One Piece: Gambling To The Top

After his little encounter with the justice dog, Josh turned his head to the man who entered. Blackbeard was laughing his famous laugh, and Josh examined him. 

Nothing was different from the Anime version. He was a tanned man, almost black. He had a big nose, small eyes, and a wide mouth with few missing teeth. There were few golden teeth though. He was around 344 cm tall and he was wearing a captain hat. Around his potbelly, there were three sets of guns. 

'He's black beard… now I think of it, why Whitebeard doesn't have beard…'

Josh observed how Blackbeard was laughing and making his way in. 

Everyone, even Akainu, does not know what Blackbeard is planing for. 

But for Josh who knows Blackbeard's motives, he knew. 

Blackbeard is aiming for Ace, who would come soon to find him. 

It's obvious. Blackbeard becomes a Warlord, Ace then come to fight him, and Blackbeard would capture him, leading up to the Marineford war. 

As Blackbeard introduced himself, he sat down and put his hand on his large belly. 

Josh stared at him, that belly was larger than Josh. 

'I can't believe that I wanted to end up like him.' Josh frowned a bit. 'I mean, for real, I'm fit... But unlike him, I can't have three women sitting on one of my laps at the same time, unless they are a half meter long… and I don't want to end up as fat as him. I have six-packs…'

Josh was quite disappointed that he wanted to end up as a harem lord like this one. He wanted to tell Blackbeard to take a shower. 

"So, you've made us cross all of the ways to introduce us to this guy," Doflamingo said, quite annoyed. 

"Agree… I wasn't this welcomed when I became Warlord." Josh added, looking between his legs that were on the table. "I'm upset."  

One of the marines stepped forward. "Unlike you, Sir Gambler.  Marshal D Titch is a good citizen without a bounty on his head. And he came to us with a pirate with 200 million berries on his head. He had proven his strength." 

"So…" Doflamingo said, bored. "You gave a good citizen the right to rob people under their nose. Hypocrite marines as usual."

Tsuru, the old woman, added. "It's for your benefit, this meeting. You realise by now that Moria is dead. And you should all be aware that someone may be after you. If you have ideas about strong people who can threaten warlords in paradise, do not hesitate to speak."

The Warlords stared at each other. Hancock was only staring at Josh affectingly, while Robin rubbed her chin, putting a hand on Josh's shoulder. 

A few days ago, Robin had passed by Josh, as he had asked to be left down the stairs. As the previous spy and the lover she is, she hadn't been able to resist the urge to see what he had been doing. Apparently, he had been trying to figure out a mystery behind the death of Moria while writing things on the board. 

As she had seen, Josh had written that Blackbeard would be the one to benefit. At that time, who was Blackbeard? Nobody knew. 

But Josh had predicted that Blackbeard would become the new Warlord and that he is the one to kill Moria. Robin held her in awe. She had been smart and experienced, but despite being younger, Josh apparently very smart to notice things. 

'He is really smart. No wonder even Crocodile couldn't see it coming.' Robin smiled gently as she put a hand on his shoulder. 'That what I like about him, most… besides his sweet naive personality. And D.'

Josh raised his head to look at Robin, which made her quite blush. Right, Josh had Haki. She should keep her emotions under check. 

Josh wasn't really trying to read Robin's thoughts. He was thinking of what to do next. He was also thinking of making relation with Doflamingo, the Joker of the underworld. Doflamingo can come to benefit because he can provide information, and Josh can start a business with him. But still, Doflamingo is a scum who had made many people's life miserable, turning them into puppets and erasing them from the memories of their beloved ones. 

'One can't trust a trust, but he has to throw it once he is done from using it.' 

As the Warlords and marines discussed who would be willing to target the warlords, Josh heard a voice. 

Josh turned his head to his left. 

"You seems to have good swords there," Mihawk said, sharply focusing on him, before pointing with his head to the admiral. 

"Yeah," Josh replied calmly. 

"Mind asking how did you get them?" Mihawk said, showing interest in his hawk eyes. 

"I'd rather not say," Josh said. "Will you be telling me from where you got your sword?" 

"Earned It," Mihawk said, hinting that he didn't buy the sword. 

Josh leaned backwards on the chair. "At least, you are not like some barking dog who picks swords instead of bones." 

Josh, through his Observation Haki, managed to feel some killing intent heading toward him. But he ignored it. 

"So you've earned yours," Mihawk said calmly. 

"You can say," Josh replied. 

"Hearing their breath of steel, I can tell they are more unique than anything else," Mihawk said. "Mine the highest grade black blade, and its craving for some steel." 

Mihawk could tell Josh's level in swordsmanship by being next to him. Swordsmen were unique in existence in One Piece. Their blades crave to clash and prove their worth. 

Josh could feel this challenging spirit from the fellow swordsman. He couldn't help but turn his head. 

"You're saying?" 

"Let's have a duel." Mihawk half-closed his eyes. His pipuls, which were yellow with black circles, scanned Josh. Josh could feel some pressure put on him from this gaze alone. 

"A duel?" Josh raised his eyebrows.  

"May I win, and you tell me the origins of these words," Mihawk said. "And after that, we will have a drink, may one of us stay alive." 

"I see." Josh paused for a moment, total silent. He didn't have a real reason to fight Mihawk. "What would I really win if I fight you." 

"Let's see, I can tell you from where I got mine," Mihawk replied. 

The two stared at each other, the talking room went silent from their perspective. The people almost vanished. 

Josh, who was here to laze around, felt something rising within him. 

However, he was thinking like a businessman. 'What would I benefit.'

[Ding, the system has a new gamble for you. Do you accept (y/n)]

Josh raised his eyebrows when he heard the notification as he was exchanging stares with the Strongest Swordsman in the World. 

"Do you think my offer is low," Mihawk asked. "Or, as a swordsman, you want your sword to rust." 

"Good one. But my weapon won't rust." Josh said, his glance changing to a challenging one. 

"That's a new one," Mihawk said. 

"Okay, let's dance." Josh gave a smirk. 

Mihawk smirked slightly. 

They were going to fight, and the room grew silent. Everyone could feel some kind of pressure coming from Josh and Mihawk, no denying it, especially for those who have Haki. 

With no respect to the fellow Marines or Warlords, Josh and Mihawk stood up, staring at each other. 

Josh shook his head to the left side, and Mihawk nodded. On the left side, there was the door to the outside. The two of them started walking outside of the room, leaving everyone staring at them. 

....

AN: If anyone is wondering about the update speed, I'm quite sick.