290: Monet’s Buyer — Shimotsuki Kojiro

May 9, 1504, Age of the Sea Circle

The following morning, Monet woke up after having slept terribly through the night, plagued by all kinds of nightmares about the buyer who would come to collect them today, and the life they would be forced to live by his side from now on.

She couldn't help but feel uneasy at the possibility of being bought by a pervert, yet there was nothing she could do about it, so she had no choice but to try to remain positive and make the best out of the situation she found herself in.

She was already planning how to win the favor of her new owner by any means necessary, ensuring that her little sister would not have to suffer any mistreatment, although she wouldn't be able to decide what course of action to take until she understood the personality of her new master.

After washing up, Monet woke Sugar, who was sleeping peacefully without a single worry, and together they had breakfast with some toast and cold tea she had prepared the day before. In a place like this, such a breakfast could be considered a luxury, even if it was nothing extraordinary.

Once they finished eating, Monet dressed Sugar in her best dress, and then began to prepare herself, trying to look as beautiful as possible for her meeting with her new captor.

She knew that a good appearance was the foundation for obtaining a better life, and she intended to make the best possible impression on her mysterious buyer, so that later she could win his favor and survive in this cruel world without being discarded.

Accentuating her feminine features, Monet put on a fitted dress she had stolen from a smuggled shipment being transported through the black market where they were held, and she applied makeup for the first time in her life, achieving a rather decent result.

After looking at herself in the mirror and seeing her beautiful face, Monet let out a soft sigh, thinking that she would have to strive in the future in order to live happily with her sister, and she comforted herself with the thought that perhaps the security in her new prison would be more lax, allowing her to eventually escape to freedom.

"Waa, sis, you look really pretty," said Sugar, covering her mouth with her small hands as she gazed at her older sister with shining eyes.

Monet turned to look at her little sister, who looked like an adorable porcelain doll in her finest dress, and felt a warmth rise in her nose, forcing herself not to cry.

"Mm, thank you, Sugar, you look very pretty too," Monet replied in a soft and gentle tone, wearing a calm expression that made her seem far more mature than her age.

If any of the perverts who frequented the black market on this island to buy slaves had been able to see her at that moment, a fierce bidding war would undoubtedly have broken out, with every man present trying to become the highest bidder, and the situation would likely have ended in chaos.

"Sugar, come, we have to go," Monet said, extending her pale hand toward her little sister, who looked at her in confusion.

"Go? Where are we going?" Sugar asked.

Ever since they had arrived on this island nearly three years ago, Sugar had always remained inside her cage, and this was the first time Monet had offered to take her outside into the world beyond.

During the first months of their life on the island, Sugar had cried inconsolably every time Monet left to carry out her administrative duties, thinking she wouldn't return and begging her to take her along.

However, no matter how much she pleaded, Monet had never allowed her to leave the cage they lived in, and over time Sugar had grown accustomed to the situation, resigning herself to remaining inside their new home.

For years, she had been continuously confined without ever leaving her cage, and so her mind could hardly process the fact that Monet was now telling her they had to go out together; she was even beginning to feel a bit of panic at the thought of leaving it.

Monet looked at her frightened and confused little sister and let out a soft sigh. She knew it wasn't healthy for Sugar to spend so much time confined, but over the past years she had had no other choice but to adopt this way of living, since it was far more dangerous for her little sister to be seen by one of the perverts who frequented the slave market in search of young girls.

Monet had a certain degree of protection because she was useful to the owner of the black market, and Sugar benefited from not being sold as a slave or forced to participate in the activities of the other slaves solely because Monet worked twice as hard to pay for that privilege.

However, if a client with enough influence were to see Sugar and decide to buy her at any cost, the owners of the black market would throw her little sister into the fire without hesitation, and she would be powerless to protect her, as she held no real importance in their eyes.

