Tashigi

Moke slowly turned his head towards Tashigi, his previously tense face instantly blossoming into a radiant smile, as dazzling as spring flowers in full bloom. "Thank you." Those two simple words seemed to contain boundless gratitude. Then, he quickly turned back, his gaze fixed on the shopkeeper, and said firmly and decisively, "I'll take this knife. However, I've also heard that you possess another renowned sword, called 'Yubashiri.' Could you please bring it out so I can see it?"

Upon hearing this, Tashigi, who was already staring intently at the Sandai Kitetsu with her eyes practically popping out of her head, couldn't help but cry out in surprise again, "What?" Her face was filled with astonishment, her mouth agape, wide enough to fit an egg. At the same time, her beautiful, captivating eyes seemed to be suddenly ignited, flashing with a burning light, fixed intently on her boss, her gaze becoming even sharper and more focused.

"Huh?" The shopkeeper was also taken aback, his face filled with disbelief. He never imagined that this seemingly ordinary young man would know so much about the treasures in his shop, even the rare and precious Meito, Yubashiri. For a moment, the shopkeeper wondered to himself, "Just who is this person? Could he have come prepared?" However, after only a brief moment of surprise, the shopkeeper quickly regained his composure and calm. He narrowed his eyes slightly, sizing up Moke, and then, while calmly rubbing his hands together, said with a forced smile, "Hehe... Although I don't know how you knew Yubashiri was here, you must know that this sword is quite valuable, right?"

Faced with his boss's slightly probing words, Moke didn't hesitate. He reached into his robes and rummaged around for a moment. In an instant, he pulled out a large, crystal-clear sapphire that emitted a faint blue light. The gem shone as brightly as the most dazzling star in the night sky, drawing everyone's attention. Moke casually flicked it with his thumb, and the sapphire shot towards his boss like an arrow...

The shop owner almost instinctively reached out and caught the sapphire steadily. After all, as a businessman, even though he was in the business of selling knives, years of dealing with all kinds of customers and his keen judgment of the value of various commodities had honed his sharp eyes.

With just a fleeting glance, the shopkeeper immediately realized that the sapphire in his hand was no ordinary object. It was crystal clear, pure and flawless, radiating a captivating light like the brightest star in the night sky. Without a doubt, it was the finest of the finest!

"Gulp..." The shopkeeper couldn't help but swallow hard. Such a precious and rare sapphire must be astronomically valuable! If he were to resell it to some incredibly wealthy noble family, it could fetch tens of millions of gold coins! In comparison, the Yubashiri Sword in the shop, supposedly worth ten million gold coins, instantly paled in comparison.

And let's not forget the equally renowned Sandai Kitetsu. While Meito are undoubtedly coveted luxuries for true swordsmen, often priceless and unavailable, even their exorbitant prices pale in comparison to this top-tier sapphire.

Thinking this, the shopkeeper couldn't help but take a deep breath, trying to calm his excited heart. When he looked up at Moke again, his eyes shone with an unprecedented, unusual light. The reason was simple: the guest standing before him was simply too generous and magnanimous. After hesitating for a long time, the shopkeeper finally couldn't suppress his curiosity and cautiously asked, "Do you Shinuchi such a peerless sapphire for Yubashiri and the Sandai Kitetsu?"

Moke nodded slightly in agreement, saying, "The Yubashiri is probably worth around ten million Beli. Even if you encounter a swordsman who is particularly fond of it and has abundant wealth, it would only be worth twenty or thirty million at most. As for the Sandai Kitetsu, the situation is similar... Hmm, this amount of money should be more than enough."

Upon hearing this, both the shopkeeper and Tashigi's eyes lit up simultaneously. To be able to quote the market price of a knife so accurately meant that this person was definitely a knowledgeable expert! This made them feel a bit more favorably disposed towards Moke.

