Landing in Availiton

Chapter 138: Landing in Availiton 

The business deal wasn't perfect, as Doflamingo had only conceded after witnessing Rodney's strength. His speed had made Doflamingo wary, as he wanted to make money but desired a larger share. 

He had initially planned to snatch the AK model from Rodney's hands and have his men reverse-engineer it, but instead, Rodney had outshone him.

This also proved that Rodney had the capability to claim a share of the profits.

"Fufufu, what a monster. Has he developed a new ability? I wonder what kind of Devil Fruit allows him to develop like this. In the New World, the appearance of a new monster could change the game," Doflamingo pondered aloud.

"Heh heh heh, the balance of power on the seas has remained stagnant for so many years. So, Rodney, are you the one to break the deadlock? Will you bring chaos, peace, or justice? Heh heh heh, I look forward to it. Can your fire ignite this world?" Doflamingo laughed, eagerly anticipating the potential shifts that Rodney's involvement might bring to the New World.

Donquixote Doflamingo, a man who scoffed at traditional order and morality, found himself greatly intrigued by Rodney, a man who dwelled within the world's order yet remained at odds with it. He saw a fiery determination in Rodney's eyes as if he possessed the flames capable of consuming the world itself.

How long would this fire burn?

Beneath the façade of greed, there lay an undying sense of conscience. Joestar J. Rodney, what are your true intentions? Do you plan to set this world ablaze?

Doflamingo chuckled and mused, "Burning this world, perhaps? Heh heh heh, I'm looking forward to it."

Suddenly, business seemed less interesting to him, and he became more intrigued by Rodney's potential actions in the future.

Based on the information available about Rodney, he was someone who used greed as a cover for the burning fire in his heart. Doflamingo believed that this man had been growing stronger for a particular purpose, and one day, he might raise his weapon with terrifying power against the world.

Yes, this was the perspective of the Donquixote family. However, Rodney had never thought this far ahead. 

His mind was often preoccupied with mundane thoughts: what delicious food Lester would make, what snacks to enjoy for supper, and what places to visit. While his actions often aligned with the bigger picture, he rarely considered the grand scheme of things.

What exactly did Rodney want to achieve? He himself wasn't sure. He followed his plans step by step, but he had no idea how long the journey would take.

Having reunited with Robin and the others, Reiju and Leicester returned to the Black Pearl to watch over the three unlucky captives. Robin had purchased a stack of history books from a bookstore, all texts available in this country. 

Perona remained in a dessert shop. On the way back, they heard rumors of a living skeleton who had been chased by girls after entering a women's bathhouse and had since disappeared.

Robin had reclaimed those books, and Perona had been found, so they made their way back to the ship. Robin reported, "Captain, I've acquired the Eternal Log Pose for Availiton."

"Oh? That's great; I forgot to get one from Doflamingo. You've done well," Rodney praised.

"How did the business negotiations go?" Robin inquired.

"It's going well. He provides connections, and I'll approach the Golden Emperor, Gild Tesoro, to secure funding. My own funds won't be enough."

Brook chimed in, "Mr. Rodney, how can you be so sure that the world's wealthiest man will be willing to do business with you?"

Rodney gave a mysterious smile and replied, "That guy may be the world's wealthiest man, but his inner greed is insatiable. He currently controls twenty percent of the world's Bellies, but he wants thirty percent, forty percent, even fifty percent! His greed is second to none in this world. Tell me, who would turn down more money?"

He spread his arms wide, saying, "Money is the evilest thing in this world, but its allure is intoxicating!"

"Yohohoho, Mr. Rodney, are you becoming a philosopher?" Brook asked.

"No, I'm just stating facts. Let's rest for the night, and then we'll head to Availiton. After dealing with that guy named Griffin, we'll go to Gild Tesoro's nice place to enjoy ourselves."

He laughed heartily, having planned out their mission.

The next morning, the Black Pearl set sail. Guided by the Eternal Log Pose, they navigated through several treacherous weather conditions. In a single day, they experienced the changing of all four seasons, as well as hailstorms, storms, snowstorms, and other harsh weather. After a few exhausting days, they arrived at Availiton.

Rodney swore to himself that not bringing Nami along was the biggest regret of his life. He had believed that his unique skill in traveling over water made him unparalleled, but now, after experiencing the bizarre weather of the New World, he had been taught a harsh lesson.

"I need a navigator!"

With that thought in mind, Rodney disembarked onto Availiton.

Availiton was ruled by Griffin Bedivere, a former Supernova from a few years ago. It was said that he was skilled in swordsmanship and possessed remarkable eyes. 

This intrigued Rodney, as the original story had not featured this character. In the New World, with multiple routes and countless powerful individuals, the appearance of unfamiliar faces was quite common.

Availiton was a scenic tropical island with architectural styles somewhat similar to those on Sabaody Island, although it lacked the bubble culture and leaned more toward a modern setting. The island was lush with dense forests that seemed to stretch endlessly, offering abundant natural resources.

As they sailed into the port, Reiju, Leicester, Perona, and Brook remained on the ship. Rodney and Robin went ashore to gather information.

Both of them were naturally inclined to gather intelligence and handle covert operations, so obtaining information was second nature to them.

Soon, they learned that Availiton was under the control of Griffin Bedivere and his Griffin Pirates. Griffin's formidable strength granted him absolute authority on the island. Most of the residents were pirates, oppressed by Griffin, and dared not stir up trouble.

Apart from pirates, there were some ordinary citizens who paid protection money to Griffin Bedivere every month. In exchange for this fee, he provided protection against other pirates, allowing them to engage in small businesses to make a living. 

However, life was far from easy, as Griffin demanded a substantial amount of Beli, forcing them to work hard to earn enough to survive.

Many islanders wore troubled expressions, constantly worrying about their livelihoods. They knew that Griffin Bedivere's demands were exorbitant, and they had to strive to earn the required funds to avoid being targeted by other, even more ruthless pirates. 

Escaping the island was on their minds, but the majority of ships coming to and from the island were pirate vessels, and even merchant ships were reluctant to carry passengers due to the risk of angering Griffin.

For these islanders, there were only two choices: pay the money or face dire consequences.

"Captain, how do you plan to proceed?" 

Robin asked. She understood Rodney's character well. Although he claimed not to like helping people, in reality, they all knew that he often secretly gave money to children and couldn't stand by when witnessing certain situations.

"Of course, we're going in to confront them. Inform Reiju, Brook, Perona, and Leicester. They'll stay on the Black Pearl," Rodney instructed.

"Understood," Robin replied.

Rodney continued, "Let's go to the headquarters of the Griffin Pirates. We'll charge in, taking care of the small fry ourselves. As for that Griffin Bedivere guy, leave him to me. I want to see what's special about his eyes. If they're not special, I'll gouge them out!"

"Hehe, Captain, you're quite enthusiastic. Can't resist testing your new ability, can you?" Robin asked.

"Of course not! When the pressure's on, I can't help but want to try out my new power! Hahaha! Griffin Bedivere, be my whetstone!"