Smoker, accompanied by two high ranking figures and a Marine officer who was merely present to fill out the formation, arrived outside the Jar Shop he had been monitoring for several days.
“This is the shop, and regarding some of the rules within it…”
Smoker spoke while glancing toward the two Marine headquarters veterans with a serious expression.
Vice Admiral Tsuru revealed a calm and composed smile.
“Do not worry.
Today, we are simply customers here to open jars.”
As she spoke, her sharp eyes carefully examined every detail of the shop’s exterior.
Unlike the grandeur or mystery she had anticipated, the Jar Shop with the sign “Miracle of Fate” appeared unusually ordinary.
It was clean, modest, and completely unremarkable from the outside.
“Could it be that this Shop Owner has no interest in material display or status?”
Tsuru silently recorded this observation in her mind.
Beside her, Garp burst into loud laughter and pushed the door open without hesitation.
“Gahahaha!
So this is the place?
It doesn’t look like much!”
“Kid, are you the Shop Owner who sells these so called magical jars?”
His blunt words immediately caused Tsuru, who entered right after him, to frown slightly.
She paused at the entrance, her gaze sweeping across the interior in a single, controlled motion.
Her eyes lingered briefly on the newspaper in Xia Wen’s hand.
Then she stepped forward and nodded politely.
“Excuse the intrusion, Mr.
Shop Owner.”
Xia Wen sat lazily in his chair, calmly pouring himself a cup of tea.
Even with the arrival of two Marine legends, his expression did not change in the slightest.
“New Marine customers?
Welcome to my Jar Shop.”
“There are plenty of jars available today.
One hundred thousand berries each.
First come, first served.”
“And…
the pink haired lady.
Smoking is not permitted inside.”
Tina froze slightly when she was called out so directly.
After glancing at Smoker, who stood there with his usual cigar but did not light it, she decisively extinguished her cigarette.
Tsuru quietly repeated the Shop Owner’s words in her mind.
Plenty today.
Which meant that the number of jars available was limited on a daily basis.
“Mr.
Shop Owner, jars that can produce such results are truly unheard of.
Even after all my years at sea, I have never encountered anything similar.”
“May I ask who created these jars that contain such…
miracles?”
Faced with her seemingly casual inquiry, Xia Wen simply smiled faintly.
“A merchant revealing his source of goods?
That would be poor business practice.”
“You only need to know one thing.”
“As long as it exists in this world, the jars have a chance to produce it.”
“Be it Devil Fruits, legendary weapons, or even secrets buried by history.”
Tina, who had been examining the shelves with a doubtful look, paused mid step.
She looked at the young Shop Owner as if he were speaking nonsense.
Devil Fruits were already rare enough.
And now he was casually mentioning lost history and legendary items?
Tsuru, however, felt a subtle shift in her thoughts.
So that was where his confidence came from.
The ability of these jars might indeed rival something on the level of forbidden knowledge.
She did not show this realization on her face.
Instead, she calmly changed direction.
“In that case, I will purchase some jars.”
“But I am curious, Mr.
Shop Owner.
With such ability, why establish your business in a quiet village in the East Blue?”
“And jars capable of producing Devil Fruits are priced at only one hundred thousand berries.”
“This does not appear to be the behavior of someone pursuing wealth.”
Xia Wen’s expression remained relaxed.
“I simply find it interesting.”
“I want to see how people change when given the chance to alter their fate.”
“What choices they make, and what waves they stir upon the sea.”
“If there must be a goal, then naturally I hope more people come to buy jars.”
Smoker stood silently to the side.
He had long expected that Marine headquarters would send powerful figures to investigate.
But he had not imagined it would be Garp and Tsuru personally.
Tsuru ignored the final part of Xia Wen’s answer.
Just for interest?
Her gaze became more serious.
“What you are doing may disrupt the balance of the seas.”
“People who suddenly obtain power may lose control of themselves.”
Xia Wen replied in a steady tone.
“Power itself is neither just nor evil.”
“It is only a tool.”
“Marines use it in the name of justice.”
“Pirates use it for violence and plunder.”
“The difference lies in the individual.”
Tina could not hold back any longer.
“That is just twisting logic!”
Before she could continue, Garp had already stepped forward impatiently.
He slammed a bag of Berries onto the counter with a heavy sound.
“I came here to open jars, not listen to debates!”
“Here is one million berries.”
“Give me ten jars first.
Let me see if they are really as amazing as they claim!”
His interruption caused Tsuru to abandon further probing for the moment.
This Shop Owner was calm, careful, and impossible to read.
Continuing would not produce useful results.
Seeing the money placed before him, Xia Wen gave a faint smile.
“Of course.”
With a sudden sound, the cabinet behind him opened on its own.
Ten sealed jars moved forward and landed neatly on the table.
Tsuru, already aware of this phenomenon from Smoker’s earlier report, remained composed.
Her attention was fixed entirely on what would happen next.
Garp grabbed the first jar with excitement.
“Oh right, kid.”
“You said anything that has existed in this world can come out of these jars?”
He grinned widely.
“Then what about something that does not belong to this sea?”
Xia Wen looked at Garp, a trace of interest appearing in his eyes.
An experienced Marine indeed thought differently.
However, before he could respond, Garp scratched his head and continued loudly.
“I mean something like…
a legendary snack.”
“The kind of senbei from long ago that no one can find anymore!”
Silence filled the shop.
Xia Wen’s expression paused for a brief moment.
Smoker and Tina exchanged strange looks.
As expected of Garp, his thinking was completely unpredictable.
Even Tsuru pressed her fingers to her forehead in quiet frustration.
At that moment, she deeply regretted once again traveling with Garp.
If Sengoku was not present next time, she would absolutely refuse to board the same ship.
Facing Garp’s expectant gaze, Xia Wen steadied himself.
“As long as it has existed, there is a possibility.”
“That includes food, objects, and even things lost to time.”
He paused slightly, then continued.
“And not only that.”
“Even things that do not belong to this world.”
The expressions of everyone present froze.
Xia Wen’s voice remained calm.
“The jars can still produce them.”
“This is what makes them miracles.”
As his words settled, the atmosphere inside the shop fell into complete silence.