Hank put on an ingratiating smile and pushed open the office door.
"Boss, it's me, Hank."
Su Xiao followed closely behind.
"Oh, Hank? At least you know better than to interrupt my fun. What is it?"
Inside the office sat a bare-chested, burly man with a gleaming bald head and an aura so ferocious that no one would mistake him for weak.
"This is the newcomer, Bai Ye. He was referred by that person. Here's the letter of recommendation."
The burly man glanced at Su Xiao, took the letter, skimmed it, then tore it to shreds.
"The original price was 200,000 Berries. But with big things about to go down and tensions running high, it's 400,000 Berries now."
Su Xiao's face remained all smiles. For now, he was still weak—he had no choice but to suppress his true emotions.
As much as he wanted to put a bullet in the man's head and ask, "How many Berries was that again?"—he simply handed over 400,000 Berries without a word.
His straightforwardness made the burly man raise an eyebrow.
"Tch. As expected of someone from that side—generous with money. From now on, you're part of the guard corps. Remember to call me Boss... or Sir."
Su Xiao kept smiling, but there was something eerie about it now.
"Understood, Boss~."
Success. He had officially joined the guard corps—a major step forward in his mission to assassinate the king.
Beside him, Hank kept his head low, eyes fixed on the floor as if it held some profound secret.
In reality, this was just his way of signaling that he hadn't seen his superior taking a bribe.
This little exchange spoke volumes about the lawless atmosphere of the One Piece world.
With enough money, even higher positions could likely be bought—a fact that worked in Su Xiao's favor.
Berries meant little to him. What he lacked most was time. Anything money could solve wasn't a real problem.
[Notice: Hunter has joined the Guard Corps faction. Minor plot deviation detected. Obtained 2.1% World Origin.]
After leaving the office, Su Xiao received his standard-issue guard equipment: a uniform and a matchlock musket.
Standing in the storage room, he stared blankly at the crude firearm in his hands before turning to Hank.
"Hank, can I swap this for something else?"
Hank hesitated.
"Well... these are all assigned supplies. I can't just—"
His stammering made it clear—he wanted a bribe.
Without a word, Su Xiao slipped 30,000 Berries into Hank's pocket. Instantly, the man's expression brightened.
"Ah, we're comrades now! If you've got difficulties, we can always work something out. Pick any weapon you like—but just one. That's a rule even I can't bend."
Su Xiao set down the musket and began scanning the room. The storage was stocked with all kinds of weapons.
Soon, his gaze locked onto a long sword.
The blade was just over a meter long, about three centimeters wide, with a slight curve. While not as refined as his original sword, it was still a fine weapon.
"This one."
The moment his fingers touched the blade, the Reincarnation Paradise flashed a notification.
"Hey, hey—not that one!"
Hank's face darkened, as if he'd never taken those 30,000 Berries.
"What did you say?"
Su Xiao tilted his head slightly, the cold glint in his eyes sharpening.
Endless compromise would only make him seem weak.
Hank froze under that gaze, a chill running down his spine.
This guy has killed before... and not just once.
A silent struggle played out in Hank's mind. Part of him wanted to confront Su Xiao then and there—but the blade in the man's hand gave him pause.
"Hank, don't worry about it. We're 'friends,' aren't we?"
Su Xiao pressed the hilt of the sword against Hank's chest.
There were only two choices here: take the money and shut up, or die on the spot.
Su Xiao needed this sword. It was crucial for his mission.
And once something was in his hands? He wasn't letting go.
He was confident that even if he killed Hank, as long as he bribed the burly man enough, the matter would be swept under the rug.
"Fine. Just between us. Consider this blade... a token of friendship."
Hank forced a smile and clapped Su Xiao on the shoulder. The tension in the room dissipated.
"I just arrived in the capital today. There's a lot I need to learn—so I'd say this friendship is mutually beneficial."
Su Xiao sighed inwardly.
If a lowly guard was this much trouble, what kind of enemies would he face once he climbed closer to the king?
Yet the challenge sent his pulse racing, his blood boiling. He was starting to love this feeling.
The warrior within him was awakening.
His stubbornness wasn't without reason. The moment he touched the blade, the Reincarnation Paradise had alerted him:
[Obtained: Dragon-Slaying Flash]
[Dragon-Slaying Flash (White · Rare)]
Origin: One Piece World, Iron Furnace Blacksmith
Durability: 35/40 (-5) *(This weapon has suffered severe damage. Durability -5.)*
Attack Power: 5~16 (Scales with slashing force.)
Requirement: 2 Strength to equip, 5+ Strength to wield proficiently.
Rating: 10 *(Note: White equipment is rated 1-10. A rating of 10 is labeled 'Rare' and grants special attributes.)*
Special Effect: Dragon's Dignity — While wielding this weapon, the user exerts an intimidating presence. (Weakens enemy morale.)
Description: This was once the blade of the legendary Dragon-Slaying Swordsman, Ryuma, in his youth. Severely damaged and later restored, its grade has fallen. After Ryuma obtained the Black Blade Shusui, this weapon remained displayed in his bedroom. Upon his death, it was deemed unworthy of being buried with him and eventually lost to time.
"Master... I am rusting away. Where are you? Please, wield me once more—and let me sever the dragon's head!"
Value: 1,100 Paradise Coins (This item is bound by Paradise rules and can be taken out of the One Piece world.)
...
Ryuma was no small figure—he was a legendary swordsman in the One Piece world. Even the current "Greatest Swordsman in the World," Dracule Mihawk, might not surpass him.
A blade once wielded by such a man in his prime couldn't possibly be weak.
Su Xiao even suspected that if [Dragon-Slaying Flash] hadn't been damaged, it might have been a Green-tier or even Blue-tier weapon.
That was why he'd been willing to risk a confrontation with Hank for it.
Fortunately, things hadn't escalated. Their sham "friendship" could last a little longer.
"Lucky bastard. This blade was confiscated from a group of pirates. Hardly anyone knows its true value—aside from me. If I knew how to use a sword, and if the storage rules weren't so strict about taking only one weapon... I'd have claimed it long ago."
Su Xiao chuckled but said nothing, simply securing [Dragon-Slaying Flash] at his waist.
With a blade at his side, his combat power skyrocketed. For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt a sliver of real security.
"Let's go. Big things are happening in two days—none of us will have time to slack off."
Hank sighed, as if dreading what was to come.
"Oh? Mind giving me a heads-up so I can prepare?"
"In half a month, the Celestial Dragons are coming to inspect the Kingdom of Goa. So the day after tomorrow, we're 'cleaning up' the Terminal."