Mammon, You're the Navy's Future Too!

On a street in the red-light district stood the Rose Flower House.

The owner's lounge was decorated with flowers of every color, their fragrance filling the air. It was like an indoor garden.

Azshara sat on the sofa with her legs elegantly crossed. She set down the Den Den Mushi with a complicated expression and murmured,

"Joker wants to buy information on the Seven Deadly Sins?"

A superior had called to ask about what had happened in the Sabaody Archipelago yesterday and to pass along an offer to buy information.

She reported everything truthfully, hiding nothing, and couldn't help picturing Dimon in his mask.

The Storyboard Fruit should have ended up in his hands.

"So his name is Big Eye. No, that's just his code name in the organization. Still, he managed to hold off Garp the Hero. He's very powerful."

"I only held him up for a little while."

A strangely familiar voice suddenly sounded behind her.

Azshara froze and mechanically turned her head. When she saw the figure standing behind the sofa, her pupils contracted.

"How... did you get in here?"

"I came to buy something from you."

Dimon didn't bother answering such a pointless question. He got straight to the point. "I need an Eternal Pose pointing to the Dressrosa Kingdom in the New World."

"..."

Azshara opened her mouth but couldn't speak for a long moment. He had nearly scared her to death.

"The marines on the island are looking everywhere for you. And you dared to show up?"

"Garp has already pulled out. That has nothing to do with this transaction. Name your price. Don't tell me you don't have an Eternal Pose?"

"We do, of course."

Azshara gradually calmed down and put on a smile. "But what do you need an Eternal Pose to Dressrosa for? Are you going to the New World? To evade the marines?"

Dimon said nothing, his attitude plainly saying, Do you think I'd answer that?

Seeing that he had no intention of elaborating, Azshara immediately changed her tune.

"Five million Beli. Thank you for your patronage."

Did an Eternal Pose really cost that much?

Dimon suspected the woman was inflating the price. An ordinary Log Pose cost only a tenth as much.

Apparently noticing his doubts, Azshara had to explain.

"Unlike an ordinary pose, making an Eternal Pose is on another level of difficulty. Of course, if you're willing to try your luck at a legitimate navigation supply shop, you might find one for just four million."

Navigation supply shops specialized in selling all sorts of seafaring equipment, and most port cities had them.

Log Poses, ordinary compasses, nautical charts, telescopes, anchor ropes, sailcloth, life preservers, medical supplies to prevent scurvy, and all sorts of other goods could be found there.

Dimon had visited one during the day. He had come to the black market only because he hadn't been able to buy one there.

"Here. Where's the item?"

Dimon didn't haggle. He had to let the other party make a little profit too. He took out a black-gold note worth five million and handed it to her.

"Just a moment. I'll go get it."

Smiling broadly, Azshara rose and left. Ten minutes later, she returned with a Log Pose.

"This is an Eternal Pose to Dressrosa. Actually, I have Eternal Poses to a few other places too. Would you like to buy them as well?"

"No need. Goodbye."

Dimon took the pose and, after confirming that "Dressrosa" was engraved on it, prepared to use his ability to leave.

"Wait."

Azshara hurriedly said, "I figured out that you're a member of the Seven Deadly Sins. Your group got the Storyboard Fruit in the end, didn't you? Could you provide some information about the Seven Deadly Sins? Any information will do. Information about you is a hot commodity on the black market right now."

Beneath his mask, Dimon looked at the woman as if she were an idiot.

Who would sell out their own organization?

"Sure. How much?"

That was right. He was willing to sell it out!

Azshara's eyes lit up at once. "The price depends on the information you provide. For example, how many people are in your organization?"

"That question costs five million."

Azshara promptly returned the five-million-Beli black-gold note she had just received to Dimon. "Be more detailed. It would be best if you also described your members' appearances and abilities."

"The Seven Deadly Sins. Seven people, of course. Are you stupid?"

Dimon put the note away. Earning back money he had just spent was a pleasure.

Without giving her a chance to change her mind, he immediately activated his ability.

Crack! Crack!

The space around him fractured like a mirror, then shattered with a bang into a cloud of crystalline dust.

"He vanished?!"

Azshara stared blankly at the scene. Realization belatedly struck her, and she said angrily, "Bastard! How is seven people even information?!"

In the inn, Dimon stepped out of the Close-Up Storyboard.

He took off his cloak and mask, then extracted the Storyboard Fruit from his body.

Light flashed, and he became an ordinary person again. A huge eyeball now hovered in midair before him.

"Master."

"I have a task for you..."

Chapter 45: Mammon, You're the Navy's Future Too!

The big eyeball swiveled about, examining the room.

