Chapter 97: Rayleigh - The Man Destined to Be the King of Freeloaders!

In the Sabaody Archipelago, inside Shakky's Rip-Off Bar, Silvers Rayleigh sat reading the latest newspaper with a thoughtful expression on his face. For a moment, his face was tense, but it soon relaxed, and he let out a carefree laugh.

"What's with that strange look?" Shakky asked, eyeing him curiously.

"Ah, it's nothing," Rayleigh replied with a smile. "Just thinking that the World Government seems to be getting stronger these days. But then I realized… that doesn't really concern me, does it? Hahaha!"

"Did something happen?" Shakky asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, something big. Two days ago on Bat Island in the New World, they managed to capture Patrick Redfield," Rayleigh said, nodding.

"Redfield?" Shakky repeated, startled. "You mean Redfield, the 'Red Count'? The 'Lonely Red'?"

"Yep, that's the one," Rayleigh confirmed with a grin.

"If I remember correctly, he's supposed to be really powerful, isn't he?" Shakky asked, intrigued. "Rumor has it he could stand toe-to-toe with the likes of the Roger Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates, all on his own. Even Shiki didn't want to mess with him."

Rayleigh chuckled. "Well, he's strong, no doubt about that. But it's not like he's invincible. He has his strengths, sure, but he's also got his weaknesses. And sometimes, going it alone isn't all it's cracked up to be. After all… look where it got him." He handed the newspaper over to Shakky.

Shakky took the paper and scanned the article, her eyes widening in surprise. "Looks like the World Government got lucky."

"Maybe," Rayleigh replied, nodding thoughtfully.

The story in the newspaper was, indeed, interesting. It mentioned nothing about CP-X or Claudius. Instead, it highlighted a new rising pirate—Doflamingo. According to the article, Doflamingo's Donquixote Pirates had been on Bat Island when they encountered Redfield, leading to a fierce battle between the two. While the two were locked in combat, Fleet Admiral Kong supposedly arrived, taking advantage of the situation to capture Redfield. In the end, Redfield was captured, while Doflamingo managed to escape the island, slipping out before Kong could apprehend him.

The whole story painted a picture of the Marines catching Redfield at the perfect moment, making it seem as if they'd simply taken advantage of his clash with Doflamingo. And Doflamingo, now recognized as a fierce new power in the New World, saw his reputation soar.

Shakky frowned slightly as she looked over the paper. "Something feels… off about this story. I can't put my finger on it, but it doesn't quite add up."

Rayleigh nodded, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Yeah, I had the same thought."

"Guess you can't always rely on the newspapers, can you?" Shakky mused, setting the paper down. "Sabaody Archipelago is a melting pot of information and people. It'd make a great place for the intelligence business. I've thought about it before… and I think I'm finally going to make it happen."

Rayleigh raised an eyebrow, looking at her with mild surprise. "Congratulations."

"But you," she said, giving him a pointed look. "You're the freeloader here, eating and drinking on my tab all day. Aren't you even a little ashamed? How's that freeloading life treating you, Rayleigh?"

Ever since the disbanding of the Roger Pirates, Rayleigh had returned to Sabaody, reconnecting with Shakky, who he'd met during his travels. The two had struck up a relationship, and Rayleigh had settled into life on the archipelago with her. At first, he'd had a decent stash of treasure from his days with the Roger Pirates, but his love for gambling had drained his funds over time. Now, he was entirely dependent on Shakky and seemed quite content with his freeloading lifestyle.

Shakky had put up with it for a while, but as time passed, she started to realize that Rayleigh was getting too comfortable. If he didn't find something productive to do, she feared he'd end up wasting away.

Rayleigh suddenly put on a serious face. "Actually, I went to see the doctor a couple of days ago."

Shakky's expression shifted, genuine worry crossing her face. "What? Are you sick? Did you catch Roger's illness or something?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Rayleigh replied, his serious look dissolving into a mischievous smile. "The doctor just said my mouth isn't suited for eating anything too tough. He recommended I stick to softer foods. Guess I'll be sticking to 'soft rice' from now on."

In the next second, a bottle flew across the room, smacking Rayleigh squarely on the head and knocking him to the floor. Shakky stood over him, fuming. "You old bastard! Are you trying to make me die from anger? Let me tell you, if you don't find yourself a job within the next three days, I'll skin you alive!"

And so, it was with that "gentle" encouragement from Shakky that Rayleigh eventually found his way into the coating business, earning his moniker as the "Coater." Though he'd later joke that he also had a side gig as a "slave trader"—offering his services, but only to help others.

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Meanwhile, in the Holy Land of Mariejois, Five Elders, Claudius, and Fleet Admiral Kong were walking down a grand hallway, making their way to the main office. Both Claudius and Kong were covered in bandages, visible reminders of the fierce battle with Redfield. Bloodstains still peeked through Claudius's bandages, and Kong was no less bruised. They wore the marks of their fight with a strange sort of pride—scars left by the Red Count himself.

"You know, I wouldn't be surprised if the next step for you, Fleet Admiral, is a promotion to Commander-in-Chief," Claudius joked, grinning at Kong. "And if that happens, you'd better keep an eye out for us over at CP-X."

Kong chuckled, waving him off. "Oh, Your Highness, you're just being polite. I don't think I've done nearly enough to warrant that. Besides, CP-X isn't under the Commander-in-Chief's jurisdiction anyway. If anything, I should be asking you to look after me."

They laughed, exchanging a few more good-natured jabs as they reached the office doors. Kong knocked, and a voice from inside called for them to enter. The two stepped into the room, greeted by the Five Elders.

The Elders, for once, were all smiles, their expressions a rare sight of approval. The bald elder, his face crinkling with a grin, spoke up first. "Yes, very good. The two of you performed exceptionally. You've done us proud!"

Claudius and Kong both inclined their heads respectfully, replying in unison, "Just doing our duty."

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