93. Whitebeard, Times Have Changed! There Is No Future For Being A Pirate
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God of Fortune branch.
"God of Fortune, I've worked for so long, but not only did I not get the berries you promised, I even ended up owing you!"
A pirate slammed the list in his hand on the table, roaring in anger.
Lu Feld, who was lounging comfortably on a high-end leather sofa with two women in his arms, casually glanced at the paper while twirling a screwdriver in his hand.
"Isn't it clearly written on the salary slip?"
"10% of your salary goes to me as an intermediary fee."
"Then there's the deduction for your accommodation, living expenses, and food."
"Oh, and don't forget the breach of contract fee for not fulfilling your obligations to the Marines as promised."
"I told you all this before you joined, and you agreed."
Lu Feld looked at the pirate with an innocent expression.
The pirate, infuriated by Lu Feld's nonchalant attitude, felt his blood pressure spike.
Boom.
He slammed his hands on the table, leaning forward with eyes bloodshot from anger.
"You never told me that after all these deductions, I'd still end up owing you!"
"Who told you to have such a big appetite? Do you even know how much meat you eat in one meal?"
"If I'm not full, how can I have the strength to fight?"
The pirate snapped back, frustrated by how difficult it was to make an honest living.
So many ridiculous fees.
And who would have guessed that duplicating someone would drain so much energy?
This job was even more exhausting than being a pirate.
Lu Feld shrugged, lit a cigar, and replied indifferently, "That's something you should've considered."
"I only provide the most basic three meals a day. Anything extra, you have to figure out or buy yourself."
The pirate's breathing grew heavier, and his eyes filled with murderous intent.
But Lu Feld remained unfazed, his expression as calm as ever.
Snap.
A large hand suddenly landed on the pirate's shoulder.
At the same time, several imposing bodyguards dressed in black emerged from the shadows.
"What do you think you're doing to our boss?"
The voice of the lead bodyguard immediately made the pirate pause.
"Lu Feld, I'm quitting this job. Goodbye!"
The pirate shook off the bodyguard's hand, spat out these bitter words, and stormed out the door.
Seeing this, he knew he'd never see that pay.
If you don't know what to do, you might end up stuck here indefinitely.
Anyway, as long as you keep your wits about you, there's always a way out.
Swallow this loss for now and get back at him later.
"Wait!"
But just as he was about to leave, Lu Feld's lazy voice called out.
"What now?" the pirate turned around, seething with anger.
"Repay the berries you owe me first," Lu Feld said, pointing to the salary slip.
"You...!"
The pirate was so infuriated by his shameless demand that he could only point at him, trembling and speechless.
Lu Feld remained patient, quietly waiting for the pirate to catch his breath.
"Fine, I admit it. I'll get the money by any means and pay you back."
"That's not acceptable. You can't leave until you've settled your debt with me today."
"How am I supposed to pay you back if I don't have any money?"
"Then go back to your workstation and keep working."
"If I don't eat enough meat, I won't have the strength to continue!"
"Then go eat meat!"
"How can I get meat without money?"
"Then copy it."
The pirate was dumbfounded.
He just stood there, lips trembling, completely at a loss for words.
Lu Feld had him trapped in a vicious cycle, clearly intending to work him to the bone for free.
Boom.
"I can't take it anymore, Lu Feld! Just die already!"
The pirate exploded with a surge of energy, steam rising from his body as he charged forward.
The bodyguards, who had been on high alert, immediately swarmed him, pinning him down.
Lu Feld looked down at the struggling pirate with a smug smile.
But that smile vanished in an instant.
The pirate suddenly began to swell, transforming into a massive Tyrannosaurus rex.
A more intense aura than before filled the room.
Lu Feld's face turned pale, and a drop of cold sweat slid down his forehead.
The Tyrannosaurus rex shook off the bodyguards with a single movement, then lunged forward with its enormous jaws.
"Ahhh!" The two women screamed, rolling into a corner in fear.
Lu Feld wasn't just any ordinary person, though. Despite his heavy build, he was surprisingly agile.
As the Tyrannosaurus rex's jaws were about to close around him, he quickly rolled underneath the beast and dashed towards the exit.
The Tyrannosaurus rex crashed into the wall and immediately gave chase, its powerful legs thundering after him.
The pirate knew he didn't have much time. His surprise transformation had thrown the bodyguards off, but once they recovered—and once the heavily armed security outside rushed in—he'd stand no chance.
If he wanted to escape, he needed to capture Lu Feld and use him as a hostage right now.
Fortunately, he was well aware of Lu Feld's strength.
There weren't many options left!
As long as the pirate could catch up to Lu Feld, and if he was willing to go all out, he was confident he could take him down quickly.
"Whitebeard, help me!"
Lu Feld wasn't stupid. After all, he was smart enough to run a shady loan business, and he knew things were looking bad for him.
So, he bolted towards Whitebeard, who was quietly working at a nearby workstation.
Whitebeard heard him, but didn't even flinch. He completely ignored Lu Feld.
Not only that, but none of the Whitebeard Pirates nearby lifted a finger to help. Instead, they grinned, watching the scene unfold with amusement.
Some even started cheering.
"Go on, little brother! You're almost there! Catch that greedy boss!"
Whitebeard himself chuckled, shaking his head with a smile.
But the next thing Lu Feld said made Whitebeard sit up straight.
"Today's the day to pay your wages."
Boom.
A powerful surge of Conqueror's Haki blasted out, immobilizing the Tyrannosaurus rex like it was pinned beneath a mountain.
"W-Whitebeard, why are you helping him?" The pirate, now reverted back to his human form and pale with shock, asked in confusion.
He couldn't understand why killing such a greedy boss wouldn't be seen as a favor to everyone.
"Sorry, we haven't gone through what you did."
