I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 260 Investment
Panglao Island,
This island is also a great place for sightseeing and tourism.
—Or rather, tourism is precisely the direction that non-conformists are vigorously developing.

The sheer number and variety of islands, combined with the abundant sunshine and rain of the tropics, create countless islands perfect for tourism: Panglao Island is one of them.

If one had to pinpoint the difference, it would be that this island is right next to Howa Island to the north: as an island that has been completely overrun, Howa Island is about half the size of Wakayama Prefecture, an island nation, and is home to millions of demons.

Anyone who dares to set up a 'supply point' in a place like this is either incredibly powerful or a frivolous person with questionable values.

Wow, there are so many ships?

The island, once a popular tourist destination, is now dotted with boats of all sizes.

There are warships of various types and sizes; there are also various small private vessels; there are even modern sailing ships with triangular sails and highly maneuverable motorboats. These vessels are all different, but the only thing they have in common is that they have all been modified for weapons.

The ship's hull was plastered with explosive charges, and six-barreled machine guns were mounted on the deck. Each gun was armed to the teeth, and with haphazard marks of tearing and slashing, it exuded an aura of iron and blood.

"You two, please restrain your sea kings."

A patrol boat came along, and the patrol personnel on board, carrying weapons, glanced at the 'King of the Coast' under Luffy and Zorro's buttocks, and calmly made a registration.

“If he causes trouble here, my master will not show any mercy.”

“Ruf,”

"Is it alright to leave that guy here alone?"

Standing on the dock, Zorro couldn't help but ask a question.

Although he doesn't get along with the 'King of the Coast', the other party is, after all, Luffy's 'partner', so the steady-minded Zorro naturally has to take care of him.

"No problem,"

"Xiao Jin is quite strong; he can even dive into the sea when he encounters danger."

and--

This supply depot dares to be located here.
This proves that the person behind them is very powerful; otherwise, they wouldn't be able to maintain order.

"Zorro, is there anything you want to buy? Weapons or something~~"

"No need,"

The green-haired youth placed his hand on the short, black stick at his waist and shook his head slightly.

“These two tungsten steel short rods are enough for me,”

Tungsten steel, also known as tungsten-titanium alloy, has an astonishing hardness of 90 HRA. It is commonly used in high-precision machining and in the warheads of armor-piercing projectiles.

The composite armor of a heavy tank, capable of being forcibly pierced by kinetic energy, is undoubtedly extremely strong; the two short sticks in the young man's hands are made of other alloys, which reduces their brittleness; apart from their weight, they have no other weaknesses.

"No other weapon is suitable for me."

The informal stick technique is a very practical self-defense technique: it can be used with everyday objects such as umbrellas, tennis rackets, canes, rolled-up newspapers or magazines for self-defense.

With extensive training by military and police personnel, it has become a popular martial art worldwide.

Young Zorro had mastered the family's double-stick technique to perfection.

Using other weapons would actually significantly reduce their effectiveness.

"I see~~"

"Then let's go recruit some companions!"

Rather than being trapped on an isolated island, it's better to push the battle lines back:
Only by eliminating the demons and chimeras under the Nine-Tailed Fox's command can our homeland in the rear be safer.

This is Luffy's purpose in taking the Sea King out to sea: to use offense as defense, and at the same time hone and improve his skills in battle.

The two chatted as they walked into the island: everywhere they looked, there were armed personnel with guns and knives, looking fierce and menacing!

However, when these fully armed men saw the one-armed Luffy and Zorro with two sticks stuck in his waistband, they actually moved aside as if facing a formidable enemy.

The only explanation for someone walking here dressed like that is that they are "superhumans": as the saying goes, "the weirder you dress, the faster you fight," these two are obviously experts!
"Gentlemen, is this your first time visiting Panglao Island?"

A girl who looked to be thirteen or fourteen years old stood in front of the two of them.

"Is something wrong?"

Under Zorro's calm gaze, the girl remained poised and confident.

"If this is your first time here, gentlemen, it would be best to hire a guide."

"This island is home to many powerful forces, gathering more than half of the superhumans in this sea area; and there's also the rule set by that lord: if a conflict arises due to insufficient intelligence, it will be a troublesome matter."

