"Hello, have you spotted something you like? I can take it out for you."
The salesgirl at the counter greeted Moses with a warm smile.
Moses pointed at a pair of diamond earrings. "This one. Let me take a look."
The salesgirl's face lit up—these diamond earrings were high-end items in the store. She couldn't help but give Moses a flirtatious glance.
"You have excellent taste, young man. These are our store's prized pieces. Not too expensive—just 500,000 Berries."
As she spoke, she took out the earrings. Moses examined them—the quality was indeed good—and handed them to Ulti.
"What do you think? Do you like the style?"
Ulti's eyes sparkled, and she nodded lightly. But then she hesitated and looked at Moses. "They're beautiful, but... I don't have pierced ears."
Hearing this, the salesgirl panicked and quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, little miss! Our store has professional ear-piercing equipment, along with anti-inflammatory medicine. You'll be all healed and gorgeous within three days!"
Moses chuckled and asked Ulti, "So, what do you think? Want to get your ears pierced? If not, we can always go for a ring or a bracelet instead."
Ulti gritted her teeth. "I'll do it. I'll have to pierce them eventually anyway—might as well get it over with now."
"Alright, then go with this saleslady and get your ears done."
A few seconds later, as Ulti followed the salesgirl out, Yamato turned to Moses, her eyes brimming with curiosity and eagerness.
"Moses, I want to get mine done too. I'd love to wear earrings or something like that."
Moses tilted his head toward the back room where Ulti had gone, signaling for Yamato to hurry and catch up.
Yamato excitedly rushed after them.
At the same time, Hiyori also looked over with interest. Moses sighed helplessly and nodded. Then, glancing at the remaining group—Ushiwakamaru and the others—he said,
"Go ahead. Anyone else who wants to try can go. No need to ask me."
In the end, only Hiyori followed. The others stayed put.
Moses waited patiently.
Ten minutes later, the three girls emerged.
Only Hiyori's eyes were slightly twitching—clearly, the piercing had hurt.
Yamato strode over casually and leaned in close to Moses.
"Check my ears—are the piercings already healed?"
Moses held her earlobe as she tilted her head toward him. A small wooden toothpick, smelling faintly of herbal medicine, was still inserted in the piercing.
He pulled it out.
Seeing that the wound had already stopped bleeding and closed up, he pinched it lightly before removing the other toothpick from her other ear.
"Yeah, it's healed. As expected of you—you recover fast."
"See any earrings you like? I'll buy them for you if you do."
"Really?"
Seeing the exasperation in Moses' eyes, Yamato burst into laughter.
"Great! Hehe, let me take a look."
Soon, Yamato picked out two intricately designed golden hoop earrings and grinned at Moses.
"I want these!"
In the end, Moses also bought a high-quality diamond-studded platinum bracelet for Ulti and a pair of platinum earrings for Hiyori.
After paying, Moses led the girls out of the jewelry store.
Walking along the road, Ulti happily stroked the diamond-embedded bracelet on her left wrist with her right hand, which began to shimmer visibly.
Her right arm below the elbow appeared as if cast from the finest diamonds.
Sunlight reflected off the diamond arm, scattering dazzling, multicolored rays that were extraordinarily beautiful.
As she shifted the angle of her arm,
soft blue fluorescent light bloomed from it.
Excited, Ulti looked at Moses with expectant eyes and asked, "Well? How does my arm look?"
"Hmm, it is quite beautiful. But Ulti, how far can you extend this material transformation now? Your entire body?"
Ulti thought for a moment, then her body rapidly began to crystallize into diamonds. Her entire upper body, from the chest up, turned radiant.
But below the chest, her flesh remained unchanged.
After a long pause, her expression darkened, and her body reverted to normal:
"Right now, I can only fully transform any one-third of my body into different materials. Any more than that is beyond me. Sigh, I'm still so weak."
"And when that one-third of your body is transformed, can you still shift it freely?"
"For example, if your upper half is diamond now, could you switch it to your lower half the next moment?"
"Can I do that?" Ulti stared at Moses in astonishment. "Is that possible?"
"How would you know if you don't try?"
