Sengoku asked.
udius shook his head and stroked his chin in thought. "Not just yet. I''ll check on the changes here at Sabaody Archipgo first. Maybe drop by for a drink with a certain someone''s wife."
Sengoku froze, staring at udius with a peculiar expression. After a moment, he chuckled awkwardly and muttered, "Your Highness, you make me grateful I don''t have a wife." With that, he waved goodbye, adding, "Take care, Your Highness. May fortune favor you... or whatever it is you''re seeking."
udius stood there, scratching his head as Sengoku''s warship departed. "Fortune favor me? What the hell does that mean?" He shrugged, dismissing the oddment, and turned toward the illegal zone of the Archipgo.
This time, he was determined to pay a visit to Rayleigh. The man had evaded him thest time, and udius couldn''t help but feel intrigued. It wasn''t about hunting him down or squeezing information about Laugh Tale—it was simple curiosity.
Stussy, Nia, and the others had chosen to stay behind, busying themselves with shopping and sightseeing around the Archipgo. Alone, udius wandered into the illegal zone. He noticed the changes immediately.
The once-chaotic streets were far quieter. ve merchants were nowhere to be seen, and pirates, who used to roam freely, now seemed reluctant to leave their ships docked in the illegal harbors. The atmosphere was tense, and udius could guess why. The fallout from the head-on pikes, no doubt. It''s amazing what a little disy of brutality can aplish.
After a leisurely stroll, udius arrived at the infamous Shakky''s Rip-Off Bar. As always, the ce stood isted on a hill, with no activity around it. He walked up, knocked on the door, and then, without waiting for a response, pushed it open and stepped inside.
The bar was as empty as ever. Behind the counter, Shakky stoodzily leaning against the shelves, cigarette in one hand and a ss in the other. She nced at udius and smiled wryly.
"No customers, huh?" udius remarked, ncing around the room.
Shakky chuckled and replied, "Thanks to your efforts, my business is practically dead."
udius grinned and shrugged. "Who knew pirates could be so timid these days?"
He approached the bar and took a seat. Shakky poured him a drink without needing to ask, sliding the ss over to him. "I get the feeling that was a bit of a double entendre," she said with a smirk.
"Hahaha, sharp as ever, Shakky. Is Rayleigh around? Or is he still in hiding?" udius asked, taking a sip of his drink.
Shakky exhaled a puff of smoke and shook her head. "If you''re on the ind, you can bet Rayleigh won''t show his face. Seems like he''s determined to stay out of your way."
"That''s a shame," udius said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I was hoping to run into him. Nothing serious, just curiosity."
Shakky raised an eyebrow. "Curiosity? That''s a dangerous wording from someone in CP-X. Don''t tell me you''re nning to use him to find Laugh Tale or something?"
udiusughed and shook his head. "Laugh Tale? Don''t be absurd. I''m not a pirate, Shakky. I have no interest in the One Piece or any of that nonsense. I just think Rayleigh is an interesting guy. That''s all."
Shakky studied him for a moment before shrugging. "Suit yourself. But I doubt you''ll catch him. Rayleigh knows how to keep a low profile."
After finishing his drink, udius asked, "How much do I owe you? I wouldn''t want to leave without contributing to your struggling business."
Shakky smiled yfully. "200,000 Berries."
"Still charging outrageous prices, I see," udius said, shaking his head with a grin.
"I charge based on the customer," Shakky replied with a wink.
udius handed her the money withoutint. As she counted the bills, she added, "Since you''re my first customer in two days, I''ll give you some free intel. Consider it a token of appreciation."
"Oh? And what intel would that be?" udius asked, intrigued.
"There are rumors of a Logia Devil Fruit appearing on Spring Ind. Thought it might interest you," Shakky said casually.
"Logia, huh?" udius raised an eyebrow. Logia fruits were rare and powerful, so naturally, he was curious. "What kind of ability?"
"They''re saying it''s the Smoke-Smoke Fruit. Hasn''t been seen in years. If the rumors are true, it''s probably legit," Shakky replied.
udius''s initial interest faded instantly. "Smoke-Smoke Fruit? Really? Thanks for the tip, but I think I''ll pass."
Shakky looked at him, surprised. "No interest? It''s still a Logia."
udius waved her off as he stood up to leave. "Logia or not, it doesn''t appeal to me. Thanks for the drink, Shakky. Take care."
***
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