Snatching back his scalpel, Moses calmly glanced at him:
"I'm going back to sleep. Give me your answer after breakfast tomorrow. No extensions."
With that, Moses vaulted over the railing and jumped down from the top deck, landing on the warship's deck.
Bogart leaned against the railing watching Moses return to the cabin, his expression fluctuating.
For a true swordsman, their blade was equivalent to their "other half."
The thought of his "other half" being "played with" by another technician—and possibly even damaged by carelessness—made his eyes grow complicated. Rubbing the hilt with his right hand, Bogart's face twisted in conflict:
"But this is also a good opportunity. If that kid can really do it, my blade will be reborn."
A good swordsmith was hard to come by, and one capable of forging named blades was even rarer.
Even with the Navy's resources, such "Master Swordsmiths" were exceedingly scarce.
A swordsmith might not forge even one named blade in their lifetime.
At most, they might produce only a few pieces worthy of being passed down through generations.
Thinking of Moses' scalpels, Bogart's eyes hardened. Gritting his teeth, he muttered: "I'll take the gamble. Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
Returning to his room, Moses washed up in the bathroom and went to bed early.
Unlike Bogart's inner turmoil, for Moses, reforging a Good Skillful Blade in the State of Oneness merely required more time and effort.
Nothing more.
The next morning.
After breakfast.
Castle Space. Residential Area
Creak!
The stone door carved with crow patterns swung open.
Stepping inside, Moses saw Perona still sleeping like a log on the bed. Approaching the bedside, he pinched her nose shut with his thumb and forefinger.
Five seconds later.
As her mouth opened to breathe, he used his middle and ring fingers to clamp it shut.
Another five seconds passed before Perona groggily opened her eyes. Seeing Moses sitting at the edge of the bed, her cheeks puffed out in protest. Moses released his grip.
Perona gasped heavily for air, glaring at him:
"What are you doing? It's too early to wake me up."
"Look outside," Moses said flatly. "The sun's already up."
Perona struggled to sit up, the blanket slipping to reveal her adorable black-and-white panda pajamas. Rubbing her eyes, she saw the brilliant orange-red hues of dawn outside. Yawning, she mumbled:
"It's morning already? Guess it's time to get up."
Still mumbling, she pointed at the door with a petulant expression. "Out. I need to change."
Moses rolled his eyes and turned away. "Hurry up and get dressed. Wash up and eat breakfast."
He walked to the window, pushed it open, and stepped onto the sill before leaping out.
Once outside Crow Dabao's range, Moses' body returned to normal size as he landed on the floor.
Inside Garp's room.
Moses sat on the sofa, glancing at Crow Dabao beside him. "How does it feel having the fruit power now? With people living inside your castle body, how's the stamina drain?"
"Feels great. Stamina consumption is minimal—as long as I don't drastically alter the interior space, it's barely noticeable."
"Is it a permanent-type ability effect? That's not bad then. Da Bao, when you have time, go check out the water storage system on the warship. Let's modify a water reservoir in the castle within the next couple of days for our convenience."
"Should we... buy a large... power generation... and storage device later? The lab... might need it... right?"
Listening to Crow Dabao's analysis, Moses nodded. "I'll discuss that with my grandfather when the time comes. Those kinds of supplies usually can't be bought through regular channels."
"Hmm, the key is I don't have my own purchasing channels."
"There is one at home, but it's rather small. Well, I have an idea—by the way, Da Bao, can you fly up to 10,000 meters in altitude?"
"Caw~" Crow Dabao tilted his head, thinking before replying, "Haven't tried... but probably? I've flown higher... than Drum Mountain before... though it was a bit strenuous."
"Alright, start training for it soon. We'll go to Sky Island at 10,000 meters later—there are quite a few useful things for us there."
"Caw~ Dabao understands."
Crow Dabao nodded, curiosity flashing in his eyes. Sky Island? What's that?
The man and bird exchanged ideas back and forth, refining many plans as they talked.
At that moment, ripples appeared over Crow Dabao's body, followed by Perona materializing from small to full size.
Seeing the incoming mass, Moses quickly scooted his butt aside to make room for her arrival.
She crashed onto the sofa, her head smacking against the backrest.
