Deciding to Learn Swordsmanship

Only then did Moke look at Tashigi and flash a brilliant smile. "Thanks."

Then he turned to the shopkeeper. "I'll take this sword. But I know you have another Meito here, called Yubashiri. Bring it out so I can have a look!"

"What?"

Tashigi, who had been staring fixedly at Sandai Kitetsu, could not help crying out again. At the same time, the way she looked at the shopkeeper became intensely sharp.

"Ah?"

The shopkeeper was stunned. He had never expected the other party to know about Yubashiri as well. It seemed this fellow had truly come prepared!

However, he quickly regained his composure.

Then he rubbed his hands together and grinned slyly. "I don't know how you learned that Yubashiri is here, but since you know of it, you must know its value too, right?"

Moke did not waste words. He took a sapphire from his clothes and lightly flicked it over with his thumb...

The shopkeeper caught it instinctively.

He was a businessman. Though he dealt in swords, he still had a businessman's eye. With one glance, he could tell that this sapphire was the finest of the finest.

"Gulp..."

He could not help swallowing. This sapphire was worth far too much. If he sold it to those great nobles... it would fetch at least tens of millions.

Yubashiri was only worth ten million.

Of course, Meito were luxuries to Swordsmen as well. They were often priceless and unavailable, but no matter how high their price rose, they could not compare to this top-grade sapphire.

Even with Sandai Kitetsu added in, he would still make a huge profit.

"Phew..."

The shopkeeper took a deep breath. When he looked at Moke again, his gaze had completely changed.

Because the man before him was simply too generous.

He asked tentatively, "You want to trade this sapphire for Yubashiri and Sandai Kitetsu?"

Moke nodded. "Yubashiri is only worth ten million. Even if it met a Swordsman who particularly liked it and could afford it, it would sell for twenty or thirty million at most. Sandai Kitetsu is the same... This is more than enough..."

The shopkeeper and Tashigi's eyes both lit up.

Being able to state the market prices of swords so accurately meant that the man before them understood swords.

That gave both of them a bit more goodwill toward him.

The shopkeeper studied Moke deeply for a few moments before smiling. "Then please wait a moment..."

After saying that, he turned and entered a room behind the counter. Before long, he came out holding Yubashiri in both hands.

He offered it to Moke. "From this moment on, it is yours!"

Looking at Yubashiri, Moke could not help feeling secretly delighted.

Swords!

Nearly every man liked them. After all, who had not dreamed of becoming a chivalrous hero or swordsman as a child?

Having achieved his goal, Moke naturally had no reason to linger here. After all, his target was the Grand Line and the New World. That was where his stage lay!

Moke hung the two swords at his waist and walked out of the weapon shop.

"Can you wait a moment?"

Seeing Moke about to leave, Tashigi immediately followed him. She had not yet properly examined the two swords!

Of course, it would be even better if she could hold them herself.

Unfortunately, Moke ignored her and instead quickened his pace.

But Tashigi did not give up and accelerated as well.

Moke looked back, his brows furrowing slightly. He had to admit, this woman was rather annoying.

Besides, all he wanted right now was to improve his strength. Women... that was something to consider only after he had enough power.

Besides, once he had strength, what kind of woman could he not have?

Bang...

Just then, someone rushed out from around a corner and slammed hard into Moke...

"Ah!"

The other person cried out in pain and cursed, "Are you made of iron or something? Why are you so hard?! It hurts like hell!"

Moke's face twitched. After absorbing Sandai Kitetsu and having his body assimilated with it...

He really could be considered made of iron.

But...

Moke looked at the guy sprawled on the ground, and his eyelids twitched. This fellow could be considered a notable character from the original story.

It could not be helped. His features were simply too distinctive.

That grass-green cockscomb hairstyle.

The markings beneath his right eye, the nose ring, the demon-like face, the black wing-shaped semicircular tattoo across his chest, and the short sword at his waist.

Wasn't this Luffy's utterly fanatical admirer, Bartolomeo?

Right!

This guy had been born in Loguetown.

Wait... why did something seem off?

Right, at this time, Bartolomeo had not eaten the Barrier-Barrier Fruit yet, had he?

If everything followed the original story, could he... snatch the Barrier-Barrier Fruit for himself too?

"Damn... that's right. In the entire One Piece world, these are the only two Devil Fruits that are easiest to intercept."

But the prerequisite was that everything had to return to the original plot.

However, in the original story, Bartolomeo had only developed the thought of going to sea after witnessing Luffy being jointly executed by Buggy and Alvida. That was also when he began to regard Luffy as his idol.

Right now, he was merely a small-time thug in Loguetown.

But the key was that Alvida had been killed by him.

Buggy had also been badly frightened by him and had lost Alvida as an ally. Would he still come to Loguetown and cause a huge scene as in the original story?

Would he?

If not, would Bartolomeo still go to sea?

Wait a second...

Why did it have to be Buggy and Alvida?

He could do it too!

As long as he suppressed Luffy on Roger's Execution Platform, that would be enough.

Though going up against Luffy for the sake of one Barrier-Barrier Fruit... that did not seem impossible!

Moke's eyes lit up. This was the Barrier-Barrier Fruit. With it, he could cultivate a powerful subordinate.

By then, Bartolomeo had already gotten to his feet and was glaring viciously at Moke. "Kid, today you're going to..."

"Bartolomeo, it's you again..." Tashigi had caught up already, and her gaze toward Bartolomeo was extremely unfriendly.

As a Marine in Loguetown, how could she not know petty thugs like Bartolomeo? After all, people like him were a source of unrest in Loguetown.

She often paid them a little "visit."

"Petty Officer Tashigi!!!"

Bartolomeo's face stiffened, and he took a step back. At this point, he was not yet the Supernova he would become later. He was only a petty thug, and the Marines were his natural nemesis.

"Gulp..."

Bartolomeo swallowed, then decisively turned and ran. As he fled, he shouted, "Misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding..."

Tashigi rolled her eyes at that, then asked Moke with concern, "Are you all right?"

Moke watched Bartolomeo's departing figure, then turned to Tashigi. His gaze swept over Shigure in her hand before finally settling on Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri at his waist.

His eyes flickered, and an idea immediately came to him.

There was still some time before Luffy arrived. He could not possibly just wait around in Loguetown, could he?

He had to find something to do.

For example, swordsmanship!

After all, he could not have no combat ability besides his Devil Fruit power. The original story had already proven that only all-around improvement could leave no weaknesses.

And swordsmanship was a fine choice.

Though Tashigi was not especially strong, teaching a swordsmanship novice like him some basic sword techniques would not be a problem.

But how could he make Tashigi agree to teach him swordsmanship?

Moke smiled, then removed Yubashiri from his waist and held it out before Tashigi.

"What are you doing?" Tashigi was somewhat bewildered by Moke's action.

"Though this may be a little presumptuous, I'd like to ask you to teach me swordsmanship. Yubashiri will be your payment..."

"What?!!!"

Tashigi, already bewildered, became even more bewildered.

Moke then patted Sandai Kitetsu at his waist and smiled. "You don't want this Sandai Kitetsu to gather dust in my hands either, do you?!!!"

Uh?

Why did that sound so strange?

Something felt wrong!