At the mention of intelligence, Stussy's expression finally regained some professionalism.
She remained kneeling on the floor, her voice steady and clear. "Gol D. Roger encountered the Whitebeard Pirates head-on on a certain island a week ago. A fierce conflict erupted between the two sides, and the fighting lasted for three days and three nights."
Tatsuki raised an eyebrow. "And the result?"
"A draw. But after the battle ended, something incredible happened."
Stussy's voice held a hint of incomprehensible confusion. "Roger bowed and pleaded with Whitebeard. Ultimately, he successfully borrowed the Commander of the Second Division, Kozuki Oden, from Whitebeard."
"Are you saying that samurai from Wano Country boarded Roger's ship?"
The amusement in Tatsuki's eyes instantly vanished, replaced by a sharp glint.
"Yes." Stussy confirmed. "Intelligence confirms that Kozuki Oden has boarded the Oro Jackson."
"Heh... he borrowed a key."
Tatsuki sneered softly, draining the wine in his glass.
Stussy was puzzled. "A key?"
"That's why I'm your superior, and you can only be an intelligence peddler."
Tatsuki didn't explain the matter of the Poneglyphs, but gave her a meaningful glance.
"Roger obtaining Oden means he has gathered the final piece of the puzzle leading to the Final Island. The birth of the Pirate King has entered the countdown."
Stussy's pupils constricted slightly. Although she vaguely guessed Roger's goal, she hadn't expected Tatsuki to be so certain.
She asked, "Then do we need to report this?"
"Report what? Report it to those pig-headed Celestial Dragons?"
Tatsuki scoffed and interrupted her. "By the time they react, it'll be too late. Keep this matter secret. I need to exploit this time difference to make some moves."
Roger becoming the Pirate King was a foregone conclusion, a carnival belonging to pirates. What Tatsuki had to do was build himself the strongest dam before this carnival washed away the world order.
"Continue. Besides Roger, what about the others?"
Stussy quickly adjusted her thoughts and continued her report, "Charlotte Linlin is aggressively expanding Totto Land. She has recently become obsessed with Giants, seemingly searching for technology that can giantize humans. Additionally, she is scouring the world for rare races to force into political marriages."
"Kaido of the Beasts is still entrenched in Wano Country. It is worth noting..."
Stussy paused and lowered her voice. "Kaido has recently been acquiring large quantities of a special weapon material called 'Gas' through the Underworld channels. The seller seems to be connected to a certain Scientific Unit within the World Government."
Tatsuki narrowed his eyes.
Scientific Unit? Vegapunk or... Caesar Clown?
Punk Hazard itself is the future toxic gas testing ground. It seems there is still plenty of profit to be made here.
The intelligence report lasted for a full hour.
Stussy demonstrated her professional competence as the "Queen." The power distribution of the entire New World, capital flows, and even the private habits of certain major figures were organized clearly by her.
These seventy billion were well spent. No, they were well stolen.
When the report concluded, the night was deep.
The atmosphere in the room once again grew ambiguous.
Tatsuki put down his empty wine glass and looked at Stussy, who was still kneeling beside him, looking slightly exhausted but stubbornly holding on. He stood up and stretched, his bones cracking loudly.
"I'm tired."
Tatsuki did not walk toward the door but headed straight for the large, luxurious bed behind the office. As he walked, he unbuttoned his coat of justice and casually tossed it onto the floor.
Reaching the bed, he turned around and looked at Stussy, who was still kneeling where she was, his gaze playful. "As a personal secretary, do you still need your master to tell you what to do?"
Stussy bit her lower lip, but finally rose slowly and walked toward the domineering man.
This time, it wasn't just for survival.
After witnessing Tatsuki's terrifying insight that seemed to grasp everything, and his arrogance in completely disregarding the World Government, the seed of "ambition" in her heart began to quietly sprout.
Following a man like this, perhaps... she could truly break free from fate?
"Yes, Master."
If the daytime was a contest of wits, the night was an overwhelming physical dominance.
That night, the Queen of the Pleasure District understood one truth—Tatsuki was a true monster.
—
The next morning.
Sunlight streamed into the room through the shattered floor-to-ceiling window.
Tatsuki was refreshed and fully dressed, his coat of justice draped over his shoulders again. The word "Justice" on his back looked particularly ironic in the morning light.
On the bed, Stussy was huddled under the covers. Her exposed shoulder was covered in purplish bruises, and she felt as if her entire body was falling apart, unwilling to even move a finger.
But hearing Tatsuki's departing footsteps, she still forced herself to sit up. The covers slipped, revealing smooth, pale skin.
"Are you leaving already?" Her voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of complex dependence.
Tatsuki stopped and looked back. He didn't say any tender words, but instead pulled a Vivre card from his pocket and flicked it onto the bed.
"Seventy billion annually. Make the accounts look clean. If I find even a single berry missing, you know, the secret of the clones is sometimes worth more than money."
"Also, my coordinates are on this card. If there is any movement from the World Government targeting me, notify me immediately."
Having finished speaking, Tatsuki pushed open the door and strode away rapidly, without the slightest hesitation.
"What a heartless bastard."
Stussy gripped the slowly moving Vivre card, a self-mocking bitter smile on her lips.
But soon, the bitter smile turned into a sense of relief, or even a morbid excitement.
She lay back down on the bed, placing the Vivre card against her chest, her eyes slowly becoming cold and resolute.
"What a man... more terrifying than a monster."
"However, rather than being a watchdog for a bunch of pigs, I'd rather be a claw for a true evil dragon."
"It seems the latter is much more interesting."