Chapter 14: The Redhead and the Swordsman
Sarya’s gaze was suddenly drawn to the swords and knives being brandished by a few men nearby. As a half-trained swordswoman, she could discern the quality of blades. Among the weapons in their hands, one sword was clearly a fine piece.
“Hey, you handsome sword-wielders over there, are your blades for sale?” Sarya called out to them.
In the world of One Piece, a swordsman’s strength was heavily influenced by the quality of their blade. Even the lowest quality sword cost fifty thousand Berries. Famous swords were priceless and rarely came onto the market—hard to come by even if you searched diligently.
Sarya longed for a quality sword because renowned blades were durable and well-crafted. But such swords, whether the supreme “Great Swift Sword Twelve Works” or even the “Fine Swift Sword Fifty Works,” were exceedingly rare.
As the leader of the Charlemagne Trading Company, Sarya had placed bounties on two items: twenty billion Berries for the Barrier Fruit and a starting price of one hundred million Berries for a famed sword. She later remembered that the Barrier Fruit had been consumed by a devoted Luffy fan but had no idea when exactly.
If she could purchase the Devil Fruit, she planned to give it to cheap Grochi to eat. Dorry managed the trading company’s affairs and gathered intelligence for her. So far, Sarya hadn’t found any famous swords.
Western-style swords were common in the One Piece world, but Sarya was exploring Tai Chi sword techniques, which required a traditional Chinese hard sword. There was a saying: “Swords and sabers are hardly inconvenient tools.” Using a Western sword to perform Tai Chi sword forms was a bit odd but still acceptable to her.
Unexpectedly, on the remote island of Sval, she encountered what seemed to be a famous Western sword.
The tavern owner, Viri, placed two cups of wine and three bowls of ramen on Sarya’s table. After exhaling smoke, the owner said, “One cup of wine costs 100 Berries, a bowl of ramen 800 Berries, totaling 2,600 Berries.”
Several young men wielding swords nearby chuckled and looked over. “Little sister, if you want to buy a sword, you must ask Uncle Viri first.”
These swords belonged to Viri, the tavern owner. The village youth who came here to drink often practiced with Viri’s swords just for fun.
Viri sized up the female guest’s attire, took a drag from his cigarette, and asked, “Which sword caught your eye?”
This woman was clearly a visitor to Sval Island—generous, wealthy, and polite. She didn’t look like a pirate but more like a noble. Perhaps a big profit could be made.
Viri called over the young men and laid out the few swords from before in front of Sarya.
“That one,” Sarya pointed precisely at the best-quality sword she had noticed earlier.
The Western sword’s blade was elegant and sharp, with a cold gleam, far superior to ordinary swords.
Sarya couldn’t tell if it was a famous sword but was certain it was a fine blade, worth at least one million Berries.
“Uncle, I’ll take this sword,” Sarya told the tavern owner. “Bring me a bottle of vinegar.”
She removed a bracelet from her left wrist.
Like the necklace she had given Robin earlier, the bracelet was made of gold but coated with black dye, making it look like an ordinary piece of jewelry.
Viri handed her a bottle of vinegar.
Sarya poured the vinegar over the bracelet, and the black coating vanished, revealing its golden brilliance.
“G-Gold?!” Viri’s voice trembled with disbelief, his eyes widening in astonishment.
Everyone else in the tavern was drawn to the golden bracelet, some with malicious curiosity.
Among these greedy gazes were sharp-witted patrons whose eyes flickered between Sarya, who seemed frail, and calculating the possibility of robbing her.
Viri held some influence on Sval Island, so no one dared challenge the tavern owner for a fight, but they considered it easier to rob a woman once she left.
Glancing around, Sarya sneered coldly, clenched her fist, and shattered a nearby ordinary sword with a single punch.
“Uncle Viri, the gold bracelet counts as payment for this sword, the broken knife, and the drinks and ramen,” she said.
The onlookers were stunned, and many dropped their ill intentions.
Sarya handed the gold bracelet to the owner.
Viri bit on the bracelet and was both surprised and delighted. “It’s real gold!”
This woman was definitely wealthy—a distinguished guest!
Nada looked at Sarya in astonishment. Such a beautiful young woman, and so rich?
Viri quickly agreed to sell the sword to Sarya but then recalled something and warned her:
“Miss, this sword isn’t mine. It was pawned here by a broke pirate who drank and couldn’t pay. He left his sword here as collateral.”