"We get food, lodging, and he has to pay us our wages."
"After the accounts are settled, then you can do whatever you want."
Whitebeard tossed aside a crumpled piece of paper and headed towards the office, dragging Lu Feld with him.
The other crew members followed, supporting each other as they went.
In the office, Whitebeard plopped down heavily on the sofa.
Lu Feld hurriedly lit a cigarette for him.
In this situation, it seemed like Whitebeard was the real boss and Lu Feld was just a subordinate.
But no one found anything wrong with that—not even Lu Feld himself.
A powerful man naturally commands respect and special privileges.
And with someone as mighty as Whitebeard, that's even more true.
"God of Fortune, you're not planning to tell us that after a month of hard work, we still owe you money, are you?" Whitebeard took a long drag from his cigarette and asked calmly.
As soon as he spoke, his sons burst out laughing.
"God of Fortune, it's fine, even if you say we owe you for a lifetime, as long as you dare to say it, we'll accept it."
"Hahahaha, yeah, try saying that in front of Dad!"
"Speaking of which, since I don't need to sleep, I can work nonstop. I probably eat more than that guy just now!"
"Oh, Teach, you're in trouble—you'll be working for several lifetimes!"
The Whitebeard Pirates laughed and joked among themselves.
Even though they looked tired and weak, barely able to walk without sitting down, their eyes were full of confidence.
Why?
Because of the towering, powerful figure leading them.
Lu Feld ignored their teasing, smiling instead at Whitebeard.
"Who in this world would dare deceive you?"
"That guy with a bounty of over 300 million berries doesn't compare to you."
Whitebeard's expression remained unchanged. He waved his hand dismissively and said, "Alright, enough talk. You said a month ago that if my sons and I worked here for a month, Jozu's debt would be cleared, right?"
"Of course!"
Without hesitation, Lu Feld pulled out the IOU from his pocket and showed it to everyone.
Rip!
The IOU was torn into countless pieces, scattering in the air.
Jozu, who was involved, stared at the scraps of paper in disbelief.
At that moment, he felt a sudden clarity in his mind. The burden of the debt that had weighed so heavily on him was gone, and it was as if a shackle imprisoning his soul had vanished.
He felt completely refreshed.
"Huh?" Whitebeard seemed amused, giving Jozu a serious look before shaking his head with a smile.
"Stupid son, looks like you've had a stroke of luck."
Now that the family's troubles were over, Whitebeard had no interest in staying at this shady place any longer.
Whitebeard slowly got up, grabbed his massive naginata, and began to head for the exit.
"Wait, Whitebeard, you haven't collected your salary for this month yet," Lu Feld quickly stepped in to block his path.
Whitebeard raised an eyebrow, surprised. "What's with the sudden generosity? You willing to hand over money just like that?"
Lu Feld chuckled, his voice low and cunning. "Jiejiejiejie, there's something I need to discuss with you. Don't be in such a hurry to leave."
"Alright, I'll hear you out," Whitebeard replied, his eyes narrowing slightly as he sat back down.
Lu Feld ordered his bodyguards to retrieve the money from the warehouse. He then pulled out a stack of newspapers from his desk and handed them over to Whitebeard. "Before we talk, take a look at these."
Whitebeard took the newspapers and started reading. The more he read, the deeper his frown became, and his expression grew more serious.
"How can this be?" Whitebeard looked up, disbelief etched across his face as he pointed to the articles in the newspapers.
Marco and the others noticed the change in Whitebeard's demeanor and paused, watching silently.
Lu Feld waved his hand dismissively, his tone relaxed and nonchalant. "There's nothing impossible about it. With your experience, you should see what's happening. The Marines are just biding their time, gathering their strength, waiting for the right moment to deliver a crushing blow to this era of great pirates."
"Do you know how Ochoku died?"
"He died quietly and humiliatingly. It's said that some young Commodore or Rear Admiral drove a warship straight into his territory, tossed out heavyweights like Sakazuki and Borsalino, and that was it."
"And as Morgans' paper reported, he died just like that."
"The Marines didn't even bother to make a big deal out of it. And this is happening all over the world. Ochoku was just the beginning. Over the past month, countless famous pirates have been captured and sent to Impel Down."
"The only ones who can still sail freely might be people like you."
"Oh, and here's the latest news—Big Mom's second son, Katakuri, has also been captured. She's been rampaging and killing anyone in sight in her castle ever since."
As Lu Feld's voice trailed off, Marco and the others began to grasp the gravity of the situation.
So much had happened on the seas in just a month.
"The great pirate Ochoku is dead? That guy was from the same era as my father, once part of the same crew," Marco murmured.
"And now Katakuri, a renowned genius, has been captured too."
The crew couldn't help but gasp in shock.
This was huge news. If even someone like Katakuri could be captured, they were all in grave danger.
"I've fought Katakuri before. He's incredibly strong, way out of my league," Marco said, his voice low. "His Observation Haki is strange, like he can see what's about to happen next. But even with that, he was still captured."
"This is terrifying. The sea feels more dangerous than ever."
"Are we sure it's only been a month since we've been recovering here? It feels like ten years have passed," Jozu added, talking quietly with Marco and the others.
The crew was deeply shaken by the news.
It seemed like the world had turned upside down in the short time they'd been working in the factory.
Had the Marines really become this ruthless?
After reading through the newspapers a few more times, Whitebeard tucked them into his coat, planning to think things over once he got back to the ship. He then turned to Lu Feld and asked, "So, what's your point in telling us all this?"
Lu Feld grinned and rubbed his hands together, his tone probing. "Jiejiejiejie, I'll get straight to it."
"The times are changing, and it's clear that there's no future in being a pirate anymore."
"So, what do you think about... joining me to regain your strength?"