"Right now, you can only transform one-third because you're not yet skilled enough with your ability. Plus, your physical strength isn't fully developed. Once you grow stronger, you'll definitely be able to transform your entire body."
"Then I'll give it a try."
Ulti's face flushed red with effort as she attempted to shift the diamond transformation across her body.
Though slow, it was indeed moving.
Moses chuckled, and the group continued toward the port shore.
Before long, they arrived at a deserted beach.
At that moment, Moses noticed a dozen or so suspicious figures lurking in a nearby grove.
Seeing Moses' reaction, Kawamatsu asked,
"Shall I drag them out?"
"No need. They're coming out on their own."
As they spoke, a group of armed men approached.
Leading them was a burly, rough-looking man in his thirties or forties, with a thick beard and an exposed chest covered in dense hair.
Stopping in front of Moses and the others, the man eyed them greedily, though his gaze lingered on Ulti:
"Little girl, you're a Devil Fruit user, aren't you?"
"I'm Yak the Great Horn, with a bounty of 35 million Berries. I'm a Zoan-Type user of the Ancient Great Horn Bull Fruit. How about joining my crew? Benefits are generous—if you join, you'll immediately become one of my officers!"
Hearing this, Moses exchanged a bewildered glance with Kawamatsu, who wore an equally amused expression.
"Is he trying to poach from you?"
Moses turned to Ulti with a wry tone. "What do you think, kid?"
"I think I'll stand here and watch."
Ulti rolled her eyes at Moses—did he really need to ask? Then, expressionless, she glared at Yak the Great Horn.
"Get lost. I don't have time for you."
Yak felt a bit embarrassed. As a native of the North Blue, he was well aware of this world-class martial arts tournament. He had come here both to compete and to recruit some strong talents—he had been preparing for the Grand Line for a long time.
When he saw Ulti's physical transformation on the street earlier, he was overjoyed, feeling like he had stumbled upon a treasure, which was why he eagerly followed her.
But now.
He had been rejected and insulted, and his mood instantly soured.
This made him, a man with a formidable reputation in the North Blue, extremely displeased.
"Little girl, it seems you don't know what a pirate is, huh?"
With a dark expression, Yak explained, "Pirates are scoundrels who stop at nothing to get what they want. I've taken a liking to you. I'll give you one more chance—otherwise, I won't go easy on the people around you."
Just a bunch of kids, with maybe one fish-man among them. Yak didn't care. Years of battle had honed his powerful physique and his sharp black horns, capable of slicing through steel, giving him absolute confidence he could crush these brats.
"Choose. Join me, and I'll let your friends come aboard my ship too. If you dare refuse, I promise you'll regret this decision today."
As soon as he finished speaking, the pirates behind him began jeering.
"Our captain's taken a liking to you—that's an honor. Don't be ungrateful."
"Little lady, you wouldn't want your friends to get hurt, would you?"
"Don't worry, our captain treats his crew well."
Appraisal
Strength Rating: C-
Moses gave him a once-over. With this level of strength, he was indeed a formidable fighter in the Four Blues.
If he made it to the Grand Line and survived all the way to Sabaody, he could even be called a Supernova.
Turning his head toward Ulti, Moses said softly, "This guy's strength is about the same as Yamato's in her normal state. Want to give him a try?"
Ulti's eyes lit up with excitement, and she nodded eagerly. "I've been wanting to test myself against Yamato for a while now. I'll do it—let's see how I measure up."
Taking a deep breath, Ulti stepped forward, her face alight with anticipation as she stared at Yak. "If you want to be my captain, you'll have to beat me first. Win against me, and then we'll talk about me joining your crew."
Her right hand reached for the diamond-encrusted bracelet on her left wrist. In an instant, her right arm began to shimmer, the glow quickly spreading to her left arm.
Clenching her diamond-hard fists, Ulti fixed him with a battle-ready gaze.
Yak's lips curled into a vicious grin, his expression turning feverish. "Bold."
With that, he lunged forward, the ground thundering beneath his steps as he charged at Ulti.
Closing the distance, he swung his right fist with a howling gust of malice.