The shopkeeper stared intently at Moke for several moments, then smiled and said, "Please wait a moment..." He turned and quickly went into a room behind the counter. A short while later, the shopkeeper reappeared, carefully holding the Yubashiri bag in both hands, and gently handed it to Moke, saying, "From this moment on, it belongs to you!"

Moke's gaze was fixed on the Yubashiri, a surge of uncontrollable joy welling up within him. A knife! For most men, this was an incredibly alluring thing. After all, almost everyone, in their childhood, harbored a dream of becoming a dashing knight-errant or a mighty swordsman.

Having achieved his goal, Moke naturally wouldn't linger. After all, he harbored even grander ambitions— the Grand Line and the mysterious New World. In his eyes, only the vast ocean and the new realms full of unknown challenges could serve as the perfect stage to showcase his true brilliance!

Moke deftly hung his twin swords at his waist and strode out of the weapon shop. Just then, Tashigi, who had been watching him closely, called out, "Could you wait a moment?" Before she finished speaking, she had already caught up with Moke like a gust of wind. It turned out that Tashigi was filled with curiosity about the two precious swords Moke had just acquired and hadn't had a chance to examine them closely yet! It would be wonderful if she could hold them in her hands and play with them herself.

However, Moke seemed oblivious to Tashigi's request, not only not stopping but deliberately speeding up his departure. Tashigi, however, didn't give up easily; she gritted her teeth and also increased her running pace. Hearing the hurried footsteps behind him, Moke couldn't help but turn around. When he saw Tashigi relentlessly pursuing him, his brow furrowed slightly. He thought to himself: This woman is really annoying! Besides, right now, all he's thinking about is how to quickly improve his strength. As for women... that's something to consider after he has enough power. Furthermore, by then, with his strength, what kind of woman wouldn't he be able to get?

"Bang..." Just at this critical moment, without warning, a figure streaked across the night sky like Inazuma, suddenly rushing out from a dimly lit corner with lightning speed. Because the speed of the sprint was too fast, so fast that no one had time to react or dodge, the person was like a cannonball, crashing solidly into Moke's body, which was as indestructible and as stable as Mount Tai.

In that instant, time seemed to freeze. Suddenly, a deep, resounding bang was heard, like two enormous meteors colliding violently in mid-air with astonishing speed and force, unleashing a deafening roar. The sound was like a stampede of ten thousand horses, or the thunder of a thousand bolts of lightning, making one's eardrums buzz and leaving only a sharp ringing in one's ears.

The terrifying sound quickly spread throughout the space, like a powerful Shockwave sweeping everything away. The ground trembled slightly, and the surrounding buildings shook. Window glass shattered and fell to the ground with a crackling sound. People covered their ears in terror, their mouths agape but unable to utter a sound.

However, before everyone could recover from the deafening roar, another blood-curdling, piercing scream suddenly rang out. This scream, as if from the depths of hell, filled with endless pain and fear, instantly pierced the sky and echoed in all directions. "Ah!" The scream tore through the air, reverberating for a long time, sending chills down everyone's spines and making their hair stand on end.

With a heart-wrenching scream, the man gasped in agony, cursing incessantly, "Are you made of iron? How can you be as hard as a sheet of iron?! Ouch, my god, this pain is like a thousand arrows piercing my heart! It's going to kill me!" The pig-like scream seemed to tremble in the surrounding air. Hearing this, even Moke, who had been quietly observing from a distance, couldn't help but slightly twitch Iceburg usually expressionless face.

Indeed, ever since he successfully absorbed the legendary Sandai Kitetsu during that adventure, Moke's life has taken a completely different turn. The immense power contained within this mysterious weapon not only helped him achieve perfect assimilation with his own body, but also gave him an indestructible body of steel.

However, despite the astonishing changes that had occurred to him, Moke didn't pay much attention to them at this moment. The scene before him was far too striking—a figure had fallen to the ground in a disheveled state, dust billowing up, the person's face contorted with extreme fear, their eyes wide open and filled with terror.

