Soon, after completing her test of the Akiba Sword, Tashigi reluctantly returned it to its place, though her gaze lingered on the blade for a moment longer before she straightened her posture and reported formally to Smoker.
“Reporting, Captain!
I can clearly feel that my strength has increased, and my sword speed is slightly faster than before.”
“And… there is a scorching energy contained within the blade itself, almost like a dormant flame.”
“This is absolutely an unprecedented grade of sword!”
Smoker exhaled a slow stream of smoke, forming a drifting ring in the air as he nodded in satisfaction.
“Good.
Then this sword is yours from now on.”
“Yes!
Cap… Eh?”
Tashigi froze mid-response, her expression stiffening before she hurriedly waved her hands in panic.
“N-no!
This sword is far too valuable, I can’t accept something like this!”
Although she had always dreamed of collecting famous swords, her true goal had never been possession, but rather to prevent such blades from falling into the hands of pirates who would misuse them.
Smoker, clearly expecting her reaction, bit down lightly on his unlit cigar and spoke in a steady tone.
“Don’t rush to refuse.
Think of it as temporarily entrusted to you.”
“When you become stronger in the future, you can earn the right to keep it by capturing more pirates.”
Tashigi’s body trembled slightly as those words sank in.
Her blood surged, her sense of duty ignited, and she shouted with renewed determination.
“Yes!
I will not disappoint you, Captain!
I’ll become stronger and capture more pirates!”
Xia Wen watched the exchange quietly, tapping his finger lightly against the counter before reminding them in an even tone.
“So… are you still opening jars?”
“Once a jar is purchased, it cannot be refunded, nor can it be taken out of the shop.”
Not allowed to take them away?
Smoker’s expression darkened slightly at that restriction.
His original plan had been to test a few jars personally, then bring the rest back to Marine Headquarters.
Only by allowing Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the Admirals to personally witness such items would Marineford fully grasp the importance of this place.
And after that…
They could consider securing exclusive control over it.
“Shop Owner, can there really be no exception?” Smoker made one final attempt, his tone serious.
“The Marines exist to uphold justice.
If we gain your support, more Devil Fruit users will rise within our ranks, and one day we can end this chaotic Great Pirate Era.”
Xia Wen simply chuckled softly and shook his head.
“My shop welcomes all customers equally Marines, pirates, or even the Revolutionary Army.”
“If the Marines want more jars, they are free to send people to purchase and open them here.”
“At the very least, compared to others, you’re already ahead, aren’t you?”
Smoker fell silent for a moment.
“…I will report your words to Marine Headquarters exactly as you said them.”
Seeing that persuasion was futile, he quickly shifted focus back to the jars.
Meanwhile, Tashigi still hoping for another remarkable sword had already opened five jars in succession.
Unfortunately, her luck seemed no better than Nezumi’s.
Among the items she obtained, the most valuable barely reached tens of thousands of Berries.
“Nothing… still nothing… my famous swords…” she muttered, visibly dejected.
Smoker sighed quietly at the sight of his subordinate slipping back into her usual distracted state.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward and smashed several jars in succession.
However, his luck seemed to have dipped after the Akiba Sword.
Three consecutive jars produced nothing of note.
Just as he smashed the fifth and sixth jars
A brilliant blue light and a vivid green light burst forth at the same time.
A sheet of golden paper and ten blank cards floated silently in the air.
Smoker’s gaze immediately shifted to Xia Wen.
Xia Wen calmly began the explanation.
“Six Staff Light Prison: a binding technique originating from another world, ranked as number sixty-one.”
“It releases six beams of light to restrain and seal a target’s movement.”
“After system adaptation, it can be activated by consuming stamina, either through a brief incantation or instant release with higher cost.”
“It is capable of restraining even elementalized targets and cannot be negated by Haki.”
“The strength and duration of the restraint depend on the caster’s own power.”
“Attribute Change Card: upon use, all attacks gain a selectable attribute lightning, ice, fire, metal, or poison.”
“Each card lasts for one minute.”
After finishing the explanation, Xia Wen added calmly:
“I have to say… your luck is quite good.”
“This technique, Six Staff Light Prison, is a powerful binding ability.”
“It can directly restrict an enemy’s movement even immobilizing Logia users.”
Smoker’s eyes lit up instantly.
“A binding ability… capable of affecting elementalization?”
He leaned forward slightly.
“How strong an opponent can it restrain?”
If it could bind someone at the level of the Seven Warlords of the Sea…
His breathing grew slightly heavier at the thought.
Promotion, authority, and a greater ability to enforce his sense of justice everything would follow.
Xia Wen answered evenly.
“The effect depends entirely on your own strength.”
“The stronger you are, the stronger the opponent you can restrain.”
“To learn it, simply make contact with the paper.”
A growth-type ability.
Smoker immediately grasped the implication.
He inhaled sharply.
Such a technique placed inside a jar worth only 100,000 Berries?
It was almost absurd.
Without hesitation, he reached out and touched the golden paper, instantly absorbing the knowledge of Six Staff Light Prison.
Then his attention shifted to the ten blank cards.
Xia Wen did not delay in explaining their function.
Smoker’s eyes narrowed slightly as realization dawned.
“If I apply attributes to my smoke…”
His Smoke-Smoke Fruit would gain entirely new versatility.
Flames, lightning, poison his attacks could adapt to different enemies and situations.
The only drawback…
There were only ten cards.
At that moment, Tashigi who had been opening jars with growing desperation gritted her teeth and smashed her final one.
In an instant…the second purple light of the day burst forth.