After saying that, the girl patted her chest.

"And I can save you two gentlemen from these troubles."

"Ruf, what do you think?"

"OK,"

The one-armed boy nodded.

In such a chaotic place, it's advisable to hire a guide.

Unlike those islands where you can see the end from the beginning,
Panglao Island covers an area of ​​80 square kilometers. The island is filled with rolling hills and lush forests. Although most of the forests were planted later, it is by no means a small place, and the situation is certainly quite complex.

"If you want to purchase firearms, there are Russian arms dealers in the port on the west side of the island; they offer large quantities to satisfy your needs."

"If it's for ship repairs, there are shipyards built by island nations to the east."

"At the Grand Resort Center in the north of the island,"

"The auction house established by that great person is full of good stuff!"

The girl, who received a gold ring as 'wage', led the two into the seaside city while introducing them to the locals.

Where there is trade, there are merchants. This island is home to arms dealers from many countries, and behind many of these merchants are various governments. The auction house run by the 'big shot' the girl spoke of, who controls the island, sells:

"A super potion!"

"Level three extraordinary potions, secondary extraordinary potions, and I've even heard of extraordinary pearls!"

?

"I gonna go see!"

Zorro uttered a cold question to Luffy, who was looking on with great interest.

"Do you have that much money?"

It's obvious even to a fool that the prices of extraordinary potions, or even extraordinary pearls, are absolutely staggering!

"Hehehe, it's free to look~~"

No, actually it costs money.

The girl acting as a guide thought to herself that if an ordinary person wanted to enter the auction house, they would need to pay an 'entry fee' of five million US dollars.

But if it's an extraordinary person:
"Sure,"

"Both of you gentlemen are extraordinary individuals, right? You may enter the auction house for free."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

North of Panglao Island. No, to be precise, this place is called Bohol Island.

Because of its considerable size, the island is divided into three regions: Bohol, Panglao, and Panglao, each named as an "island" by the people who once lived there.

To the northeast of the island, a cross-sea bridge connects to Boho Island, which is about the size of a county.

On the mountainside directly opposite the cross-sea bridge lies the auction house established by the island's current 'owner'.

Here, you can buy anything as long as you have something of sufficient value: missiles, warships, extraordinary potions, or even the life of your enemy!

The former resort hotel has been converted into an auction house, where all sorts of strange and unusual items are gathered, appraised and priced by professional appraisers, and then exchanged for other goods.

"Mr. Marshall, please have a seat."

In the VIP room, the 'manager' in a sharp suit raised his hand in greeting.

"Tell me, what do you want to buy from us this time?"

"Weapons and ammunition? Or..."

"Where are the other French warships located?"

The manager, who had been so mild-mannered, spoke with earth-shattering force; the intelligence that enabled Marshall to launch a surprise attack on the French destroyer was provided by them.

"No, we don't need the intelligence for now."

Marshall, who had finally broken free of his transformation and returned to his 1.8-meter-tall, dark-skinned, and chubby form, waved his hand.

What I want is—

"Super Serum Manufacturing Machine!"

?

These words caused the suit-wearing manager opposite him to pause slightly.

"Supernatural serum manufacturing machine. Mr. Marshall, I must say, your ambition truly surprises me."

The function of this machine is self-evident from its name: to create extraordinary medicines using fresh blood from extraordinary organisms.

This sea is certainly not lacking in extraordinary creatures: superhumans, sea kings, and the most numerous of all, the Biyao!
"Are you going to donate your own blood?"

"Hahaha~~~How is that possible!"

Marshall seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world and couldn't help but laugh.

Even without transforming, his towering figure still caused the sofa beneath him to creak under the weight.

"If anyone's going to be bloodied, it'll be the blood of my men."

"However, I've heard that prolonged blood draws can affect the strength of superhumans, so—"

He raised his hand and pointed out the window: it was right in the direction of the cross-sea bridge.

"Raw materials? Aren't there plenty over there?"

Demon!

"I see,"

The manager nodded.