Perona clutched her nose with a whimper. Moses looked at her speechlessly before grabbing her collar and pulling her up.
He gave her a once-over: pretty black leather boots, black-and-white striped cotton leggings, a black striped mini skirt, and a snug warm-yellow cotton sweater.
She looked completely different from yesterday's grimy appearance.
With her pink twin tails, straight bangs, and a fair, adorable little face, Perona blinked at Moses in confusion. "Why are you staring? Did I mismatch my clothes?"
Moses stroked his chin. "Didn't expect this. You've got a good sense of style, Perona. Did you study it before?"
Perona rolled her eyes at him, holding her toothbrush and cup as she stood up. "Where's the bathroom? I never studied it—it's just talent, okay?"
Moses pointed to the partitioned area in the room—Garp's quarters had a personal washing space.
A short while later.
Moses brought Perona to the dining hall, where only a few night-shift marines remained.
Their entrance drew many glances, but neither paid them any mind. After Moses pointed the way, Perona went to get breakfast herself.
The meal was lavish and balanced—meat porridge and steamed buns.
After eating her fill, Perona leaned back in her chair, exhaling heavily with a hand on her stomach. "So full... haven't eaten this much for breakfast in ages."
Moses chuckled. "You can eat like this every day from now on—unless you don't want to."
Perona's lips curled slightly as she gave a small nod.
Just then, a voice called out.
"Moses? Hungry again?" Bogart approached with a smile. "You had me searching all over. Come on, let's head to the island's merchant guild for supplies."
"Decided?" Moses looked surprised. "I thought you'd refuse."
Bogart gave a dry laugh, shifting his gaze, then noticed Perona beside Moses. He exclaimed in surprise, "This little girl isn't one of the two you recommended yesterday among the six, is she? Where did she come from?"
Moses glanced at Perona. "Introduce yourself. This is Bogart, the ship's second-in-command. He's a good guy."
"Horahorahora," Perona giggled behind her hand, standing up and extending it toward Bogart. "I'm Perona. Nice to meet you, Mr. Bogart."
Curious, Bogart reached out to shake her hand, but the moment their fingers touched, Perona pulled hers back instantly. His eye twitched—this girl was clearly a mischievous one.
Seeing they'd acquainted themselves, Moses said, "Since it's settled, let's go buy the materials and equipment. Did you bring enough Belly?"
Hearing this, Bogart's heart skipped a beat, recalling how the kid had asked the same thing back in Puji—right before his wallet had been emptied. So, he replied with nearly the same words as before, "Should be enough."
Smirking, Moses stood and headed outside, with Perona quickly following. "Moses, slow down! My stomach's so full I can't run!"
He slowed his pace.
Soon, the trio—plus a crow—walked down the street, Bogart leading the way toward the largest commercial building in town.
The Ishu Trading Company was quite renowned across the West Blue, conducting trade across multiple seas. This port city was under the Ishu Family's control, and the tallest building naturally belonged to their company.
Central District.
Moses and Perona had been here just yesterday, so it wasn't all that novel.
A luxurious six-story building came into view, its entrance adorned with a red carpet.
Bogart wasn't wearing his Marine uniform, just a simple brown-gray suit.
At the door, a smiling attendant greeted them. "Welcome to the Ishu Trading Company. Are you three here to make purchases? Our inventory is the most comprehensive in the entire West Blue. If you can imagine it, we have it."
Moses scoffed and cut straight to the point. "We've got money. Do you sell Devil Fruits here? If so, give me eight or ten."
The attendant froze. Devil Fruits? What were those? He'd never heard of them, his face blank with confusion.
Watching Moses stir trouble, Bogart's eye twitched again. He lightly gripped Moses' shoulder with his right hand and forced a smile at the attendant. "Ahem, he's joking. We're here to buy some rare metals and forging equipment. Do you have those in stock?"
The attendant wiped cold sweat from his brow and chuckled awkwardly. "Ah, I see! That makes sense. Yes, yes, we do. Our company's selection is very comprehensive. Please, follow me inside."
Now, he didn't dare boast about having "everything" anymore.
