Several days later, on the Grand Line—Water 7.
The Skylark slowly sailed into this world-famous water city.
Before them stretched a vast network of intersecting canals. Colorful buildings lined the shores, while in the distance, the city's iconic massive fountain refracted brilliant rainbows under the sunlight. Seagulls circled overhead, and the air buzzed with noise—an unmistakable scene of prosperity.
The ship skillfully docked at a public pier.
"Henry, take a few men and stay behind. Feich, you're in charge of resupplying."
"Got it, boss!"
"Aldo, Marcus—you two come with me."
Riberra Sami pointed at several heavy wooden crates that had just been carried out of the hold.
"Bring the gold. We're going to exchange it for Beli first."
"Alright!"
Aldo and Marcus each hoisted a crate onto their shoulders and followed behind Riberra Sami.
The group passed through the bustling dock area and walked along the stone paths beside the canals.
Under the guidance of a local resident, they found a fairly large shop in the central district.
According to the resident, this establishment had a solid reputation—and no matter the origin of the goods, they would accept them and had the means to move them.
Inside the exchange house, a boss wearing gold-rimmed glasses was bent over his ledger behind the counter.
Riberra Sami walked up and tapped his knuckles lightly against the surface.
"Boss, business."
The man looked up, adjusted his glasses, and calmly swept his gaze over Riberra Sami and his group. His eyes lingered briefly on the crates they carried, but his expression remained unchanged—as if he had seen countless customers like them.
"What kind of business would you like to conduct?"
"Let's find a quiet room," Riberra Sami said directly. "We have some valuable goods to exchange for Beli."
A glint flashed through the boss's eyes before he nodded.
"Understood. Please follow me."
He led them into a private room at the back. Riberra Sami gestured for Aldo and Marcus to set the crates down, then personally lifted the lid of one.
In an instant, golden light spilled out.
Even in the dim indoor lighting, the uniquely crafted antique gold artifacts radiated a captivating brilliance and a profound sense of history.
The boss's breathing hitched almost imperceptibly.
He immediately stepped forward—nearly lunging at the crate—and pulled out a professional magnifying glass from his pocket, beginning a meticulous inspection.
All the crates were opened.
He examined each gold piece one by one, running his fingers along their patterns, studying the craftsmanship, even lightly scraping the edges with tools to test their purity.
Nearly half an hour passed as he carefully inspected most of the items.
The more he looked, the more shocked he became.
Not only was the gold of extremely high purity, but it also carried deep historical value…
Most importantly, it was obvious these people were anything but legitimate. Doing business with them was always the most profitable.
He removed his glasses and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief—though there was no sweat—taking the opportunity to calm his excitement.
"Ahem…"
He put his glasses back on, his face returning to a shrewd merchant's expression.
"Gentlemen, these… gold items are indeed of fine quality. However, as you know, goods like these often have unusual origins. Handling them carries considerable risk. They may need to be melted down before resale, and the losses and channel costs are not small…"
He paused, then raised five fingers.
"How about this—I'll purchase everything at fifty percent of the current market price for raw gold. For goods like these, that's already a very sincere offer."
Marcus immediately spoke up in protest.
"Boss, this isn't just gold! Look at the craftsmanship, the historical value—these are antiques!"
The boss put on a troubled expression.
"I know, I know. I've already factored in the craftsmanship and history. Otherwise, based on past exchange rates, it would be thirty percent—forty at most."
Riberra Sami looked at him—and suddenly smiled.
Instead of bargaining over craftsmanship or historical value as the boss expected, he calmly pulled out a folded sheet of paper from his coat, unfolded it, and placed it gently on the table.
"Boss," Riberra Sami said evenly, "before we talk price, you'd better take a good look at this."
The boss glanced at the paper.
His pupils shrank sharply. The shrewdness on his face was instantly replaced with shock, and a cold sweat broke out across his back.
"Y-you…"
When he looked up at Riberra Sami again, his expression had completely changed. His professional smile turned overly warm—almost fawning.
"Oh my~ honored guest! Ah, what I said earlier… that was just a little joke to lighten the mood, since we weren't familiar yet! How could goods brought by someone of your stature be treated like ordinary merchandise?"
He rubbed his hands together and raised seven fingers.
"This collection—whether in quality, craftsmanship, or historical value—is top-tier! I'll offer seventy percent of the market gold price—"
Riberra Sami cast him a glance.
The boss's hand gesture immediately changed to nine.
"Ninety percent! I'll offer ninety percent! And all handling and appraisal fees will be waived. Consider it making a friend! In the future, if you have any… special goods to sell, our shop will handle them for you! Ha… haha…"
Riberra Sami was satisfied with the man's tact. He nodded.
"Seems you're a sensible man. Then… a pleasant cooperation."
"Pleasant! Absolutely pleasant!"
The boss hurriedly reached out with both hands to shake Riberra Sami's.
The transaction proceeded with remarkable smoothness.
Soon, Riberra Sami and his group left the exchange house carrying several heavy crates filled with Beli.
"Take care, honored guests! Please come again!"
The boss bowed repeatedly at the entrance. Only after their figures disappeared around the street corner did he finally let out a long breath and wipe his sweat.
"Damn… that scared the hell out of me! A monster of that level isn't someone my backers can afford to offend!"
"Ah!!!"
Suddenly, he clutched his chest and dropped to his knees.
"Thinking about all that gold—and I only made a tiny profit—my heart hurts so much!"
On the way back to the pier, Aldo carried a crate full of Beli, grinning from ear to ear.
"Haha, boss, we really struck it rich this time! Who knew your name carried this much weight? Shouldn't we hit the best tavern here and celebrate for three days straight?"
"No rush for drinking," Riberra Sami said, looking at the boats moving through the canals. "We've got money now. Water 7 is the best shipbuilding island in the world. Next, I plan to commission a ship here—one that can sail with us for a lifetime."
"That's right!" Aldo's eyes lit up. "Almost forgot the main goal! We came here to build a ship!"
"First, store the Beli safely back on the ship," Riberra Sami instructed. "Then we'll gather information on the major shipyards in Water 7."
He looked toward the depths of the city, deep in thought.
That legendary fish-man shipwright who built Roger's Oro Jackson… Tom…
He should still be in Water 7 right now, right?
If we can get him to take the job… perhaps the ship he builds really could last a lifetime.
----------------◇ Bonus Chapter Reward◇-----------------------
Every 10 Reviews = 1 Bonus Chapter
◇ Every 100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
◇ You can read 60 chapters ahead on Patreon if you're interested:
patreon.com/Luna023
Your support helps the story grow and motivates faster updates.