Jack Sparrow Compass.
A magical instrument that doesn't point north, but instead can help its wielder find the direction to the thing they want the most.
That should be enough to explain why it is spinning on and on like a fan, as the thing I wanted the most can't be found.
My way back home can't be walked after all, I have to make/magic a way myself, and this is why I ordered this compass from the Box.
I wish it could be any easier. However, it's the only way I have to return to my family…
'Hmm…?'
Something is strange with this compass.
Looking closely now, it is a bit different from what I've seen in the movies. It had the compass disk, the sundial on the top of it, and the star chart on the lid, but in addition, there is a mechanical counter with four numerical disks on the other side of the lid.
More accurately, three of the disks had numbers, and one had symbols on it. They were M, K, and KK.
All of them were, of course, moving and changing constantly.
'A distance counter?' It was the first that came to my mind. I could be wrong, but it will need testing anyway.
Okay, let's do it. Closing my eyes and trying to focus on what I wanted, as this was an experiment, my target was the book about the East Blue that I brought today.
Like I was making a wish to the Box, after firming my mind, I opened my eyes again and looked at the Compass. It was stable now and pointing to my side with the counter giving M 002, in the direction it was pointing to was the bag that had the book inside it, about two meters from me. Moving two steps towards the bag, the counter changed from (M 002) to (M 001), with the pointer still pointing towards the bag.
It worked! I was actually anxious that the Compass wouldn't work or would have some strange mechanism that would make it hard to use, looks like I was overthinking.
Later, I started trying the Compass on other things and on other people. It gave me accurate directions, even though I can't be sure if most of them were true, but I will take what I have. This Hachiman is not that hard to satisfy, but now into the next step.
This one is going to be tricky, as this time I have no idea what exactly I am looking for. Closing my eyes, I wished to know where the nearest Devil Fruit was, not a Devil Fruit user but an uneaten Devil Fruit of any kind.
Opening my eyes again and looking at the Compass, it gave me a direction, and the distance counter was displaying (K 092), which should mean 92 km.
Putting the Compass in the position of Pearlag on the prepared map, following the direction the Compass was pointing, I saw a lone small island on the map.
The estimated distance should be around 92 km too, so this should be it.
Leverdant was the name of the island. From the book I just finished reading, it is a small island that has nothing going for it other than a poor village and a mountain forest that exists all over the region.
According to the Compass, there should be a Devil Fruit on that island. If it were, then my quest to return home should be easier, I don't have to search manually for Devil Fruits all over the seas.
I know that I would need more than one Fruit to get back, although I don't know how much they would be, I am sure they are more than 2. So having this Compass is a huge boon, it will make the search more automatic and direct.
Now that I have a new destination, and a close one at that, there should be transportation from Pearlag to Leverdant. I should ask tomorrow at the harbor if there is a ship going there.
And while I could ride there the same way I left the island in the stormy region, I will never risk it by going to the sea alone ever, there is a safer way.
The next day, I went to the harbor to ask about a ship to Leverdent.
Sitting on a small desk, there was the employee who registered me a few days ago, sitting in a relaxed posture and reviewing something on his list.
It is good that he is not busy,
"Excuse me, I want to know if there is any ship heading to Leverdent any time soon."
The man lifted his head to look at me, looked at me for a moment like he had remembered me, but he hid it quickly and said.
"Leverdent, is it? You want to ride a ship going directly to Leverdent?"
He remembered me? Strange, was I that memorable? And he looks on guard too. Did any information about me leak? I should be more careful.
"Something like that," I reply a bit cryptically to his question
"Well, the only ship that goes directly there is the ship of their local merchant. He comes to Pearlag every two weeks or so to exchange goods and buy their necessities. He was here like five days ago, so he will return in 8 to 9 days."
"I see, is there no other way?"
"Hmm, there is! You can also rent a cargo ship to take you wherever you want, but that would cost you." The man contemplated for a moment before continuing.
"Also, you can go to the Mabo Harbor from here and rent a fishing crew with their boat, it would cost you less overall, but it would take you around 7 days. Five from here to Mabo, and 2-3 from Mabo to Leverdent. Or, you can buy a small boat and go wherever you want at any time you want. There are a few of these in the port in good condition, ready to be sold." He finished saying the options he has.
Thinking about the three options, the best is obviously the last one. It costs the least in the long run, and has the most freedom of movement, but…
"I am not particularly good at seafaring, so I will pass the last one."
