22 Dealings

Grove 76.

Borsalino laid on his back, exhausted and bloody, as he looked up at the clearing storm and the rift in the sky.

"Whew…How scary, Sengoku…" He muttered, then sat up and sighed.

"Then…" He said to himself as his body began to disappear in a flash of yellow light.

It was time to do his job.

—---------

Grove 18.

Lily was struggling on Panman's shoulder to no great effect when she saw something familiar coming at them from a distance. Her rage intensified when she realized what it was.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The grove shook as heavy footsteps collided with the earth. 

"Wha-what's going on?"

"L-look! Over there!"

The members of Hound Pets received a fright after turning their heads to see a giant furiously charging their way. In their bid for survival, they dispersed away, giving the scary giant a wide girth.

Panman's eyes widened as he tried to make sense of what was going on.

Jarl ran after the members of Hound Pets, and it didn't take long to reach them. They were running in different directions, but he had only one goal.

"Why me?" Panman shouted as he ran away, unfortunately, there was no way he could outrun a giant.

Jarl wrapped his fingers around the eight-foot tall man, picking him up and bringing him up to his face.

"The girl. Let her go," Jarl said as he squeezed lightly.

Crack.

"AAAH!" Panman screamed, all the bravado of being a gang leader of a notorious local gang leaving him in an instant. Through the pain of having his ribs crushed, he could think of nothing else but for it to stop.

At that moment, Lily finally broke free and landed on the giant's forearm. She noticed the lack of shackles and chains he had been bound by before and tried to quell her animosity a little.

Jarl released his crushing grip slightly to allow the man some breath.

"O-okay! Take her! She's not worth my life!" Saying so, Panman attempted to run away, gripping his side. But for his subordinates who knew him, they knew that the matter wouldn't be over with so simply.

Lily simply stood there with cold eyes, not fully understanding what was going on. If the giant wanted to kill her, he would have. If he wanted to capture her, there was nothing she could do. She had no illusions of outrunning the giant, and she needed some more time to recover whatever strength and breath she could.

Jarl's face turned to her, his expression complicated.

He sighed as he turned away, and then said, audible enough for Lily to hear, "I'm sorry."

The girl's gaze didn't leave the giant's face, and Jarl felt the guilt even heavier now.

"Do you…Do you have anywhere to go?" He began to say with a hint of remorse in his deep guttural tone.

Lily turned away from him and looked down from his forearm, seeing a few disheveled people also look at her with concern and worry. She was quite attuned to the emotions of others now, and at the very least, felt no malicious intentions from them. She was quiet for a moment, before saying, "Grove 13."

They all nodded before the giant gently placed the girl on his palm and hurried away.

Behind a wall, Captain Hebi's tongue flickered as he watched the back of the giant leave.

Once they were gone, he turned to another direction where Panman was still clutching his chest, recalling his subordinates.

"We'll get the giant too," He said with unconcealed venom. 

Captain Hebi shook his head at hearing that. This was the reason why he did not like to work with the local gangs. They sometimes got riled up and emotional over the slightest things, losing sight of the important objective.

But, if he could also have a cut of the profits…

He made his way to them, and spoke up, "I can order my marines to apprehend the giant, but then the terms of our prior deal change."

Panman frowned at the snake-like marine captain and gestured for him to continue.

"I get 60, you get 40," He said with a crafty grin, recalling their earlier negotiation when they had the girl surrounded.

—------

A while earlier.

The storm was harsh as the wind blew off the hood of a small girl, revealing her face.

"How about we strike a deal, Captain Hebi?" Panman looked at the surrounded girl and leaned into the marine captain's ear to whisper.

"I'm listening," Hebi replied as he felt the muzzle of a pistol kiss the back of his skull.

"There's an auction at Grove 22 soon, attended by a few World Nobles. Do you think they would purchase her?" Panman asked.

Hebi's eyes narrowed as he appraised the girl with his eyes, scanning her up and down. He couldn't help but nod. There was something otherworldly about her appearance, charm, and temperament. Although he had no such hobbies, he was somewhat familiar with the minds of the World Nobles, having worked at the Sabaody Marine base for many years.

"So, you're suggesting…?" Hebi asked, already having figured out most of what Panman was planning.

"Right, if we capture her, and bring her there, a World Noble will definitely purchase her. At that time, no one could, or even would, interfere. The Admiral would have nothing to say, and you wouldn't get into any trouble either. Also…" Panman smiled, continuing, "You get a cut of the sale. How about 80 to me, 20 to you?"

Hebi's tongue flickered, considering. This was indeed a low-risk, high-reward deal. He was sure that if a World Noble paid for the girl, they would spend a fortune for appearance's sake. Even just a twenty percent cut of that would have him set for a long time. He eyed the girl once more.

"50-50," he said. The gang may have more men and control in these groves, and would thus be doing most of the heavy lifting, while he could mostly take a backseat, but a bit of bargaining would not hurt.

Panman frowned, "Oi, don't get greedy. The only reason I need you in on this is to deal with all the later troubles on the marine side, I don't want an Admiral up my ass." He paused, and then continued, "70-30."

Hebi smiled, "Very well. I accept."

—-----------

Panman gritted his teeth. It was no longer as easy for him now that they had to subdue a giant. They needed all the help they could get.

"50-50," He said.

Hebi's tongue slithered again as he smiled, "Very well."

At that moment, a piercing beam of yellow light shot between them.

BANG!

The Grove rumbled as a huge explosion formed a crater in the dirt not far away. Immediately after, Captain Hebi felt a shadow fall over him. He craned his neck up to see a tall man in a yellow-orange striped suit looking over him.

"V-v-vice admiral?" Hebi panicked for a moment before regaining his composure, "Anything I can do for you, sir?"

"Yeah… I was wondering… If you could help me find a little girl…" Borsalino said, completely oblivious to the damage he had wrought on the poor grove.

"Yes sir. They went that way," Hebi said immediately with many nods, pointing a trembling finger in a certain direction.

Borsalino scratched his head before he nodded, turning into an incorporeal yellow light once again, "Thank… You…"