The pirate captain before them had gathered a number of extraordinary individuals, yet he was still not satisfied.

It seems they're planning to transform all their subordinates into superhumans?
Its ambitions are obvious, but:

“My master should be very pleased to see you assemble a ‘fleet of extraordinary individuals’.”

"The extraordinary serum manufacturing machine will be delivered soon."

After saying that, the manager in the black suit stood up.

"Hahahaha~~"

"Then please convey my thanks to your master."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"This is the auction house?" After arriving at the northeastern part of the island, Luffy marveled at the enormous building before him.

"It's very impressive!"

This place was originally an international resort hotel, and after some emergency renovations, it looks even more magnificent, but that's not the point.

"You two, please."

The guide girl stepped forward to negotiate.
After Luffy and Zorro casually showed off their skills, the gatekeeper in the black suit immediately stepped aside respectfully.

"Gentlemen, this way."

Led by the girl, the two arrived at a large hall.

There were already quite a few people sitting here. Some of them were dressed in military uniforms, while others were pot-bellied. They were all clearly wealthy and powerful.

There were also many people dressed in ordinary clothes, but carrying knives and sticks; it was not hard to tell from their bloodthirsty aura and cold, arrogant gaze that they were extraordinary beings!
Many lucky individuals have already picked up the pearls generously scattered by the Sea Kingdom's 'Crab Princess'; after eating them, they become 'Strong Dogs,' capable of slaughtering ordinary soldiers even with just a few wild punches, causing the number of superhumans in this sea area to surge continuously.

In the center of these people was a high platform.

The item being auctioned on the high platform is a frigate.

"Sit here,"

As the auctioneer spoke eloquently, the girl led the two to a secluded spot to sit down.

"If either of you has anything you'd like to buy, raise your hand and make an offer: anything of value can be used to participate in the auction."

boom!
Just at this time,
The auction hall doors were suddenly pushed open.

?

Everyone instinctively turned their heads to see who dared to act recklessly in this place.

Upon seeing the newcomer, everyone in the auction hall turned their heads away as if nothing had happened; even the auctioneer's impassioned words continued without pause.

tap tap tap,

Amidst the chaotic footsteps, a large group of people surged in.

Some of these people were wearing old military uniforms, some were wearing fur coats, and some were shirtless.

Without exception, they were all menacing and filled with bloodshed.

They were all extraordinary individuals!
Surrounded by these people, a man three meters tall, dressed in a medieval captain's coat, with wriggling tentacles on his chin, strode into the auction house.

"It's him."

Captain Marshall,

"He's attending the auction too?"

Amidst the whispers of the crowd, the group walked straight to the center of the auction hall:

The middle-aged men in military uniforms who were sitting there stood up with livid faces and left the auction house.

"Tsk tsk tsk, even the British navy has to back down."

Watching all this, the girl standing behind Luffy and Zorro couldn't help but sigh softly.

"That's 'Captain Black' Marshall. He commands double-digit numbers of extraordinary individuals, making him the largest extraordinary force in this sea area."

Extraordinary individuals are usually arrogant and self-righteous, believing themselves to be "destined by heaven"; but this "Black Captain" has gathered a large number of extraordinary individuals with his terrifying strength and generous rewards.

Even major navies are unwilling to provoke them: if a group of superhumans manage to board a warship, all the powerful ships and cannons are useless.

"cough,"

On the high platform in the center of the venue, the auctioneer coughed.

The next item to be auctioned is:

"Extraordinary ground effect vehicle".

"Please look!"

As the auctioneer raised his hand to signal, the image on the large screen behind him changed, and a wooden 'spaceship' appeared on it.

"This is a ground-effect vehicle manufactured by the 'Kasaiin' family,"

"The hull and keel are made of 'sacred wood,' which can easily withstand Force 7 winds and waves, and achieve a speed of 350 knots."

With each word spoken, the eyes of the crowd in the auction hall brightened a little more; when they saw the magnificent sight of this 'spaceship' sailing on the sea, their eyes shone even brighter, like old lecherous men who had been locked up for decades seeing a stunning beauty!
Those present here are people who have come to risk their lives in this sea area. For them, a fine ship is far more attractive than 'mere' beautiful women.

