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Night fell, and Daichi was in his hotel room.
He sat by the window, flipping through the list of contestants provided by the organizers, which contained many names he had heard of.
One person, in particular, caught his interest.
Hajrudin of the Giant Warrior Pirates!
In recent years, Hajrudin had been very active with a few companions, gaining considerable renown as a mercenary roaming various battlefields.
"This is the guy!"
Daichi made up his mind.
It wasn't just Big Mom; every power desired the strength of the giants. Even the World Government was no exception, with many giant vice admirals in the Marines.
If he could recruit a giant into the Beast Pirates, Kaido would be very pleased. Moreover, simply due to his racial bonus, Hajrudin would be qualified to serve as one of the Tobi Roppo.
Daichi put down the list and looked at the timid, uneasy, horn-wearing girl in coarse burlap standing in the center of the room.
Having horns meant she had oni bloodline in her body, or more accurately, ancient giant bloodline.
Due to the dilution of the bloodline over generations, true ancient giants were few, but many mixed-bloods remained.
Their common features were devil horns, a larger physique, and innate strength far surpassing ordinary people.
Kaido, Who's-Who, the Ulti siblings, and many other horned warriors were among the Beast Pirates.
The girl's height was similar to his, and her appearance was quite fitting for the Beast Pirates, but she was too thin, her chest so flat it was like two screws twisted onto a steel plate.
Daichi scrutinized the girl.
"What's your name?"
"Ki...Kikara."
Kikara offered a stiff smile, her small hands clasped together, clearly overly nervous and frightened.
She already knew the man before her had bought her and was her new master; from now on, her life belonged to him.
Don't cry, smile.
If she cried, she would be killed.
Daichi nodded slightly.
"Take off your clothes."
Kikara trembled, her shaking hands grasping the hem of her clothes. It wasn't shyness, but fear of death.
If her master saw that mark, she would surely be returned.
Or even killed.
"Master, my body is ugly."
"Off!"
Daichi spoke calmly, leaving no room for negotiation.
Kikara closed her eyes in fear and took off her dirty clothes, revealing her scarred body.
There was hardly a single unblemished spot.
Daichi looked at the scars and could imagine the girl's painful experiences. Stussy had also provided some information about the girl.
To earn more Berries, the gladiatorial arena would always let Kikara be beaten half to death before allowing her to counterattack in her duels.
This was a slave.
Worse than a pet.
Daichi went behind Kikara and indeed saw the mark.
The Hoof of the Celestial Dragon!
If it were anyone else, they would probably be scared to death the moment they saw this mark, as possessing a Celestial Dragon's slave was a grave crime.
Daichi pointed to the bathroom and a set of clothes on the table.
"Wash yourself clean and change your clothes."
"Yes, Master."
Kikara fled into the bathroom as if escaping, curling up in the warm water and fighting back tears.
She had been seen.
She knew very well the consequences of being discovered.
Not long after, Kikara returned to Daichi, wearing new clothes, her nervous small hands tugging her skirt down.
Her butt was about to show.
"So fragrant~~"
The girl sniffed, her gaze drawn to the steaming meat on the table, and she swallowed hard.
"Grumble grumble~~"
Her stomach protested.
Daichi sat at the table, writing something, and commanded without looking up.
"Eat all of this."
"Yes, Master!"
A resounding, powerful response!
Kikara pounced on the table, took a large bite of a bone-in meat chunk, and then chugged down the ale.
She would die full!
In less than thirty seconds, the girl had licked the plate clean and shiny, a genuinely satisfied smile on her face.
Her life... had no regrets.
Daichi watched the girl finish eating, then handed her the organized bill and asked, "Can you read?"
"Mm."
Kikara nodded vigorously.
Daichi nodded and pointed to the bill.
"Good, let's settle the accounts. I spent 20 million Berries to buy you, which means you now owe me 20 million Berries, but I bought you to make money, so the price must be doubled."
"Huh?"
Kikara's mouth formed an 'O' shape.
Daichi continued with the accounting.
"20 million doubled is 40 million. To round it up, you owe me 100 million Berries, with an annual interest rate of 30%."
"In the future, any prize money you win from fighting or treasures you seize will be split 30/70, with you getting 30% and I getting 70%, as per custom."
"If you can work, I can also pay you a monthly salary, the specific amount depending on the work you do."
"Once you pay off this debt, I will grant you freedom. Do you understand?"
Freedom after paying off the debt?
Kikara nodded blankly.
Daichi smiled: "If you understand, then sign and fingerprint. The contract is in two copies, and you keep one."
Kikara's mind was blank, and she signed and fingerprinted like a puppet until she held her copy of the contract to her chest.
Large pearls gathered in her eyes.
Don't cry, smile.
Daichi was very satisfied with the girl's reaction.
For a slave, freedom was an irresistible temptation.
If he didn't offer his employees a bright future, where would they find the motivation to work themselves to death for him? He didn't want his employees to be negative or lazy; a positive attitude was crucial.
With a positive attitude, the girl might grow rapidly and become a rare fighting force, earning him more money.
Hehehehe~~
"By the way, show me your combat state from the arena."
"Master—"
"Call me Daichi-sama."
"Daichi-sama, I..."
Kikara was nervous and uneasy.
"I can't fight, I... I only clean. I'm super good at scrubbing floors, and I can even clean toilets!"
Daichi's forehead was covered in black lines. He quickly remembered the girl's special state in the arena and picked up the gladiatorial mask to put on her.
"Oh oh oh!!!"
Kikara completely transformed, red light emanating from her eyes, her muscles tensed, and her limbs becoming twice as thick.
Kikara (Strength) Form!
That wild, beast-like aura, that insane, man-eating gaze, coupled with her sharply defined, sculpted muscles.
It was as if the word "invincible" was written on her face.
Daichi was silent for a few seconds, then took off the mask from Kikara's face. The girl immediately reverted to her original form: timid, helpless, and pathetic.
Put it on! Take it off!
"Oh oh oh!!!"
"Eeeeh~~"
"Oh oh oh!!!"
"Chomp chomp~~"
After repeating this several times, Daichi finally confirmed that Kikara wasn't deceiving him; this girl, like the Hulk, truly had an alternate personality.
The fighting mask was her switch.
"Tomorrow, you'll go fight to repay your debt!"