Chapter 025: A Big Client Arrives
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Rosh was certain he had seen this well-dressed, bespectacled man before—on TV, of course. But at the moment, despite the familiarity, he couldn't quite place him, as if there was a thin layer of paper separating his memory from clarity.
"Hello, Mr. Shopkeeper," the man's voice interrupted Rosh's thoughts. The bespectacled man greeted him politely, with the demeanor of an old-fashioned scholar.
"I'm quite interested in the Devil Fruits you have here. Could you tell me more about them? I've never heard of such a thing before," the man said, adjusting his glasses and looking at Rosh with a calm curiosity.
"Devil Fruits are extraordinary items that are unique to this shop. It's no surprise that you haven't heard of them," Rosh replied with a smile, inviting the man further into the store. "Please, come in. I'll explain everything."
The man followed Rosh inside, his eyes discreetly surveying the shop before being drawn to the colorful Devil Fruits on display. His face showed a hint of surprise as he asked, "Are these the Devil Fruits?"
"Yes, these are indeed the Devil Fruits," Rosh confirmed warmly. "As you can see, they're quite different from ordinary fruits—not just in their vibrant appearance, but in the incredible powers they contain."
They might have dismissed Rosh's words as nonsense if this had been an ordinary customer. However, Rosh noticed that the man remained composed, listening carefully without the slightest hint of skepticism.
This confirmed Rosh's suspicion: the man was familiar with Devil Fruits and hadn't just stumbled upon the shop by chance. He was here for a reason.
"And what kind of extraordinary powers do these fruits grant?" the man asked, his interest piqued, looking at Rosh with genuine curiosity.
"I know it might sound unbelievable, but it's true. Anyone who eats a Devil Fruit from this shop gains a superhuman ability," Roah said straightforwardly, deciding there was no need to beat around the bush with someone who already had knowledge of these fruits.
"What kind of abilities?" the man asked, adjusting his glasses again, this time with even more anticipation.
"For instance, a person whose face was completely burned can be granted flawless skin as smooth as jade. Or, someone might gain the power to cure any disease, even terminal illnesses like cancer, within minutes. Or, they could acquire the ability to create bulletproof, shape-shifting clothes at will," Rosh explained, listing the abilities of the Devil Fruits he had sold so far. He noticed the man's expression shift slightly, confirming that one of these descriptions had hit the mark.
"You can browse through our catalog," Rosh offered, handing the man a catalog of the Devil Fruits, each with a brief description of its powers. "There's a wide variety of abilities, so I'm sure you'll find something that interests you."
"Thank you, Mr. Shopkeeper," the man replied politely, taking the catalog and carefully reading through it.
The shop fell into a brief silence as the man read. Meanwhile, a sudden realization struck Rosh, breaking through the mental barrier that had been blocking his memory.
'Wesley!'
'This man was Wesley, Kingpin's right-hand man from the first season of Daredevil!'
Not just an aide, Wesley was Kingpin's most loyal and capable representative, handling all matters big and small while Kingpin maintained his air of mystery. Wesley was a formidable character, though his end had been rather unceremonious—shot by a seemingly helpless woman.
"This is a big client!" Rosh's eyes lit up as he recognized Wesley. If Wesley was here to buy a Devil Fruit, it likely wasn't for himself but for Kingpin! And if Kingpin was interested, that meant serious business.
"It's truly fascinating!" Wesley finally spoke, having skimmed through the catalog. He then asked a pointed question, "But Mr. Shopkeeper, how can I be sure that these descriptions are true? How do I know that these Devil Fruits actually grant such powers?"
"I understand your concerns," Rosh replied with a reassuring smile.
"That's why we offer a sample service. Each fruit has a sample available. If you try one, you'll immediately experience its corresponding power. Then, you'll know for sure that the Devil Fruits are genuine."
"Would you like to pick a fruit and try it yourself?" Roshoffered.
Wesley fell silent, weighing his options. Normally, he wouldn't dream of putting something so bizarre into his mouth. But this time was different—he was here on a mission. Kingpin wanted to know the truth about the Devil Fruits, which meant that just talking to the shopkeeper and looking at a catalog wouldn't suffice.
Wesley made up his mind quickly.
"Then, Mr. Shopkeeper, please give me a moment to choose," Wesley said before returning his attention to the catalog, carefully selecting a fruit.
After two or three minutes, Wesley made his choice.
"Mr. Shopkeeper, may I try the Bullet-Bullet Fruit?" Wesley pointed to a fruit in the catalog shaped like a bullet.
"Of course," Rosh agreed readily, fetching the sample of the Bullet-Bullet Fruit and placing it in front of Wesley.
"Please, go ahead," Rosh gestured, adding a friendly warning. "Just a heads up—the taste of Devil Fruits isn't exactly pleasant, so be prepared."
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Next Chapter: The Bullet-Bullet Fruit
Next Next Chapter: The Rise of the Ultimate Rookie Assassin
Next Next Next Chapter: Classification of Devil Fruits
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