One Piece: I Weave the Pirate Codex with My Zanpakuto

"Alright, let's trade at 80% of the price this time. However, we'll find out where those giants are afterward, and I hope we can return to the price we agreed on earlier."

A surge of elation flashed through Valen's mind; he hadn't expected the giants in charge of foreign trade routes to be so inexperienced.

You can get a 20% discount by saying just anything.

He immediately patted his chest and guaranteed it.

"Of course, if you can handle those giants properly, I guarantee that the price will be restored to its original level as soon as possible, and may even be increased by another 10%!"

Chapter 187 News of the Idol, Loki's Imminent Departure from Sea

Several three-masted ships, fully loaded with cargo, sailed away from the World Tree.

On deck——

Valen leisurely puffed on a cigar, letting the sea breeze tousle his meticulously styled slicked-back hair.

"Boss Valen, is this really okay?"

"Aren't Elbaf's goods bestsellers? And we haven't been robbed by Titans."

Warren, with a cigar in his mouth, shook his index finger.

“You don’t understand, so you can only do fighting and killing, while I am Boss Dragú Pietro’s right-hand man.”

"Yes, yes, Boss Valen, please give me your guidance. I really want to improve."

Looking at the thick stack of Pele bills stuffed into his hand, Valen nodded in satisfaction and slowly put it into his pocket.

"Whether we've paid protection money or not is up to us. As long as we insist we've paid, the giants can't do anything to us."

"Let's not even talk about whether they can find those giants who disrupted the cooperation. Even if they do find a scapegoat, what good will it do?"

"We can just find another excuse then. The Big Hand Funeral Parlor can take 30% of Elbaf's goods."

"If we lose this channel, we won't be the ones with headaches."

Warren took off his cigar and flicked away the ash.

"Don't underestimate human solidarity, at least when it comes to price negotiation—no merchant will let this opportunity pass."

"That's how the market is; nobody will be polite to those giants who aren't human."

"As for whether they can live better lives even if they earn less Pele, what does that have to do with me?"

"I'm not their parents, it's their fault for not being willing to spend that little bit of travel cost."

The henchman standing beside him immediately began to flatter him, and then asked what would happen if the Utopia wanted to investigate.

"Boss Ross has no time for these trivial matters, and neither does Steward As."

"If the giants trade with us through Utopia, they must accept a certain percentage as a cut."

"Plus the cost of the flight, tsk tsk tsk~ It's safe, but we should save money on this if we can."

"Humans all think like this, do you think giants would have different thoughts?"

"As expected of Boss Valen, I just don't understand this!"

Valen grinned, his face beaming with smug satisfaction.

"So they have to pay the price for their greed; that 20% is the tuition fee."

"However, I guess these good days won't last more than a few years. Once they realize what's happening, they'll probably choose the safer and more stable route of Utopia."

"After all, we businessmen who are just trying to make a living all have to give Boss Ross some face."

"The last one who took away Ross's job is now a golden man sitting on the beach in an idyllic place."

"That's an extremely cruel torture that even screaming is impossible. That old bastard As really knows how to do things."

"Give a stick and then a sweet treat~ Now no one dares to mess around on the main island of the ideal world, no one wants to be turned into gold and die a miserable death."

……

Meanwhile, Harald, having received a message from Ida, rushed to the underworld.

"What did you mean by someone sabotaging the peace deal?"

By the time Harald stormed into the tavern with murderous intent, the giants who had been watching the spectacle had already returned to the mortal realm and were beginning to describe Ida's incompetence in various villages.

Ida sat dejectedly behind the bar.

ε=('ο｀*)

"What else could it be? It must be that the giants who were wandering around don't know what's going on and have gone to rob humans again."

"I reckon the protection fee Mr. Warren mentioned might be more than three million. Sigh!"

"Those idiots!"

Harald clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead.

"I said long ago that if the giants continue down the old path, they will one day lose all their allies and be isolated by the world!"

"No, I have to go out to sea immediately to find those idiots and bring them back to Elbaf to be locked up!"

"We absolutely cannot let them affect the future of Elbaf!!"

"Alright, Harald, you can't kill them for a mere few million Berries."

Ida composed herself and comforted Harald, who was on the verge of exploding in anger.

"Take 20% less, it's all medicinal herbs and beast pelts that grow freely in the mortal realm anyway. All we have to pay is some time and manpower."

"It's good enough if you can make a profit. Just remember to keep an eye on this if you go to sea again in the future."

"By the way, I'll be setting sail in a few days."

