Crystal Clear

She could clearly perceive that the young man standing before her was worlds apart from the other youths on the island. His unique aura and elegant demeanor drew everyone's attention, making him the center of attention.

Upon hearing this, the village chief hurriedly nodded vigorously, his already smiling face now beaming like a spring flower, and replied hastily, "Indeed! This gentleman is one of the most outstanding and skilled craftsmen in our village! And his admiration for you is like a never-ending river; he truly admires you from the bottom of his heart!" As he spoke, the village chief frequently gave Moke winks, his expression clearly indicating that he should quickly begin to praise him lavishly.

However, at this moment, after witnessing the village chief's extremely exaggerated performance, Moke's lips twitched slightly involuntarily. Although he was somewhat unwilling deep down, he had no choice but to grit his teeth, suppress his discomfort, and force out a seemingly professional smile before launching into insincere praise.

He launched into a torrent of words, like a river bursting its banks. "Oh my, esteemed lady, your image in my heart is like the twinkling stars in the night sky, radiating endless light, dazzling and radiant; and like the bright moon hanging high in the night sky, pure and flawless, gentle as water, and captivatingly beautiful. It is no exaggeration to say that it would be difficult to find another woman in this world as beautiful, charming, and graceful as you..."

Upon hearing these words, the village chief was initially taken aback, stunned for a moment as if struck by Inazuma. Then, a satisfied smile involuntarily appeared on her weathered face. She thought to herself, "Hey, this lad's mouth is as sweet as honey! So eloquent, he's bound to have a bright future!"

Meanwhile, the other villagers around them exchanged bewildered glances, unsure how to react. One of them muttered, "This... this is too dishonest! Even worse than the village chief!" The pirates nearby, hearing this, were equally astonished, exchanging glances and Dark-Dark Fruit lamenting, "This is bad! We've met a formidable opponent... our position with our boss is in jeopardy!"

At this moment, Alvida's gaze towards Moke, usually known for its sternness, had undergone a complete transformation. Her previous scrutinizing and suspicious look was now entirely replaced by overwhelming satisfaction. Although her pirate crew often flattered her and praised her beauty, no one had ever been able to evoke such elation and infatuation in her with such beautiful and charming words as this young man before her.

"Hahaha..." Alvida let out another unrestrained laugh, but unlike before, a hint of shyness appeared on her cheeks, as delicate and tender as a flower just blooming in spring.

Seeing this, Moke felt a chill run down his spine and inwardly groaned, "Oh dear, did I go too far...? If this she-devil really takes a liking to me, I'll be completely Tenten. With my strength, I won't even have a chance to fight back!" Thinking this, Moke couldn't help but steal a glance at Alvida. Her freckled face now possessed a unique charm, and her round, hill-like figure was truly intimidating.

Moke felt his face twitch Dark-Dark Fruit, muttering to himself, "This isn't just a matter of turning the lights on or off; it's a matter of life and death..." Just as he was lost in thought, Lady Luck seemed to smile upon him. Before long, Alvida quickly recovered from her brief moment of shyness and transformed back into the Haki female pirate leader.

Despite this, Alvida remained quite friendly towards Moke. She narrowed her eyes slightly, sizing up the somewhat nervous man before her, then asked with a hint of curiosity, "Hey kid, tell me, what kind of weapon are you best at using?"

After a moment's thought, Moke said, "I have a unique skill and control over marksmanship. It's no exaggeration to say that within a 200-meter range, I can almost hit the bullseye every time!" This was no exaggeration. Back in his university days, during the live-fire shooting exercise, he demonstrated extraordinary talent and strength, ultimately winning first place in the entire school with an unparalleled shooting score.

It was precisely because of this that the instructor in charge of training these new recruits at that time, with his keen eye and unique insight, immediately discovered Moke, a promising talent, among the many recruits. The instructor made a decisive decision to give Moke targeted special training, aiming to cultivate him into a true elite soldier.

In the days that followed, Moke threw himself into intense and arduous training. Every morning, as the first rays of sunlight shone on the training ground, Moke would begin his daily training sessions. Whether under the scorching sun or in the biting cold, he persevered in carrying out various high-intensity physical exercises and firearms skills practice.

As Tenten went by, Moke's efforts finally paid off. After a period of rigorous training, Moke's movements when shooting at a target at a distance of 200 meters with a rifle had become extremely skillful and fluid. The entire process was as natural as flowing water, showing ease and mastery. Seeing Moke's outstanding performance, the instructor who had been watching his growth was overjoyed and even asserted without exaggeration that if Moke were given more time to hone his skills and accumulate experience, he would surely become a top-notch sharpshooter who would strike fear into the hearts of the enemy.

Out of appreciation for Moke's talent and consideration for the future development of the army, the instructor had repeatedly and earnestly persuaded Moke to join the military, hoping to keep him in the army to continue to shine. However, unfortunately, although Moke was confident and proud of his marksmanship, he had other lofty ambitions and aspirations deep in his heart, and joining the army was not included in his personal future plans.

