One Piece Swordsman's Heart - Chapter 23
Following the direction of the Log Pose, Vir sailed for nearly half a month before finally sighting an island.
This island was peculiar because its port was almost full of ships, most of which were pirate ships. The dock was bustling with pirates and laborers moving goods, creating a very prosperous scene.
Vir docked his ship and walked directly onto the island, completely unconcerned about the safety of his ship. This confidence stemmed from his design: the ship required a specific electrical input to start, a strength only Vir knew. In essence, Vir himself was the key to the entire ship, and no one else could access it. Additionally, the Adam Wood used for the ship was incredibly durable, making him feel at ease.
Vir was intrigued by the fierce-looking pirates haggling with the merchants at the dock. Some pirates appeared troubled, while others looked overjoyed.
After some investigation, Vir learned the reason behind all this activity.
The island, called Tutu Island, was rich in gunpowder. This meant it also produced cannons, firearms, and various other weapons. The lucrative weapon trade had attracted numerous pirate crews and even some nobles. While pirates were somewhat expected, the involvement of nobles prevented the Navy from controlling this gunpowder-rich island. Thus, the government dispatched higher-ranking nobles to consolidate the numerous groups into one, forming a merchant guild controlled by these nobles.
Pirates handled illegal trade and transport, such as arms dealing in war-torn small countries or between feuding families. The nobles managed the legal aspects, dealing with the Navy and World Government member countries.
This arrangement created a unique balance.
With such profits to be made, Tutu Island attracted a large population and an abnormal level of prosperity.
Entering the town on Tutu Island, Vir found it much larger than Loguetown, almost like a small kingdom, and exceedingly prosperous.
Strolling through the bustling commercial streets, Vir noted the abundance of civilians and the vast array of food stalls and luxurious restaurants.
After sampling some street food, Vir chose an opulent restaurant for a proper meal. Upon entering, he realized the restaurants in Loguetown paled in comparison; this place resembled a small palace.
The enthusiastic staff quickly found him a seat, and a young, beautiful waitress came to serve him.
“Sir, do you have a reservation? If not, I can tell you about today’s specials and our various dishes,” she said softly, her voice sweet and gentle.
“Oh? Today’s specials? Let’s hear them,” Vir responded, intrigued. He’d heard of special dishes but never daily specials, as transportation between islands in the pirate world wasn’t very developed.
After being at sea for a while, Vir’s meat supply hadn’t dwindled; it had increased thanks to the numerous Sea Kings he had to kill. This showed that besides the weather, the Grand Line was quite dangerous in other ways too.
“Today’s specials include roasted meat from large Sea Kings, bombfish soup, and golden lamb chops,” the waitress listed, waiting for Vir’s response.
Vir could hardly believe it. This restaurant offered large Sea Kings and golden lamb. As for bombfish, he’d never heard of it.
Without hesitation, he ordered everything and waited for the feast.
While waiting, Vir struck up a conversation with the waitress.
He learned that the island’s largest auction house would hold its monthly auction tomorrow, though the specifics of what would be auctioned were unknown.
Hearing about the auction piqued Vir’s interest, and he inquired about its scale. The waitress proudly stated that even Devil Fruits weren’t unheard of there.
Vir became even more interested and decided to attend the auction.
Soon, the delicious food arrived. The first dish was bombfish soup, which had a unique, fresh aroma. One sip, and Vir felt an explosion of flavor on his taste buds. He quickly understood the meaning behind the name bombfish. He devoured the rest of the dishes with gusto.
After paying the bill, Vir slowly exited the restaurant, unusually stuffed.
Returning to his ship, he encountered no trouble from the local pirates. He proceeded to his training room for his daily routine and then went to sleep.
The next day, Vir woke up, grabbed a chest containing over 100 million Berries, and headed straight for the town’s auction house.
Having scouted the location yesterday, he found a long line of people waiting. The auction was set to begin promptly at 8 AM.
Joining the queue, Vir soon caught the attention of a man in black who approached him.
“Sir, if you plan to spend a significant amount today, may I ask your estimated budget?” the man asked politely after a respectful bow.
“I’m not sure how much I’ll spend. It depends on what’s available, but I can manage around 100 million Berries if I find something I like,” Vir replied casually, sensing that the man was associated with the auction house.