While residing in his master's body, he had no perception of the outside world. Now that he could see the world, he immediately grew excited.

"I have a task for you."

Dimon instructed him, "You'll serve as Samael's deputy. Go with him to the Dressrosa Kingdom in the New World and complete the transaction with the Big Mom Pirates."

"Understood, Master. I guarantee I'll complete the task."

"Samael's personality is a little peculiar... Make sure to remind him that the task comes first."

"Rest assured, Master!"

Big Eye didn't know Samael and had no idea yet what Dimon meant by "a peculiar personality."

Dimon felt somewhat helpless about that too. The Devil Fruits had wildly different personalities after coming to life, and Samael, that bizarre fellow, surprised him from time to time. He really had to assign him a deputy.

"This is an Eternal Pose to Dressrosa. Take it and go find..."

Dimon handed over the Eternal Pose he had just bought, but one look at Big Eye, who was nothing but a single eye with no arms or legs, gave him a headache.

"Can you make yourself some hands?"

The big eyeball shook from side to side.

Dimon couldn't help asking, "Why did you turn into an eye when you came to life?"

Big Eye blinked, his gaze blank. "I just instinctively took this form."

"Is that so?"

Dimon was surprised. He remembered that Mammon had chosen to take human form and had even been able to refine his appearance along the way.

Could it be because he was a Mythical Zoan and had possessed a faint consciousness even before being animated?

Dimon set the question aside for now, searched the room, and took out the World Economy News Paper he had bought the night before.

He folded the newspaper into a large paper airplane, then used Animation on it.

A brief flash of golden light shone, and the paper airplane abruptly broke free of his hand. It flapped its wings and circled the living room.

Dimon beckoned, and the paper airplane landed on his palm.

"Looks like it can't talk either."

It was just like A Breath of Fresh Wind and A Patch of Mist, so Dimon wasn't surprised.

Since coming to this world, he had used Animation every day. Unused uses couldn't be saved for the next day, so he simply used them to study his talent.

He had accumulated quite a few animated objects that couldn't speak.

Dimon handed the paper airplane to Big Eye and instructed him again, "Use this to get there."

"Understood, Master."

Delighted with his ride, Big Eye immediately prepared to take the Eternal Pose and fly out the window.

"Wait. Just reside in the paper airplane. Your appearance is too eye-catching. Even though it's nighttime, someone might still spot you."

Big Eye did as instructed and merged with the paper airplane in an instant. He happily flapped his wings and flew around.

"Go on. Ain will guide you." Dimon nodded in satisfaction.

"Goodbye, Master!"

Big Eye excitedly picked up the Eternal Pose in his mouth and flew out the window in the blink of an eye, disappearing into the night.

Ain split off a clone in the form of a breath of fresh wind and wrapped it around Big Eye, giving him a boost with its wind while guiding him.

At the windowsill, Dimon watched the little fellow vanish into the darkness.

"I hope this little guy is more reliable and doesn't turn out like Samael."

The Seven Deadly Sins was still a makeshift outfit, a newly founded organization short on manpower.

Without Big Eye's ability, his direct combat strength had fallen back to Kaku's level.

Dimon glanced at the sword at his waist. Fortunately, he still had Shusui. The power of a Black Blade was enough to keep him safe.

The next day, Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

The Fleet Admiral's Office.

After listening to Garp's report, Sengoku looked astonished.

"In just one night, he developed the ability to that extent, and could even trap you?"

"Hahaha! I still broke out with one punch in the end!" Garp grinned as he sat on the sofa.

What's so funny?!

Sengoku was somewhat exasperated with his old friend. Did he even understand how strange this was?

"The Bad Kid Pirates escaped, and you didn't get any information on the Seven Deadly Sins either. Garp, did you really take your work seriously?"

Garp calmly sipped his tea. "It would've been the same if you'd gone!"

After a pause, he added, "That masked bastard appeared out of nowhere and trapped me the moment he attacked. By the time I got to the island, they were long gone."

Sengoku had no reply. After pondering for a moment, he said, "We can't underestimate this mysterious organization. Charlotte Cracker coming all the way to the Sabaody Archipelago clearly has something to do with them. We need to find a way to get to the bottom of it..."

This concerned one of the Four Emperors. They couldn't simply act as though nothing had happened.

Garp, however, stood up and headed for the door.

"Where are you going? I'm about to call a meeting with the staff officers. You were involved, so you need to attend too."

"Hahaha, meetings are so boring. I'm going to find that kid. He can't even use Haki. That's just unacceptable."

Garp left without looking back.

He went down from the top floor to the floor where the vice admirals worked and found Vice Admiral Pierce Field's office.