"Boss, your rewards can be… time-limited?"
Diluc's mouth twitched.
Sure, the Mera-Mera Fruit had a capped power ceiling and was fairly common in the One Piece world… but he was actually quite satisfied with it.
Combined with his Pyro Vision, it could definitely unleash even greater power.
But what irked him was—
It had an expiration date?!
He hadn't heard Jean or the others mention anything like that before.
Which meant they'd gotten permanent abilities.
So he was probably the first one to get a trial card.
That felt like outright malice.
"No helping it. All the rewards depend on luck," Han Feng said, making it clear this wasn't his problem.
If you roll bad, that's on you.
"…It's fine. Better than nothing."
After a moment's silence, Diluc decided to let it go.
Even with only twenty-four hours, it was still a powerful ability—
And it might be invaluable at the right time.
Besides, he could read a manga here every day.
He believed he'd eventually draw something truly powerful.
"Still, thank you, Boss. I'll take my leave."
To him, just being able to get miraculous rewards from this place was already a blessing.
"You're welcome. Fair trade," Han Feng replied.
Diluc nodded and turned to leave—
But then paused, frowning slightly before turning back.
"Boss… this fruit doesn't taste exactly like in the manga, does it?"
"The same. Very… distinctive." Han Feng nodded with a strange expression.
At that confirmation, Diluc's face instantly darkened.
He did remember the manga mentioning how Devil Fruits tasted—
and that it was a taste beyond description.
Was he really going to endure that kind of suffering for just twenty-four hours of power?
"…Forget it. I'll see what future rewards I get first. If there's something better, I'll save it. If not… I'll reconsider."
He quickly made up his mind.
"Boss, is that fruit tasty?" Venti asked curiously.
He didn't know the details, but the Mera-Mera Fruit looked nice enough—
Surely it would taste good.
"Very distinctive. Once you eat it, you'll never forget it for the rest of your life," Han Feng said with a perfectly serious face.
Given how awful it tasted, "never forget" was an understatement.
"Really?" Venti's eyes lit up.
"Alright! Tomorrow I'm reading One Piece!"
Decision made, he flopped back down and continued reading.
Ehe~ if I read slowly, I can make it last all day.
Genius.
Bennett, on the other hand, wasn't concerned about the flavor—
He only cared if the reward was useful.
From what the boss had said, the Mera-Mera Fruit's ability to wield fire sounded strong,
But the time limit was a dealbreaker.
At least for Bennett, it wasn't appealing.
If only I could get a Digimon…
His gaze fell on the Digimon Adventure manga in his hands, his eyes full of longing.
To him, having a Digimon partner to go adventuring with would be the best reward of all.
After Diluc left, two more customers entered the shop.
"Boss, I'm back!"
Barbara greeted Han Feng, then introduced the little girl beside her.
"This is our Knights' mascot, little Klee!"
"Hello, Brother Han Feng!"
Klee was equally polite, though her curious eyes roamed everywhere.
So this was the handsome big brother with the magical manga?
"Welcome, Klee. What kind of manga would you like to read?"
Seeing the red-clad elf girl before him, Han Feng smiled.
It was his first time meeting the legendary Dodoco Explosion Queen.
Just thinking about her exploits was entertaining.
"I want to read a manga with bombs in it! Does Brother Han Feng have any?" Klee asked eagerly.
Ah, Klee—ever true to herself.
Most people came asking for something that would make them stronger or grant special abilities.
Only she walked in and asked for bombs.
Her love for explosives reminded Han Feng of Piltover's own bomb-loving genius—Ziggs.
If those two ever met, the results would be… spectacular.
Unfortunately, none of the manga in the shop currently focused on bombs.
Even in Digimon Adventure, explosives were just part of some Digimon's attacks.
Shaking his head, Han Feng replied,
"Not for now. You'll have to wait until later."
"Oh…" Klee's ears drooped in disappointment.
At that point, Barbara stepped forward, placing 100,000 Mora on the counter.
"Boss, do you have something suitable for Klee instead?"
"Cooking Master Boy would be good—it's about gourmet cooking and has lots of delicious food. Or maybe Cardcaptor Sakura."
Han Feng thought for a moment.
No way was he letting Klee watch Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions.
That would be a real crime.
~~--------------------------------------
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