That had led to Sugar spending the past years in the solitude of her cell, without even the company of her sister for most of the day, which had caused certain developmental issues in the little girl, as well as a mild agoraphobia that was now beginning to surface in response to Monet's words.

With patience, Monet approached her little sister and gently placed a hand on her face. Then, in a calm voice, doing her best to sound cheerful, she said,

"Sugar, don't be afraid. We've finally gained our freedom. A friend of our parents has come for us, so starting today, we won't be living here anymore."

Monet couldn't bring herself to break her little sister's heart by telling her the truth—that an unknown and most likely perverted man had come to buy them—because she didn't want her to suffer.

For that reason, she had chosen to tell this lie, and then do everything in her power to make it a reality. Even if the man who had purchased them turned out to be a beast, Monet believed she could convince him not to touch her little sister if she sacrificed herself in her place.

After all, having someone like her—beautiful and also capable of carrying out a wide variety of tasks with great efficiency—was surely enough to satisfy her new master, or at least that was how she saw it.

Monet had always been prepared to sacrifice herself for her little sister; no matter if she had to become her new master's toy, she would at least protect Sugar's innocence.

Upon hearing her older sister's words, telling her that they had gained their freedom, Sugar's face lit up with a radiant smile from ear to ear, and running toward a corner of the shack where they lived, she grabbed a small pouch she had hidden there, which contained some strange little stones with a rather pungent smell.

"What's that?" Monet asked, watching Sugar return to her side with a smile.

"A gift for our friend! These are the grapes I've been saving. After a while they become smaller and harder, but they're still tasty," Sugar said cheerfully, showing her older sister the raisins inside her pouch, which she had unknowingly made by leaving them in the sunlight that came through the hole in the roof of the shack.

Monet felt a pang in her heart when she saw that her little sister treasured something so meager, a clear reflection of the kind of life they had been forced to live over the past years.

Although she felt somewhat worried about how their new owner would react when Sugar tried to offer him something so unpleasant, she didn't have the heart to shatter the girl's illusion, so she simply nodded in silence and took her hand to lead her out of the cell.

Walking hand in hand, Monet and Sugar made their way slowly to the central office of the black market, where she had worked daily for the past years. This time, however, she wasn't going there to work, but to meet her new master.

At last, they arrived at their destination, and after taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Monet knocked on the door and waited anxiously until the voice of her boss echoed from inside, granting her permission to enter.

"Excuse me, Mr. Jack, I'm here with my sister," Monet said as she entered the room, offering an elegant bow to the man who had been her boss until yesterday, as well as to the other man present.

"Monet, right on time. This distinguished gentleman is the one who has come to buy you—you should feel honored to become his slave starting today," Jack said with a mocking smile, flattering the buyer at the same time.

Monet bit her lip slightly and involuntarily tightened her grip on Sugar's hand, but she quickly regained her composure and put on a submissive smile, fixing her gaze on her new owner and greeting him politely once more.

The man in question was rather flabby and greasy, with a bald head that covered much of his scalp and a generally unkempt appearance. Even so, Monet didn't show any disappointment, since this was usually the kind of appearance buyers had at the largest slave market in the North Blue.

In fact, she even felt a bit relieved, because the way her new owner looked at them wasn't filled with lust, but remained calm and composed.

"Well then, Your Excellency, if you are satisfied with the merchandise, we can proceed with the sale," Jack said, rubbing his hands together in the classic gesture of a greedy merchant.

"Of course," the man replied concisely, and with a flick of his hand, he pulled a revolver out of nowhere, as if it had appeared from thin air itself.

"Although the terms of the transaction have changed slightly," he added in a calm voice, as his appearance began to shift abruptly, until he finally transformed into a handsome man with a sharp, aggressive smile.

Bang!

Orion fired the revolver he had drawn from his inventory, and the boss of the largest black market in the North Blue fell dead with a hole in his forehead, unable to even comprehend what had just happened.

