In the stalls that followed, the man and beast further discovered the strange and eccentric products of the market.
Most were local specialties closely related to the snowy mountain environment.
The vendors didn’t just sell goods; some also put on performances.
The locals called this “Treasure Hunting.”
The Cruz Snow Mountain also bore a resounding alias: “The Mountain of Snow and Treasure Hunting.”
Treasure hunting was a long-standing traditional culture in the region, primarily divided into natural treasure hunting and man-made treasure hunting.
Natural Treasure Hunting: The snowy mountains frequently birthed precious flora, fauna, and minerals.
In the depths lay a complex terrain known as the “Ice and Snow Labyrinth,” where it was said that rare treasures were too numerous to count.
Man-made Treasure Hunting: It had become a customary practice for people to proactively hide their personal treasures in various corners of the snowy mountains, waiting for a fated person to find them.
Almost every month, stories circulated about some lucky soul finding a treasure chest filled with gold, silver, and jewels.
Naturally, the market in Cruz City was thick with the atmosphere of “Treasure Hunting.” The most common form seen was “Shell Gambling.”
This was similar to the “Stone Gambling” found on Earth.
One would spend money to buy a shell they fancied, pry it open, and see if there was a high-value pearl inside.
The price range for shell gambling was vast, ranging from a few thousand Jenny to over a million.
However, high risk came with high rewards, and there were plenty of stories of people finding high-value pearls.
Seated before a shell stall was an old man nearly seventy years of age.
He sat on a small stool, wearing an old-fashioned straw hat, his head lowered slightly as if he were dozing off.
Ice-blue shells of varying sizes were scattered across the stall; most were about the size of a human head, numbering roughly twenty.
As his gaze swept across them, Lynn’s attention finally settled on the largest shell.
He could see a faint wisp of “Aura” floating upon it.
It actually contained Nen?
Lynn raised an eyebrow.
“Old man, how much for this shell?”
Upon hearing him, the old man finally woke up.
Seeing Lynn pointing at the largest shell, he spoke up, “That one?
Thirty thousand Jenny.”
“Fine, I’ll take it.”
Lynn didn’t say much more and paid immediately.
Even after giving a hundred million Jenny to Capone, he still had nearly two hundred million left to squander—though most of it was kept in his card.
Chopper was also interested in shell gambling and picked one with a pattern that resembled deer antlers, costing ten thousand Jenny.
After receiving the shells, Lynn was in no hurry to open them on the spot.
He first went to a local hotel to check into a luxury suite costing 1.88 million Jenny a day.
In the magnificent living room, the two shells of noticeably different sizes were placed on a round table.
Crack—
With just a light pry from Lynn, the large shell—which a normal person would have needed tools to open—was flipped back, revealing translucent clam meat.
The meat itself held some value as a local delicacy, but he was more interested in the spherical object at the center, which glowed with a blue-white aura.
Lynn wasn’t sure if this counted as a pearl, but he knew this sphere was the source of the Nen.
“What a beautiful pearl!
I hope I can find one too,” Chopper said, poking his small head out and looking expectantly at Lynn’s find.
Then, he opened the shell he had chosen.
This time, a very normal white pearl emerged.
Judging by its appearance, it was well worth the cost; at the very least, Chopper was very happy.
Lynn picked up the sphere and, after a moment of contemplation, channeled his Nen into it.
Instantly, a bone-chilling cold was released.
Visibly, a layer of thin ice condensed on the round table.
A look of joy appeared on Lynn’s face.
This ice sphere was actually a Nen Tool!
A Nen Tool, as the name implied, was an item containing Nen that usually possessed special effects.
They were rare and precious items across the six continents, known among ordinary people as “Secret Treasures.”
From what he could see, the effect of this sphere was to release cold air.
If he exerted his full power, he could freeze a person in a short amount of time.
Trading thirty thousand Jenny for such a treasure was an incredible bargain.
Lynn pondered for a moment and decided to name it the “Cruz Sphere.” He planned to find a time to craft a bracelet and embed it inside for easy use at any time.
The Cruz Snow Mountain truly lived up to its name as a “Land of Treasure.” He had found a surprise on his very first day.
He imagined that the card condensed here would not be half bad either; this trip was well worth it.
Thus, his daily itinerary became fixed.
During the day, he would wander about, occasionally buying local specialties and experiencing the local culture.
At night, he stayed in the hotel for rigorous training.
…
More than a month later.
Inside a private gym, two figures blurred past each other.
“Hah!” The human-form Chopper let out a fierce shout, clenching his fists and raining down punches toward Lynn.
Lynn’s gaze sharpened as his body instinctively drifted backward.
In that moment, he was as light as a piece of paper dancing in the wind, dodging left and right.
He managed to evade Chopper’s attacks at the critical moments every time, missing by a margin of about one fist’s width.
“Six Powers: Paper Art”!
“The Six Powers, as the name suggests, consist of six techniques.
They are the exclusive hallmark of World Government agents within the Pirate World and are extremely important martial arts techniques.
They include ‘Shave’ for rapid movement, ‘Iron Body’ for enhanced defense, ‘Moonwalk’ for moving through the air, ‘Paper Arts’ for dodging, and ‘Finger Pistol’ and ‘Tempest Kick’ for offensive strikes.
Combined, they form a highly versatile set of combat skills.”
It was no exaggeration to say that the C+ rank Six Powers was a vital component of his current combat power.
Among them, he valued “Iron Body” and “Paper Art” the most.
If trained to a certain level, he might even have the chance to master the “Armament Haki” and “Observation Haki” of the Pirate World.
Combat was not child’s play; theoretical discussion was an absolute taboo.
Therefore, in addition to his regular training, he would spar with Chopper daily to accelerate his growth.
In the next instant, Chopper’s right fist opened into a palm.
His hand, as large as a palm leaf fan and acting like a pair of iron pincers, reached out to seize Lynn by the throat.
Lynn took the opportunity to crouch, dodging the strike.
However, Chopper changed his move rapidly, his right hand transforming into a palm-axe that sliced downward swiftly.
Seeing this, Lynn’s eyes remained calm.
His hands had unknowingly formed a specific posture—one hand flat as a palm, the other curved as if shielding against the wind—as azure Nen ripples surged outward.
A burst of cold air erupted!
Almost instantly, frost crystallized in his palm and rose rapidly like bamboo shoots after a rain, forming a thick ice shield to his front-left that precisely intercepted Chopper’s palm-axe.
“Ice Shield”!
This was his first and currently only card obtained at the Cruz Snow Mountain—Ice-Make Magic!
[Name: Ice-Make Magic]
[Level: B]
[Type: Ability Card]
[Background: Fairy Tail]
[Description: Uses Nen to create ice-based matter and can shape it into various forms according to the user’s will.
It allows for effortless offense and defense in battle with infinite variations.
The technique requires both hands for control, though it may be released with one hand once mastered.]