That was actually half a lie, with the Magic Sword and a normal compass, I can reach Leverdent just fine. But I don't want to sail alone any time soon, more like I am a bit scared of it.
Last time, it didn't end well for me. I got swept by a storm only to saved by pirates, finding my self in a situation where I have to fight for my life, freedom, and butt.
I will be honest, the butt part is what terrified me the most. Losing my freedom is scary yes, and losing life is even scarier, yet the danger to my butt makes me shiver even now.
"I see. Nevertheless, I recommend that you pick up your sailing skills as soon as possible if you don't plan to make a warm nest for yourself anytime soon."
"From what you have said about Mabo Harbor, does this mean a ship is sailing to Mabo today?" I inquired more about the second option, which is the most likely I will take.
"Ships are going from here to Mabo every day, kiddo! Either for repairs or for passing. Look at this ship here, this one is sailing to Mabo in a few hours. You can talk to the captain if you wanna a ride." The guy said, pointing at a big ship stationed at the port.
I see, from what I have learned from the book, Mabo Harbor should be the next island in the trade route. It also has one of the best ship makers in the surrounding regions, so ships going there regularly should be normal.
"I think I will pass on this one, I still have some unfinished business in Pearlag."
"Okay, suit yourself, kid." The man returned to his relaxed sitting posture.
"By the way, what happened to the small boat that I arrived on a few days ago?" I asked while looking around the port.
When I arrived, my mind was still in disarray, so I didn't care about anything at that time, but now that I remembered it, I don't see it anywhere.
"You did? Well, if it was small, someone might have taken it by mistake." He said with a tone of uninterest, his eyes never left his notes,
However, it was faked. His relaxed posture became a bit rigid, and his eyes were still on the note, not reading.
"..."
'…You stole it, didn't you? No one has picked it up by mistake, you sold it to them and pocketed the money! This is why you acted suspicious when you saw me, it is because you robbed me and are trying to feign ignorance!'
Damn! What is wrong with this city? Is this place some kind of tourist trap? Is this the business model of the whole city?! Okay, if this is how you are going to play it, then you got it, Pearlag! Fuck keeping a low profile! Fuck going under the radar! I, Hachiman, won't take this lying down!
Giving one last glare to the port employee, I turn around and walk straight to a place near the center of the city.
The open market!
Here, booths are spread on both sides of the streets. They were selling all kinds of things ranging from food, clothes, jewelry, all the way to ninth-hand weapons and plain junk.
"Excuse me, how much is this box of pineapple here?"
Walking to a booth that is selling fruits that caught my interest, I ask the seller about the price like I am interested in buying.
"Yes yes, welcome customer! This pineapple is fresh and of a very high quality! We are selling the box for 15000 Berri!" The guy said with an excited pitch sale!
However, I didn't need to put in the effort to know he is overstating the price. His exaggerated hand movement, the dodgy eyes, the overly friendly smile, the fake confident tone, all of it told me he is lying.
Unfortunately for you, Ossan, I am now trying to level my rarely used Haggling-Hiki skill. And everyone in this market will be the mob to grind it all the way up to Bargaining-Hiki!
"Isn't this price a bit high? Someone was offering me to buy a box of pineapple at a way less price, a bit further to your left." I lied easily as breathing. I just entered the market. How the hell can I find such a guy? But this middle-aged man didn't know, and if he wants to do business, he has to sell me his lies with his products.
"Haha, customer, I am sure he is trying to sell you faulty fruits. The ones I sell here are fresh pineapple of high quality from Sadavin!" he lied again, the awkward laugh didn't help him at all.
"Is that so? Some of the big stores are selling high-quality fruits at the same price as you are selling. But they are also adding a very nice packaging and delivery service for large amounts. You're not doing the same at the same price is making me hesitant to buy from you." If you are selling at the same price as the big stores, why should I buy from you? That's what I told him in a cryptic way.
"Ah-haha, is-is that so, then how about I sell it to you at 13,000 for the box. I can't offer their flashy services, but I can sell them a bit cheaper. I can give you an extra discount if you buy a bundle!" The man said with a defeated tone, like he had given up.
But that, too, was fake.
"I see. That would be truly helpful." Hearing my words, the man relaxed.
Sorry man, not for long. You finally gave me the opening, the next is for me to chip away at your HP a bit by bit.
"But how can we make sure it is really good quality? Why don't I check one randomly? I will pay for it, of course!" At my words, the middle-aged man's relaxed face tensed up again.
"E-Eh? B-B-But that would destroy the wrapping! A-Are you sure?"
"Of course, we can wrap them again, no problem."
