After the blonde left, another dozen or so people drifted into Rorschach's shop one after another.
To be honest, the foot traffic wasn't bad at all.
But as always, the moment they laid eyes on the "glorious appearance" of the Devil Fruits, every last bit of interest vanished from their faces.
Before he knew it, afternoon had arrived.
The day was almost over, yet Rorschach still hadn't sold a single Devil Fruit.
"Another completely wasted day…"
His face was full of helplessness. The energy and enthusiasm he had that morning were long gone. He was just slumped over the counter, scrolling on his phone like a man whose soul had already left his body.
He had completely given up.
"Hel-lo~"
Along with that ridiculously suggestive voice, Rorschach looked up and saw a man in a full head mask standing at the entrance of his shop.
His heart instantly skipped a beat.
What the hell?
Was he about to get robbed?
After all, in this land of freedom, zero-dollar shopping wasn't exactly rare. Even convenience stores got hit all the time.
But a fruit shop?
That was a first for him.
"Relax. I'm not one of those low-level robbers. I actually hate those talentless amateurs the most."
Seeing that Rorschach had misunderstood, the masked man waved his hand.
"I'm wearing the mask because I just came from a carnival. I was cosplaying a psychotic serial killer. See? I don't even have a weapon."
Rorschach took a closer look.
Sure enough, the man's hands were empty. He really didn't look like he was here for a free shopping spree.
That made Rorschach breathe a little easier.
Still, he wasn't exactly convinced.
Even if this guy really had been at a carnival, it was already over. There was no reason to keep wearing the mask, was there?
And for some reason, that voice sounded weirdly familiar.
Like he'd heard it somewhere before.
But that didn't make sense either. He had only been in this world for a little over a month and barely knew anyone.
And yet, the voice didn't sound like anyone he knew.
Without any intention of taking off the mask, the man walked straight into the store.
"I was just passing by, saw your weird little shop, and decided to come take a look at these so-called Devil Fruits. So… these colorful things are the Devil Fruits?"
Is this guy mentally ill or something?
He's seriously going to keep that thing on the whole time?
Rorschach complained inwardly.
But if the man really was a little crazy, that might actually be a good thing.
Because crazy people probably had a much higher chance of buying a Devil Fruit.
"That's right, sir. These are the Devil Fruits sold by this shop. They are very special fruits with truly miraculous powers."
"Holy shit, they're really these things?" The masked man sounded genuinely stunned. "I thought they were decorations. Or some kind of toy for kids."
"No, sir. They're real fruits. They're meant to be eaten. And each one contains an extraordinary power that can grant special abilities to whoever eats it."
The moment Rorschach said that, his heart started pounding a little.
This was the critical step.
So far, almost every single customer had turned around and left the second he got to this part.
"Special abilities? Like the people in X-Men? That kind of power?"
Not only did the masked man not leave, he actually sounded interested.
Rorschach's heart jumped with joy.
As expected, weirdos really were more reliable.
"That's right, sir!"
Rorschach pointed to one of the fruits and began introducing it.
"For example, this one is called the Slip-Slip Fruit. You may be wondering why it's called the Slip-Slip Fruit—"
"Yeah, exactly. Why Slip-Slip Fruit? Because it feels as smooth as lube when you bite into it?"
The masked man offered a painfully vivid example.
"Because after eating this fruit, your skin becomes incredibly smooth. A hundred times smoother than a newborn baby's skin!"
Rorschach completely ignored the interruption and continued his sales pitch.
"That actually sounds pretty good. Any kind of skin can become smooth?"
Not only was the masked man not scared off like everyone else, he seemed even more interested now.
"Of course. Every fruit in this store is the real deal, no scams, no tricks. If the effect isn't real…" Rorschach paused, then made an exceptionally vicious oath. "Then may I get taken by a hundred fat men a hundred times."
The masked man visibly shuddered.
That's the kind of oath you're willing to make?
"And even a face like mine?"
As soon as he said that, the masked man suddenly grabbed the edge of his mask and yanked it off.
A horrifying face full of scars, pits, and mangled flesh instantly appeared in front of Rorschach.
Holy shit.
Rorschach was so startled by the sheer visual impact that his whole body jerked.
Then his eyes widened.
Deadpool.
Wade freaking Wilson.
He hadn't expected this seemingly deranged masked lunatic to actually be Deadpool.
But if it was Deadpool… then this might really work.
After all, with a face like that, he genuinely had a desperate need for the Slip-Slip Fruit.
And as for his mental state…
Well, based on the movies, the guy really wasn't exactly normal.
"So, what do you think of this handsome face of mine?" Deadpool asked. Seeing that Rorschach had been thoroughly shocked by his appearance, he didn't take it personally.
He was already used to that reaction.
"Sir… did a train run over your face?"
Even though Rorschach already knew what Deadpool looked like, he still deliberately put on a horrified expression.
"Then imagine a hundred wild horses stomping over it afterward, and finally scrubbing it with sand in the shower. That should about cover it."
When Deadpool roasted himself, he showed absolutely no mercy.
"So? Would your miracle fruit work on this?"
"Sir, just like I said, any kind of skin will work!"
Rorschach answered with absolute certainty.
"As long as you take one bite, I guarantee your skin will become flawless and smooth again. Transformation begins this very moment!"
"Isn't that a little too ridiculous?" Deadpool finally voiced some doubt. "You seriously expect me to believe there's a fruit in this world that does something like that?"
Without wasting a second, Rorschach immediately took out a small sample piece of the Slip-Slip Fruit.
"If you don't believe me, sir, try it. The moment you eat it, your skin will turn smooth again."
"You're not trying to poison me, are you?"
Deadpool stared at the small sample in his hand, but didn't move right away.
"Sir, you must be joking. Why would I do that? Besides, I have security cameras in the store. If you died here, I'd end up in prison."
Rorschach pointed at the surveillance camera on the wall.
"That's fine. Even if it is poisoned, poison can't kill me anyway." Deadpool's tone turned casual—almost cheerful. "And you wouldn't go to prison either, because I'd just kill you first."
With that, Deadpool snatched the sample fruit from Rorschach's hand.
Then he took a vicious bite.