One Piece: Starting with Coercion and Enticement of Nami

Smoker asked in bewilderment, "Aren't you going to say hello to them?"

Thoth looked at him speechlessly: "Is it really necessary? It's just solving some ordinary sea monster problems."

By the way, do you have enough Berries at your base to exchange for bounties?

Thoth smiled and asked him, "After all, I'll arrange for them to earn some extra pocket money here these next few days."

Smoker's eye twitched, and he said speechlessly, "You really leave me speechless!"

Then, he said irritably, "Don't worry, the World Government's bank is right here, and there's plenty of money in there."

Besides, bounty redemption is done through a professional department of the World Government.

However, normally, these are distributed by our various naval bases.

Thoth was surprised, but quickly realized that this was a cognitive obstacle.

The fluctuations of one's own life meridians, along with the resonance of sight, hearing, and color, are released along with the aura of the wood spirit, which can conceal one's own senses.

Just like flowers, grass, and trees, it would cause perceptive creatures to subconsciously ignore Thoth's fluctuations in Observation Haki.

However, Smoker, who was standing close by, looked at Thoth with a surprised expression. If he hadn't been so close, he probably wouldn't have noticed.

I couldn't help but marvel at how mysterious this guy was. The two of them walked down the street...

Tiger Girl Tote has already made arrangements to return.

Thoth then looked at him and smiled, "Are there any powerful opponents on this island that you can't handle? I can have Johnny Bages and the others take care of them for you."

Smoker's eye twitched; he knew Thoth had made a discovery, and said helplessly:

"This island is a melting pot of all sorts of people. Unlike its outward prosperity, it is home to many underground forces with strongholds in the shadows."

"However, the most active group on the surface is a gang of thugs called the Barto Club."

The leader is the ogre Bartolomeo. He has some strength, but not much.

However, they won't come to disrupt the established order.

"As for the power you sensed, it's probably that old woman they call Grandma."

And everyone at the Barto Club held the old woman in very high regard.

"I don't know the old woman's name, but she must have been to the New World when she was young."

She has a file in our Loguetown, possessing a remarkable dual-colored aura.

However, from the surface, she now appears to be nothing more than a kind-faced old woman.

Tot's eyes showed a thoughtful expression. "From what you're saying, the Barto Club is probably run by that old woman behind the scenes, right?"

Tch! Still restless even in old age.

Smoker nodded in agreement. "Not bad, but she is indeed quite honest."

For the sake of maintaining order, I'll turn a blind eye as long as they don't go too far.

After all, the world isn't simply black and white.

This didn't sound like something Smoker would say. Thoth looked at him with a subtle expression, and the latter retorted speechlessly, "What kind of person am I in your heart?"

Are you the kind of person who can't tolerate even the slightest imperfection?

I'm not a hawk in the Navy.

Thoth smiled and said, "It seems that my understanding of you is still not deep enough."

Smoker scoffed and glanced at Thoth: "They're relatively well-behaved, which is good for the order in Loguetown."

If they haven't provoked you, try not to turn this place upside down.

Consider it a way to reduce some trouble and burden for my friend.

"Do I look like the kind of person who stirs up trouble for no reason?"

Thoth was speechless, while Smoker chuckled softly:

"But you're not the kind of person who would laugh and not mind after being provoked."

"You have a really good eye for people."

The two walked and talked.

After a while...

Thoth chuckled, then turned to look at him and said with a smile, "Let's go! It's getting late, I'm heading back."

Tell someone to let me know, and I'll dock the ship at your base shortly.

Smoker smiled as well, and the two nodded and left.

Walking alone on the street.

A thoughtful look appeared in Thoth's eyes. From Smoker's words, the ogre Bartolomeo was probably not yet the powerful Barrier-Barrier Fruit user he once was.

In other words...

Using his Observation Haki, Thoth already knew the location of the Barto Club's base from their conversation.

—Shared Reading and Thinking.

A moment later, Tote arrived at a bustling village north of Rogge.

This is the Barto Club's headquarters.

I sensed that in one of the courtyards in this village, a large number of people were gathered, and it was noisy inside.

"Boss Barto? Our club now has more people and more weapons. Isn't it time to wipe out the Ellan family and completely dominate the underground gang forces in Loguetown?"

[Hahaha, once I rule this Rogue Town, I'll have more money than I can spend!]

My thoughts were swirling wildly.

"You idiot, the Ellan family of the Mafia has hundreds of guns. If we go head-to-head with them now, we'll lose a lot of our brothers."

However, I've heard that the Ellan family has a treasure trove that's supposedly been passed down for over a hundred years. If I manage to steal it, I'm sure I'll get a share of the gold and silver.

A jumble of words and thoughts swirled in Tot's mind.

"Shut up, everyone. I need to ask Grandma. She said that the leader of Ellan is no ordinary person."

It is said that they have close ties with a large gang within the amusement park.

[A bunch of idiots. Grandma said we should only take action against those bastards when we are absolutely certain of success.]