A few minutes later, I walked away carrying 6 boxes of pineapples above my head like a champ.
It turned out that the pineapples he was selling were just good-looking but not sweet. Moreover, the end of the box was filled with faulty fruits. And the booth owner knew of this, and he was okay with selling it at 9,000 Berri, but he was trying to scam me.
After chipping away at his HP/price, I ended up getting the box of pineapple at 4,000 Berri! My Haggling-Hiki worked perfectly!
I kept sending waves of Hamon at the fruits while carrying them, improving their life force, hence improving their quality.
They were sold to a restaurant afterward at the price of 11,000 Berri for a box. The quality and the 'delivery' made the price for it.
After selling the pineapple, I returned to the market and did the same thing with other booths.
For the next week, and until the gold jewelry was ready, my schedule consisted of waking up, going to market, haggling, buying, selling, bragging, then returning to my room to read my books until late night on and on for a whole week.
Not only was my Haggling-Hiki upgraded to Bargaining-Hiki, but I also got a good grasp of the world market prices and common sense. But the biggest downside was that it all felt like I was working, Tch!
When the jewelry was ready, and no one said anything about the material made from the Box, I was now sure the things coming out of the Box were real, and there is no doubt about it.
Selling them to the banks at the best price possible with my Bargaining, I directly took the first ship to Mabo Harbor, leaving Pearlag behind.
######
—Third Person POV—
The salt spray stung Nami's face as she gripped the helm of her small vessel, her knuckles white against the polished wood.
Three days. Three damn days she'd wasted chasing shadows across the ocean, and for what? Nothing but empty water and her own mounting irritation.
"These Bastards, where did they go?"
The Storm Axe Pirates had vanished like morning mist, taking their stolen fortune with them.
Nami's jaw clenched as she thought about the cargo they'd lifted from the King of Delsol's merchant fleet, one that it is said he had paid a fortune for.
It was this kind of treasure that made her fingers itch and her heart race with anticipation.
She'd tracked their course through three different ports, following breadcrumbs of drunken boasts and tavern gossip.
The plan had been perfect: let the Marines and bounty hunters do the heavy lifting while she slipped in during the chaos to claim her prize. It was a strategy that had served her well before.
"Idiots probably sailed straight into a Marine blockade," she muttered, adjusting her course toward the nearest inhabited island. The wind whipped her orange hair across her face, and she shoved it back with more force than necessary.
The irony wasn't lost on her. King of Delsol's fury had been so complete that he'd placed bounties on the Storm Axe Pirates' heads that rivaled those of veteran Grand Line captains.
Marines swarmed the surrounding waters like angry hornets, and bounty hunters had emerged from every crack and crevice of the East Blue. The chaos should have been perfect cover for her operation.
It almost gave her hope that maybe, just maybe, she could achieve her goal in one swoop.
Instead, she found herself with empty hands and a mood fouler than week-old fish.
"Tsk!"
Pearlag Island rose from the horizon like a jewel set in blue silk, its white beaches and emerald forests promising the kind of prosperity that made Nami's consuming instincts purr with satisfaction.
The harbor bustled with activity—merchant vessels unloading all kinds of goods, well-dressed citizens strolling the waterfront, and most importantly, the kind of wealthy, pompous men who practically begged to be separated from their money.
"Time to make some spending money," she whispered.
Not even a day later, and she already had enough money and even some jewelry to sell and go on a shopping spree.
However…
"Fifty thousand?" Nami's voice rose in perfectly calculated shock. "But it's worth at least—"
"Times are hard, dear. That diamond has a small flaw, you see." The jewelry store owner pointed to an invisible imperfection. "Forty-five thousand, final offer."
Nami bit her lip while her mind raced. This was not the first store where she was stuck like this.
She wanted to rip off three times the price he was offering, but no matter how much Nami tried, the moment she started to haggle, the store owner fought back desperately.
"I... I suppose I have no choice."
Twenty minutes later, she walked away with sixty thousand berries and the man's sympathy donation for her "sick sister." The fool never realized she'd palmed his genuine assessment tool and replaced it with a fake, making her flawed jewel appear pristine while his perfect stones looked damaged.
Nevertheless, Nami's frustration didn't end here…
"Highway robbery, that's what it is!" The clothes merchant's face had turned an impressive shade of purple. "That... that devil came in here yesterday, convinced me my finest silk bolts were second-rate! Walked out with premium silk at scrap prices!"
Nami paused in her examination of the man's remaining wares. "Devil?"
