Chapter 173: Charlotte's Troubles, and Akainu Arrives
His scattered thoughts quickly came back together.
A divine skill like this was not to be missed, and at six thousand points, it wasn't too expensive for him now.
After adding it to his cart, Shane's gaze shifted to the next item.
…
[Infinite Diet Coke]
Type: Consumable
Price: 1200 Points
Description: Upon purchase, you will receive 100 cans of Diet Coke with an infinite shelf life, each 330ML. No matter how much you consume, your inventory will be replenished with 100 cans every day.
Seller's Note: Why is it Pepsi?! Dammit! Selling it cheap!
Infinite coke?
Shane raised an eyebrow.
The last time he had come across something like this was many years ago, when he had gotten the "Infinite Red Bean Buns" in his hometown.
That item had been a great help. When he was training and his energy was low, he could always have a few to replenish himself and continue.
A very practical item.
This one was not bad either. On the sea, an infinite supply of fresh water was even more important than food.
He didn't care if it was Pepsi or Coke, but the diet version was a bit of a letdown. He wasn't on a diet, and sweeteners were no substitute for real sugar.
But considering the price, just over a thousand points, there was no reason to hesitate.
Bought. Next!
…
[Translation Jelly]
Type: Consumable
Price: 200 Points
Description: A classic item from the world of Doraemon. After eating it, you will be able to automatically understand and fluently use any language for 24 hours, including foreign languages, dialects, animal languages, and even alien and ancient languages.
Details: Two pieces, can be used twice.
Seller's Note: [Omitted due to inappropriateness.]
An interesting little item.
This was the kind of thing that was usually not needed, but you never knew when it would come in handy.
At 200 points, it was a bargain. Shane bought it and was planning to just store it in his inventory.
After all, the essence of humanity is a giant hamster.
…
The next few items were of no interest to him.
After a few more swipes, he finally came to the last item.
His gaze swept over it, and he was taken aback for a moment.
[Territory Management Map]
Type: Special Item
Price: 5000 Points
Description: A faintly glowing parchment map. When unfurled, it can project the current territory and also display resource distribution, population structure, and resident happiness data, as well as an enemy attack alert function.
Seller's Note: I was playing Civilization 6 when I was transmigrated. Has 7 been released yet? Is it good? Waaah…
This thing came at just the right time.
Shane grinned.
The price wasn't cheap. If he had come across it a few months ago, he might not have bought it.
But now, he had entered the New World, and he was strong enough. His pure adventure was over, and it was time to start from scratch and slowly realize his ambitions.
This item was the perfect support tool.
Buy it now!
…
He opened his cart and proceeded to checkout.
The items that had refreshed this month were very satisfying. He had bought a total of six items, a very fruitful haul.
The total cost was 19,100 points, leaving him with 36,800.
He closed the market interface and first called over the little mochi-like creature and fed it the Digital Gem.
A flash of white light, and it was gone.
The little mochi-like creature was still in its Salamon form, and it was licking Shane's palm, its appearance unchanged.
But Shane wasn't worried. The system description said "greatly," so it must be a great increase.
If there was an experience bar, he was sure that the little mochi-like creature's, which had been almost empty, had now shot up a great deal.
As he was petting the dog, Shane opened the parchment scroll in his inventory.
A new screen of light appeared, covering the system panel.
[Current Sea: New World]
[Current Number of Territories: 0]
These were the first two lines, and below them was a long map that took up most of the interface.
No, it wasn't even a map yet, because almost the entire map was dark.
Only at the very bottom, near the Red Line, was a small, snake-like line, twisting and turning.
Shane understood instantly.
Who hasn't played a game before? The map is all black at the beginning, and you have to explore it yourself to clear the fog.
Interesting.
I'll check out the other functions when I actually have my first territory.
He closed the parchment map and then looked at the "Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist" manual in his inventory. He opened it and quickly read through it.
As expected, this martial art was probably the most difficult to learn so far.
But although he was no good at swordsmanship, he was very confident in his aptitude for martial arts.
It would probably be a few more days before they reached the next island.
He would use this time to practice this new martial art and see if he could get the basics down.
…
A few hours later, in the center of the training room.
Shane sat cross-legged in front of the Poneglyph, slowly closing his eyes and recalling the essentials of the "Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist" that he had just finished reading.