Faced with this situation, Moke's sharp, hawk-like eyes remained fixed on the fallen man from beginning to end, without the slightest shift or relaxation. He stared at the other person silently, trying to find the secrets and true intentions hidden deep within his heart from the trembling body, the distorted face, and the fearful eyes.

The guy lay on the ground, rubbing his bruised area, and glared fiercely at Moke. Moke took a closer look and Dark-Dark Fruit groaned. This guy was no ordinary person; he was a famous figure from the original story! There was simply no way around it; this person's features were far too distinctive and conspicuous.

Look at the grass-green cockscomb hair style, which looks like a real big rooster; look at the unique eye pattern carefully drawn under his right eye, which adds a sense of mystery and unruliness; there is also the nose ring on his nose, and his face is so ferocious. The devil-like face is intimidating to people; not to mention the black wing-shaped half-ring tattoo on his chest, which seems to be about to spread its wings and fly high at all times; and finally, coupled with the short knife worn on his waist, the whole person exudes an aura of lawlessness.

Indeed, the person standing before you right now is none other than Luffy's fervent follower and die-hard fan— Bartolomeo! Oh, right! This fellow was born in the infamous Loguetown!

Wait a minute... For some reason, something feels off! Thinking about it carefully, oh, it's like this! Bartolomeo shouldn't have eaten that amazing Barrier-Barrier Fruit! If everything proceeds according to the original storyline, is it possible for him to... successfully steal that coveted Barrier-Barrier Barrier-Barrier Fruit? Ah... yes, if he could really do that, that would be wonderful! After all, in the entire One Piece world of One Piece, these two Devil Fruits are arguably the easiest treasures to intercept! However, there's a crucial prerequisite: the entire plot must return to its original, pre-existing setting!

However, what's frustrating is that, according to the original storyline, Bartolomeo's idea of sailing the seas stemmed entirely from witnessing Luffy nearly being killed by Buggy and Alvida. From that moment on, he regarded Luffy as his supreme idol. But the current situation is that he is still just an unknown small-time thug in Loguetown.

However, the crucial point is that he has successfully eliminated Alvida. Buggy is terrified and has even lost Alvida, his staunch ally. Now, will he return to Loguetown to wreak havoc as he did in the original story? Will he really?

If that's not the case, would Bartolomeo still resolutely embark on his voyage? Or would the situation be different? Perhaps we should wait a little longer... Why does it have to be Buggy and Alvida? Actually, anyone else would have been fine! As long as Luffy can be firmly kept on the same Execution Platform where Roger was tortured, that's enough.

However, to confront Luffy head-on just to obtain that coveted Barrier -Barrier-Barrier Fruit... doesn't seem entirely impossible! Thinking this, Moke's eyes suddenly lit up. After all, it was the legendary Barrier-Barrier Fruit. If he could possess it, he would undoubtedly cultivate a powerful and invincible subordinate.

Just then, Bartolomeo slowly stood up, his face contorted with rage and ferocity. He glared fiercely at Moke, gritting his teeth as he said, "You brat, today is your death day..." "Why is it you again, Bartolomeo..." Tashigi had already caught up at lightning speed, her gaze towards Bartolomeo filled with undisguised hostility and wariness.

As a member of the Navy stationed in Loguetown, Bartolomeo was all too familiar with thugs like him. These guys had always been a threat to the stability of Loguetown. The Navy had given them plenty of "special attention" on a regular basis. So, when someone shouted "Tashigi!!!", Bartolomeo's previously arrogant face instantly froze, and he involuntarily Rewind-Rewind a small step back.

At this time, Bartolomeo was far from becoming the renowned Supernova he would later become; he was merely an ordinary member of a group of petty thugs. The powerful and imposing Navy was the natural nemesis of people like him. His throat involuntarily bobbed, emitting a "gulp..." Then, without a second thought, he decisively turned and sprinted away. As he desperately fled, he kept shouting, "Misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding..."

