One Piece: Three Devil Fruits, Beginning with Darkness

**Chapter 16 - Spandine**

In the days that followed, while chaos engulfed the streets of Solbe, the small church where Jiger resided remained eerily untouched. Life continued as usual, as if the outside world's upheaval had nothing to do with them.

The only noticeable change was in Ivan. Once a carefree wanderer who relished the town's liveliness, he now spent his days quietly within the church. He had grown uncharacteristically obedient, assisting Kuma in tending to the elderly who sought treatment.

No one spoke of that fateful night—the king's execution, Jiger's bold declaration, or the choice that had divided them. The weight of unspoken words hung in the air, yet their bond remained unshaken.

Until the day a naval warship arrived at the port.

A towering vessel, emblazoned with the Marine insignia, cut through the waters of Solbe's harbor. As it docked, an army of naval soldiers disembarked with precision, their uniforms crisp and their movements disciplined. Leading them was a broad-shouldered officer, his coat billowing as he strode forward, the rank of rear admiral gleaming on his epaulets.

The moment his boots touched the stone-paved dock, a wave of nobles and ministers surged forward, eager to greet him.

"You must be Rear Admiral Babs from Marine Headquarters!" a rotund minister called out, wiping sweat from his brow as he pushed through the crowd. "We have been waiting for your arrival!"

Rear Admiral Babs, a tall man with sharp features, returned a polite nod. He offered a curt salute but made no effort to engage further. His eyes, however, flickered toward the ship behind him, his expression tensing slightly.

The crowd followed his gaze.

Descending the gangway was a different kind of figure—one who carried none of the discipline of a marine. A man with slicked-back hair, a black-and-gray striped coat, and an air of superiority stepped onto the dock. Behind him, two suited attendants followed closely, their presence mechanical, almost robotic.

The tension in the air shifted.

The naval soldiers who had just disembarked averted their eyes, their postures stiff with discomfort. Even Babs, a hardened officer, showed a flicker of distaste before masking it with forced neutrality. With a slight bow of his head, he spoke,

"Mr. Spandine, we have arrived at the Kingdom of Solbe."

Spandine—his name alone sent a ripple of unease through those present. But rather than acknowledging Babs, the man merely turned to one of his attendants, who immediately produced a cigar. With practiced efficiency, the other suit-clad subordinate flicked open a lighter, its tiny flame casting fleeting shadows over Spandine's smirking face.

The cigar lit, he took a deep drag, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke as he lazily surveyed the surroundings. His gaze lingered on the gathered ministers and nobles before drifting toward the town itself. Then, with a sneer curling his lips, he scoffed,

"This dump is the so-called Kingdom of Solbe? Tch. No wonder the tribute to the Celestial Dragons is so pitiful every year."

With a loud *ptoo!* he spat a wad of phlegm onto the cobblestone, the glob landing dangerously close to the foot of a noble clad in velvet robes. The man stiffened but did not dare to react.

The ministers exchanged uneasy glances, realization dawning upon them. They had dealt with arrogant nobles before, but Spandine's mannerisms, his complete disregard for the marine officer, and his overwhelming presence—this was no mere government official.

This man was from the World Government itself.

The rotund minister, sensing an opportunity, abandoned Rear Admiral Babs and instead scurried forward, bowing low with exaggerated servility.

"Ah, forgive my ignorance, sir! May I be so bold as to ask your esteemed identity?"

Spandine didn't even glance at him. Instead, one of his suited attendants stepped forward, shielding him as if the minister's mere presence was offensive.

"Do not overstep," the attendant snapped, voice cold and unwavering. "You are not worthy of knowing Lord Spandine's identity. Step back."

The minister flinched as if slapped, hurriedly retreating a few steps. He bowed even lower, hands trembling.

"A thousand apologies, sir! I meant no offense!"

Spandine waved him off lazily, more interested in his cigar than in the groveling man before him.

"Enough of this nonsense," he muttered, exhaling another puff of smoke. "I heard your king is missing. Tch. Let Babs deal with that trivial matter."

His gaze sharpened slightly, his lips curling in amusement.

"I have a far more important reason for being here."

The minister bowed several times, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he tried to maintain his composure in front of the two imposing figures before him.

Rear Admiral Babs, watching the man tremble, sighed inwardly. As much as he found the nobles pathetic, he understood their position. Here stood two vastly different authorities—the Marines, who upheld order, and the World Government, which loomed above all. Neither was someone a mere minister could afford to offend.

Deciding to break the tension, Babs crossed his arms and spoke in a measured tone.