Monet, her small mouth wide open in an adorable expression, watched the sudden turn of events in shock, trying to process what was unfolding before her eyes. Involuntarily, her heart began to pound, and at the same time, a feeling she thought she had long forgotten began to surface within her: hope.

Even so, she restrained her emotions and her optimism, because it was still not certain that the man before her had come with good intentions.

"Monet, right?" Orion said with a smile, putting his revolver back into his inventory before adding,

"Don't be afraid, I've come to rescue you."

Even though Monet had no way of knowing whether Orion's words were the truth or merely a lie meant to deceive her, as she looked into the eyes of this handsome stranger who had just killed her former boss, she found herself instinctively trusting him, and with tears in her eyes, she nodded.

BANG!

At that very moment, a massive explosion echoed through the place, and the entire room began to tremble as if an earthquake were shaking it.

"My companions have already begun to act. We need to move quickly as well if we want to avoid unnecessary trouble," Orion said, approaching the two sisters and opening a door in midair.

"For now, enter my Pocket Dimension. You'll be safe there," he added with a friendly smile that caused Monet to blush involuntarily.

…

After the pair of sisters entered the Pocket Dimension just as Orion had instructed, he used Soru and moved at full speed toward the deepest part of the commercial base he was in, eventually reaching the vault where all the great profits of the vast black market were stored.

Just as the information provided by Stussy had indicated, the vault was protected by a large number of soldiers, though with Orion's special abilities it was easy to bypass this level of security.

Using his Space Door, he simply entered his Pocket Dimension and reemerged directly inside the vault. Then, he used his inventory to steal all the treasures and the enormous amount of Berry accumulated there, feeling a surge of satisfaction at obtaining such a massive haul.

"This will be a good injection of capital for the kingdom," Orion said cheerfully.

From the moment he had learned where Monet and Sugar were located, he had been planning this attack. Naturally, he couldn't simply ignore the other slaves being held captive in the place, so he had discussed the situation with Karasu, and together they had carefully planned the operation.

The Revolutionary Army specialized in this kind of rescue mission, and with the detailed information provided by Stussy and Shadow, it had been possible to map out every step with precision.

To begin with, Orion had posed as a local noble, using his Distorted Future ability to alter his physical appearance just enough, and then he had made an offer to purchase Monet and Sugar.

The reason for taking this extra step instead of simply storming the base to rescue them was that he didn't want to risk them being injured or killed during the operation, since that was always a possibility in large-scale rescues of this kind.

For that reason, Orion had first ensured the safety of the two girls by infiltrating as a buyer to get close to them, and only once they were secure would the assault on the commercial base begin.

There was also another reason: by posing as an important buyer, he could distract part of the security forces, who would have to attend to his arrival on the island, thus making the infiltration of Karasu and his men somewhat easier.

The plan had gone perfectly. He had successfully rescued the two sisters, Monet and Sugar, and had also completely emptied the black market's treasure vault.

However, just as Orion was feeling pleased that everything had gone according to plan, his baby Den Den Mushi rang, and Karasu's hurried voice came through.

"Orion, we need your help, there's a powerful enemy here!"

"Understood, I'm on my way," Orion replied concisely, and after checking Karasu's position on the system map, he rushed at full speed toward the location where the leader of the Northern Revolutionary Army was battling the black market's defenders.

…

"I didn't expect to find someone this strong here…" Karasu said with difficulty, pressing his hand against his chest to stop the blood from pouring out of the horrific wound there.

"I must admit your powers are quite interesting, but at that level, it's an insult that you thought you could steal our merchandise," said the powerful enemy Karasu had referred to in his call—a swordsman dressed in traditional Wano attire, wielding a katana.

"Merchandise? They're people!" protested a soldier of the Revolutionary Army upon hearing the samurai refer to the slaves as goods.

She herself had once been a slave before being rescued by the Revolutionary Army, and she could not tolerate such a despicable way of referring to human beings.

