Chapter 8: Dragon-Slaying Blade
Hank put on a fawning smile and pushed open the office door.
"Boss, it's me, Hank."
Ville followed closely into the office, where a faint mix of fishy smell and hormonal odor lingered.
"Is that you, Hank? Good thing you didn't disturb my fun. Spit it out, what's the matter?"
Seated in the office was a bare-chested burly man with a shiny bald head and a fierce aura that made it clear he was no pushover.
"This is the new guy, Bai Ye, recommended by 'that one.' Here's the letter of recommendation."
The burly man glanced at Su Xiao, took the letter, flipped through it casually, then tore it up, all while keeping one hand roaming over a seductive young woman beside him.
"The original price was 200,000 Beri, but something big is about to go down, and things are tense, so it's at least 400,000 Beri."
Su Xiao's face still wore a full smile. He was still weak now, so he had to temporarily hide his true emotions. Though he really wanted to put a bullet in the burly man and then ask him exactly how many Beri it was.
He directly pulled out 400,000 Beri and handed it over without a word.
Su Xiao's straightforward manner made the burly man raise an eyebrow.
"As expected of someone from 'that side,' generous with your spending. From now on, you're part of the guard squad. Remember to call me Boss, or Sir."
Su Xiao kept smiling, but there was a strange, unsettling quality to it.
"Sure, Boss~."
Successfully joining the guard squad meant he had taken a big step forward in his mission to assassinate the king.
Hank, standing to the side, kept his head down, staring at the floor as if it held something fascinating.
That wasn't the case, though. Hank was putting on an act, pretending he hadn't seen his superior taking a bribe.
This showed just how chaotic the atmosphere was in the pirate world. With enough money, you could probably buy an even higher position, but for Su Xiao, this was undoubtedly good news.
Beri meant little to him. What he lacked most was time. Problems that Beri could solve weren't really problems.
[Tip: The Hunter has joined the Guard Squad faction. Minor plot changes have occurred. Obtained 2.1% World Source.]
Walking out of the office, Su Xiao received the standard guard squad gear: a uniform and a flintlock musket.
In the warehouse, Su Xiao looked speechlessly at the crude musket in his hand, then turned his gaze to Hank.
"Hank, can I exchange this for another weapon?"
Hank put on a troubled expression.
"Well... these are all designated supplies. I..."
His hesitant tone made Su Xiao realize this guy was angling for a bribe.
Without a change in expression, Su Xiao slipped 20,000 Beri into Hank's pocket. Hank's face immediately lit up with a broad smile.
"We're colleagues here. If there's a problem, we can talk it out. Pick your own weapon, but only one. That's a rule no one can change."
Su Xiao put down the musket and searched the warehouse, which was stocked with all kinds of weapons. Soon, his eyes locked onto a long blade.
The blade was over a meter long, about three centimeters wide, with a very slight curve. Though it wasn't as good as his own sword, it was still a decent weapon.
"This one."
Su Xiao picked up the blade and sheathed it. The moment he touched the longsword, Reincarnation Paradise immediately gave a prompt.
"Hey, hey, you can take any other weapon, but not this one."
Hank's expression turned cold, as if he had never taken those 30,000 Beri.
"What did you say?"
Su Xiao, holding the longsword, tilted his head toward Hank, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. Constant yielding only made others see you as weak and easy to bully.
When Hank noticed Su Xiao's gaze, he was startled, a chill rising in his heart.
This guy has killed before, and more than one.
Hank's mind churned, tempted to openly defy Su Xiao, but the blade-wielding Su Xiao made him very wary.
"Hank, don't worry about these things. We're 'friends,' aren't we?"
Su Xiao aimed the hilt of the sword at Hank's chest.
Either take the money and shut up, or Su Xiao would kill Hank on the spot. There were only these two options, because this longsword was a huge help in completing his mission.
And once something was in his hands, Su Xiao wasn't about to give it up over a little threat.
He believed that even if he killed Hank, as long as he bribed the burly man with enough money, the guy would just turn a blind eye.
"Let's keep this between you and me. Consider this sword a token of friendship."
Hank patted Su Xiao's shoulder warmly, having backed down. The tense atmosphere in the warehouse dissipated.
"I just arrived in the royal capital today and need to get up to speed on some things, so I'm definitely keeping you as a friend."
Su Xiao sighed inwardly. If even an ordinary guard was this hard to deal with, what kind of enemies would he face once he got close to the king?
This feeling of challenge made Su Xiao's heartbeat quicken, blood surging through his veins. He was starting to enjoy it.
The fighting instinct within him was slowly awakening.
The reason Su Xiao was so forceful was because of the prompt Reincarnation Paradise had given him when he touched the longsword.
[Obtained: Dragon-Slaying Flash]
Dragon-Slaying Flash (White · Rare)
Origin: One Piece, Steel Forge Blacksmith
Durability: 35/40-5 (This weapon has been severely damaged, Durability -5.)
Attack Power: 5~16 (Calculated based on slashing force)
Equipment Requirement: 2 points of Strength to use, over 5 points of Strength for flexible use.
Rating: 10 (Note: White equipment ratings range from 1 to 10. White equipment with a rating of 10 will be marked 'Rare' and have additional special attributes.)
Additional Attribute: Dragon's Majesty. When wielding this weapon, it will inflict a fear effect on enemies. (Fear effect: reduces enemy morale.)
Description: This was once the sword of the Dragon-Slaying Swordsman, Ryuma, in his youth, but it was severely damaged. After restoration, its grade dropped. Later, when Ryuma obtained the Black Blade · Shusui, this blade was left in his bedroom. After Ryuma's death, this blade was not worthy of being buried with him and eventually fell into outside hands.
Master, I am almost rusting away. Where are you? Please wield me and cut down that dragon!
Price: 1100 Paradise Coins (This item is a rule item and can be taken out of the One Piece world).
...
Ryuma was a big deal, a powerhouse in the One Piece world. Even the current world's greatest swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk, might not necessarily be stronger than him.
How could the sword of such a strong man in his youth be weak? Su Xiao even suspected that if this [Dragon-Slaying Flash] hadn't been damaged, it might have been a Green, or even Blue, weapon.
That was why Su Xiao was willing to risk a falling out with Hank to get this blade.
Luckily, they didn't come to blows. This fake 'friendship' could last a little longer.
"You're in luck, kid. This sword was seized from a group of pirates. Besides me, few know it's a treasure. If I knew how to use a sword, and if the warehouse didn't have the strict rule against picking a second weapon, I would have taken it long ago."
Su Xiao smiled but said nothing, simply sheathing Dragon-Slaying Flash at his waist.
With a blade in hand, his combat power increased significantly, giving him some peace of mind.
"Let's go. Something big is happening in two days, and none of us will be idle then."
Hank sighed, as if worried about something.
"What is it? Give me a heads-up so I can prepare."
"In half a month, the World Nobles, the Celestial Dragons, are coming to inspect the Goa Kingdom. So the day after tomorrow, we're going to 'clean up' the Gray Terminal!"