One Piece: I Weave the Pirate Codex with My Zanpakuto

"No, no, no, you misunderstood. I just saw an article in the newspaper that said I greatly admired the great pirate Ross and was planning to join him."

The middle-aged man took a few steps back, still somewhat doubtful.

"The bodies have all been thrown into the sea and the flower field! Make way, I need to go... Ah! Lord Ross!!"

"Don't be so formal, just call me Ross."

“This… Mr. Ross, please forgive me, I can’t be so disrespectful anymore. If Butler As finds out, I’ll get a lecture again.”

Ross gave up and greeted the many civilians around him who were calling him "Lord Ross" or "Mr. Ross".

Then he looked at Kiel Basda.

"You're really popular."

Kiel Basda sighed and continued walking forward.

“I have walked through several makeshift village settlements, those idyllic citizens who have escaped slavery, and they talk about you like religious believers.”

"That kind of heartfelt fervor and devotion...it gave me goosebumps."

"Even if you asked them to die right now, they wouldn't hesitate for a second, would they?"

"I won't do that."

Ross responded softly, occasionally nodding and smiling at the citizens who came forward to greet him.

"We're here. This is the only bar around here. You should know it well, right?"

Shaki's Bar That Ripes Off Customers

Kiel Basda pushed open the door and looked at everything familiar inside, then curled his lip.

"This place is still the same, but without Xia Qi, it has lost its soul."

"She's already taken, so give up on the idea."

Ross walked behind the bar and expertly pulled out several bottles of cheap rum.

This place only has this kind of liquor, but under Shakky's manipulation, this inferior rum can be sold for tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of peggs.

"Tell me your plans."

Kiel Basda smacked his lips a few times, savoring the stimulation from the cheap alcohol.

"Couldn't you have brought a few bottles of better wine?"

"Do you think Xia Qi would buy any good wine? Don't dream about it."

Ross sat down at the table next to Kiel Basda and leaned back on the sofa, sipping his drink.

“Come help me, Bastard.”

"I need your ability to monitor this place."

"No matter what, we were once partners in the same boat, and I don't want to fall out with them."

“Tell me your plan first,” Basta replied.

"I plan to connect the seabed and sky of Miracle Island to create a unique super town, blocking the sea route to the final land."

Ross put down the bottle, his expression serious.

"For this, I need the help of the merfolk, and a scientist who can create island clouds."

"Making an island cloud?"

Basta asked, puzzled, "I remember the cloud path at the top of the western sky isn't far from this sea area, is it?"

"What are you planning to do by creating island clouds and sky islands in a place like this?"

"It's not that I plan to do anything, but some things can't be brought into the light."

Ross gestured for Basta to sit across from him at the table, lowering his voice.

"The existence of the Miracle Sky Island is the most important secret. If it is successfully built, I do not plan to open that place to the public."

"That place will become my secret study, a forbidden zone for the gods."

To store secrets?

Basda was completely bewildered. What was Ross talking about? What was worth going through all the trouble of developing a sky island?

"What about underwater? What are you planning to do with underwater development?"

"What to do... of course, to make money."

Ross hooked his fingers together to calculate.

"Underwater hotels, underwater restaurants, dining with fish, enjoying the beautiful underwater scenery, and doing things you love."

"I also plan to open amusement parks and entertainment centers underwater. In short, the underwater world will be one of the important sources of income in the future."

Basda's mouth dropped open: "You know anything about business?"

"Doing business? How could I possibly understand that?"

Ross grinned and said, "Soon I'll be setting sail to find talent in all fields."

"These are going to be a very busy few years, it's so great that you can stay, you've been a huge help to me!"

"Wait a minute! When do I agree... um."

Seeing the drawn blade wreathed in two-colored Haki, Basta swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue and forced a smile.

"Haha, it's a pleasure doing business with you, Ross!"

Ross withdrew his domineering and wild demeanor, and placed two knives on the table.

"You won't regret cooperating with me. This place will become the most important checkpoint on the path to becoming the Pirate King."

