You Really Have the Nerve to Ask That Much!

Sengoku's voice came from the other end. "Wait, Mr. Su Yu. There's one more thing."

"Oh? What is it?"

"I'd like to know more about that Cloth! What price would we have to pay for you to give the Marines the method for making it?"

Su Yu smiled silently at Sengoku's question. As expected of Sengoku, he wanted to go straight for the manufacturing method. But even if Su Yu told them how, they wouldn't be able to find the materials! Besides, Athena didn't exist in this world!

And to be honest, Su Yu had never been to the world of Saint Seiya, so he didn't actually know how Cloths were made. He had simply cobbled one together using his overwhelming power and what he knew about Cloths from the manga.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the price of that method might be beyond your imagination. And even if I told you how, you wouldn't be able to make a Cloth."

Sengoku's first reaction was that Su Yu didn't want to hand over the manufacturing method. But after thinking it over, he realized Su Yu might be telling the truth. After all, this could also be an ability granted by his Devil Fruit.

Then he thought that, in that case, he might as well buy a Cloth first and let Vegapunk study it.

So he said to Su Yu, "If the manufacturing method isn't an option, then how much would one Cloth cost?"

So, since he can't buy the manufacturing method outright, he wants to buy a finished product to study? Su Yu then remembered Dr. Vegapunk, who had always been shrouded in mystery in the original story and was supposedly five hundred years ahead of the world in technology. But impressive as Vegapunk was, he wouldn't be able to discover much from a Cloth, something that shouldn't even exist in this world.

Then Su Yu remembered that Saint Seiya had also featured something called the Steel Cloth. Now that was some seriously advanced technology! Perhaps the remarkable Vegapunk could work a miracle?

But that was a matter for later. Su Yu smiled unscrupulously, then quoted his price to Sengoku.

"Ah, so Fleet Admiral Sengoku's wish is to obtain a Cloth?"

Sengoku wondered why Su Yu was so fixated on the concept of wishes. Could his fruit be something like a Wish Fruit or a Wish-Granting Fruit?

Still, Sengoku indulged Su Yu's insistence. "Yes, my wish is to obtain a Cloth just like that boy's!"

"Mm, that's a very simple wish. A Cloth is quite cheap. All it takes is three Logia Devil Fruits or Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits. Five Paramecia fruits or seven ordinary Zoan Devil Fruits would also work."

You really have the nerve to ask that much! Do you think Devil Fruits grow on trees, that you can just pick them up anywhere?! And they have to be Logia or Mythical Zoan! Three of them at once, no less!

"Mr. Su Yu, isn't your price a little outrageous...?"

"Not at all. When an ordinary person eats a Devil Fruit, even one of the rarest Logia fruits, they still need extensive training before they can become a fighting asset. And there's no telling how long that training will take. A Cloth is different. It can instantly give an untrained ordinary person tremendous combat power. Besides, your assessment of Vice Admiral-level strength isn't quite accurate, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Abel may not have told you, but the Cloth doesn't just offer flawless defense. It also comes with a skill comparable to a Great Swordsman's slash. Although that attack consumes a great deal of stamina, I'm sure you know better than I do how many Great Swordsmen the Marines have."

Hearing this, Sengoku drew another sharp breath. This... this Cloth... was actually that terrifying!

A Great Swordsman's slash! Just putting on the Cloth lets someone unleash an attack comparable to a Great Swordsman's. It seems I still underestimated its power. Sengoku couldn't help raising his estimation of Su Yu yet again.

After some thought, Sengoku felt that Su Yu had a very good point. He knew better than anyone how long it took to train someone to Vice Admiral-level strength. It required years of grueling training, and even then, success wasn't guaranteed. As for becoming a Great Swordsman, that depended entirely on talent. No amount of patient effort alone would get someone there!

For a moment, he actually found the price remarkably reasonable...

"Mr. Su Yu, I accept your price! I'll send someone specifically to collect the Cloth, and the Devil Fruits will be delivered to you then."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they hung up. Su Yu then called Abel back inside.

Seeing Su Yu's calm expression, Abel figured the conversation had gone fairly smoothly. He breathed a sigh of relief, then picked up the Den Den Mushi, said goodbye, and left.

At the same time, in the Fleet Admiral's Office at Marine Headquarters, Sengoku put down the receiver and addressed the burly figure who had planted himself in his office to eat senbei. "What do you think?"

"Bwahahahaha! Sengoku, you look like a very serious goat right now! Bwahahahaha!"

Garp roared with laughter, spraying spit and senbei crumbs everywhere.

As Sengoku looked at his irreverent old friend, veins bulged on his forehead. In the end, however, he suppressed his anger and said:

"That bar owner is no ordinary man. He can instantly produce Vice Admiral-level combat power, along with attacks comparable to a Great Swordsman's slash. Most importantly, it seems that as long as the price is paid, he can create fighting assets without limit... He's a troublesome character!"

After he finished laughing, Garp went back to eating his senbei and mumbled, "My instincts tell me this guy is extremely dangerous. But I don't think he's hostile toward us. At least, he isn't hostile toward the Marines."

Sengoku fell silent at Garp's words, his expression shifting darkly. There was no telling what he was thinking.

Su Yu was dangerous; that much was certain. Not only was he powerful himself, but he also possessed a strategic-level ability to instantly create combat power. If that fell into the Revolutionary Army's hands, the Marines would be in serious trouble.

But with someone like him, they either had to be certain they could bring him directly under their control, or, if they couldn't secure him in one move, they could only try to maintain friendly relations. Sigh. Let's hope he doesn't make things difficult for the Marines...

At that thought, Sengoku decided there was no point dwelling on it for now. They should get the Cloth first. So he said, "Garp, this time you'll take some men to Sabaody..."

Before Sengoku could finish, he saw a huge snot bubble puffing out of Garp's nose, with half a senbei still hanging from his mouth. That old bastard! Sengoku nearly had a heart attack from sheer anger!

He took several deep breaths and calmed himself down. There was nothing he could do. After knowing Garp for so many years, he had developed a certain tolerance. Otherwise, he would have had a heart attack long ago...

Sengoku simply ignored the old bastard who could fall asleep while eating senbei and called Kizaru over.

"Kizaru, take a warship to the Sabaody Archipelago. Go to a bar there and collect something."

"Oh my, what could possibly require an Admiral to escort it personally? How frightening."

Hearing Kizaru's flippant tone, Sengoku felt miserable. Sigh. Tsuru and Aokiji are the only reliable people around me. He had originally wanted to send Aokiji this time, but unfortunately, Aokiji wasn't at headquarters.

"This is classified. Bring it back first, and we'll talk. Oh, right. Take seven Zoan Devil Fruits from the storeroom and give them to the owner."

Kizaru gave Sengoku a surprised look, but said nothing. Then he acknowledged the order and went to make preparations.

Kizaru was merely rather laid-back and averse to trouble; he still had a brain. He had heard the seriousness in Sengoku's words and recognized the importance of the matter, so he reined in his casual attitude a little.

Sengoku let out a long sigh. He hoped Kizaru would restrain himself and avoid clashing with Su Yu...

Meanwhile, on a small island northwest of the Sabaody Archipelago, a bloody massacre was taking place...