Buru buru~
Just as Xiano was engrossed in reviewing documents, the Den Den Mushi suddenly rang.
Casually setting down his fountain pen, Xiano answered the call.
"Hey, bro, it's me."
Nojiko's voice came through the receiver. "Following your instructions, I just finished vetting two Supernovas."
"Oh? How did it go?" Xiano asked with a smile.
"That Navy spy Drake—since you wanted to keep him around to feed false intel to the Marines—I played along with his story and let him pass without issue."
"As for Bartolomeo, I initially thought he'd be a troublesome fanatic, but surprisingly, he's still quite level-headed deep down. His Barrier Fruit is incredibly powerful too. With some training, he could quickly become a reliable core member."
"Not the type with a bloody past?" Xiano raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Nope, I made sure to ask about that specifically."
That was a relief.
Xiano gave a slight nod.
His impression of Barto was quite vivid.
In the original timeline, this guy had witnessed divine lightning strike to save Luffy, leading him to believe Luffy was the Child of Destiny. He became a die-hard fan and set sail as a Pirate just a year later.
He was a bold and fiercely loyal guy.
But he was also an outright villain who had killed many civilians, even earning the moniker "Ogre."
Applying modern moral standards to people of the Great Pirate Era might be too harsh, but basic principles still mattered.
Xiano had no intention of letting the Curtain Closer turn into something like the Straw Hat Grand Fleet, where a toast could bring in any scum.
Fortunately, it seemed this native of Loguetown had his fate altered by Xiano's earlier actions, setting him on a completely different path.
That was something to celebrate.
"Once you're done there, come back to Crescent Moon Island tomorrow," Xiano said after a moment's thought. "It's been a while since we had a feast. Old Man Zeff has prepared plenty of dishes, so let's use this chance to throw a small welcome party for our new members tomorrow night."
The Four Legions below were still in the consolidation phase, with new members joining frequently and constant reassignments, making a large-scale banquet impossible for now.
The Curtain Closer headquarters, however, had already been finalized.
Zoro, Sanji, Tashigi, Chopper, and Fujitora—who had joined just days before their departure for Sabaody—made up the core five. There wouldn't be any changes to this lineup for the foreseeable future.
A modest celebration was doable.
There was also Law, but the kid was torn, unwilling to part with his crew.
So Xiano granted his wish, appointing him as captain of the Second Division of the Combat Corps, allowing him to continue leading his original crew with relative independence.
"Got it!" Nojiko replied cheerfully. "I'm just wrapping things up here—I'll be back by tomorrow morning."
"Good. See you then."
...
Early the next morning.
After waking up, Xiano yawned as he made his way from the bedroom to the dining room, pouring himself a cup of black coffee as usual.
The past few days had been exhausting—he really couldn't function without this stuff.
The good news was that most of the paperwork needing review had been completed by staying up late last night. Starting today, life could finally return to normal.
"Here."
Zeff brought over breakfast and slid a covered metal tray toward Xiano with a chuckle.
"Take a look. Zoro asked me to deliver this as a thank-you for the sword you gave him—a pre-meal fruit."
"Zoro's gift?"
Xiano raised an eyebrow in surprise, setting down his coffee cup with interest before lifting the metal cover.
That unlucky kid had seen quite a few twists in his fate.
First, because Kuina hadn't died, he'd switched from Three-Sword Style to Two-Sword Style.
Then, since Sanji had also taken up swordsmanship, he'd claimed the Ghost Cutter at the Roguetown weapon shop.
As a result, when Zoro arrived in Roguetown later, he could only purchase the Skillful Grade Sword "Yubashiri." The Great Grade Sword "Shusui," which he should have inherited from his ancestor Ryuma, never crossed his path.
Even now, the other sword he used was just a shoddy blade looted from some East Blue pirate—hardly fitting for a Master Swordsman.
Feeling sorry for him, Xiano had gifted him the "True Sword Edge" from a previous prize draw, which had thrilled the poor kid.
According to Sanji's gossip, Zoro had been so excited he couldn't sleep for several nights, clutching the sword tightly no matter what he did—even holding it in his mouth when relieving himself, as if he'd married the thing.
"This is…"
What greeted his eyes was a strange, entirely orange-yellow fruit covered in spiral patterns, shaped like an oversized mango.
"A Devil Fruit, huh?"