The man’s eyes lit up. He whispered something to Vir and then led him to a side entrance.
The man explained that those carrying over 100 million Berries didn’t need to queue and could proceed directly to the VIP seats after verification.
After verifying Vir’s money, the man became even more courteous, leading him into the auction house.
Inside, Vir found the venue larger than expected, with a tiered seating arrangement.
The man led him to the front row, where round tables and spacious sofas were set up, differing from the rest of the seating. After settling Vir in, the man left to attend to other guests.
From his front-row seat, Vir observed several people already present: a stern-looking old man in yellow, a middle-aged man adorned with jewelry, someone in a black robe with a hood obscuring their face, and a woman who appeared to be a noble lady.
Finding them uninteresting, especially the middle-aged man who looked frail from overindulgence, Vir waited patiently.
After over an hour, the auction began. The back rows were nearly full, and the VIP section had gained about a dozen more guests.
The auctioneer, a small giant standing five to six meters tall, introduced himself without a microphone, his booming voice sufficient.
After warming up the crowd, he announced the first item: fifty cannons and ten thousand firearms, with no reserve price.
The crowd gasped. While cannons weren’t unusual, ten thousand firearms were significant, enough to arm a small nation for war.
The VIPs showed little interest, but the general audience erupted into a bidding war, ending with a young man winning for 40 million Berries, glaring at a bald man nearby—clearly intended for conflict.
Subsequent items were auctioned, but Vir only purchased a rare black pocket watch with a red “W” engraved, costing 2 million Berries. The rest didn’t interest him.
Sensing the crowd’s dwindling excitement, the auctioneer presented a rare item.
“Our next item is a rarity. Initially intended for auction at Sabaody, we managed to secure it instead. Presenting, from Fish-Man Island, the mermaid Joanna, starting at 100 million Berries.”
The announcement caused a frenzy. The crowd cheered, and some even audibly swallowed in anticipation.
For the first time, Vir witnessed the madness of the slave trade, especially from the jeweled man beside him whose eyes nearly pierced the glass tank containing the mermaid.
“110 million! The mermaid is mine!”
“130 million!”
“170 million!”
The crowd went wild, but the jeweled man waited until the right moment to roar his bid.
“300 million!”
Silence fell. The jeweled man beamed with pride. Mermaids were rare at Tutu Island’s auctions; those at Sabaody were practically reserved for the Celestial Dragons beyond his reach.
Ultimately, he won the mermaid for 300 million Berries. In the tank, Joanna’s expression remained unchanged—a soulless shell.
The auction continued with less notable items and a few human slaves until something caught Vir’s eye: a thin notebook.
The auctioneer introduced it as a guide to Haki training.
The crowd, mostly unaware of Haki, showed little interest, but a few, including Vir, were visibly excited.
Feeling fortunate, Vir couldn’t believe his luck in finding a Haki training manual at an auction.
“Due to its unique nature, this item has no reserve price. Bidding is open,” the auctioneer announced.
The stern old man from the VIP section started.
“50 million Berries. The Haki training method is mine. I’m Gat, captain of the Furious Lion Pirates,” he declared confidently, leaning back smugly, trusting his crew’s reputation.
Unfazed, Vir calmly made his bid.
“60 million Berries.”
Gat glared, his face darkening as he increased his bid.
“70 million Berries.”
Vir glanced at Gat, deciding to end the bidding war.
“100 million Berries,” he announced firmly, watching Gat for a reaction. If Gat raised the bid again, Vir’s funds would be insufficient.
To Vir, money was secondary to power, and Haki was essential for survival in this world. Without it, battling Logia users was nearly impossible without elemental countermeasures, which weren’t always available.
Unexpectedly, Gat didn’t continue bidding, his expression turning sour as he left the auction house.
Watching Gat leave, Vir laughed, not because of Gat’s retreat but sensing this wouldn’t be the end of it.
The thought made Vir’s laughter grow, revealing his white teeth.
Today promised to be interesting. It had been a while since he killed anyone. As an old saying goes, “Killing is a vice, but it’s one I can’t seem to quit.”
Vir laughed loudly, relishing the anticipation of the coming events.
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