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With the help of the underworld forces, smartphone sales exploded like a lit powder keg, unleashing massive energy across the seas.
The speed of mobile phone adoption was beyond everyone's expectations. They were even being sold in places unreachable by news pigeons.
Places like... the mysterious, sealed-off Wano Country!
Wano Country.
A land of perilous terrain and closed borders, long isolated from the outside world.
Its rigid caste system created a vast chasm between nobles and commoners.
Even someone as influential as Morgans had trouble sending his news pigeons in. The only reason smartphones even made it here was through shady deals between the underground trade network and Kaido's people.
But here's the problem—most commoners in Wano could barely afford to eat, let alone buy a phone.
Smartphones had become a luxury symbol. Only those with status and power could afford one.
Not just because of the price, but because distribution was tightly controlled by a handful of powerful individuals.
So, in Wano, phones weren't just devices—they were badges of nobility. A status symbol.
Of course... that was assuming someone actually bought one.
"Phones! Fresh smartphones! Just in today!" A vendor on the roadside shouted, his voice straining with desperation and hope.
But no one paid him any mind.
Hollow-eyed pedestrians shuffled past, stomachs rumbling. Some turned their heads slightly at the shout, but kept walking, weighed down by hunger.
"Phone? Is that a new kind of chicken?" one muttered. "I've forgotten what meat even tastes like. Can't afford food, forget the phone."
They sighed and moved on, bitter smiles on their faces.
The vendor, confused and frustrated, watched them walk away.
His name was Ricks. He worked for the underworld emperor Giberson. Thanks to a cooperative deal, he had permission to set up shop in Wano.
There were sellers like him scattered all over the country.
If they met sales targets, they got a huge cut.
Today, he'd woken up before dawn to claim a prime spot. The sun was now directly overhead, baking him alive, and he hadn't sold a single unit.
Who would believe this?
Phones that were flying off shelves everywhere else... weren't even getting a glance in Wano.
Absolutely absurd.
As for why they didn't just cut deals directly with local pirate leaders? Simple: profits.
Partnering with high-level pirates meant guaranteed profit cuts.
And those pirates didn't believe in contracts. It was all about who had the biggest fist.
You could pay Kaido's men today, and tomorrow a bigger crew could take over and demand another payment.
No thanks.
So, the safest strategy was to leverage side agreements. Let them open stalls or shops quietly without stepping on any toes.
This was the unspoken rule of pirate-era commerce.
It avoided direct conflict while still tapping into the local market.
But Wano was proving to be a major exception.
Most folks here couldn't even afford rice, let alone a smartphone.
Ricks stood there, drenched in sweat, watching the disinterested crowd. He couldn't help but curse his fate.
"This is nuts! I'm Ricks, the North Blue Sales Champion... and I can't sell a single damn phone?!"
He paced around his booth, muttering in frustration. He stared at the passersby, trying to make sense of their apathy.
Desperate to pull in customers, he whipped out his phone and opened TikTok, showcasing exciting videos to nearby pedestrians.
"Isn't this amazing? It's so fun! Everyone on here's a genius! I could scroll all day!"
He shouted himself hoarse. Not one person stopped.
They just trudged past, blank faces, totally uninterested.
Ricks nearly lost it. "This is ridiculous! Just ridiculous!"
Back in the North Blue, he couldn't even keep phones in stock. People were lining up overnight just to get one.
Now? He was chasing people down and they didn't want it.
"How is this happening?" he muttered, staring at the screen in disbelief.
He tried to remember what it felt like to sell out stock within minutes, to bask in customers' admiration.
But here? Nothing.
"Is it because they're just too poor?" The thought crept in.
He glanced at the ragged clothes and sunken cheeks of the pedestrians. A trace of sympathy flickered across his face.
But he quickly shook his head. "No. That's not it. These things are fun! There's no way people don't want them. I must be using the wrong strategy."
Just then, a voice piped up.
"Huh? What's a mobile phone?"
Ricks looked up.
Queen was sauntering over with his entourage, holding a bowl of red bean soup that looked obscenely sweet and delicious.
His men followed behind with wide grins, carrying a massive iron cauldron full of more red bean soup.
Ricks' pupils shrank in an instant—Plague Queen!
He'd done his homework before coming to Wano. He knew the chain of command.
Kaido, the Four Emperors. Uo Uo no Mi, Mythical Zoan, Azure Dragon form. Dubbed the "Strongest Creature Alive."
Below him were the All-Stars, the Tobiroppo... monsters, all of them.
But strength was one thing. Business was another. Two totally different games.
Besides, his stall bore the King of Seaborne Transport's insignia. They had working relations with the Beasts Pirates. He shouldn't be targeted.
Still, proper etiquette was important.
"Queen-sama! What an honor! A rare guest indeed!" Ricks beamed with a professional smile, rushing forward to greet him.
It wasn't just that the guy was Queen, it was because this was finally, finally his first potential customer.
And he had to sell this phone!
(To be continued.)
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