['Kangaroo' Marie Rose: What?! I will not make a contract with you. My master is Miss Helena, and I will definitely not be your slave!]
['Panda' Rifan: Really? Then we have nothing to talk about. If nothing else, I'm about to go offline.]
['Kangaroo' Helena: Wait, Mr. Rifan! I think we can discuss this further. If you enter into a bond of slavery with me, you can benefit regardless. Don't you agree?]
['Panda' Rifan: Maybe. If I make a contract, I will get two Devil Fruits from you. But I think it's better to focus on my own affairs. Since Miss Marie Rose is the one in crisis, if you want me to help, she needs to request my assistance.]
Helena frowned slightly when she read Rifan's response.
"This Rifan is a very principled man," she murmured to herself as she turned her attention back to the reincarnator communication panel.
['Kangaroo' Helena: Marie, just do as Rifan suggests. If you manage to escape, I can find a way to hand over the Devil Fruit I have to you.]
['Eagle' Ethan: Helena, you really have a Devil Fruit. No wonder a chairwoman of a big consortium like you is willing to enter into a slavery contract with Rifan. I fear the contract has just been concluded, and you will have it completed.]
['Bear' Tina Armstrong: So, this woman didn't take any risks.]
['Panda' Pichan: Even so, Mr. Rifan can indeed gain rewards.]
['Kangaroo' Helena: Ethan, Tina, you're mistaken. I do have a Devil Fruit, but I only have one. In other words, I also took a certain risk to enter into a slavery contract with Rifan.]
['Kangaroo' Marie Rose: Miss Helena, please don't make such a decision for me. How can I trouble you, Miss Helena?]
['Kangaroo' Helena: Marie, although you are my servant, I see you as my younger sister. As an older sister, isn't it normal to help my younger sister?]
['Green Pheasant' Kasumi: Miss Helena's behavior is really touching!]
['Kangaroo' Marie Rose: Miss Helena…]
['Panda' Rifan: It seems that Ms. Marie Rose still needs some time to make a decision. If that's the case, then I'll wait. I'll continue to monitor the reincarnation exchange panel. By the way, does Ms. Honoka, who is with Ms. Marie Rose, need help? If you have a Devil Fruit, I'll do my best to help you out of danger.]
Rifan's destination is the Devil's Triangle sea area. In other words, it won't be long before he encounters Honoka and Marie Rose. He didn't mind trying to gain something from both Honoka and Marie Rose when he invited Moria. This gain could be a Devil Fruit, or it could be their cooperation.
['Green Pheasant' Honoka: Huh?! Me... Me?!]
['Panda' Rifan: That's right, you. But if it's Ms. Marie Rose, she needs to pay me two Devil Fruits to save her.]
['Kangaroo' Marie Rose: Damn it, you're asking me to pay twice as much as Honoka!]
['Panda' Rifan: If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for not being polite to me. Think about it, Marie Rose. I'm not far from your location. Maybe I'll appear in front of you the next day. If you haven't made a decision by then, not only you won't be safe, maybe you will also die that day. We are both from the Blue Star, but we're also competitors, so don't blame me.]
['Green Pheasant' Makoto Itou: What?! Rifan, are you already arriving at Gecko Moria's location?!]
Makoto Itou, who had been silent for a long time, was shocked when he saw Rifan's message. He had no desire to meet Rifan face to face, as Rifan had killed many reincarnators and was not someone he wanted to encounter.
If he still had a shadow, the moment he saw Rifan's message, he would consider leaving the Devil's Triangle as soon as possible. Unfortunately, now he had lost his shadow and had no way to leave the area, which made him nervous about meeting Rifan.
On the Black Pearl, Rifan glanced at Makoto Itou's message but had no intention of replying. He had planned to meet with Makoto Itou and potentially execute his plan.
That's why he hadn't mentioned his arrival in the Devil's Triangle until he saw that Makoto Itou lost his shadow.
Rifan was now ready to meet Makoto Itou and deal with him as needed.
['Kangaroo' Helena: Is Mr. Rifan really heading for Gecko Moria? It seems he's already covered a significant distance towards Gecko Moria's territory. Marie, it's time to make a decision.]
