Bruno tightly clutched the money in his arms, his entire body trembling as he stammered,
"Three... three million Berries as a deposit?"
Behind him, Gabra and the others who were preparing for the performance were completely dumbfounded.
Just for watching a performance, this man casually threw out three million Berries, and even called it a deposit afterward.
What kind of monstrous rich man was this?
Could he possibly be a Celestial Dragon?
The man in black gave a faint nod, confirming Bruno's words. Then he slowly walked toward a nearby tree, leaned against it lazily, and smiled.
"What, is it too little? Aren't you going to start?"
Bruno immediately shook his head so hard it nearly snapped off.
"Not at all! It's more than enough! We've just never met such a generous guest before. Please don't worry, we'll absolutely give you our best performance!"
As he spoke, Bruno's eyes turned red with excitement.
With this money, Lucci's injuries could finally be treated properly.
Not just Bruno, Gabra and the others were thinking the exact same thing.
Without another word, the group immediately began their performance.
Gabra and Kaku transformed directly in front of the man in black. In their eyes, someone this wealthy had definitely seen enough of the world to know about Zoan Devil Fruits. There was no way he'd mistake them for monsters or sorcery.
And just as they expected, the man in black showed no surprise whatsoever.
He simply watched quietly.
Kaku spun his neck at terrifying speed until it resembled a giant windmill. Gabra howled like a wolf before leaping cleanly through more than a dozen blazing fire rings in one breath.
Kumadori tied a cloth around his forehead while muttering strange chants. Moments later, his pink hair floated upward on its own, twisting like living tentacles as it relentlessly struck Fukuro, producing loud metallic clangs.
Compared to their usual act, today's performance was on an entirely different level.
However, if someone from Marine Headquarters or the World Government were present, they would immediately realize something unusual.
Every move these four displayed was connected to the Six Powers.
Kaku's spinning neck technique was clearly a specialized variation of Tempest Kick developed using his giraffe body's unique traits.
Gabra had kicked the air while jumping through the rings earlier, unmistakably using Moonwalk.
Kumadori was displaying Life Return.
As for Fukuro, he was obviously relying on Iron Body.
The man in black leaned against the tree with visible interest. He casually applauded before tossing another two million Berries toward Bruno.
Seeing more money rain down instantly filled everyone with motivation.
Gabra and the others performed even harder than before, almost desperate to display every technique they had mastered.
Completely immersed in the show, none of them noticed something strange.
Despite all the noise they were making, not a single bystander had gathered around.
Time slowly passed.
The blazing sun climbed higher overhead, and sweat soaked through Gabra and the others' clothes.
Just as the performance was nearing its end, the sharp sound of high heels echoed from the distant street.
A graceful blonde woman soon appeared.
Her sleeves were rolled up, exposing her fair arms, while her loose golden hair swayed gently behind her. A pair of elegant glasses rested on her face, giving her an intellectual and mature charm.
It was Kalifa.
Thanks to the Bubble-Bubble Fruit, her cleaning work was incredibly efficient. Whether it was washing streets or cleaning buildings, her ability made the job effortless, allowing her daily earnings to rival the combined income of Bruno and the others.
After finishing work, Kalifa noticed Bruno's group had not come to meet her like usual, which left her feeling uneasy.
So she hurried over immediately.
The moment she saw everyone still performing safely, she secretly let out a sigh of relief.
Adjusting her glasses out of habit, Kalifa walked over to Bruno and whispered,
"Bruno, why are you all still performing? There isn't even anyone around anymore. You seriously worried me."
Bruno immediately raised a finger to his lips.
"Shh! Don't disturb that gentleman while he's watching."
Kalifa blinked in confusion before following Bruno's gaze toward the man in black nearby.
The man in black noticed her looking and politely waved.
Kalifa paused briefly before revealing a professional smile and waving back in return.
Then she lowered her voice.
"So you're performing only for him? Who exactly is he?"
Bruno grinned and lifted the stack of white banknotes in his hand.
The moment Kalifa saw the amount, her expression froze.
"We're performing just for him. These are all rewards from that gentleman, and he even handed over three million Berries as a deposit the moment he arrived."
"Nani?!"
Kalifa's composure instantly shattered.
Even she was stunned by such outrageous generosity.
Bruno looked down at the money and muttered softly,
"Now Lucci can finally receive proper treatment..."
Hearing that, joy flashed across Kalifa's face as well.
But moments later, her expression turned cautious again.
"But... would anyone really spend this much money just to watch a performance like this? What if he was sent by the higher-ups..."
As she spoke, Kalifa quietly made a throat-slitting gesture.
Bruno shook his head.
"Probably not. If he really came from above, there'd be no need for all this trouble. If he wanted to act against us, he would've done it already."
Then Bruno suddenly frowned.
"And what do you mean by 'a performance like this'? This is art! Art!"
Kalifa rolled her eyes.
"I think you're enjoying this too much. Did you forget what we actually ar..."
"What are you?"
A sudden voice interrupted her.
"!!!"
Both Bruno and Kalifa stiffened in shock before instantly turning around.
The man in black had somehow appeared directly beside them.
His hands remained casually tucked inside his pockets as he leaned forward slightly, quietly staring at the two of them.
Cold sweat instantly formed across Bruno and Kalifa's foreheads.
Kalifa quickly retreated several steps, her eyes filled with vigilance as white foam gathered around her hands.
Bruno reacted even faster, his hand reaching toward the empty air beside him, ready to activate the Door-Door Fruit and escape at any moment.
After all, both of them were elite intelligence agents.
To ordinary people, they were monsters wearing human skin.
Yet neither of them had sensed the man in black approaching.
Not even a trace.
At the same time, Gabra finally noticed something wrong on Bruno's side.
He stopped mid-jump and stared at the man's back with narrowed eyes.
"Kaku, something's wrong..."
Then he turned furiously toward Kaku.
"Idiot! Stop spinning your square giraffe head already! Are you trying to scramble your own brains?!"