"Hey, Rogers, we came here to buy weapons!" Aiqi snapped, her face dark. These two men—how did they let the whole conversation derail like this? Though she was curious about the giant's Fruit ability, business came first.
"You're right. Let me introduce myself. My name is Ord," the giant said. He dug into his stomach as if opening a door, creating a square hole in his torso. Then… he pulled out three bottles of wine, handing one each to Rogers and Aiqi. "I don't have tea to serve guests. Sorry, but you'll have to make do with wine."
Rogers and Aiqi both stared wide-eyed at the bizarre display. Serve wine? That wasn't the issue—why in the world were there bottles of liquor inside his stomach?!
"Oh, I'm a cyborg! Hahaha!" Ord laughed at their shock and explained, "I ate the Puppet-Puppet Fruit, remember? I turned myself into a puppet. Surprisingly effective, don't you think?"
Rogers found it acceptable. After all, wasn't Franky in One Piece also a cyborg? This guy was more like Sasori from Naruto though—turning himself into a puppet. No wonder he thought of making corpses into puppets earlier.
Aiqi, on the other hand, found it disgusting. This man was deranged, turning himself into something neither man nor ghost.
And those bottles in their hands? Just the thought of them being pulled from his belly made her stomach churn.
"Ord, right? We came here to talk about shipbuilding—" Aiqi began, but Rogers cut her off.
"Say, Ord… want to join us?" Rogers leaned forward, eyes blazing. He had already judged this ability as priceless—better than Moria's zombie-making powers!
"Hey, Rogers-oniichan, what are you talking about?" Aiqi protested. This Ord was far too strange!
"I see great potential in him! Zehahaha! Why don't you come with us?" Rogers explained, laughing heartily.
"But…" Aiqi hesitated, realizing Rogers's point. Ord's abilities were indeed valuable.
"You're pirates, aren't you?" Ord asked, sipping from his bottle, his tone unreadable.
"That's right!" Rogers nodded firmly.
"You're chasing after the One Piece, aren't you?" Ord's sharp gaze pierced him. He wanted the truth.
"Of course. Zehahaha! I'm out to become the Pirate King!" Rogers grinned as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Is that so…" Ord downed more wine, his eyes shadowed by memory. "I, too, want to see what the One Piece really is. My parents were pirates as well… they set sail for the Grand Line and never came back."
"Then join us! I promise you won't regret it. The view at the top of the world—zehahaha!" Rogers declared boldly.
"Honestly…" Aiqi sighed at the two men. Ord was creepy, yes, but as a partner he might not be a bad choice.
"What are your plans? You don't even have a ship, do you?" Ord asked, curiosity piqued. He had always planned to set sail anyway—he wanted to know what had driven his parents to risk everything.
"Aren't you a shipwright?" Rogers pointed at him without shame. "Let me introduce us. I'm Captain Rogers, this beautiful lady is our navigator Aiqi, and the idiot swordsman on our ship is named Yaro."
"I already have a ship prepared for my own voyage—" Ord started, but Rogers interrupted again.
"See? We've got a ship already! Aiqi, look! We gained a crewmate and a ship at the same time! Zehahaha!" Rogers puffed up with pride, as if he'd struck gold.
"That's actually pretty good!" Aiqi admitted with a nod. Given how poor they were, saving money was the best option.
"Hey! Don't act like I've already agreed to join you!" Ord snapped, irritated by their presumptuousness.
"What's the matter? Do you have any reason not to join us?" Rogers grinned slyly, half-threatening, half-luring.
"…If you want me to join, fine. But at least show me something that proves you're worth following." Ord, though oddly drawn to Rogers, wasn't about to sign up for just any ship. Becoming Pirate King couldn't be done with words alone.
"Aiqi, tell him what makes me special," Rogers leaned back smugly, crossing his legs.
"Well…" Aiqi tilted her head thoughtfully. "Rogers-oniichan, I don't think you have anything particularly special."
Rogers's face twisted. Really? That's how you play me down?! Looks like I'll have to show them some real power.
"You're quite a strange captain…" Ord muttered, glancing between the two. Oddly enough, though, he didn't dislike this atmosphere. Maybe this chaotic feeling was what his parents had loved about being pirates.
"Hmph. Time for you both to witness my true strength!" Rogers said, annoyed. He stretched out his left hand toward Ord. "Dark Water!"
Yes—after training for two or three days, he had finally developed this move. Familiarity with the technique made mastering it much easier.
Darkness surged up his arm, spinning like a four-pointed pinwheel. Ord instantly felt an irresistible pull dragging him forward.
Though both of them were seated, Rogers's Dark Water seized Ord's arm. With a smug grin, Rogers asked, "Feel anything different? Zehahaha! Surprised, aren't you?"
The pull vanished the moment Rogers's hand latched onto him. Of course—Dark Water absorbed the Devil within the Devil Fruit user. Once it was absorbed, the gravitational pull ceased.
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T/N:
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