Xiano chuckled in amusement. "Where'd that kid even get something like this?"
"Said he found it floating in the sea back when he was still adventuring in Paradise," Zeff replied, wiping his hands and shrugging.
"But you know how he is. Kuina chose not to eat a Devil Fruit, sticking to the pure path of a swordsman. Naturally, he wouldn't back down either, so he kept this fruit as a collectible, planning to gift it to a new member of the Jack-of-all-trades Adventure Group."
At this, Zeff couldn't help but laugh.
"Turns out, before any new members showed up, he somehow ended up sailing through the first half of the Grand Line alone. Now that he's joined the Curtain Closers, he has even less use for it."
"I don't need it either," Xiano sighed. He already had three Devil Fruits on hand.
As he examined it, footsteps sounded behind him. Without even turning, he knew who it was and grinned.
"Perfect timing, Robin. Help me identify this."
Robin walked over from the hallway, nodding at Xiano's request before taking the Devil Fruit and studying it carefully.
"Judging by the patterns and shape, it's first and foremost a Zoan-type."
"A Zoan? Mythical or Ancient?"
"Unfortunately, neither," Robin replied after further inspection, looking up with an apologetic smile. "You'll be disappointed, Captain. It's a very ordinary fruit—likely the Rabbit-Rabbit Fruit, Dwarf Rabbit Form."
The Rabbit-Rabbit Fruit…
Xiano was indeed disappointed. In the New World, a fruit of this caliber would probably be beneath the notice of any self-respecting fighter.
Well, except for the ragtag bunch under Blackbeard.
Ah well. He'd figure it out later. For now, breakfast first.
…
After finishing the meal.
Xiano held a cup of black coffee as he arrived at the high ground of the northern clearing of the ancient castle, gazing into the distance. What was once a noble garden had now been transformed into a training ground.
Zoro and Sanji, fully recovered from their injuries, were sparring in the distance, while in another corner, Tashigi was exchanging blows with Kuina.
Quite the spectacle.
Xiano watched the battles unfold with keen interest.
The clash between Zoro and Sanji was particularly intense, with swords and kicks colliding in a flurry of sparks. An uninformed passerby might have mistaken them for mortal enemies.
Xiano, however, noticed the occasional flicker of black energy during their exchanges.
"These two have improved quite a bit," Xiano mused, taking a sip of coffee with satisfaction. After this batch of Supernovas joined, he had specifically assigned several officers to guide them in Haki training.
Unsurprisingly, Zoro and Sanji were the fastest learners, both displaying remarkable talent.
With the additional boost from the Falcon Statue's buff, at this rate, it would take them no more than a month or two to grasp the basics of Two-Color Haki.
As for the sword duel on the other side, it was less of a "spar" and more of a "lesson."
Despite sharing identical faces, Kuina's swordsmanship far surpassed Tashigi's, effortlessly imparting valuable insights to the latter.
Xiano found a bench to sit on, continuing to observe while pulling out the Rabbit-Rabbit Fruit, weighing it thoughtfully in his hand.
Since it wasn't of much use, he might as well Sacrifice it.
Previously, the fruits he had found were either too valuable to give up—reserved for his crew—or wild and ownerless, which didn't meet the Sacrifice criteria.
As a result, he hadn't yet properly Sacrificed a Devil Fruit, this world's unique specialty.
Well, decision made. Sacrifice!
[You have Sacrificed Zoro's Rabbit-Rabbit Fruit and obtained 4,500 Points.]
"Not bad at all."
Xiano smiled. This was already on par with the value of a Yonko or Admiral-level figure. If it had been any of Zoro's other belongings, it wouldn't have been worth nearly as much—1,000 or 2,000 Points at most.
A very worthwhile case of turning trash into treasure.
"Hmm?"
Xiano glanced at the system panel and suddenly remembered—it was already early May. Hadn't the trading market refreshed by now?
Opening the trading page confirmed it.
Calculating the timing, it should have refreshed three days ago, but he had been too busy to notice until now.
Better late than never.
Yes! Time for his third-favorite activity: a shopping spree!
First, let's check the Points balance.
Before the Sabaody incident, his remaining Points were 26,900.
Back then, to bypass the surveillance ships and capture the Celestial Dragons, Xiano had teleported with his three top officers directly to Dressrosa, the territory closest to the Red Line, before descending upon Sabaody, catching Marine Headquarters off guard.