It was a martial art that perfectly combined softness and hardness. It looked as calm and gentle as flowing water, but in reality, every move was filled with the power to shatter mountains.
"The flow of water, the power of smashing rock…"
He muttered to himself, slowly stood up, took a firm stance, and suddenly moved.
At first, his movements were as light as a stream, creating a subtle ripple-like fluctuation, as if even the air around him was being pulled by his rhythm.
However, just as his fist was about to reach its limit, his muscles suddenly tensed, and his fist suddenly accelerated, crashing down like a raging waterfall!
BOOM—!
The Poneglyph boomed, and even with Nojiko's snow to hold it in place, it was still pushed back, slamming into the thick steel wall behind it.
"Not bad,"
Shane said, retracting his fist, a small smile on his lips.
This martial art had two main points.
One was that, when used, it made your entire body seem to merge with the flow of the fist, your energy becoming one, and it could neutralize an attack like flowing water, making it difficult for the enemy to find an opening, which was a way to improve your defense.
The other was that it could seamlessly switch between extreme softness and hardness, making it impossible for the enemy to predict your rhythm.
"Again!"
Shane moved the Poneglyph back to its original position and took his stance again.
This time, his punches were even more fluid. His entire body seemed to have truly become a stream, and every blow had a continuous aftereffect.
As time passed, he showed no signs of fatigue. The more he fought, the more excited he became, and his mastery of the essentials of the martial art became more and more proficient.
Clearly, with his extremely powerful body, and the fact that he was already a master of martial arts, even a new martial art that he had never encountered before, his learning speed was far faster than that of an ordinary person.
"At this rate…"
A sharp glint appeared in Shane's eyes. "…before we reach the next island, I'll have mastered the basics!"
…
Meanwhile, Whole Cake Island, 100% Island, Fruit Town.
This was one of the thirty-six islands of the Totto Land archipelago, and it was the territory of Charlotte Smoothie, who was ranked second among the Four Sweet Commanders in terms of both bounty and power.
At the top of the towering juicing tower, Smoothie was sitting on a sofa, her three-meter-long, slender legs propped up on a coffee table. She was swirling a glass of freshly squeezed juice in one hand and yawning, a lazy expression on her face.
Her territory was famous for its various strange fruits, and the air on the entire island was often filled with a sweet, fruity fragrance.
In this environment, even during the day, she often felt the urge to take a nap.
"Smoothie,"
a low, calm voice suddenly came from the door.
And then, Katakuri's tall figure strode into the hall.
"Brother Katakuri?" Smoothie raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. "What brings you to my territory?"
"It's Mama's idea,"
Katakuri said bluntly. "She wants you to come with me to see Shane."
"Another marriage prospect?"
Smoothie chuckled, her fingertips lightly tapping the side of her glass. "I love Mama, but she's really getting more and more muddled in her old age."
"I've told her before, if she's going to find a marriage prospect for me for the sake of the family, then he has to be strong. I'm not going to marry a guy who can't even beat me."
Smoothie lazily swirled her juice, her voice tinged with a hint of mockery. "Like last time, that guy, what was his name, 'Frost Wolf' Agal? The so-called 'brightest Supernova' from five years ago, whose bounty had doubled after entering the New World. And what happened? The guy couldn't even take one of my slashes, and he nearly wet himself."
"It'll probably be the same this time. Boring. I don't want to go,"
Smoothie said, downing her juice in one gulp, annoyed. "And you, brother, your words still carry some weight with Mama. Can't you just turn it down for me?"
Katakuri looked at his sister, puzzled, and then he slapped his forehead.
"You've been cooped up in your territory, training, haven't you? No wonder you haven't even heard of this guy."
He shook his head. "He's indeed a new rookie who has just made a name for himself, but he's in a completely different league than any Supernova. In fact, this time, I'm even more in favor of this marriage than Mama. That kid is someone that even I have to acknowledge."
Smoothie's hand, which was holding the glass, paused slightly, and a look of surprise appeared in her eyes.
Did she hear that right?
Her brother, who had always been so proud and looked down on everyone, was actually acknowledging a rookie pirate?
"His record is quite impressive. You can just ask any of your subordinates, and you'll find out. And his bounty is also…"
Smoothie raised a hand, interrupting Katakuri.
"You don't have to say any more. It's better to keep a little mystery before we meet. It makes it more exciting."
"So you mean?"