Ulti's eyes flickered. She bent her knees and ducked low, dodging the punch, then thrust her diamond-clad right fist straight at him.
Yak's eyes twitched. He stomped his left foot and jerked backward, swinging his right leg in a brutal roundhouse kick aimed at Ulti.
The gust of wind rushed at her face.
Ulti's heart skipped a beat. Her upper body instantly turned to diamond as she curled up, crossing her arms in front of her head.
Thud!
The impact sent her flying backward.
The moment she hit the ground, her hands pressed into the sand to absorb the force. She rolled and sprang back to her feet, her eyes locked fiercely on Yak.
The corner of his eye twitching, Ark's right foot tapped the ground, trembling slightly as a sharp pain radiated from his shin.
Damn, that's hard!
Ulti felt exhilarated. Her diamond-hardened body had significantly increased in strength. Right now, she only felt a slight tightness in her chest—no other negative effects.
Her eyes suddenly gleamed with intensity as she swiftly shifted her footing and charged toward Ark.
In an instant, the two were locked in combat.
Ulti relied on her agility, weaving around Ark with her diamond-hardened body, striking and retreating in quick succession.
Each attack was a hit-and-run.
Ark grew increasingly frustrated. The little brat was slippery as an eel, and those diamond-like fists of hers were both slick and tough. For the moment, he really couldn't get a solid grip on her.
The more they fought, the more infuriated he became, realizing that despite her small stature, Ulti was incredibly skilled.
His earlier thoughts of recruiting her gradually faded.
In a few years, he might not even be able to beat her. By then, his pirate crew might no longer be under his control.
The latest novels are first published on 69shu!
At this thought, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.
His body rapidly expanded, transforming into a bull-headed humanoid with a pair of black, curved horns like scimitars.
Just then, Ark had taken a punch from Ulti. With a furious snort, he suddenly raised his right foot and stomped it down violently.
"Great Horn Bull—Savage Trample!"
Boom! A violent shockwave erupted from under his foot, sweeping past Ulti's body. Caught mid-retreat, her balance was instantly disrupted, sending her tumbling backward.
The next second, a shadowy figure with lowered horns roared as it charged toward Ulti's chest with wild, unstoppable force.
"Great Horn Bull—Savage Charge!"
Ulti's eyes widened in alarm. She quickly activated her ability, covering her chest in diamond and crossing her arms to block.
Clang!
A fierce shockwave exploded outward.
Ulti's small frame was instantly sent flying.
Mid-air, she felt an overwhelming pressure in her chest, her mind going momentarily blank.
But the next moment—
She felt herself being caught around the waist.
Snapping back to her senses, she looked up to see Moses' face inches from hers, an inexplicable sense of security washing over her.
Still airborne, Moses and Ulti traced a graceful arc through the air before landing steadily on the ground. Moses set Ulti down gently on the sand.
Ulti glanced down at her chest—her clothes were torn. Her cheeks flushed red as she hastily covered herself, looking up at Moses with pitiful eyes.
Noticing this, Moses unbuttoned his shirt and draped it over her.
"Thank you, Moses."
Patting her head lightly, Moses smiled. "Good fight. You okay?"
Ulti giggled. "Of course! Just a little winded and my clothes got wrecked, but I'm fine now."
Moses nodded, then turned his gaze toward Ark, who was watching them with a stormy expression.
Grinning widely, Moses glanced at Yamato nearby and called out cheerfully,
"How about we take him down together?"
"Sure, sure!" Yamato replied excitedly, her blood already boiling from watching Ulti's fight. The battlelust in her veins had been ignited.
Then, Moses turned to Ushiwakamaru. "You handle the other pirates."
Ushiwakamaru grinned. "No problem."
Drawing his own sword, Ushiwakamaru charged forward.
Moses turned to Bear Cub and said,
"Baseball bat."
The next moment, Bear Cub tossed the bat over.
With a swift reach, Moses caught it with a sharp "Snap!"
He then shot Yamato a meaningful glance.
Gripping her spiked club, Yamato dashed out first.
In the blink of an eye, she closed the distance to Yak, swinging her club in a wide arc aimed straight at his head.