Tashigi rolled her eyes helplessly as she watched Bartolomeo flee. Then, she quickly shifted her attention to Moke beside her, her face showing concern as she softly asked, "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Moke first stared at Bartolomeo's receding figure until it disappeared from sight, then slowly turned to meet Tashigi's gaze. His eyes quickly swept over the Shigure sword clutched in Tashigi's hand, then landed on the Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri at his waist. Just then, a barely perceptible glint flashed in his eyes, and a daring idea instantly formed in his mind.

That means it will be quite a while before Luffy arrives. He can't just sit idly in Loguetown waiting for something to do! So, he needs to find something to keep himself occupied.

For example, how about learning swordsmanship? After all, if he only relies on the power of his Devil Fruit to fight and has no other combat abilities, that definitely won't work. You know, the original work has already stated that only by improving one's strength in all aspects can one achieve a flawless defense.

For him at this moment, swordsmanship was undoubtedly a pretty good choice. Although Tashigi's strength wasn't top-tier, she should be more than capable of teaching a complete novice like him some basic swordsmanship techniques. The problem was, however, how to persuade Tashigi to teach him swordsmanship? Thinking of this, Moke suddenly smiled involuntarily. He reached out and slowly drew the Yubashiri from his waist, then gently handed it to Tashigi.

"Hmm? What are you doing..." Tashigi frowned slightly, her beautiful eyes filled with doubt as she stared at Moke, especially at the Yubashiri gleaming in his hand. Her mind was in complete turmoil, utterly unable to comprehend what Moke's sudden action meant.

Moke held the Yubashiri in both hands, his expression sincere and resolute. He took a deep breath and slowly said, "Although this may be somewhat abrupt and impolite, I sincerely hope that you can teach me the way of swordsmanship. And this Meito named 'Yubashiri' will be my tuition and payment..." However, before he could finish speaking, Tashigi's eyes widened, her pretty face instantly filled with disbelief, and she stood frozen on the spot as if petrified.

Tashigi, who was already extremely shocked by Moke's incomprehensible request, felt as if she had been struck by a powerful thunderbolt! In an instant, she froze on the spot, unable to move like a statue, completely bewildered.

Her beautiful, captivating eyes were wide open, staring unblinkingly at Moke before her, her gaze so sharp it seemed to pierce through his body and reach the depths of his soul. Yet, despite this, Tashigi's mind was a blank, as if swept away by a sudden Blizzard, leaving no trace. A chaotic torrent of thoughts surged in like a burst dam, instantly filling her brain. But these thoughts came and went quickly, vanishing like smoke in an instant, leaving her unable to grasp even a fleeting, clear idea, let alone devise an effective solution.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze in this eerie atmosphere. The surrounding world suddenly became deathly silent, so quiet it was unsettling. All the familiar, subtle sounds—the crisp, melodious chirping of birds, the soft rustling of leaves, and the distant, faint murmur of people coming and going—vanished completely, as if they had never existed. Only a gentle breeze, as if unwilling to break the silence, quietly drifted in from afar. It lightly brushed against Tashigi's fair, delicate cheek, like a tender little hand playfully ruffling a few strands of hair on her forehead, adding a subtle touch of liveliness and tenderness to the tense atmosphere.

Meanwhile, Moke, who had been quietly observing Tashigi's reaction, calmly reached out and gently patted the Sandai Kitetsu at his waist. A crisp sound rang out as his hand touched the blade. At the same time, a faint smile appeared on Moke's handsome face, and he spoke again, "I suppose you wouldn't want to see such a precious Sandai Kitetsu buried in my hands, unable to display its true sharpness?"

When Tashigi heard Moke's words, her body trembled slightly, and an indescribable feeling welled up inside her. For some reason, she felt that his words sounded a little strange, as if they contained some hidden meaning. But what exactly was wrong? Tashigi racked her brains trying to figure it out, but she couldn't quite grasp it. This feeling was like looking at something through a thin veil; she could clearly sense that the object was there, but she could never see its true face.