Thinking of that foolish, penniless pirate who drank and then confessed he had no money, Viri felt annoyed.
“Bah! Drinking without money is disgraceful.”
The pirate came with a crew, and Viri feared trouble from them on Sval Island, so he reluctantly accepted the pawn deal.
“If you buy this sword, be careful of that pirate crew,” Viri kindly warned.
A bad suspicion crossed Sarya’s mind. “Uncle, that broke pirate you mentioned—is he a good-looking redhead?”
Viri took a drag, stowed the bracelet, and nodded. “How did you know? You know this broke pirate?”
Sarya was speechless.
Damn it, it really was the Red Hair.
The prized sword she had just bought instantly lost its allure.
No wonder it looked like a fine blade—the Griffin was Red Hair’s sword; it couldn’t be anything less than excellent.
Staring at the Griffin in her hands, Sarya felt a mix of amusement and despair.
After all that effort, she finally got a good sword, only to find it was the Griffin.
Just as Sarya was feeling a bit disheartened, a man with radiant red hair burst into the tavern with a bright smile, his presence warm and lively.
“Dracule, my sword is here,” the red-haired man laughed heartily.
“If you help me redeem it, we can have a duel,” Shanks chuckled at Dracule.
Behind the redhead stood a man with short black hair and sharp yellow eyes like an eagle’s.
Wearing a black top hat trimmed with white fur, a wine-red patterned shirt, a black coat, white trousers, and black boots, he looked both gentlemanly and alluring, like a rare flower on a distant peak.
At this time, Shanks had not lost his arm yet. Dracule regularly met Shanks for sword duels and had been invited by Shanks to Sval Island to search for the “Snow Maiden.”
After a lively banquet on Sval, Dracule invited Shanks for a sword match, but the cunning Shanks claimed he had no money for drinks and pawned his sword at the tavern.
Beckman deducted Shanks’ drinking expenses; Shanks had no money, but Dracule did.
Since Dracule wanted to duel, he would surely help Shanks redeem the Griffin.
Thus, Shanks had tricked Dracule into paying the bill.
Shanks shouted boisterously to the tavern owner Viri, “Haha, boss, I’m here to redeem my sword!”
Dracule followed calmly, asking flatly, “How much?”
Viri sneered at the broke pirate and exhaled smoke. “Sorry, you’re late. Your sword has already been sold to this lady.”
“If you want to buy it back, you’ll have to ask her.”
As Viri’s words fell, both Shanks’ and Dracule’s gazes fixed on Sarya.
Meeting their eyes, Sarya’s heart skipped a beat.
She wanted Shanks’ guidance, yes, but wasn’t mentally prepared for this!
To encounter the Red Hair so suddenly...
That was a future Emperor of the Sea!
Sarya screamed silently inside.
Either of them could kill her with a single stroke.
Steeling herself to meet the Red Hair’s gaze, Sarya forced a stiff smile.
“Ha ha, I bought your sword.”
“Lady, how much? I’ll buy it back,” Dracule approached and asked softly.
Shanks came closer, clapping Dracule on the shoulder. “It’s all up to you, Dracule.”
Dracule frowned and pushed Shanks’ hand away. To someone who valued his sword so highly, Shanks’ act of pawning it for drinks was simply incomprehensible.
Low murmurs arose in the tavern.
“That sword’s worth a gold bracelet.”
“Even if they sold that broke pirate, they probably can’t buy it back.”
“The man beside her looks like a noble. Maybe he has money.”
“No matter how rich, can he compare to that woman?”
Sarya could hear these whispers and inwardly screamed, begging them to stop!
It was terrifying being stared down by two powerful men like Shanks and Dracule!
Holding the Griffin respectfully in both hands, Sarya stood and extended the sword toward Shanks.
“Mr. Shanks, here is your sword. No payment necessary.”
She forced a wide, toothy smile, her tone as friendly as possible.
“’Mr. Shanks’?” Shanks raised an eyebrow at the address and then burst into laughter.
“Mr. Shanks, ha ha ha ha...” He laughed as if hearing the funniest joke ever, nearly doubled over.
It was the first time anyone had called Shanks “Mr.,” and even Dracule showed a hint of surprise and amusement.
Indeed, calling Shanks “Mr.” was quite a comical notion.
“You know us,” Dracule stated confidently.
This woman was clearly afraid because she recognized them.