Chapter 53: 51. The Whereabouts Of The Paramecia Barrier-Barrier Fruit!
"Carina, do you really think this Marine guy knows where to find the Barrier-Barrier Fruit?"
In a dimly lit alleyway, Nami eyed the sack behind Al with suspicion before speaking up.
"No, I never claimed he did."
Carina flashed a smile and shook her head, redirecting her gaze towards the tied-up Bartolomeo.
"Hey! Let me make one thing clear!"
Nami approached Carina with gritted teeth, gesturing towards Al who stood nearby, and scolded, "You can't let Captain Al take such a huge risk just for the sake of catching some Marine who probably knows nothing!"
Al, too, glanced at Carina with a puzzled expression.
Initially, when Carina signaled for him to come over, Al had thought she had located the Barrier-Barrier Fruit.
However, upon rushing over, Carina straightforwardly asked him to assist in capturing a Marine.
Though unsure what Carina was up to, she claimed it was linked to the Barrier-Barrier Fruit.
Without hesitation, Al went ahead and apprehended the marine.
Now, it turns out this guy has no clue about the Barrier-Barrier Fruit's whereabouts?
"Carina, if this was all just a prank, I'd be seriously annoyed."
"I apologize, Captain Al, but could you please wait for me to explain?" Carina requested.
Al nodded, his anticipation building as he awaited Carina's explanation regarding the Barrier-Barrier Fruit.
However, he couldn't linger here for too long, especially considering the looming danger of Tom's confrontation with Smoker and Spike.
Staying too long would surely attract Marine reinforcements, leading to unnecessary complications.
Under the perplexed gazes of the two, Carina pointed towards Bartolomeo with a smile on her face and elucidated, "When I captured Bartolomeo earlier, I inquired about the Barrier-Barrier Fruit, but he claimed ignorance."
"Ever since, I've had this lingering suspicion."
"After thorough interrogation, I can confirm that Bartolomeo truly has no knowledge about the Barrier-Barrier Fruit!"
Al looked at Carina with a puzzled expression, struggling to comprehend her words.
In his investigations and based on his knowledge of One Piece lore, all signs seemed to point towards Bartolomeo.
"But you just said Bartolomeo had no clue about the Barrier-Barrier Fruit?" Al queried, casting a strange glance at Carina.
Seeing Al's perplexed expression, Carina waved her hand dismissively and offered an explanation with a smile, "Initially, I couldn't believe the news even after confirming it. So, I asked Nami to keep an eye on Bartolomeo for a while."
Just as Carina was about to resume speaking...
But Nami interjected furiously, "Didn't you say you had something important to attend to?"
"So, your first instinct is to just relax?"
Carina attempted to reassure her, "Don't sweat it, Nami. I'll handle things. Besides, I think one should relax before work."
"You jerk!"
Witnessing the two girls bickering yet again for no apparent reason, Al suddenly felt a headache coming on and rushed to intervene, putting an end to their dispute.
"Carina, let's get this straight, we're running out of time."
"Understood, Captain Al."
Carina nodded with a smile, disregarding Nami, and pressed on with her explanation: "Shortly after I departed, while passing through an alley, I overheard two individuals who identified themselves as gangsters. They were plotting to eliminate a Marine named Yale."
"At first, I didn't think much of it, until I caught wind of mentions of the Barrier-Barrier Fruit and your name, Captain Al, slipping from their lips."
"I just realized we've all been deceived!" Carina exclaimed.
Pointing at Bartolomeo, her smile vanished, replaced by a cold demeanor. "This guy is merely a decoy!"
Bartolomeo listened intently for a while but couldn't comprehend what Carina was referring to. If his mouth hadn't been gagged, he would have surely questioned what the decoy was and how it related to him!
Al appeared to grasp something, his expression growing increasingly grave.
"If what you're saying is true, then someone intentionally spread false information to lead us to target Bartolomeo?" Al questioned.
"What could be the motive behind the other party? To have us eliminate him?" he continued.
Carina shook her head, uncertain of the other party's intentions. However, one thing she was certain of was that they were likely enemies of Bartolomeo or something of the sort.
After all, in the underworld, resorting to assassination is all too common.
After a prolonged silence, Nami suddenly spoke up, "But how does this concern us capturing this Marine?"
"It matters greatly, because he's our only lead to uncovering the mastermind behind all of this!" Carina replied with a grin.
Approaching the sack, she emptied out the Marine and addressed him, "If I'm not mistaken, you're Yale."
Upon hearing Carina utter his name, Yale's pupils constricted, and he inquired with a trembling voice:
"Who are you, and what do you want from me?" Yale exclaimed nervously.
"Relax, we mean you no harm. Just tell us who you sold the stolen Seastone handcuffs to, and I won't have to end you," Carina reassured him with a gentle smile.
As she spoke, she retrieved a dagger from her waist and placed it in front of Yale's neck. It appeared that the slightest indication of refusal from Yale would result in his throat being slit then and there.
Yale was visibly terrified, trembling uncontrollably in fear.
Al, having overheard the conversation, retrieved two pairs of Seastone handcuffs from his system backpack and placed them in front of Yale.
"Carina, are you saying this guy stole all the Seastone handcuffs I purchased?" Al inquired, seeking clarification.
Carina nodded affirmatively and explained, "Yes, and the two gangsters were afraid he'd spill the beans, so they plotted to eliminate him. After all, the appearance of Seastone handcuffs, tightly regulated by the Marines, on the battlefield raised suspicion."
"As long as you investigate thoroughly afterward, you'll quickly uncover the thief," Carina remarked.
"However, the crucial point is this!" she continued.
"The Barrier-Barrier Fruit is currently in the possession of the individual who struck a deal with Yale!"
Upon hearing Carina's explanation, Al's slightly furrowed brow began to relax, and he too comprehended why Carina had orchestrated the marine's arrest.
"As expected of you, Carina," Al praised, giving her a thumbs up, convinced that having her on the team was a wise choice.
"Your keen insight is truly remarkable, earning you the title of the 'Phantom Thief'!" he added.
Carina playfully stuck out her tongue and remarked with a mischievous grin, "Women have to rely on their wits to stay ahead, hehe."
"Alright then, waste no time and tell us the name of that scoundrel. He dared to deceive us, and I'll ensure he pays dearly for it, a hundredfold!" Al declared with determination.
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