08 If there's a chance, of course, you have to make a fortune (2 updates, seeking flowers)

Sengoku and the other two stared at Patri Vic, naturally aware that the man before them was not to be trifled with.

"As long as you don't reveal our affairs, we won't harm you." Sengoku's tone softened considerably.

Patri Vic gave a faint smile. "Don't always assume everyone's interested in your business."

"To be safe, we'll still leave one man behind."

"Do as you please. Just don't disturb me. Otherwise, none of you three will leave this island." Patri Vic reminded them once more.

Then he returned to his seat at the bar. He wasn't a waiter—he was the owner. Serving drinks wasn't his job.

He'd only helped out because they were short-staffed.

As for Sengoku and the others, they left Garp behind.

The tavern was bustling. With no shortage of pirates on Hachinosu Island, business was thriving.

Garp, a hot-blooded man, had spent the first half of the Grand Line either fighting or on his way to a fight.

But now he had to sit in this noisy, stifling tavern, keeping an eye on Patri Vic beside him.

It felt unbearable to him—far too dull.

The two sat together for an entire afternoon, stretching all the way into the night.

By now, Garp was growing restless. Sitting around doing nothing was torture for him.

"What's your bounty?" Garp asked with interest.

"No bounty."

Patri Vic had only been a waiter before, recently acquiring his system. Having never set sail, he naturally had no bounty.

"Are you a friend of Edward Newgate?" Garp pressed on.

As night fell, the crowd thinned slightly, and the place wasn't as noisy. He could overhear conversations at a nearby table.

He caught people discussing Patri Vic, calling him a friend of Whitebeard, the famous pirate of Hachinosu Island.

"What is it?" Patri Vic looked up, puzzled.

"Your strength must be decent, right?" Garp grinned, challenging him.

On their way to Hachinosu Island, they'd gathered some intel on the island's pirates.

Whitebeard was a notorious pirate there, so they knew his strength—a pirate with a bounty as high as 400 million.

And as Whitebeard's friend, Patri Vic might not have a bounty, but that didn't mean he was ordinary.

Besides, he'd said earlier that while he was just a tavern owner, killing him instantly was impossible.

So now, Garp was curious about Patri Vic's strength.

"What strength could a tavern owner like me have?" Patri Vic replied casually, legs crossed, eyes on the newspaper in his hand.

"Want to have a fight?" Garp proposed.

Sitting here waiting was far too boring.

"A fight?"

Garp nodded.

Patri Vic paused, surprised by the sudden request. After a few seconds of hesitation, he said flatly, "That's not impossible."

To increase Hashirama Senju's character completion, he needed to progress in Ninja Body Technique. The best way to do that was through combat.

Now, with a chance to advance his Ninja Body Technique, and a chance to gauge Garp's current strength, it was a good deal overall.

"Then let's start." Garp grinned, flexing his muscles.

"Let's fight outside the tavern." Patri Vic folded his newspaper and walked out, Garp following behind.

They reached the ground outside the tavern, a patch riddled with cracks—leftovers from his earlier fight with Whitebeard.

"Come on, let me see what kind of strength Edward Newgate's friend has." Garp grinned, coating his arm in Armament Haki.

"Armament Haki?" Patri Vic was taken aback for a moment, but quickly let it go. Young as Garp was, he'd surely mastered Haki.

But so what if he had Haki? Patri Vic wouldn't back down from a fight.

Besides, this was just a spar, not a deathmatch.

"Boom!"

Thanks to his training in Ninja Body Technique, Patri Vic's Body Technique wasn't weak. He pushed off the ground with his leg, leaving a small crater, and shot forward toward Garp.

"Boom!"

Garp swung his fist, coated in Armament Haki, and met Patri Vic's punch head-on.

Their fists collided, unleashing a fierce burst of air that rippled outward like shockwaves.

"What immense strength!"

Patri Vic felt a tearing sensation in his arm—a direct result of Garp's overwhelming power.

But such power would not make him back down, because fighting a strong opponent is the fastest way to improve.

"Boom!"

Patri Vic used the power of Ninja Body Technique, his entire body shrouded in purple steam, an immense pressure bearing down on Garp.

In the midst of battle, Patri Vic began to ponder the power of Armament Haki. He was already close to grasping the threshold of Armament Haki.

But he was still one step short.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!!!"

Their fists clashed repeatedly, and Patri Vic felt himself drawing nearer and nearer to mastering Armament Haki.

Night fell, the bright moon hanging high, casting down its silvery light.

The two had been fighting for about an hour, and by now Patri Vic was somewhat tired.

Because Garp's strength far surpassed his own, making the fight exhausting for him.

Garp, on the other hand, had never used his full power, so he was still very relaxed.

"Still a little short." Patri Vic looked at his hands and said helplessly. He was still just a hair's breadth away from touching the threshold of Armament Haki.

Just as the two were about to continue fighting, a familiar voice rang in their ears.

"Stop fighting!" Sengoku shouted from not far away, calling out to Garp.

"What are you two doing here?" Garp asked, a little surprised.

"How did you end up fighting him?" Tsuru glanced at Patri Vic with some confusion.

"Just a little sparring match." Garp scratched his head in reply.

"Time to go." Sengoku patted Garp on the shoulder and said.

They had already surveyed enough intelligence, so there was no need to stay any longer.

After all, Patri Vic was still here—a bomb who knew their identities.

Sengoku turned and walked toward Patri Vic, lowering his voice to warn him: "Remember this: the Navy was never here."

"You want me to keep a secret? Without giving me anything in return?" Patri Vic replied calmly.

Might as well extort something from them before they leave.

"Do any of you have money?" Sengoku thought for a moment, then turned helplessly and shouted to Garp and the others.

"A little." Garp pulled some Berries out of his pocket and replied.

Tsuru also took out some Berries, and Sengoku fished some out from his own person as well. He then handed them to Patri Vic and instructed: "I hope you can keep this secret."

"Of course." Patri Vic replied with a smile.

Whatever the Navy's purpose was in coming here today...

It didn't matter, because their goal was bound to fail.

He was a transmigrator, and his arrival in this world might cause a butterfly effect.

But for now, this butterfly had little influence in the Pirate World—in fact, none at all.

Even if the Navy and pirates broke out into battle, the Rocks Pirates would still come out unscathed.

Because this butterfly didn't have the strength to affect the level of conflict between pirates and the Navy.

New book, begging for flowers, begging for monthly tickets. If you have any good suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments.

May Day reading, fun every day, gift 500 VIP coupons!

(Event period: April 29th to May 3rd)