Ida put on a smile.

"I'll take the World Tree branch to the Ideal Land this time, along with high-quality gems, animal hides, and medicinal herbs from the mortal realm. I'm sure I'll return with a full load!"

"Loki-kun~~~"

As she spoke, Ida looked towards the doorway, where a few strands of pink hair peeked out from near the door frame.

"Would you like to come with me to the human world this time? I heard your idol, Rocks, is on that island too."

At the tavern entrance, Loki, whose eyes were wrapped in bandages, was about to refuse.

But upon hearing the name Lox, he couldn't contain his excitement and rushed into the tavern.

"Ida, is Rocks really not dead?!"

Ida smiled and nodded: "Yes, he's still alive. I heard from Butler As that Roth's soul was snatched back from the underworld by Roth."

"If you want to see him, I can take you there this time."

"Since you've said so, Date, then I'll go protect your safety, Father. I'm going to sea!"

Harald opened and closed his mouth several times, and finally sighed.

"Alright, you can go see Gibeck and check on how my dad is doing."

Seeing Loki's rare smile, Harald's expression grew increasingly complicated.

He actually wanted to go see Rocks and see him in person.

He just didn't have the face to see his old friends.

If only he hadn't refused Lockes that day, but instead chosen to go to the West Sea to provide support.

Perhaps my friend's future will be changed because of me.

But... there are no "what ifs" on this vast ocean; for the sake of the country he was entrusted with, he had to ignore his former friends.

"I have to go back to take care of my business now. If you need any help, Date, please remember to contact me."

"Yes, yes, I know. Oh, by the way, remember to go see Halding. He's cultivating in the forest behind here. You haven't visited him in a long time."

Looking at her lover's somewhat dejected figure, Ida felt a pang of pity, but didn't know how to comfort him.

"Loki, hurry up and pack your things. We're leaving in seven days. Remember to say goodbye to your animal friends."

"Let them guard the house well while we're away."

……

[Grand Line, southeastern port city of the desert kingdom of Alabasta, rapeseed flowers]

Golden waves of sand danced in the wind at the horizon, while heat waves surged into the city from the edge of the horizon, weaving through the gaps between the white buildings.

Occasionally, seagulls fly in from afar and land on the edge of the houses built of white limestone.

"This place smells so good!"

Ginny, who was the first to jump ashore, raised her head, closed her eyes, and her nose twitched.

"Uncle, here's some pocket money~~~"

Ross took out his wallet and pulled out several ten-thousand-dollar bills.

"Two tickets each, Teach, Paley, come here."

Teach looked up at Alice, and after receiving permission, he pulled Perry over to Ross.

"Don't be so polite with me. Lox and I are comrades-in-arms who fought side by side. Here you go."

"Ginny, you're the oldest here. Take these two with you to play. Little Bear, you're in charge of his safety, right?"

Xiong Zheng nodded: "I will definitely protect them!"

Seeing this, Rocks snatched Ross's wallet and stuffed it into Alice's hand.

"What's Ross's is mine, take the flowers, don't be polite with this guy!"

"Huh?" Alice looked down at her wallet, completely bewildered.

"He now runs six small islands, and his daily income is astronomical."

Locke glanced at Ross and said, "I'm spending a little of his money to give him face."

Ross nodded helplessly: "Yes, yes, thank you Captain Rocks for giving me face, Alice."

"You really don't need to be so polite with me, after all, I didn't earn these Pele points myself."

Ross pulled out another wallet from his back pocket and grinned.

“I borrowed all of this from my colleagues. Why don’t you just go shopping with Ginny and the others?”

"You haven't had this much fun in a long time, so it's okay to relax once in a while."

"We'll go to Alabasta's capital tomorrow morning."

Chapter 188 Summer Festival, Ginny's Five-Year Promise

Phew~boom!

Whoosh~~ Boom!

The city of rapeseed flowers, the rooftop of the Malabar restaurant.

That night, there were no clouds, and the starry sky was dazzling.

There weren't many tables on the top floor; including Ross's table, there were only four in total.

"These are the dishes you ordered."

Mixed bean rice, desert roasted meat, broad bean buns...

One steaming dish after another was served, and Ross gestured for the kids to eat first.

"So delicious! Little Teach, you have to try this!"

Teach stood on tiptoe and bit hard into the skewer of meat that Ginny offered.

"Mmm! Super delicious!!"

Ross gave up his seat to Teach, who was enjoying his meal, and walked over to Rocks, who was standing at the edge, with his wine glass in hand.

bang~