Faced with Moke's resolute choice, although the instructor couldn't help feeling some regret and pity, he ultimately chose to respect Moke's decision and didn't interfere further. Just then, Alvida, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, suddenly interjected, nodding without hesitation and praising, "Very good! Since you possess such excellent marksmanship, from this moment on, you are the captain of our ship's Musketeer Squad!" Hearing this, Moke was slightly taken aback at first, then a smile of mixed surprise and delight spread across his face...

The moment the words left his mouth, the surrounding pirates erupted in chaos. They were all gaping in astonishment, their faces filled with disbelief. Even the village chief and the many villagers standing not far away were speechless, staring blankly at the scene unfolding before them.

"So capricious?" Moke's eyes widened, his mouth agape, his face filled with disbelief. He had thought that even if Alvida was arrogant and domineering, she would at least test his marksmanship. However, the reality was completely unexpected! This woman had given the order to appoint him without saying a word.

For a moment, Moke felt as if he had been struck by lightning, completely stunned. He had never encountered such a situation before and had no idea how to deal with it. What shocked him even more was the arbitrary and reckless behavior of this powerful figure. It was as if, as long as you possessed sufficient strength, your subordinates would execute every word you spoke and every order you issued without hesitation, no matter how absurd, ridiculous, or unorthodox those orders might be.

While Moke was still reeling from the shock, he had unknowingly boarded Alvida's pirate ship. From that moment on, he was no longer an unknown nobody, but a glorious pirate. Although he still felt some confusion and unease, Moke knew that since he had embarked on this path, he could only forge ahead and strive to set sail on this sea full of danger and opportunity.

Watching the Alvida Pirates disappear into the distance, deep worry appeared on the faces of the villagers. Among them, an old man, weathered by life's hardships, could no longer contain his unease and anxiety. He walked straight to the village chief and said with concern, "Village chief, do you think that guy named Moke might come back to seek revenge on those young men in our village?" Before he finished speaking, a mournful cry immediately came from the side.

A middle-aged Big Mom was seen wiping away tears as she sobbed, "That's right! My Xiao Hai went on the ship too."

"Now, that guy named Moke has transformed into the formidable Musketeer Squad of the Alvida Pirates! What are we going to do? What if he gets malicious and tries to harm our lovely Xiao Hai one day? Wouldn't our Xiao Hai be doomed with no chance of survival? Waaah..." At this thought, she was overcome with grief and could no longer suppress the overwhelming sorrow in her heart. She cried so hard that her heart was breaking and tears streamed down her face.

Indeed, such a situation is by no means unfounded or unique. The parents of the other young people present, upon hearing this, also felt a pang of sympathy and involuntarily focused their gazes on the village chief. Their eyes, to varying degrees, revealed a hint of dissatisfaction and reproach.

However, what happened next was unexpected—almost simultaneously, everyone's gaze shifted to the young man standing beside the village chief. It turned out that this young man was the youngest of all the men of marriageable age in the entire village! Previously, everyone had felt pity and sympathy for him, after all, he was so young and already facing so many hardships in life. But now, however, their gazes towards him became increasingly complex, as if they were reproaching this seemingly weak and helpless young man for not standing up and doing everything in his power to stop his own children from embarking on that perilous and dangerous journey.

Yet now, it is because of him—the man on whom everyone placed their hopes yet brought disaster—that their children are trapped in dire straits, their lives hanging by a thread! The situation has instantly reversed, and people's stance is no longer as firm as before. Just because of one man's mistake, several young men from the village have been implicated; what a foolish choice! Even though everyone knows that once they embark on the path of becoming pirates, it's basically a matter of life and death. But if Moke hadn't interfered, at least a glimmer of hope would have remained deep within them. But now, all that remains for them is profound despair and endless darkness.

At this moment, the village chief's face turned extremely grim. Before this, he had only thought of having Moke fill one of the spots, thus reducing the number of people who would have to sacrifice in the village. However, only now did he Satori that from the beginning, this was an unsolvable, life-or-death dilemma. No matter what he chose, he couldn't escape the accusations and criticisms of others. If he refused to let Moke take the position, the villagers would surely accuse him of not knowing his place; but if he did let Moke take the position, the villagers would still condemn him as incredibly foolish, putting several other young men in danger for the sake of just one person. Even worse, if Moke were to replace their own children, their attitudes would likely undergo a complete 180-degree turn, revealing another chillingly ugly side. This was naked human nature!

"Sigh!" The village chief sighed heavily, his voice carrying the weight of a thousand pounds, making him appear incredibly somber. He never imagined he would come to this—for the sake of so-called profit and power, he had abandoned the kindness and principles he had once upheld. However, what pained him even more was that, despite all this, he had not received the understanding and support he had imagined, but rather the villagers' eyes filled with doubt and accusation.

Meanwhile, far out at sea, a pirate ship was sailing against the wind and waves. At the bow, the obese and ugly female pirate Alvida held half of a mysterious map, her eyes fixed intently on the distance. She muttered to herself, "Straw Hat Boy, just you wait! Once I find the legendary Lereia Treasure, I can recruit more followers and expand my territory. Then, I'll see how I deal with you!"