"Wait until the time is right, and until the information about the Pirate King circulates on the sea."

"That will be the best time for us to act."

"Wait quietly until then, Bastard."

Basda realized the conversation was finally on track and asked Ross what he was trying to do.

"I want to escape my cage, and to do that, I must find a way to defeat the King of Rats hiding in the darkness."

The hidden Zanpakuto workshop reappeared, and Rocks leaned against the window with a rather complicated expression.

Ross did not directly inform Basdaim of the information.

The more you talk about something before it's done, the greater the chance of failure.

If the other party is willing to believe you, that's naturally the best outcome.

If he doesn't want to believe it, there's nothing he can do.

"It seems you know something I don't."

After a brief moment of thought, Basta said in a deep voice:

"No wonder Shiki was selling your information outside. It seems he, like me, has guessed some unbelievable things."

"But due to the lack of evidence, it is impossible to verify its authenticity."

After much deliberation, Basta announced his decision: "I'll join. Let's make it clear beforehand that we're not in a superior-subordinate relationship, but simply partners."

"of course."

Ross doesn't care about status; true powerhouses never reveal their true strength.

If a person's temperament is like the temperament of a knife, then the purpose of the scabbard is to conceal it.

Conceal the sharpness and murderous intent of the knife.

When you see a knife, you think of the person who wielded it; the knife is famous because of the strength of its owner.

It shouldn't be about seeing a person and thinking about the knife they're carrying.

"I never let my friends down."

"Welcome to Utopia, Bastard. I will give you everything you want."

"Anything?" Basta raised his right eyebrow and asked with amusement.

"Anything is fine, but you'd better not make any stupid jokes at my behest."

Basta glanced at Ross's hand resting on the hilt of his sword and chuckled.

"What if I want eternal, endless life?"

Endless life?

Ross's lips curled up, his smile playful, and his expression gradually became more mocking.

“If this is what you want most, Bastard, I will grant your wish soon.”

"I hope you will still remember what I said today hundreds of years from now."

Chapter 32 Young people are indeed too young.

It's late at night---

The hooting of owls echoed across the wilderness.

The full moon hangs high in the sky, the dark clouds have just dispersed, and the moonlight shines down, favoring the people walking on the road.

[Treasury (No Entry!)]

The man looked around to make sure no one was there, then pushed open the door to the treasure vault and stepped inside.

"Ugh, damn it, the order of these sentences has changed again!?"

"It wasn't like this when it was translated before!!"

The girl's suppressed roar echoed in the empty basement.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!!!"

After venting her anger, Olvia stared blankly at the stone tablet.

Completely unaware of the approaching shadowy figure behind them.

In the dim light, an arm quietly reached out, slipped through the swaying silver ponytail, and draped over the girl's shoulder.

"scare!!!"

Like a frightened kitten, Olvia's legs went weak and she fell to her side.

Be careful.

Unexpectedly, Ross wrapped his arms around the girl, stepped into the light, and shook the pastries he was carrying in his left hand.

"This cake was brought to me by As; it was made by the village's cake maker."

"Ugh!! Can't you walk normally?!"

Perhaps due to the slow progress in translating the historical text, Olvia's voice was rather loud.

"Sorry, did I scare you?"

Ross, instead of being angry, helped the girl sit down.

Open the cake box and scoop out the cake with a spoon, which contains half a strawberry and fresh cream.

"Some things can't be rushed. This historical text won't disappear here; you can study it at your own pace."

"Ah~"

Olvia instinctively opened her mouth and put the spoonful of cake in her mouth until the aroma of cream and the sweetness of strawberries exploded in her mouth.

The frustration caused by the translation progress has eased somewhat.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to speak so loudly."

Ross didn't say anything like "It's okay" or "It's alright, everyone has these feelings."

As if nothing had happened, he scooped out a second spoonful of cake and smiled at the girl.

Olvia's face flushed slightly, her eyes darting away, but her mouth opened automatically as she enjoyed the man feeding her.

"I've heard that desserts can help people who do mental work replenish their mental energy, and it seems that's true."