"Silence, the adults are talking," the samurai said irritably, and with a casual movement of his hand, he launched an attack that no one present could even see, mercilessly decapitating the soldier.

"Julia!" Karasu shouted as he watched his subordinate die before his eyes, unable to do anything to stop it.

"Don't be sad. Soon you and all your soldiers will join her in the other world," the samurai continued indifferently, placing his hand on his sword once more as he prepared for another strike.

Karasu saw in the distance that his soldiers were successfully escorting the imprisoned slaves toward the evacuation ships, and he calculated that if they could buy just a few more minutes, the rescue could be completed.

Rising to his feet, Karasu decided it was time to prove why he was the leader of the Northern Revolutionary Army, ready to die if necessary, as long as he could help the innocents who had been unjustly captured.

"Your determination is admirable," the samurai said, closing his eyes before adding,

"But also foolish."

"Aaaaah!" Karasu shouted with great intensity as his body dissolved into soot-black birds that spread through the sky and flew toward the samurai.

Even so, his opponent showed no surprise, as he had already witnessed Karasu's abilities before and did not consider him a threat.

"I hope that in your next life, you live more sensibly," the samurai said calmly, and stepping forward, he drew his katana with a speed impossible for the human eye to perceive.

"Clang!"

Or at least, not with a normal human eye.

"Karasu, don't be so reckless. If you die here, who will guide the Army of the North?" Orion said with a smile as he stepped between the samurai's blade and Karasu, intercepting the precise strike with his cutlass.

The samurai looked into Orion's multicolored eyes, which stirred a sense of unease within him, and frowned upon seeing his attack so perfectly blocked.

"You… who are you?" the samurai said as he took a step back, instinctively tensing every muscle in his body in response to the threat that had appeared before him.

"My name isn't important, or at least it isn't to someone who is about to die," Orion replied provocatively, resting his cutlass on his shoulder in an arrogant stance.

A thick vein bulged on the samurai's forehead as he finally abandoned the calm expression he had maintained until now, revealing instead clear irritation at Orion's condescending attitude.

"Let's see how long you can keep that arrogance," the samurai said in a deep voice, and stepping forward, he unleashed another attack—this time far more powerful than those he had used against Karasu and his men.

"Tsubame-Souen!"

The samurai's katana seemed to split into two before Orion's eyes, and even with his inhuman senses, he could not fully perceive the trajectory of the strike, forcing him to counter with a wide-impact attack.

"Kamusari!"

Bang!

The two blades, imbued with Armament Haki, clashed violently in midair, and both Orion and the samurai were pushed back three steps by the force of the impact.

"How is this possible?" the samurai said, utterly shocked that Orion had managed to repel one of his most powerful techniques, while feeling the tension in his body rise even further as Orion's image loomed larger and larger in his mind.

Meanwhile, Orion glanced at the soldiers of the Revolutionary Army of the North battling against the guards of the mercantile base as they worked to complete the rescue of the slaves, and looking toward Karasu, who still remained nearby, he said:

"Karasu, focus on rescuing the slaves. I'll deal with this guy."

Karasu knew that even if he stayed, he wouldn't be able to help Orion in any meaningful way and would only get in his way, so he immediately nodded at Orion's command and took off, transforming into soot-black birds to assist with the evacuation.

"You think I'll just let you do as you please?" the samurai said, launching an attack to stop Karasu, though unfortunately for him, it was intercepted once again by Orion.

"Don't worry about the others. Right now, you should be worrying about me," Orion said with a fierce smile, before adding,

"My name is Orion Lysander, second commander of the Revolutionary Army, and I request a duel of honor."

The samurai halted his attempt to pursue Karasu, even knowing that with the revolutionary leader present, there was no way his subordinates could prevent the merchandise—slaves—from being taken by their enemies.

"Very well. My name is Shimotsuki Kojiro. I accept the duel."

On the remote island that housed the largest slave market in the North Blue, Orion was about to engage in battle with a powerful samurai.

...

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