Moreover, this ship is beyond description; it's beyond imagination!

After all, it was a creation made with extraordinary materials.
Pity!
As the screen cuts away...

The crowd, whose eyes held an almost tangible longing, all wore expressions of regret.

If that 'Black Captain' Marshall hadn't come, they would still have had a chance to compete.

"This ship belongs to that black captain,"

In a corner of the auction house, the girl explains to Luffy and Zorro.

"Leaving aside the blood draw, with so many superhumans, just the Black Captain's promise to do one thing for the master of this place is enough to be worth billions of dollars."

Don't forget, superhumans are a huge fighting force in themselves; and as long as you have power, why worry about not making money?
"Please begin the auction."

"I!"

An arm raised high interrupted the auctioneer.

"I want this ship!"

???

Who is this one-armed boy?
Amidst the puzzled looks of the crowd, the auctioneer began to speak:
"Sir, what is your offer?"

"US dollars, gold, extraordinary potions, extraordinary pearls. Please place your bids first, and this auction house will make a fair valuation."

"A promise I made!"

Ruff held up one finger.
"As long as it doesn't break the law, I'll do one thing for your auction house."

hey hey?
I just finished explaining things to this 'guest',

Unexpectedly, the other party immediately applied what they had learned, and the guide girl almost couldn't help but jump up and hit him.

Who do you think you are?

"Who do you think you are, Captain Black?"

In the crowd, someone spoke out what the girl was thinking.

"Such arrogance! What are your promises worth?"

"My name is Ruf,"

Standing up, under everyone's gaze, the one-armed boy slowly closed his raised fingers.

"He's the man who will become the king of this sea!"

"My promise is enough."

? ? ? ? ?

This this.
In an instant, the intense auction hall fell into dead silence.

To become the king of this sea?

Am I still half asleep, or is this guy still half asleep?
"what"

"Hahaha~~"

"What nonsense are you spouting? You think you can take me?!"

Laughter rose from a low note to a loud chorus. Whether ordinary people or extraordinary beings, everyone instinctively uttered angry curses.

But some people remained silent, such as the 'Black Captain' Marshall, whose eyes were gleaming.

For example, the second floor above the auction house:
“A funny little guy,”

"Indeed, they dare to be so arrogant."

The young man named 'KYG' bent down to serve Kani-hime a cold drink, and looked on with approval.

"I'll go and deal with him right away."

"Tell the truth,"

Faced with Crab Princess's calm words, the young man's face twitched.

“This is a very promising young man. I want to give him the boat and see how far he can go.”

The man named 'KYG' was unaware that the 'young master' of the Sea Kingdom had come into contact with the one-armed boy below; however, his intelligence network had already gathered information about him.

As he said, he is a very promising young man: as a fun person, I naturally want to see how far this kind of person can grow.

"Well said, reward me."

As the little adult-like Crab Princess waved her hand, the young man stood up.

"Everyone,"

He walked to the edge of the second floor.

His words instantly silenced the noisy auction hall.

"It's 'News King'!"

"The owner of the auction house has personally appeared?"

People stood up and removed their hats to the person on the second floor in respect.

That's right, the 'owner' of this auction house, and even this island, is a young man named 'KYG'!

At his speed, he could travel across several islands in a day. As long as he didn't encounter any powerful demons, he could move freely throughout the entire sea.

Extraordinary pearls are treasures that others would risk their lives to find.

For him, however, it was something he could easily pick up.

However, 'KYG', which joined Kani-hime's ranks, did not conduct a large-scale search for extraordinary pearls.

Instead, they recruited a group of people and established their own 'intelligence network'.

He was no longer satisfied with simply being a 'web blogger'.
Instead, we aim to be the 'King of News' in the new era!
This island served as both his intelligence gathering hub and the base of his power base.

"This ground effect vehicle,"

The young man who appeared on the second floor looked down at her with an air of royalty, showing none of the obsequiousness he displayed when facing Crab Princess.

"It belongs to this young Luffy!"

With his final decision, no one dared to make a sound.

(End of this chapter)