As they followed the attendant into the hall, Perona tugged at Moses' sleeve, her eyes full of mischief. Leaning close to his ear, she whispered, "Were you planning to rob them?"
Moses shot her a glare and whispered back, "Shut up! Don't let anyone hear you."
Perona covered her mouth and laughed, "Hara hara hara."
Moses and the other's whispered conversation was noticed by Bogart. Though he couldn't hear clearly, a hint of envy flickered in his eyes.
This kid really has a way with women.
That girl is clearly going to grow up into a beauty.
Before long, the trio and a crow were led to the second floor.
The entire second floor was a massive hall filled with numerous display cases, most containing valuable items like crystals and corals.
Of course, there were also some irregular metal blocks scattered about.
At this moment, a waiter brought over a small booklet from a table and said respectfully:
"All the rare metals you're looking for are listed in this catalog, each with a corresponding number. Just let me know which ones catch your eye, and I'll take you to them."
Moses looked at the table before him, which had paper and pens.
He picked up a pen and began writing and sketching. The paper listed materials like yellow phosphorus and water—ingredients for preparing metal dissolving solutions.
There were also forging tools and equipment written down: casting hammers, anvils, tongs, mountain spring water, and high-quality coal.
With Bear Cub not by his side, the synthesis of these metals would have to be done by himself.
After compiling the list, Moses handed it to the waiter and asked, "Prepare these in the quantities I've specified. Oh, do you offer delivery services?"
The waiter glanced at Bogart first and, seeing him nod, quickly replied with a smile:
"Yes, yes, rest assured. For bulk transactions like this, we absolutely provide delivery services."
Moses nodded. "Good, go ahead and have everything prepared."
Then, Moses inquired about the section where the rare metal ores were displayed and headed in that direction.
Walking past rows of display cases, Moses curiously examined the various treasures that would be considered rare for ordinary people. Soon, he stopped in front of a case labeled "One Million Belly."
Inside was a pitch-black, glossy ore about the size of a human head.
「Appraisal」
[C-grade Nickel-Iron Meteorite (Hard)]: A high-purity iron-nickel alloy formed after meteorite impact, possessing high strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance.
Jackpot.
Delight flashed in Moses' eyes.
Without hesitation, he took the meteorite from the display case.
"I'll take this one."
Ignoring Bogart's puzzled look, Moses continued browsing, passing by one display after another. Before long, he picked out a few more rare metals with decent quality—though none as eye-catching as the meteorite.
An hour later.
At the entrance of the guild, Bogart wore a helpless expression. In just one trip, he had spent nearly six million Belly.
If not for the windfall two years ago, he might not even have been able to afford this.
By now, a cart was already waiting at the entrance, loaded with the materials and equipment Moses needed.
Bogart glanced at it curiously and asked, "Why is there a gas mask in there?"
Moses sighed. "The metal dissolving solution is a chemical mixture I have to prepare myself. It's toxic under high heat—shouldn't I protect myself?"
He rattled off a string of chemical terms, leaving Bogart utterly lost. Bogart quickly waved his hands. "My bad, I was just asking. No offense meant."
Hearing this, Moses smirked. "Not gonna lie, these materials will have leftovers after reforging your sword. I'll make you an extra short blade, and the remaining materials will be mine."
"Let me make this clear first, so you won't think I, Moses, am being shady later," Moses said.
Bogart gave a bitter laugh:
"What kind of person do you take me for? I know how craftsmen handle materials—it's not just you. Others do the same.
Some even declare upfront that forging a named blade only has a 10-20% success rate, and if it fails, the materials won't be refunded."
Moses looked thoughtful, glancing back at Bogart. "So I'm actually being nice, huh? Should we go back and buy more to give your weapon forging an extra safety net?"
Bogart's face turned green at the suggestion. "What happened to what you just said? You promised it would work."
"Tch. Spoke too soon," Moses muttered.
Perona covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.
There wasn't much else to see along the way.
The main thing was they had business to attend to.
Soon, a cartload
of supplies was loaded onto the warship, and Bogart settled the final payment.
On the deck, Bogart stared wide-eyed as Crow Dabao opened his beak and swallowed all the materials in one go. He turned to Moses:
"Abah abah?"
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