"The Dead-Eyed Devil!" The merchant spat. "That's what we're calling him. Cold as winter, negotiates like he can see into your soul. Makes you doubt your own inventory, somehow."
A chill ran down Nami's spine that had nothing to do with the ocean breeze.
'Another con artist?'
"What did he look like?" she asked, feigning casual interest while her hand tightened on her staff.
"Young man, maybe your age. Black hair, a cloak, a sword at his hip, and dead eyes like chips of ice." The merchant shuddered. "Stood there calm as anything while he tore apart my entire pricing structure. By the time he finished, I practically paid him to take the silk."
Nami's blood began to simmer.
She began to guess the reason for her current situation.
The pattern revealed itself as she moved from stall to stall. Every merchant had the same story—the Dead-Eyed Devil appears, dismantles their confidence with surgical precision, and walks away with premium goods at basement prices.
Some described him as polite but relentless. Others swore he was barely human, reading their thoughts before they spoke them.
"You remind me of him," grumbled the spice vendor when Nami tried her usual routine. "Same way of talking, like you're doing me a favor by taking my goods."
"I'm nothing like—" Nami caught herself, plastering on a sweet smile. "I'm just a poor girl trying to help her family."
"That's what he said. Well, different words, but same meaning." The vendor's eyes narrowed. "You con artists are all alike."
Con artists, the plural hit like an arrow.
Nami had worked for years to build her arts in these waters, crafting the perfect balance of sympathy and manipulation. Now, some dead-eyed bastard was making her life harder with his heavy-handed approach.
"LIKE YOU ARE THE ONE TO TALK!!!" That is what anyone would say if they had heard her thoughts.
She stormed away from the perfume shop, her bag considerably lighter than planned. Three more merchants had refused her entirely, suspicious of anyone with above-average negotiation skills.
Later in a tavern, Nami sat alone with her wine and her fury. The Dead-Eyed Devil—whoever he was—had poisoned the well before she'd even arrived.
Her carefully planned recovery from the Storm Axe Pirates debacle had turned into another frustration.
'Damn it!'
She drained her glass and slammed it down with enough force to crack the base. The tavern keeper glanced her way nervously, but she ignored him.
Her mind was already racing ahead, imagining the satisfaction of tracking down this sudden 'rival' and showing him exactly what happened to people who interfered with her business.
The rule about only targeting pirates had served her well over the years. Pirates were fair game—criminals who'd chosen their path and accepted the risks that came with it. But this Dead-Eyed Devil had made things personal by fouling her mood and costing her money.
'Money!'
In Nami's world, that was an unforgivable sin.
"Miss?" The tavern keeper approached cautiously. "Is everything alright?"
Nami looked up, and something in her expression made the man take a step back. "Fine. Just fine."
But as she left the tavern and walked toward the inn she was staying in, her thoughts churned with plans for revenge.
The next day, she began asking around, planning to track this Dead Eyed Devil, to make sure he paid for what he owed.
In the end, it only led her to the docks.
"Excuse me," Nami asked a dock worker loading cargo. "The man with a cloak and eyes like a dead fish, did you see him?"
"He left early this morning." The worker grunted under the weight of a crate. "Caught the first ship to Mabo Harbor. Good riddance, if you ask me. He got quite the reputation the last week."
"Mabo Harbor?" Nami's hands clenched into fists. The island was around six days away by fast ship. By the time she could follow, he'd vanish into the crowds or move on to another island entirely.
The dock worker noticed her expression and backed away slightly. "Something wrong, miss?"
"No," she said through gritted teeth. "Nothing at all."
'Bastard, looks like you survived today.'
Whoever this Dead-Eyed Devil was, wherever he'd gone, he'd made a serious mistake by destroying her off time with her.
She'd find him eventually—the seas weren't that big, and people with distinctive reputations left trails that skilled navigators could follow.
When she did find him, she'd make sure he regretted ever learning to haggle. She'd strip him of every Berri he'd ever earned, leave him stranded on some desolate island, and make certain he never had the courage to ever haggle.
The thought brought the first genuine smile she'd worn all day.
Let him enjoy his days while they lasted. And when she gets her hands on him, the Dead-Eyed Devil would discover that some things can be scarier than sea kings.
…
A/N: Writing in third-person POV is disgustingly easy. But not as satisfying as first-person POV
Well, That's it for now.
Thank you all for reading! Hope you enjoyed this one!
Have a good day!
You also can check my Patre0n for extra Chapters.
https://www.patre0n.com/ColdColt