Chapter 290
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Finding a sloppy excuse to take leave from Doflamingo, Abel set sail to West Blue with Baby-5.
Doflamingo, preoccupied with scheming to seize Dressrosa, paid no heed and let him go.
This was an invisible benefit Abel gained after initially saving Doflamingo. Others could not enjoy such liberties.
After some time, Abel and Baby-5 finally arrived in West Blue.
Unlike other seas, West Blue is the birthplace of the mafia, dominated by the "Five Families of the West" that rule the underworld.
Consequently, even though West Blue is chaotic, it possesses a certain 'order' and 'understanding'.
In this region, over ninety percent of all illicit and gray industries are monopolized by these five families.
The leftovers are not out of their reach; it's just that they leave a little for others.
It's like throwing a bone out for non-five-family forces to desperately fight over.
During this time, if they see someone talented, they would recruit them to strengthen themselves and maintain fresh blood.
Those who refuse to be recruited are naturally destroyed.
Of course, there have been a few outstanding individuals who made a name for themselves on their own merit, such as Red-Haired Shanks, and Gecko Moria, and Sanjuan Wolf.
These are the powerhouses that once rendered the Five Families helpless!
However, it's precisely because of this 'lack of freedom' and some other minor conflicts that Shanks prefers to stay in the East Blue and seldom returns to the West Blue.
He fears he might not resist eliminating these five families.
Yet, for outsiders like Abel, the less free West Blue is ironically 'safer.'
Most of the islands here are under the protection of the Five Families, and disturbances are rare.
Only at night do some gangs start fighting.
This is a rule tacitly agreed upon in most parts of West Blue.
Perhaps it's this peculiarly valuable order that ultimately refrained Shanks from dealing with the Five Families.
As for the real reason, who knows?
Following family intelligence, Abel arrived at Papa Island.
This was also where the 'beast' Howard was last seen before disappearing.
After all, though the family's intelligence network has expanded many times, it's certainly not as tightly knit as in the North Blue.
So, some things still need Abel's personal investigation.
"Abel, where do we go now?"
"Under such circumstances, the obvious choice is to go to a tavern to gather information."
Abel walked with Baby-5 directly into the most bustling tavern in the area.
Although their unfamiliar appearance attracted some attention and wariness, most people ignored them.
Unperturbed, Abel sat in front of the bartender and tossed a bag of coins onto the counter.
"Give me your most expensive bottle of wine, and keep the change as a tip."
"Please wait a moment."
The bartender's eyes sparkled, promptly grabbing a bottle of red wine from the top shelf, cleaning it, and pouring it into a decanter.
The bag of coins was swiftly tucked under the counter, the entire process smooth and unnoticed, clearly a frequent practice."Chat?"
"It takes 15 minutes to sober up, during which Paul is willing to serve you."
"Then let's talk about that 'Beast,' Howard."
Paul, the bartender, wasn't surprised. As he wiped the glasses, he shared all the information he knew.
It was mostly in line with what Abel had received, even with some additional details.
For instance, the 'Beast' Howard had deliberately abandoned all his crewmates, ultimately escaping with his life by sheer luck.
However, 'Hawkeye' Mihawk had no intention of letting him go, pursuing him from the New World to 'Paradise' and then to the West Blue.
If it weren't for Mihawk's ship being less capable, 'Beast' Howard wouldn't have had any chance to return alive to the West Blue.
As for his current whereabouts, that remained unknown.
"Indeed, that's Hawkeye's style. Once provoked, he'll chase you to the ends of the earth to finish you off," Abel nodded.
Being able to escape from Mihawk and make it all the way back to the West Blue also shows that 'Beast' Howard is no ordinary man.
Overall, the bartender's knowledge was limited and not of much help.
Perhaps aware that he was treading on thin ice, Paul whispered in the end, "Lately, many have been inquiring about 'Beast' Howard's whereabouts, seemingly to seize his hidden treasure, and possibly to hasten the departure of that Warlord from the West Blue.
I know of an information broker backed by five major families, often dealing in highly timely information, though they charge exorbitant fees. If you're interested, I can write down the address for you."
Minutes later, after finishing his red wine, Abel left the tavern with the address given by Paul.
"I didn't expect Hawkeye Mihawk to actually be in the West Blue. If possible, it's best to avoid any encounter."
"Also, Paul."
If he remembered correctly, the group he took down on Veni Island had been clamoring about being from the West Blue Paul family.
And Paul is a surname belonging to one of the five major families in the West Blue.
Could it really be such a coincidence?
What a joke, as if the mafia are philanthropists.
Right now, Abel had no time to deal with these trifles.
He casually crushed the note and threw it onto the street.
He had no plans to visit that so-called information broker.
Hours later, at the location left by Paul, a dozen mafioso-looking men lay in ambush.
"What a pity, he didn't take the bait."
The bartender, who should have been at the tavern, walked out looking unhappy.
He obviously didn't know about the incident on Veni Island, and even if he did, he wouldn't likely avenge a nobody.
He was merely attracted by the generous spending and unfamiliar face of the stranger, hoping to make a quick buck.
But to his surprise, the man didn't bite.
Why?
He thought his acting had been spot-on. Where did he slip up?
The bartender was puzzled.
Meanwhile, a man with 'Hawkeyes' and a giant black sword on his back was leaving the island on a small boat.
And it seemed he had already located the 'Beast' Howard.
Soon after, a shocking piece of news spread.
The Capone Family's base on the island had been annihilated, leaving no survivors.
Scattered across the scene were the latest intelligence gathered by the Capone Family, including the latest movements of 'Beast' Howard.