"Good sir, what sharp eyes you have! This blade—Red Princess—is one of the Fifty Skillful Grade Swords. The pride of my humble shop!"
The scrawny shopkeeper hunched over with an oily grin, rubbing his hands together like a fat housefly.
Davy, however, ignored the obsequious posture.
He carefully examined the slender red-sheathed blade in his hands. The moment he tested its balance and flexibility, satisfaction flickered in his eyes.
A thin, elegant weapon—light, razor-sharp, and sturdy.
When sheathed, it resembled nothing more than a gentleman's walking cane.
Perfect for the Smooth-Smooth no Mi's properties.
After admiring it a while longer, he slid the blade home.
"Anything else you require, good sir?" the shopkeeper asked, his smile blooming like an overwatered chrysanthemum.
Davy glanced around the cluttered shelves and shook his head.
Among everything here, only Red Princess met his standards.
"Don't be in such a hurry! I know the best craftsmen in the area. If you have specific needs, we can take commissions. For a patron of your caliber, even crafting a unique, personal masterpiece is not out of reach!"
Normally, Davy might have considered it.
But now? He didn't have days—much less weeks—to wait for a blacksmith to start from scratch.
That's the problem…
He needed suitable vessels for the soul-infused Devil Fruit abilities—
And such weapons were rare.
"Boss," Davy asked after a moment of thought, "is there any material that's nearly indestructible? Stronger than steel, flexible like rubber, able to change shape, lightweight, compact, something I can carry at all times?"
The shopkeeper froze, then let out a helpless chuckle.
"Sir… nothing like that exists in this world."
"I figured."
Davy didn't push.
He knew the request was unreasonable.
He simply hoped this strange world might offer a miracle.
Since nothing else here was worth buying, he stepped out into the street.
He'd handled weapons for the Smooth-Smooth no Mi and the Rhinoceros Zoan.
But the Silent-Silent Fruit and Barrier-Barrier Fruit were still troubling.
To fully realize their potential, their vessels needed:
extreme durability—to withstand repeated soul infusion
high flexibility—to adapt barrier shapes and Silent effects
low weight and small profile—practical in battle
The Smooth-Smooth fruit was easy.
The Rhino fruit simply required a heavy sword.
But Silence and Barriers…
Silent can probably be handled later. Germa's combat suits are perfect, and I can always steal one when I'm strong enough.
But the Bari Bari?
A barrier that could withstand anything meant the carrier had to withstand anything.
And shaping barriers mid-fight required flexibility—
Steel wasn't enough.
As he pondered this, something bumped against his leg.
He looked down.
A tiny boy—runny nose, scraped forearm—sat on the ground.
His lips quivered, but he was stubbornly holding back tears.
Davy blinked.
He looks like… Harry.
The memory stabbed quietly through him.
A time that felt long past, though barely a month had gone by.
He sighed the thought away and crouched down with a gentle smile.
"You okay? Did that fall hurt?"
That was the flaw of Observation Haki—
If he wasn't actively focusing, harmless presences slipped past him.
But the boy didn't answer.
He just stared ahead.
Davy followed the gaze.
A toy tumbled across the ground—
CLACK.
"Ga-ga-ga-ga… ga-ga-ga-ga…"
It bumped into a black boot and let out an annoying mechanical laugh.
A man in a dark red coat slowly turned around.
Sharp, malicious eyes.
Wild crimson hair like a hedgehog.
Black sunglasses perched on his forehead.
Bare chest under an open jacket.
Metal wristbands glinting.
Davy's expression sharpened.
Eustass… Kid?
One of the Eleven Supernovas.
Highest bounty among Luffy's generation.
A notorious violent hothead.
What was he doing here?
The little boy—oblivious to the danger—stumbled forward.
Davy's hand twitched in warning but—
Kid frowned, raised his boot, and stomped.
"BOOM!"
"Ga-ga-ga-ga… ga-ga-ga…"
The toy only laughed harder.
Veins bulged on Kid's forehead.
He stomped again.
"Don't!"
The boy finally realized what was happening.
His eyes welled instantly.
"That— that's my toy—! Wahhhh!!"
He burst into heartbreaking sobs.
That toy cost him months of saved candies and snacks.
Seeing it crushed under a pirate's boot shattered what remained of his composure.
"BOOM!"
The ground cracked.
Kid grinned, satisfied—
Until the toy let out one last mocking:
"Ga… ga… ga…!"
"You damn— annoying— little— piece of— TRASH!"
Kid's eyes went bloodshot.
A familiar madness pulsed under his skin.
First the Navy chasing him…
Then that guy lecturing him…
And now some piece of junk daring to laugh at him!?
"I'll kill you— all of you— all of you who look down on me— who mock me— who say I'll never reach One Piece— you're all DEAD!"
He stomped again and again, tantrum-like but vicious enough to crater stone.
If the Marines weren't hot on his tail…
If "he" hadn't warned him to keep a low profile…
This street would already be a bloodbath.
The child froze in horror.
Kid ground the last fragments of the toy into dust.
Only when the laughter stopped did he finally walk away.
The boy collapsed to his knees in the rubble.
Hands trembling, he cupped the ruined pieces.
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