Teleporting four people cost 2,000 Points each, totaling 8,000 Points.
Logically, that should have left him with very little.
But that day, he had also squeezed quite a bit from several Celestial Dragons, high-ranking Marines, and Supernovas.
Combined with Zoro's Devil Fruit, worth 4,500 Points, not only had he recouped the 8,000 Points spent, but he also gained an extra 3,500.
This brought his current Points balance to 30,400—an increase rather than a decrease.
That should be enough for him to shop to his heart's content.
Let's get started right away.
Xiano opened the trading market, leisurely crossing his legs as his gaze fell on the first item—
[Geralt's Roach]
[Type: Vehicle]
[Price: 2200 Points]
[Description: From the Witcher world, a chestnut mare named Roach who was once the loyal companion of the witcher Geralt, though occasionally gets stuck in strange places]
[Seller's Note: Authentic Polish dumbass, couldn't take it anymore so I'm selling it. Also, thanks to my Pirate colleague for the Fish-man knees—now it can jump from the tenth floor without dying]
Another thank-you note after that Dragon Ball colleague?
Xiano smiled warmly.
Seems the good stuff he sacrificed has really benefited many fellow traders.
Too bad this item isn't very useful.
An ordinary horse priced this high?
Even Agin is cheaper than this.
Poor value for money. Pass, next!
——————
[Sky Dance Technique]
[Type: Cultivation Manual]
[Price: 6000 Points]
[Description: A flight technique from the Dragon Ball World, usable only by the host. By manipulating internal energy (ki), the user can fly freely without any tools. Once mastered, it allows sustained flight by consuming stamina, with speed and altitude increasing alongside the user's strength]
[Seller's Note: NO! KRILLIN!!!!!!]
Whoa, just mentioned Dragon Ball and here it is again.
Judging by the note, something must have happened?
Xiano tilted his head slightly, not fully grasping the situation, but one thing was clear—he really needed this.
This is a rare flight ability in the Pirate world!
Forget its combat uses, it'd be amazing just for daily travel.
Moon Walk might achieve similar results, but it's exhausting. Fine for short distances, but crossing seas? Not worth it.
Plus, you can't hover motionless, and the posture is just ugly. How could it compare to the Sky Dance Technique, which allows free movement and any posture mid-air?
By now, he'd basically accepted it: Dragon Ball products are top-tier.
A world with insane combat power naturally has tons of good stuff.
Added to cart, next!
——————
[18,000 Points Discount Bundle]
[Type: Special Item]
[Price: 20,000 Points]
[Description: From the Warhammer 40K world. Upon opening, grants 18,000 Points. Limited-time special offer, don't miss out!]
[Seller's Note: None (System Direct Sale)]
Xiano only glanced at it before decisively adding it to his cart.
Just as he was about to swipe away—
Huh?
Wait!
He suddenly realized something, swiped back, and took a closer look—almost spitting out his black coffee.
What kind of scam is this?!
And disguising it as a system direct sale in the notes? If someone saw this last after a shopping spree without paying attention, they might actually fall for it at checkout!
Warhammer folks are downright dirty. Scram, get out of my cart!
Next!
——————
[Infinite Mayonnaise]
[Type: Consumable]
[Price: 800 Points]
[Description: From the Gintama world, the ultimate condiment sponsored by Hijikata Toushirou. Automatically refills daily, with a rich and mellow flavor perfect for pairing with any food—especially rice, bread, and other staples]
[Seller's Note: Who the hell would buy this besides Hijikata? Zoro maybe?]
This was the third "Infinite Consumables" series item Xiano had come across.
The first two were the Infinite Red Bean Bun and Infinite Sugar-Free Cola - the former replenished carbs and protein, while the latter provided hydration. Both were quite practical.
Xiano didn't think this one was any exception either. It wasn't as bad as the seller's note made it out to be. It paired well with the red bean bun and could supplement fat intake too.
The price was cheap as well. A good deal - bought it.
Next!
——————
[Random Theft Scroll]
[Type: Consumable]
[Price: 4000 Points]
[Description: Upon use, can randomly steal any item currently possessed by an important character in this world, ignoring spatial distance and size limitations. Can be used three times in total.]
[Seller's Note: None - System Direct Sale]
(End of Chapter)