In the Thriller Bark.
Marie Rose looked at Helena's message and involuntarily clenched her fists. She didn't want to make a contract with Rifan, but Helena had already helped her, and she couldn't find a reason to refuse.
'I am really going to agree with that guy?'
Marie Rose couldn't help but feel awkward at the thought of compromising with Rifan.
"Marie, what should I do?" Honoka asked, with a hint of uneasiness.
"Honoka, this decision has to be yours. I don't know what kind of person Rifan is, although he appears open, and he seems to like women. Maybe he's different from Makoto Itou, who has been chasing us. But Panda and Green Pheasant countries have tense relations."
Honoka blinked, her brows furrowing slightly. "Panda and Green... will that man Rifan hate me because of the tension between our countries?"
'No, that guy treats Ayane, who is also from Green Pheasant like me, with respect. He shouldn't have a reason to harm me. No, it doesn't matter. I have to get out of this dangerous situation first! If the contract isn't concluded, he'll arrive soon. If he has malicious intentions, he can act without a contract.'
With this thought, Honoka became resolute in her decision. She didn't yet know what Rifan was doing with Ayane, but she had made her choice to make a contract with Rifan!
Black Pearl.
Rifan was attentively monitoring the exchange group when a sudden reminder in his mind furrowed his brow.
['Panda' Rifan, 'Kangaroo' Marie Rose has submitted a bond of slavery application with the following terms:
You assist Marie Rose in getting out of trouble, and she agrees to provide you with two Devil Fruits within half a year.
If you successfully help her but she fails to provide the promised Devil Fruits, she will become your slave.]
['Panda' Rifan, 'Green Pheasant' Honoka has submitted a bond of slavery application with the following terms:
You help Honoka get out of trouble, and she agrees to provide you with one Devil Fruit within half a year.
If you successfully help her but she fails to provide the promised Devil Fruit, she will become your slave.]
'In the end, Marie Rose agreed.' Rifan thought. 'Honoka also accepted. This way, I can acquire at least three Devil Fruits.' His lips couldn't help but curve into a smile.
Without hesitation, he accepted the offers sent by the two.
Soon, corresponding notifications appeared in the message bars of all the reincarnators.
['Green Pheasant' Kasumi: So you agreed after all?]
['Green Pheasant' Makoto Itou: Rifan, you... Are you really coming? Can you tell me how long it will take you to arrive?]
['Kangaroo' Marie Rose: Rifan, I hope you'll keep your promise.]
['Green Pheasant' Honoka: Mr. Rifan, our safety depends on you.]
['Kangaroo' Helena: Mr. Rifan, now that the contracts are in place, could you please rescue Marie Rose and Honoka as soon as possible?]
['Panda' Rifan: Don't worry. I'm not far from their location. Honoka, Marie Rose, find a safe place to stay before I arrived. And avoid Moria's castle.]
Although Rifan didn't want Makoto Itou to know the precise timing of his arrival, he prioritized reassuring Helena, Honoka, and Marie Rose.
['Kangaroo' Marie Rose: Humph, I don't need your advice!]
Seeing Marie Rose's continued haughtiness, Rifan raised his head and smiled at Ayane.
"Congratulations, Rifan. That girl Honoka should be quite to your liking. Now you can form bonds with other reincarnators. But Marie Rose... she's very petite, and I suppose you're not interested in that type of woman?"
"Indeed, I prefer more mature ones," Rifan replied. "Marie Rose, from what I've seen in the Dead or Alive Fighting Competition, doesn't particularly catch my interest. Not to mention she's quite a tsundere."
Rifan was casually dismissing Marie Rose's appeal, though in his heart, he was still interested in teasing her.
"Really? I'd like to see your reaction after meeting Marie Rose. Will you still say the same thing? After all, she's quite lovely," Ayane suggested.
Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted their conversation. They both turned to see Nojiko pushing the door open.
"Nojiko, has Franky arrived yet?" Rifan inquired.
"Captain Rifan, following your instructions, I've informed Franky,"
Nojiko reported. "He's outside, eagerly awaiting your arrival. Once you and Miss Ayane are ready, we can proceed."
Nojiko smirked and motioned towards the closed door.