Chapter 44: Clash, Mafia
"Okay, okay. As the sister who loves you most, how about we go buy some clothes together?" Amatsuki Toki chuckled, playing with Roy's small hand.
"Yeah." Roy nodded quietly, keeping his composure. If he pushed too hard, it could ruin everything.
After sadness, the best move was always to act like a quiet, handsome man—
Even if he was still a kid.
"Why won't you let go?" Toki asked helplessly.
"I won't!" Roy turned his head away, sulking like a child.
What could she do but let him be?
A little pitiful act always worked. Girls' hearts softened easily when faced with stubborn innocence—it worked every time.
"Let's go," Toki said softly, standing up and taking his hand.
"Okay, don't be like that. Sister won't leave you again, all right?" she said gently.
Roy quickly turned his head back toward her and nodded, pretending to be touched.
In truth, he was focusing on something else entirely—his talent cards.
How can I unlock extra card slots?
"Pandora, could you watch the ship? Everyone else went out, and I feel bad leaving it unattended," Toki said apologetically.
"Go, go, go already!" Pandora grumbled impatiently.
Last night, the three sea serpents had swum at top speed for hours to reach this island. They were completely exhausted and now sleeping like rocks.
"Thanks a lot," Toki said with a small laugh.
"Hurry up and go!" Pandora waved them off.
Still, as it watched them leave, Pandora couldn't help but cheer Roy on in its mind. So smug, aren't you?
---
The small town buzzed with life. Streets were crowded with travelers and vendors hawking their goods. Pirates strolled openly, and bounty hunters lurked in the corners, clutching wanted posters and stalking their prey.
Among them, men in black suits occasionally passed by. Their faces were hard, their movements sharp, and each carried a gun at his side.
They were the Mafia of the West Sea—the ones who controlled this island, collected protection fees, and "maintained order." Anyone who refused to pay learned the meaning of pain and fear firsthand.
---
"Try this one," Toki said, holding up a small outfit.
"Oh."
"How does it feel?"
"Not bad."
Inside a clothing shop, she helped him change from one outfit to another, occasionally straightening his collar or sleeves. Roy responded lazily, offering short replies while keeping one eye on the row of floating cards in front of him.
For some reason, he couldn't unlock any new slots.
Are there special conditions?
He studied his current set:
[Observation Haki (Green)]
[Armament Haki (White)]
[Opposite Sex Attraction (Blue)]
[Steel Defense (Orange)]
[Monster Strength (Orange) · 10%]
Five talent cards—five slots. The system remained silent, offering no explanation.
Roy sighed and muttered, "Remove [Armament Haki (White)]."
Gray smoke swirled around the card, dimming its white glow. The card turned gray and floated out of his lineup, circling lazily around him.
Although Toki's cards didn't boost combat ability, Roy still considered them invaluable—a three-piece set for picking up girls.
Gentle charm, natural appeal, and flawless looks.
Roy smirked. He selected [Transcendent Beauty (Purple)].
A purple card shimmered into existence, sliding neatly into place beside [Steel Defense]. Its surface depicted Toki in a soft glow—green hair drifting in the wind, pink lips slightly parted, her serene blue eyes gazing forward as if through time itself.
Aura and gentleness could be trained, but beauty? That was pure advantage. The earlier you got it, the better.
"Use all value to enhance [Transcendent Beauty (Purple) 10%]!" Roy whispered.
[All Value used!]
[Transcendent Beauty (Purple) 80%]
His intimacy with Toki had already reached 217, and now the card's effect had jumped to 80%!
But just like the Conqueror's Haki card, this one seemed to carry something special—an aura that couldn't be measured.
---
"Roy… why do I feel like you're getting more and more… beautiful?" Toki said softly, studying him after adjusting his clothes. The more she looked, the more delicate he appeared—almost too pretty.
"Men are supposed to be handsome," Roy corrected seriously.
A voice from behind interrupted them.
"No, kid. You're not a man yet. And she's right—you really do shine. Like a fine, delicate little… princess~"
A man in a gaudy suit strutted in, the bulge under his jacket betraying the gun at his waist. Snapping his fingers flamboyantly, he squatted to meet Roy's eyes.
"Oh, beautiful lady," he said to Toki, "your daughter dressed as a boy is adorable! Allow me to introduce myself—the most handsome man in this town. My name is—"
He reached for her hand.
Roy's expression darkened instantly. His hand tightened on the sword hilt.
A sharp stomp cracked through the floorboards.
The man shrieked like a slaughtered pig.
Roy stepped forward, holding Toki's hand, glaring down coldly.
"First, I'm a man. Second, Sister Shi is mine. And third—get lost, you sissy."
"You—you!" The man wailed, clutching his crushed foot. His trembling hand darted for his pistol.
Roy's blade flashed green.
Clang!
The flintlock split cleanly in half before the man could even aim. Another flick of Roy's wrist, and the blade pressed coldly against his throat.
"I'm the son of the Godfather of the Gambino Family! You dare touch me?!" the man screamed, hoping his words would bring the Mafia running.
Roy's eyes narrowed. He thrust the blade straight through the man's heart.
The Mafia of the West Sea?
Tsk.
How impressive.
He withdrew the sword, flicking the blood off the blade before sheathing it.
"Sister, do you want to keep shopping or go back?" he asked calmly.
"There's no helping it," Toki sighed. "Let's just head back. This will only bring trouble."
"Okay."
Roy picked up the clothes she'd chosen, handed payment to the trembling shopkeeper, and walked out with her at his side.
[TL: I have a small announcement for everyone.
I just released a new fanfic titled "I Just Want to Die and Sit on the Throne of Heroes."
From the title alone some of you probably already know the fandom, but for those who do not, this story is based on the Fate Series. The main character is thrown into the era of Gilgamesh, so expect heroes, gods, and all kinds of divine trouble.
As for the Tensura based fanfic I mentioned before, I decided to stop that project. After reading further into the original series, I found too many plot holes and inconsistencies for the kind of story I want, so I chose not to continue it rather than force a messy fanfic.
If you are interested in the new Fate fanfic, feel free to check my profile and you will find it there.]