"Ah, I'll just go with you and see him,"
Smoothie said, stretching and standing up from the sofa with a smile. "What's his record or his bounty? It's all just empty talk. The fact that he's been acknowledged by you, brother Katakuri, doesn't that say it all?"
"..."
Katakuri was silent, his expression still unreadable.
But under his scarf, the corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch.
…
Four days later, on the calm sea, the last rays of the setting sun were on the deck.
The crew of The Curtain Call was gathered around the dining table, enjoying a lavish seafood feast prepared by Zeff.
There had been a big storm last night, and a five- or six-meter-long elephant-tuna had jumped onto the deck and had been caught by Jack, who had gotten up to pee.
This was a rare, top-tier ingredient from the sea, and with Zeff's culinary skills, he had made over a dozen different dishes, all of them a feast for the senses.
For a time, everyone was too busy eating to even talk.
Shane was no exception. He had just finished his training in the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, and steam was rising from his body. He casually grabbed a piece of elephant-tuna sushi and popped it into his mouth. His eyes lit up, and before he had even swallowed, he was already reaching for another piece.
And just then.
"Purupuru! Purupurupuru~!"
The Transponder Snail, which had been dozing on the table, suddenly opened its eyes and began to cry out in a sharp, urgent voice.
"Nami! Get the phone!" Nojiko said, her mouth full.
"Why don't you get it?! You're always trying to take advantage… waaah! You really did it! Give it back!"
"Huh, where's my grilled tuna skewer?! Waaah, Kuina! I can understand Nojiko stealing my food, but I never thought that you, with your big, honest eyes, would…"
The three young women were in a chaotic mess.
Shane, on the other hand, turned and looked at the Transponder Snail. The ugly-cute little thing was actually crying its eyes out, and the more it cried, the more heartbroken it seemed, snot and tears streaming down its face.
"That's not right,"
he said, frowning. He put down his sushi and said to Jack, who was closest, "That's an emergency communication signal. Someone is calling for help. Jack, get it."
"Yes, boss!"
Jack was also in the middle of a meal, but when he heard the order, he didn't hesitate to wipe his hands, stand up, and pick up the receiver. "Hello?"
…
G-14 Branch.
The Marine's G-branches were all located in the Grand Line, but most of them were in the first half.
And this branch was one of the few that the Marines had established in the New World.
It was relatively close to the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, and, along with the G-1 and G-5 branches, it formed a sort of iron triangle. This way, if any one of the bases were to be attacked, the other two could quickly provide support.
As for a little further into the New World… there were no Marine branches at all. That was the territory of the Four Emperors.
To build a Marine base there would be to invite its destruction at the hands of the pirates.
At this moment, in the communications room.
Several young female Marines were each holding a receiver and speaking tearfully. "Hello? Can you hear me? It's so good to finally get through to you!"
"We're a merchant ship from the Sabaody Archipelago! Our mast was severely damaged in the storm last night, and we can't continue our journey! Can you come and save us?!"
"This shipment is very valuable and urgent! It has to be delivered on time! If you can save us and help us deliver the cargo, we're willing to give you half of the profits!"
"You'll come? That's great! Our coordinates are…"
A tall, black-haired female Vice Admiral with a spiked collar was holding a cup of coffee and leisurely watching the scene.
Her name was Doll, her rank was Vice Admiral, and she had just been promoted to the commander of this G-14 branch last year.
And behind her, a tall figure, standing silently, frowned slightly and adjusted his cap. "Is this how you usually catch pirates?"
"That's right, Mr. Sakazuki,"
Doll said with a grin, turning her head. "Not usually. It only works after a big storm. Every time, there are one or two stupid pirate crews who get greedy and take the bait. I learned it from those hooligans at G-5. It's very effective."
"..."
Akainu was noncommittal.
Normally, he disdained to use such low-handed tactics, but this was the New World, and it wasn't so easy to catch pirates.
If it was effective, then it wasn't a bad idea.
This time, he was representing Fleet Admiral Sengoku on a tour of the New World's branches. The other branches had been unremarkable, but the G-5 branch that Doll had mentioned, ever since a new commander named Vergo had taken over, had changed a lot, which was a little surprising.
Just then, another call came through.
"Hello?"
a low, gruff voice came through, a little muffled, as if the person on the other end was still chewing on something.
Doll immediately turned her gaze to the call, and Akainu, who had already seen enough, shook his head and turned to leave the communications room.
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