86 Hit'em Where It Hurts #86

After reporting to Vice Admiral Strawberry, Cedric left the marine base feeling curiosity and amusement. He headed straight for Shakky's Rip-Off Bar. There was still much to be done to dismantle the slave trade, and he didn't want to waste time.

Arriving at the bar, Cedric pushed open the creaky wooden door and smiled as he found the bar unsurprisingly empty. The absence of patrons created an eerie silence, and the only sound that filled the room was the air drifting through the open windows.

Cedric furrowed his brow in confusion, scanning the dimly lit building for any sign of Shakky. It was highly unusual for the bar to be completely empty. He momentarily paused and quickly realized the lack of human presence in the bar was partially his fault as he had chased away, captured, and even killed most pirates and criminals who frequented the area.

As he stepped inside, the door swung shut behind him with a resounding thud, amplifying the silence. Cedric's instincts kicked in, and he instinctively gripped his spear, prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.

Just as he was about to call for Shakky, a voice resonated from the shadows. "Well, well, look who we have here... A marine soldier, seeking answers..."

Cedric's gaze darted toward the source of the voice. Stepping out from the shadows in the corner of the bar, a feminine figure emerged, her face obscured by a wide-brimmed hat. It was none other than Shakky, wearing a mischievous grin.

Cedric's surprise quickly turned into a mix of bemusement and relief. "I was this close to throwing my spear in your face..." he said with a huff, rolling his eyes at the bar's owner.

Shakky chuckled, her mischievous grin widening. "Oh, my... you wouldn't attack a pretty young lady like myself, would you?" She gestured to herself dramatically, feigning offense.

"Well, I do have a soft spot for pretty young ladies..." Cedric replied with a smile, internally scoffing at Shakky's words as he knew her age. "Anyway, I have some more info and something I need you to identify if it's not too much trouble..." He added as he put his backpack on the bar's counter and retrieved the documents he took from the Human Auctioning house and the ornate wooden box.

Shakky's eyes sparkled with curiosity as Cedric laid out the documents and the ornate wooden box on the counter. She leaned forward, examining them intently. "Ah, it seems you've been busy, boy. Let's see what we have here..." She said.

She picked up the first document and began reading, her brows furrowing with apprehension. "These are records from the Human Auctioning house... appalling business, I must say. Even I didn't know their roots ran so deep..." Shakky's voice carried a strange mixture of amusement and annoyance.

"Pretty much, yeah..." Cedric replied with a sigh. "This is as condemning as condemning evidence gets... but It'll barely buy some time considering Disco's connections..." He added, scratching his head with a troubled expression.

"I was hoping you could shed some light on the groups mentioned in the reports... help me dismantle them before they rebuild the auction house..." He added, trailing as he reached into his backpack. "Naturally, I'm still willing to pay..." He concluded as he retrieved a stack of cash and dropped it on the counter.

Shakky's eyes glimmered with amusement as she glanced at the stack of cash on the counter. "You always know how to make a girl's heart flutter, Cedric. Money talks, after all." She chuckled and waved her hand dismissively.

She leaned back, scanning through the documents again, her gaze focused. "These names, these groups... they are indeed familiar. Some have ties to notorious pirate organizations that have been causing trouble in Paradise for years..."

Cedric nodded. "So, you're saying these groups have been actively involved in the slave trade, using it to further their own criminal activities?" He asked with a thoughtful expression.

"More or less..." Shakky replied. "The way I see it, we already know that taking out Disco by disappearing the guy or exposing him to your higher-ups won't do you much good...." She added, a plan slowly forming in her head.

"As long as Doflamingo still stands, there will always be a market for slave trade in Sabaody...." Shakky declared, smiling despite her pessimistic words, much to Cedric's confusion. "But if you cause Doflamingo enough trouble... turn his profitable business into a money sink..." She added, trailing as s he turned to the young marine.