Standing not far from Alvida, Moke's keen ears caught the key information in her words— Lileya's Treasure. In an instant, his previously dull eyes lit up like two burning stars. A thought flashed through his mind: Alvida's Paramecia Smooth- Slip-Slip Fruit might very well have originated from this mysterious treasure.

Thinking of this, Moke's hands involuntarily clenched into fists, but he knew he couldn't show the slightest weakness at this moment. So he suppressed his inner turmoil and tried his best to make his expression appear calm and normal, so as not to arouse suspicion from others. After all, on this dangerous sea, any slight disturbance could have unexpected consequences.

Time flies, and half a month has passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, Alvida led her crew to circle endlessly in the vast seas nearby, round and round as if there were no end in sight. However, perseverance pays off. Just when everyone was about to lose patience, a small island, no more than a few miles in circumference, suddenly appeared in their sight like a dazzling pearl.

The moment Alvida saw the island, she was overjoyed. She instinctively raised the heavy iron bar in her hand and shouted excitedly, "Haha! We've finally found land!" At the same time, the other crew members cheered and jumped for joy, celebrating this hard-won discovery.

But just then, a terrified scream abruptly shattered the joyful atmosphere. "Captain, something's wrong... there's a pirate ship on our left!" Hearing this, Alvida, who had been beaming with excitement, froze for a moment, her smile instantly turning to death. Then, her face turned deathly pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Without hesitation, Alvida hurriedly turned and looked to her left. Moke, standing beside her, reacted just as quickly, his face also filled with anxiety as he looked in that direction.

In the distance, a uniquely designed pirate ship was speeding towards them on the sea. What made this pirate ship special was its striking prow design. From a distance, the prow resembled an enormous elephant.

When people, filled with curiosity and doubt, approached and observed closely, they were astonished by what they saw. At the very top of the enormous and imposing elephant's long trunk stood something strikingly brightly colored—the very Buggy of a clown. This Buggy shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight, as if announcing its uniqueness to the world.

The entire bow thus appeared both eerie and mysterious, drawing everyone's attention. Moke stared wide-eyed at the Buggy, afraid to miss a single detail. However, when he looked more closely, he gasped, his body trembling involuntarily. He was horrified to discover that what he had initially thought was merely an ordinary Buggy was actually an enormous, unprecedentedly massive cannon muzzle!

The caliber of this cannon was astonishingly large, beyond imagination, enough to leave anyone speechless. "My God..." Moke was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped to the ground. He was completely stunned, as if struck by lightning, and stood there dumbfounded, utterly unable to react.

This ship is so unique and eye-catching that even a fleeting glance is enough to identify it. Without a doubt, this is the infamous pirate ship of the Buggy the Clown Might-Shaker Four Seas!

Sure enough, when Moke's gaze fell upon the pirate flag flying high atop the mast, his conviction deepened. The skull symbol representing pirates on that flag also featured a striking Buggy. Such a unique emblem was absolutely unmatched in the entire world of One Piece.

Thinking this, Moke's gaze, as if drawn by some mysterious force, involuntarily turned back to Alvida, who stood quietly to the side. He pondered to himself, "Could it be that these two seemingly unrelated people met by chance here, hit it off immediately, and decided to form a powerful alliance to embark on a journey to defeat Straw Hat Luffy?" This sudden thought, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirred up ripples in Moke's mind.

Filled with doubt and speculation, Moke's gaze slowly shifted, finally settling on a tiny, almost negligible island in the distance. From the outside, the island appeared unremarkable and unremarkable; yet at this moment, it seemed like a vast, hidden mystery, concealing countless secrets and fascinating untold stories, quietly awaiting a destined person to uncover them...

Because just by thinking about it, the possibility of the legendary Paramecia Fruit— the Slip-Slip Fruit— appearing on this island would increase exponentially, like a rocket launching into the sky! With each additional thought, this possibility weighed heavier on Moke's mind. The thought of possibly discovering such a precious and rare treasure made Moke feel his heart race like a wild horse, unable to suppress the surging excitement within him.

His body seemed to lose control, trembling slightly involuntarily. Perhaps many self-important people might look down on this so-called Paramecia Slip-Slip Fruit, considering it nothing more than an ordinary Devil Fruit among many. However, Moke knew very well that some Devil Fruit had actually been severely underestimated in terms of their true value and potential.

Take the Slow-Slow Fruit, for example. It's such a powerful and magical Devil Fruit, yet it fell into the hands of Foxy the Silver Fox and ultimately became nothing more than a useless nobody.

And Alvida's Slip-Slip Fruit is no exception; it doesn't just make people beautiful. In fact, the Slip-Slip Fruit's true power lies in its ability to easily deflect enemy attacks, preventing them from causing effective damage. If someone could develop the Slip-Slip Fruit's power to its fullest potential...

Without a doubt, the power it can unleash will be astonishing and defy the heavens! Therefore, we can conclude that while the Devil Fruit itself is important, whether it can realize its true potential and value depends on who eats it!