Rorschach was certain he had seen the bespectacled man in the tailored suit before.
On TV, to be exact.
But no matter how hard he tried to place him in that moment, the answer just wouldn't come. It felt like there was only a thin sheet of paper between him and the truth, yet he still couldn't break through it.
"Hello, shop owner."
The man's voice interrupted Rorschach's thoughts.
He spoke with impeccable politeness, every word calm and measured, like some refined scholar from another age.
"I'm quite interested in these so-called Devil Fruits. What exactly are they? I've never heard of them before."
Adjusting his glasses, the man looked at Rorschach and asked the question in an even, unhurried tone.
"Devil Fruits are very special fruits. This shop is the only place that has them, so it's perfectly normal that you've never heard of them before."
Rorschach smiled warmly and gestured inward.
"Please, come in."
"I'll explain everything properly."
The man followed him deeper into the shop, quietly taking in the surroundings as he walked. As expected, his gaze was quickly drawn to the colorful Devil Fruits inside the display case.
A flicker of surprise crossed his face.
"Shop owner, these are the Devil Fruits?"
"That's right." Rorschach nodded with a friendly smile. "These are the Devil Fruits."
"And as you can see, they're unlike any ordinary fruit."
"Of course, what makes them special isn't just their strange appearance. It's the miraculous abilities they contain."
If this had been an ordinary customer, they probably would've started suspecting he was a scam artist right around now.
But Rorschach carefully watched the man's reaction and noticed that his expression hadn't changed at all.
No ridicule.
No disbelief.
Instead, he was listening even more seriously than before.
That told Rorschach everything he needed to know.
This man had definitely heard of Devil Fruits before. He hadn't come here by accident.
He had come on purpose.
"And when you say miraculous abilities… what exactly do you mean?"
The man adjusted his glasses again, his tone calm, but there was unmistakable curiosity in his eyes now.
"I know it sounds unbelievable," Rorschach said after a brief pause, "but the truth is simple. If someone eats one of the Devil Fruits in this shop, they can gain a superpower."
He chose the most direct explanation possible.
There was no point circling around the topic with someone like this.
"And what kind of powers can a person gain?"
The man's interest visibly deepened.
Rorschach smiled.
"For example, a person whose face has been completely ruined by burns can gain flawless skin—perfect as white jade."
"For example, someone can gain the power to heal all diseases, even terminal illnesses like cancer, within a matter of minutes."
"For example, someone can gain the ability to freely create ever-changing outfits strong enough to stop bullets."
Rorschach briefly described the powers of the three Devil Fruits he had already sold.
No matter which fruit this man had heard about, it had to be one of those three.
And sure enough, a subtle shift flashed across the man's face.
Rorschach had guessed right.
"Sir, you can take a look at this."
He pulled out the Devil Fruit catalog he had finished making and handed it over.
"It contains brief introductions to each fruit. There are all kinds of abilities here. I'm sure you'll find something that interests you."
"Thank you."
The man accepted the catalog with the same practiced courtesy, then began reading it with complete focus.
For a moment, the shop fell quiet.
And then—
Rorschach's mind suddenly sparked.
The thin paper barrier shattered instantly.
He remembered who this man was.
Wesley.
Kingpin's right-hand man in Daredevil Season One.
No—more than that.
He was Kingpin's most loyal and capable representative.
Because Fisk preferred to remain hidden behind the curtain, most of the real work, big and small, was handled by Wesley.
He was sharp, efficient, and extremely dangerous in his own way.
Though in the end, he'd died a rather miserable death at the hands of a woman no one would've expected.
The moment Rorschach recognized him, his eyes lit up.
This wasn't just any customer.
This was a whale.
If Wesley was here, then there was a very good chance he wasn't here for himself.
He was probably here on behalf of Kingpin.
And who was Kingpin?
Forget influence.
Forget power.
If you looked at money alone, Helen Cho wouldn't even qualify to carry his shoes.
"This really is eye-opening."
Wesley finally spoke after skimming through the catalog.
Then he raised his eyes and asked the most important question of all.
"But shop owner, forgive my bluntness—how do I know any of this is true?"
"How do I know these Devil Fruits can really give people all these different superpowers?"
"I understand your concerns," Rorschach said with a calm smile. "And I understand your caution."
"That's why this shop offers tasting samples. Every Devil Fruit here comes with a corresponding trial piece."
"If you eat the sample, you'll immediately gain the related ability for a short time."
"And at that point, you'll know for yourself whether Devil Fruits are real."
He spread one hand slightly toward the display.
"So then, sir… would you like to choose a fruit and try it for yourself?"
Wesley fell silent.
Under normal circumstances, there was no way he would willingly put something this bizarre into his mouth.
But this time was different.
He had come with a mission.
Kingpin had ordered him to find out the truth about Devil Fruits.
That meant chatting with the shop owner and flipping through a catalog would never be enough.
Wesley made his decision quickly.
"In that case, shop owner, give me a moment to choose."
He lowered his head and began studying the catalog carefully.
Two or three minutes later, he finally pointed to a fruit shaped like a bullet.
"Shop owner, may I try this one? The Bullet Fruit."
"Of course."
Rorschach had no objection at all.
He immediately took out a sample of the Bullet Fruit and placed it in front of Wesley.
"Please, help yourself."
"Though I should warn you first—the taste of Devil Fruits is… not exactly pleasant."
"You may want to prepare yourself."