And it seems that Agatha Christie mentioned that several members of the Arlan family worked for Smoker, the White Hunter.

By the way, I seem to remember Grandma mentioning that the intelligence our undercover agents sent back said that old Erlan had recently obtained some kind of treasure called a Devil Fruit.

It seems he's waiting for his youngest son from the amusement park to return before handing him over?!

"No, I have to go ask Grandma. We need to take action as soon as possible."

As he read the thoughts, a look of surprise flashed in Thoth's eyes, "The Devil Fruit?"

The Airland Mafia is a large gang force located on the outskirts of the northern district of Loguetown.

I never imagined they would possess a Devil Fruit. Considering that the Barto Club will one day rule over over 150 districts under its control...

With the Wood Spirit wings spread behind him, Thoth soared into the sky in the blink of an eye, like a giant black bird streaking across the night sky.

Before long, they arrived at an area on the outskirts of the northern district of Rogge. Through mind-reading, Thoth quickly found his target.

His body transformed into a bamboo viper-like vine and appeared in the room of the old man, who was already resting. Through shared emotional reading, he quickly obtained information about the treasure vault from his subconscious.

A moment later.

Thoth didn't take the not-so-large amount of treasure from the vault; he only took the Devil Fruit.

Before leaving, he left a note containing information about the Barto Club's plan to ambush them.

Let's consider the Devil Fruit as payment for the intelligence they're owed.

Walking on the street outside.

Thoth looked at the greenish-blue devil fruit in his hand, which resembled a large, spherical orange and was covered with spiraling arabesque patterns.

—Paranoia type. Barrier-Barrier Fruit.

Thinking of the information he had gleaned from old Ellan's subconscious, this was a Devil Fruit whose specific abilities he did not know.

That's normal, after all, the Devil Fruit Compendium is a rare resource.

Among ordinary forces around the world, they probably wouldn't even have heard of it.

Thoth played with the fruit in his hand, a smile appearing in his eyes. This fruit had a very powerful ability; through a special gesture, it could create a barrier that could be described as invincible.

"This fruit is not suitable for sniper Oka, nor is it suitable for brute force like Bages who relies on punches and kicks."

It seems I'll have to use it myself.

Thoth chuckled softly and soon returned to the Wood Spirit.

It was 11:30 p.m.

All the personnel returned to the ship.

On the deck, Zoro was training and keeping watch, while those who didn't need to keep watch had already washed up and gone to sleep. Thoth returned to his room and looked at the empty room.

The consciousness resonated with Karina, drawing her over. Soon, a thick, viscous fluid began to seep out from a thumb-sized hole in the bedroom wall near the floor.

Karina's convergent form.

Fair and tender skin suddenly appeared before my eyes.

A smile played in the girl's eyes as she nimbly walked to Thoth, who was sitting on the edge of the bed... straddling his lap, Karina grinned and said:

"He came looking for me as soon as he got back. I knew it..."

However, at this moment, she looked in surprise at the object on the bed that her bare feet touched, and her arm turned into a sticky paste and flew out, sticking the barrier fruit back into her hand and grasping it.

"This is... the Barrier Fruit?!"

Karina tilted her head slightly. "How are you today?"

With his left hand gently around her waist, Thoth smiled:

"Let's take a bath. Be good later and make me happy. If you do, I'll make this fruit into a Wood Spirit clone for you to use."

Karina rolled her eyes at Thoth, knowing full well that this jerk had called her over just to give her the Barrier Fruit.

A sweet smile appeared in her eyes. She gently pecked Tote's lips, tossed the fruit aside, and wrapped her arms around Tote's neck.

"Elbow! Carry me to wash up."

……

12:30 a.m.

Fortunately,

The soundproofing on the ship is now excellent.

Carrying the exhausted and charming Karina onto the bed, Thoth began creating a Wood Spirit flesh clone. Soon, the Barrier Fruit was digested by the new Wood Spirit, Karina.

He consciously sensed the power within the Wood Spirit, Karina.

With a slight shift in his consciousness, Thoth's hands assumed a peculiar posture, a gesture known as the Crossed Fingers.

Interlace your middle and index fingers.

A square transparent barrier instantly appeared in the space in front of them, with a faint bluish-black luster emanating from it.

This is because it carries the wood spirit aura of Thoth himself.

Thoth sensed the barrier, and a powerful consciousness surged into it from afar. Leaning against Thoth, Karina stared intently at the barrier before her, which was rapidly changing shape and could be described as absolute.

This barrier sometimes transforms into flowing waves, and sometimes into a protective armor that conforms to the shape of the human body.

A transparent barrier sword with a bluish-black sheen appeared before them.

With a sense of terror, he basically figured out the abilities and effects of the Barrier-Barrier Fruit.

Thoth pinched Karina's lower abdomen in his arms. "Take this. From now on, you will use the power of this fruit."

"Aren't we going to let them use it? This fruit isn't like the Goo Goo Fruit. Although its ability is simple, it's an ultimate defense."

"It is for you to use, I want you to use it, you own it, or you could say I own it."