Yak's heart skipped a beat. "So fast!"
He hastily retreated.
But at that moment, Moses suddenly appeared beside him, swinging his own bat toward Yak's head—even faster.
Yak's heart trembled, his eyes widening in shock. Yet, in an instant, he steeled himself, halting his retreat and throwing a fierce punch at Moses.
Moses' gaze remained calm. With a twist of his wrist, the descending baseball bat abruptly changed course, smashing into Yak's arm with a dull "Thud!" The force sent Yak's right arm flying upward.
Focusing his Breath, Moses swung the bat in a smooth, lightning-fast arc.
"Crack!"
A black horn spun through the air before landing.
Yak let out a piercing scream, his expression one of disbelief.
"How... is this possible?"
The next second, Yamato leaped into the air, swinging her club down with a shout:
"Thunder Bagua!"
"Boom! Crack!"
Another horn went flying.
Landing swiftly, Yamato took a step forward, pivoting her hips as she swung her spiked club in a sharp trajectory, striking Yak squarely on the forehead.
"Thud!"
Yak's eyes rolled back as he collapsed to his knees, face-planting into the sand, unconscious.
Meanwhile, Moses glanced toward Ulti and Ushiwakamaru, who were clad in his oversized shirts, busy dealing with the remaining pirates—beating them down one after another.
Yamato grinned at Moses. "Wasn't I amazing just now? I broke his horns in one hit!"
Moses tilted his head, smiling as he reached out and playfully grasped one of her crimson oni horns. The smooth texture felt pleasant in his hand.
"Then tell me—could I break these horns of yours?"
Yamato blinked, then gave him a deadpan look. "Do you want to break my horns?"
Moses chuckled, shaking his head.
"Would you let me?"
"Mm... It'd probably hurt a lot. Better not."
Seeing the resistance in her eyes, Moses laughed and released her horn, pinching her cheek instead.
"Don't worry, I won't break them. Such beautiful horns—it'd be a shame."
Yamato exhaled in relief, shooting him a mock glare. "Then why'd you say that earlier?"
"My bad. I won't joke about it again."
"Fine, I forgive you."
"Heh."
Moses laughed, and Yamato joined in.
"Haha!"
Within three minutes, Ulti and Ushiwakamaru finished off the pirates and walked over.
Picking up the two black, sickle-like horns from the ground, Ulti grinned.
"Hey Moses, are these horns useful? Can they be Forged into weapons?"
"Can't Forge them—they're not metal and can't withstand high heat. But they could be polished into curved daggers or horn combs."
"Ew, no thanks."
With that, Ulti tossed the horns aside, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
Moses looked at Yak, who was two meters in front of him, and after some thought, decided to send him off to meet his crewmates.
Turning to Yamato, he asked, "Ever seen blood before?"
Yamato hesitated slightly before shaking her head. "No."
"Do you want to?"
"If we're going to be together from now on, will we see blood often?"
"Yeah. My side job is bounty hunting. I often take pirate heads to claim rewards."
Taking a deep breath, Yamato said,
"Alright."
With that, she stepped forward and swung her club at Yak's head. Already unconscious and having reverted from his half-beast form, Yak was killed instantly by Yamato's strike.
Her face pale, Yamato averted her gaze. Moses remarked calmly,
"I'm not a good person, but I won't let you kill those who mean us no harm."
Yamato muttered, "I don't care about that. I just used too much force—it's a bit sickening."
Moses glanced at the corpse, his lips twitching in mild exasperation.
He then signaled to Ushiwakamaru and Bear Cub to toss all the pirates into the sea.
And so, a minor incident came to an end.
No one knew this was the burial ground of a certain "great pirate" from the North Sea.
Over the next few days, Moses trained Yamato and Ulti relentlessly, engaging them in battles using various methods.
Each day left them utterly exhausted, unable to even lift a finger.
Yet despite the pain, they found joy in it, as their combat skills were significantly honed.
In the blink of an eye,
August 1st arrived.
At eight o'clock that morning,after breakfast, Moses, Yamato, and Ulti entered the arena of the martial arts tournament together.
-Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/QueenTL
Thanks!