Chapter 12: The rise of Mr. 9

After an intense and adventurous night with Mikita, which turned to be quite kinky, Josh needed to return to his routine.

Mikita had received a promotion and was assigned a mission outside the island. Naturally, this meant she had to leave.

Before departing, she gave Josh a passionate kiss and said, "You better get promoted quickly. I might get stressed, and I'll need you back soon."

Josh simply smiled, kissed her back, and felt a renewed sense of motivation to become stronger

Having mastered the Shave technique, which allowed him to move at incredible speeds, Josh felt more confident tackling riskier missions. Shave was a level above the techniques used during the Baroque Works arc, and he was working on developing new footwork. For now, he was satisfied with his progress and planned to refine it further in time.

Once Mikita left, Josh focused on his personal development. He ordered daggers from the organization, understanding that Kung Fu involves weapon training. Over the week, he dedicated himself to training his body and perfecting his martial arts skills.

Soon, a pirate ship approached the island. Following protocol, Josh and his team acted friendly towards the pirates, offering them drinks to get them intoxicated before launching their attack. With his martial arts and Shave technique, Josh found the task easier than his peers. He used his super-speed to appear behind the pirates and incapacitate them by targeting their legs.

Despite his time in this world, Josh still hesitated to kill without reason. He chose to wound his enemies instead, feeling a pang of guilt. However, he suppressed these feelings and maintained a ruthless facade.

Well, it's just for money, he thought. Killing for money alone feels unsettling.

Josh performed exceptionally well compared to his peers. A few days later, he received a mission from headquarters, which he immediately recognized as a test.

He boarded a ship with a few officers, including Mike, whom he had worked with previously, and another officer skilled in dual bats. Josh's target was a pirate captain named Sorrow, who had a bounty of 20 million berries, with a crew worth 30 million. Successfully completing this mission would earn Josh 10 million berries, with the rest allocated between Baroque Works' headquarters and mission materials.

Josh understood why Baroque Works claimed a significant share—they provided poison, potions, exploding barrels, and an army to assist them, making it easier to handle stronger pirates. Of course, these resources came at a cost.

When they arrived at the island, Josh quickly set up a formation for his team and instructed them. He then sneaked to the pirates' rations and added a sleeping potion to ensure they would be incapacitated at night.

As midnight approached, Josh and his team launched their attack. The fight was relatively easy, given the pirates were groggy and barely able to fight. However, the captain, Sorrow, seemed unaffected by the potion.

"Bastard, you think I eat at night? I'm too busy fucking bitches!" Sorrow roared in anger.

Sorrow was a bulky man with a missing eye and a sharp hook in place of his hand. He charged at Josh.

Josh crouched low, dagger in one hand and his other hand forming a claw. As Sorrow swung at him, Josh moved back with Shave, appearing behind him with his dagger raised.

"What…" Sorrow growled, bewildered as Josh vanished from his view and reappeared five meters away. Blood spurted from a wound on Sorrow's chest.

Seizing the moment of shock, Josh used Shave again to reposition himself next to Sorrow's leg, slashing the veins there.

"Brat!" Sorrow roared, turning to strike.

Josh placed a hand on the ground, pushing himself up and leaping to avoid the blow.

He continued to move and attack, his dagger flashing whenever he had a chance. After ten minutes, even with Sorrow's strong will, he succumbed to his injuries and collapsed.

"Take him back; we're going to deliver him," Josh instructed, gazing skyward.

An eagle, accompanied by a cat dressed in cute clothes and sunglasses, hovered above. The cat, oddly, was holding a pencil and writing notes.

Josh recognised them as agents of Baroque Works, who had been observing his performance.

-x-X-x-

The day after returning from the mission, Josh learned that he had been promoted within Baroque Works. No longer just an officer, he was now an Agent, specifically Mr. 9.

It seemed that the previous Mr. 8 and Mr. 9 had died, leaving their positions vacant. In Baroque Works, it wasn't unusual for agents to die in action, though the higher-ranking agents from Ms. 6 to Mr. 1 were known to be exceptionally strong.

Josh tossed the promotion letter aside and collected his earnings: 10 million berries for the mission and an additional 1 million from the previous week.

"Good," he thought, realising he could transfer the money into Draw Points within the system.

[How much do you want to transfer into Draw Points?]

The system offered him the option to spend his earnings. Josh pondered whether to wait for more or to see if he could gain something else. For now, he was making money steadily and held the rank of agent.

Since the system wasn't assigning him tasks, it implied he wasn't risking his life. Tasks were only given when his life was at stake, under the guise of gambling.

"Hey, Joshy," Mikita's voice surprised him as he sat behind the gym's building.

"Hey, Chocolate," Josh replied, opening his arms. They embraced and exchanged kisses for a while. Josh had missed her.

"Joshy, I thought about you during my mission," Mikita said.

"So did I," Josh lied smoothly.

"I know. You better have," Mikita responded with a knowing look.

Josh merely smirked.

"Congratulations on becoming Mr. 9. Have they assigned you a partner yet?" Mikita inquired.

In Baroque Works, each male agent was paired with a female agent to ensure effective teamwork. Mikita had previously worked with the former Mr. 9, Gem.

"No," Josh shook his head. "I think it's up to headquarters."

"Great then," Mikita's eyes brightened. "I'll apply to be your partner. We make a great team."

For her, it made sense to partner with someone she was already involved with. It allowed her to keep an eye on him while enjoying the advantage of close cooperation.

Josh's eyes widened with delight. If Mikita joined him, there was the potential for… some exciting possibilities.

"This is great," Josh said, smiling as he gently rubbed her hand.

"By the way, I got my first paycheck," Mikita said, lifting her hand and twirling around. "I made 15 million berries in just the first month. The boss is really generous, even without much work."

It seemed that agents, unlike officers, received substantial rewards.

Josh's eyes widened. "That much!?"

"Yes," Mikita confirmed. "Baroque Works must have accumulated a lot of money."

Mikita lowered her gaze, her thoughts turning inward. She had her dreams but acknowledged that money could change people's perspectives.

'I'm not in a hurry,' she thought, smiling at Josh.

"Truly, they have a lot of money," Josh agreed.

Given the frequent deaths among agents, it was clear that Crocodile, the organisation's leader, had amassed a considerable fortune, especially with the casino he operated.

'I wonder just how much money he has,' Josh mused, his mind calculating.

Mikita's face suddenly intruded into his thoughts, snapping him back to reality.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

"Just how to steal a kiss," Josh replied, taking the initiative to kiss her as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

As they enjoyed the kiss, Josh's mind wandered to thoughts beyond mere pleasure.

'I could gain a lot of Draw Points if I could steal from Crocodile.'

[Ding, New gamble. The Grand Heist from Warlord. Do you gamble (y/n)?]

Josh's eyes widened in surprise as Mikita's tongue tantalised him.

Mikita pulled back, noting his reaction. "Well, you must really miss me to look like that. Fine, we can do that."

She turned her back to him, pressing her hips against his crotch. While Mikita thought she had captured his heart, Josh was contemplating the risks involved in triggering such a mission.