"He'll shut the business himself... brilliant..." Cedric said with an impressed expression, giving Shakky a thumbs up, much to her amusement.

Shakky chuckled, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Exactly, my dear Cedric. If we make it too costly for Doflamingo to continue his operations, he'll shut down the slave trade himself. You gotta hit him where it hurts the most—his pockets."

"Still... I can't help but wonder..." Shakky said, trailing off as she gave Cedric a curious look. "I looked into you... you're the most promising marine recruit since forever..." She asked, her tone carrying a hint of confusion.

"Why risk your future for this? You know that even if you expose the slave trade and end it, they'll fire you at best and maybe even have you executed at worst, don't you?..." She asked, giving the young marine a solemn look.

Cedric looked at Shakky and shrugged. "I don't like what the slavers are doing. They piss me off, and that's all the reason I need..." He carelessly explained, shaking his head. "I'm aware of the consequences, but I've already decided to leave the Marines before coming to Sabaody..." He calmly explained.

Shakky raised an eyebrow, a mix of curiosity and amusement evident on her face. "You don't like it, so you'll do something about it, eh? Spoken like a true pirate..." She said with a chuckle. "Still... any particular reason you want to leave the Marines...?" She asked, giving Cedric a questioning look.

"Let's just say I saw something I didn't like... I couldn't do anything about it..." Cedric replied with a sigh. "Anyway... can you check this thing for me...? I found it in Disco's office..." He added as he picked up the wooden box and offered it to Shakky.

Shakky's eyes widened with anticipation as she took the box from Cedric. Carefully, she opened the lid, revealing the object concealed inside. Nestled within a bed of plush velvet, it lay—an extraordinary fruit unlike any she had seen.

The fruit, a pink chinese peach, exuded an ethereal glow, its surface shimmering with a captivating golden hue. Intricate patterns and symbols were etched upon the fruit's skin, forming an enchanting tapestry of mysterious glyphs. Each marking seemed to hold a story, a secret waiting to reveal itself.

The fruit's shape was elongated and slightly oblong, reminiscent of a rare and otherworldly variety. It was neither too large nor too small, fitting snugly within the palm of Shakky's hand. As she observed it, she could almost feel a subtle energy emanating from within, as if the fruit was alive with ancient power.

Captivated by its beauty, Shakky couldn't help but marvel at the enigma within the humble confines of the wooden box. "It's a devil fruit..." Shakky blankly said as she turned to Cedric, causing him to face plant into the floor.

"I already knew that..." Cedric said with twitching eyes. "I was hoping you could tell me what kind..." He added with a sigh.

Shakky grinned mischievously, enjoying Cedric's reaction. "Well, well, boy. You never cease to entertain me. This devil fruit is quite intriguing, indeed." She carefully studied the intricate patterns and symbols on the fruit's surface, her eyes narrowing with concentration.

"I'm afraid I don't recognize it, but I have something that might help..." Shakky added as she returned the fruit to its container and headed to the back of the bar.

Shakky disappeared into the depths of the bar, leaving Cedric to his own thoughts as he sat up and dusted himself off. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of devil fruit he had stumbled upon. The anticipation grew within him as he eagerly awaited Shakky's return.

After a few moments, Shakky emerged from the back, holding a stack of dusty books in her arms. She carefully placed them on the counter, sending a cloud of dust into the air. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the dust swirling away, revealing a collection of old texts.

"These are my personal collection of devil fruit encyclopedias," Shakky explained, a glimmer of excitement in her eyes. "If there's any information about this peculiar fruit, it'll be in one of these books."

Cedric's curiosity heightened as he watched Shakky flip open the first book, its pages yellowed with age. She scanned through the contents, her finger moving swiftly across the text, searching for any reference to the unique fruit they had discovered.

As time ticked by, Cedric couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and impatience. He leaned closer, trying to catch a glimpse of the pages, but Shakky's movements were too quick for him to make out any specific details.

...

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