Even though it was already total chaos outside, the Sorcerer remained completely unaware of it.
At this moment, Sherlock was inside a rather luxuriously decorated clothing boutique, his head bowed in deep thought about something. Meanwhile, a certain cunning woman was beside him, picking out clothes with great interest. Judging by her enthusiastic demeanor, she seemed highly satisfied with the beautiful garments the store had to offer.
In this world, women who aren't interested in pretty clothes might exist, but that group definitely did not include Robin.
(With the help of Observation Haki, the Multiple Mirror Reflection packs a decent amount of power even when used for active attacks. It's just that this kind of skill, which magnifies force several times over, puts a rather heavy burden on my body...)
Sherlock looked at his right hand, which still felt numb, and furrowed his brows slightly.
All along, Sherlock's attack style had leaned toward mid-to-long range. If he encountered a melee-type enemy like Blood Wolf Haska from before, the Sorcerer would become a glorified punching bag. Although he had Mirror Reflection to defend and reflect attacks, blindly taking a passive beating was definitely not what Sherlock desired.
And this newly discovered skill of his, which utilized the properties of Multiple Mirror Reflection to enhance his strength, greatly improved the Sorcerer's close-quarters combat abilities. It was just a pity that while this ability was highly practical, it was limited by Sherlock's physical constitution.
After all, Sherlock wasn't a melee fighter like Luffy or Zoro. Furthermore, as the second-generation head of The Goldglint Trading Company who had previously poured all his heart into business, he hadn't undergone any martial arts training.
(In the end, my physical fitness still needs to be strengthened.)
Sherlock gently pushed up his glasses, a look of immense helplessness on his face. After all, on this sea, "fists" were the ultimate truth; external forces like Devil Fruit abilities had to step aside!
(However, speaking of enhancing physical fitness, it seems Armament Haki is a great choice. Just like a layer of invisible armor, it can not only greatly increase attack and defense power, but also grasp the true bodies of Logia users. According to Luffy's older brother, this thing is the stepping stone to the [New World].)
(Wait... armor?)
Thinking of this, Sherlock suddenly froze. A thought flashed through his mind like a bolt of lightning, instantly giving him a feeling of sudden enlightenment. The corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl into an elegant arc.
(I almost forgot about this. Aside from my body and mind, my Devil Fruit ability still relies heavily on external objects.)
"What are you smiling about, Sherlock?"
Sherlock looked toward the voice, only to see Robin, who had changed her outfit from head to toe, standing prettily beside him. She was holding several shopping bags in her hands, smiling like a blooming flower.
The deep purple, tight-fitting leather top was both seductive and elegant. The bold exposure of her slender waist in the open air was a stroke of genius, vividly highlighting its owner's tall, proud, and well-proportioned figure. Beneath the brim of her stylish cowboy hat, a pair of enchanting dark-blue eyes were as clear as water, yet held an indescribable, alluring charm.
"How is it? The outfit I picked isn't bad, right?" Robin handed the bags in her hands to the Sorcerer, asking with a light chuckle.
"Mm, it's very nice. This leather outfit suits you well."
Even Sherlock had to admit that Robin was truly beautiful at this moment. Every frown and smile she made carried a naturally formed, unique charm.
(It seems she really knows how to dress. Well, that makes sense; after all, a love for beauty is in a woman's nature.)
As Sherlock thought this to himself, he took the shopping bags from Robin and placed them into his Mirror Space. He subconsciously used his mind to sense the new clothes Robin had bought, and a look of confusion inevitably appeared on his face.
"Robin, why did you buy a swimsuit?"
Looking at the highly provocative bikini inside the Mirror Space, the Sorcerer felt thoroughly perplexed. "Aren't you a landlubber? [Translator's Note: A common term in the One Piece universe for Devil Fruit users who have lost the ability to swim.] Since you can no longer swim, why would you buy a swimsuit?"
"..."
Quietly looking at the calm-faced man in glasses, Robin remained silent. (This guy... sometimes he really is completely oblivious to romance...)
Sighing softly, the seductive mature woman cast a highly reproachful glance at the Sorcerer, a smile playing at the corners of her lips: "Sherlock, don't you know? A woman's swimsuit isn't just used for swimming~~~"
After speaking, Robin took the change handed over by the clothing store owner, slipped it into her pocket, and walked outside on her own.
(Strange? She seems to be angry. Should I not have asked that question? But she doesn't seem like the type of person who would get angry over something like this?)
Feeling somewhat baffled, Sherlock shook his head. Thinking no more of it, he hurriedly chased after her. He left behind the clothing store owner, who was secretly sighing with emotion: If only generous customers like this came to spend money every day, how wonderful it would be.
Inside an incredibly luxurious seaside villa in Mock Town, a group of outlaws were living a corrupt daily life that could only be described as a world of glittering gold and drunken revelry.
Fine wine, delicacies, hot girls, and money. Their lives were undoubtedly decadent, but they certainly had the capital to be decadent here, because their boss was none other than the pirate with the highest bounty on Jaya Island—Bellamy the Hyena.
At this moment, a few of the pirates were holding up several wanted posters and laughing raucously.
"Hahaha, 30 million Berries? What a pitiful bounty." A blue-haired young man wearing a white fleece coat and goggles laughed maniacally. In his hand was, impressively, the wanted poster of a certain straw-hat idiot.
"Don't say that, Sarkies," a heavily made-up female pirate sneered, continuing, "Even though he's just trash compared to you and Bellamy, it's still not easy to get."
"Hahaha, that's true too."
"Never mind those small-fry pirates for now. Did you guys hear? That Sorcerer has appeared in Mock Town. That guy Nock was already killed by him; word has it, it only took one strike." As he spoke, a man wearing a row of ear studs slammed Sherlock's wanted poster heavily onto the table.
Smack! With that muffled sound, the originally noisy room instantly fell dead silent.
The pirates looked at each other, none of them knowing what to say. Even the previously arrogant Sarkies deflated, a very ugly expression settling on his face.
After all, holing up in a small place like this, it was their first time seeing a pirate with a bounty higher than Bellamy's. For a moment, they simply didn't know what to do.
After a while.
"Heheheh..." A burst of harsh laughter rang out.
All the pirates immediately looked toward the sound, looking at their captain, Bellamy the Hyena.
"70 million Berries? So what? After all, he came from the East Blue, the weakest of all the seas. How strong could he really be?" Bellamy stuck out his long tongue, looking exactly like a mad dog, a nauseating sight.
"In a little while, let me properly test whether he has the qualifications to board the great ship of the [New Era]!"
"However, he is the 'main course,' so before that..." Saying this, Bellamy sat up from his seat, walked over near the table, and stared at Luffy's widely grinning wanted poster, revealing a thoroughly wicked smile.
"...let's eat some 'dessert' first to whet our appetites! Hahaha..."
"Hahahahahaha..." ×N
In an instant, this already foul-atmosphered room echoed with unpleasant laughter like clanking barbells. Although the laughter was somewhat grating, one could hear that they were laughing with extreme excitement.
Ahem, let's just hope they will still be able to laugh tomorrow...
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