"Tell me about the situation. Are there any leads regarding King Beckley's disappearance?"

The minister straightened at the question, his expression shifting into a more composed but still subservient demeanor.

"His Majesty was in good health during the day, but by nightfall, he vanished without a trace. Based on our investigations, we strongly suspect this to be the work of a man named Jiger."

At the mention of the name, Spandine's expression remained indifferent, but Babs's gaze sharpened slightly.

"This Jiger…" Babs prompted. "What do you know about him?"

The minister nodded quickly, eager to be helpful.

"He is still young, but he possesses a strange ability—one that makes him extremely dangerous. More importantly, he has no respect for the law or authority!"

Babs stroked his chin thoughtfully.

'Strange ability… could he be a Devil Fruit user?'

While Devil Fruits were rare, they weren't unheard of. However, in a remote kingdom like Solbe, encountering someone with a fruit power was exceptional. If this Jiger truly had abilities beyond normal comprehension, then it made sense why the common people and even the kingdom's guards struggled to deal with him.

Babs was about to press for more details when an abrupt shift in the atmosphere made him pause.

The sound of something hitting the ground—*thunk.*

All eyes turned to Spandine, whose cigar had slipped from his fingers. His body had gone rigid, his face contorted in sudden shock. Before anyone could react, he surged forward, shoving past his own men and grabbing the minister by the collar.

"Who did you say just now?!" Spandine bellowed, his voice cracking with unrestrained fury. His grip tightened, nearly lifting the minister off his feet. "Say it again!"

The minister, caught completely off guard, stammered in confusion.

"J-Jiger…! It must have been him who took King Beckley!"

A sharp, echoing *crack* rang out across the port.

Spandine's palm struck the minister's face with such force that the poor man was sent sprawling across the ground. His body skidded along the rough stone pavement, only stopping when his back collided against Rear Admiral Babs's legs. If not for the obstruction, he might have rolled even further.

A stunned silence fell over the gathering.

Babs frowned. Though he held no fondness for the ministers of small nations, there was a line to be respected. Even if Spandine was from the World Government, this level of outright brutality seemed excessive.

"Mr. Spandine," Babs said, his tone edged with disapproval, "you may be a government official, but don't you think this behavior is a bit much? Solbe is still a member of the World Government. You can't just assault a minister for no reason."

Spandine, chest heaving from exertion, wiped a trail of saliva from his lips before turning to glare at Babs.

"You don't understand, you damn marine," he snarled, taking in ragged breaths. His face was flushed—not from the exertion of the slap, but from sheer, unfiltered rage.

The minister, still on the ground, trembled violently as Spandine pointed a shaking finger at him.

"This lowly bastard…!" Spandine seethed. "He actually dared to say that name so casually!"

His hand moved to his belt, drawing a sleek, polished pistol. Without hesitation, he aimed it at the minister's forehead.

The nobles watching the scene gasped in horror, some averting their eyes. The minister, realizing what was about to happen, let out a strangled whimper, too stunned to even plead for his life.

A suited attendant beside Spandine reacted immediately, placing a firm hand on his wrist.

"Lord Spandine, please reconsider," the man urged in a controlled voice. "We may still need information from him regarding the whereabouts of that lord."

The words struck like a tether, reining Spandine in.

For several tense moments, his finger hovered over the trigger. Then, with an exasperated huff, he lowered the pistol and exhaled sharply through his nose.

"Fine," he muttered, before gesturing for his men. "Take him."

The suited attendants moved without hesitation, seizing the minister by his arms and dragging him away. The man's legs scraped against the ground, his earlier arrogance utterly erased as he whimpered in terror.

Babs remained silent, watching the scene unfold with narrowed eyes.

This was no ordinary mission.

When he first received orders from Fleet Admiral Sengoku to investigate King Beckley's disappearance, it had seemed like a straightforward case. But just before setting sail, Spandine had arrived unannounced, demanding to accompany him.

Babs, naturally, had wanted to inform Marine Headquarters first, but Spandine had smugly presented a document bearing the official seal of the World Government—authorization that outranked even his own orders.

There was no room for argument. Even though it left a sour taste in his mouth, Babs had no choice but to allow Spandine aboard.

Now, standing here and witnessing this reaction, it was clear that Spandine's presence in Solbe was no coincidence.

The true reason for this mission had nothing to do with King Beckley.

It all revolved around the young man the minister had named—Jiger.

And for Spandine to lose control at just the mention of that name…

Babs's eyes darkened.

"Just who is this Jiger?"