Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Usopp squinted at the odd object that had just landed, his voice tinged with uncertainty."Could that be a starfish?" he pondered aloud, squinting his eyes for a better look.
Nami, after scrutinizing the object for a moment, offered her own guess. "It seems more like a conch," she suggested, tilting her head slightly.
Luffy, with his ever-present appetite, was more interested in the culinary possibilities. "A conch that big? Can you cook it, Sanji?" he asked eagerly, already imagining a feast.
Sanji responded with his usual seriousness about food. "Well, if it really is a conch, it'd make for a great barbecue," he mused, already thinking of recipes.
Robin, however, had a different take on the matter. "It doesn't look like a typical conch to me," she observed, her eyes narrowing in thought. "I recall seeing something similar in a book once. It might be an Escar, a sort of ship used by the Den-Den Company to peddle their products."
As Robin finished speaking, the group watched in amazement as the "conch" shell began to open, revealing its true nature. To their surprise, a man wearing an orange coat emerged from within, looking relieved and slightly disheveled.
"I thought I was a goner for sure!" he exclaimed, brushing himself off before bowing deeply to the Straw Hats. "It seems you've saved me. Thank you so much!"
Luffy, ever direct and to the point, blurted out, "Who are you?"
The man quickly straightened his attire and introduced himself with enthusiasm. "Please allow me to introduce myself. I am a salesman from the Den-Den Company, known as Rice-Rice. I specialize in helping customers with just one phone call, delivering goods right to them. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, finishing his introduction with a flourish.
Zoro, ever cautious and skeptical, asked bluntly, "Salesman? What exactly is that?"
Rice-Rice, however, didn't directly answer Zoro's query. Instead, he continued with his story. "I was aboard the Escar when suddenly, there was an explosion. I thought I was done for, but then you all rescued me. I'm very grateful," he explained.
Then, with a salesman's flair, Rice-Rice produced a stack of catalogs from the conch. "As a token of my gratitude, I'd like to offer you these catalogs. If anything catches your eye, just let me know, and I can have it delivered to you in no time," he offered.
Zoro's interest piqued at the mention of delivery by sea. "Sounds convenient. Can these things really be delivered out here on the ocean?" he questioned.
With a beaming smile, Rice-Rice assured him, "Absolutely! Our delivery service prides itself on speed and efficiency."
Meanwhile, Luffy and Usopp had already started rummaging through the merchandise inside the conch, their eyes sparkling with excitement. "Wow, look at all this stuff!" exclaimed Luffy, clearly intrigued.
Luffy's attention was caught by a peculiar stick with iron spheres at both ends. He picked it up, experimenting with it, and the spheres began to vibrate intensely. Laughing, he said, "This is fun!"
Rice-Rice quickly approached Luffy, taking the stick from him. "Ah, I see you've taken a liking to this item. Let me introduce you to our Buru Buru Blade. It's a new and improved version of our popular product. We've modified it based on customer feedback to allow for adjustable weights at the ends. It's suitable even for children. Our company always values customer feedback," he explained enthusiastically.
"This is one of our top products. It's a bit pricey, but absolutely worth it," Rice-Rice added, selling the product with gusto.
Luffy, still fixated on the vibrating stick, said with a grin, "I might not get all the details, but it sure seems interesting!" His excitement was palpable, intrigued by the novel item in Rice-Rice's hands.
As Rice-Rice showcased his wares, Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Sanji were immediately intrigued, ready to open their wallets. But then Robin interjected with her usual calm demeanor, "Luffy, you should consider negotiating the price. These traders often inflate their prices."
Rice-Rice's confident demeanor faltered at Robin's words. A bead of sweat formed on his brow as he slowly turned to Luffy, his voice trembling, "You're... Monkey D. Luffy? Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates?"
"Yeah, that's me," Luffy replied nonchalantly.
Rice-Rice's eyes widened in shock. He glanced up at the pirate flag fluttering on the mast and realized his grave oversight. "Oh no, I'm in the lair of notorious pirates!" he thought, panic setting in. Apologizing profusely, he bowed deeply and hastily scooped up his conch, making a quick escape from the ship.
The Straw Hat crew watched in bewilderment as the salesman disappeared over the railing. "He left all his stuff behind," observed Usopp, scratching his head in confusion.
Sanji pondered aloud, "Did Luffy scare him off? Has he had a fight with Luffy before?"
Bai Ye, holding a stack of freshly printed bounty posters, offered a possible explanation, "It's probably because of these new bounties. Looks like the Straw Hat Pirates have made quite a name for themselves."
-----
In the snowy peaks of Drum Island, Dalton trudged up to Dr. Kureha's castle, a bounty notice in hand. "Dr. Kureha, you might want to see this," he said, handing her the paper.
Dr. Kureha took one look at the bounty order and a mischievous smile crept across her face. "Ah, could it be that silly apprentice of mine?" she mused. Her eyes then caught sight of the bounty amount, and her smile broadened. "Such a foolish boy, they must have made a mistake in the amount," she chuckled.
The bounty order read: "Pet, Ship Doctor - Tony Tony Chopper, bounty of 50 Bellys."
-----
Meanwhile, in a serene village, Merry, the loyal butler, presented a similar bounty order to Miss Kaya. "Miss Kaya, a new bounty for Usopp has arrived."
Kaya's eyes lit up as she gazed at the bounty notice, her face beaming with pride. "Just as I thought," she said, "Usopp's efforts in saving an entire country have earned him this recognition."
The bounty order displayed: "Elemental Gunner - Usopp, bounty of 30 million Bellys."
-----
Sheriff Genzo, panting and excited, dashed into the room where Nojiko was, clutching a bounty order in his hand. "Hey, Nojiko!" he called out, barely catching his breath.
Nojiko, puzzled by the commotion, took the bounty order from Genzo. Her eyes widened with joy as she recognized the face on the paper - it was her sister, Nami, beaming brightly. A sense of pride filled her as she said, "My sister, it's been so long since I've seen her like this."
The bounty order showcased Nami's achievements: "Thunder Enchantress - Nami, with a bounty of 35 million Bellys."
-----
In the bustling kitchen of Baratie, a group of chefs gathered around, their eyes fixed on a bounty order. Amid their complaints, their smiles betrayed their true feelings.
"That Sanji, always making things more complicated for us. His bounty's gone up again!" one chef grumbled, though his eyes twinkled with amusement.
"Guess it's time to update our entrance signboard with his new poster, huh? More work for us!" another added, shaking his head but chuckling.
One chef, joining in the jest, suggested, "If we're updating the signboard, might as well change the tablecloths too, make 'em fancier to match Sanji's new status!" Laughter erupted among them, appreciating the irony.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Zeff stood alone, holding the same bounty order. He stared at the image of Sanji, now a renowned pirate with a cigarette casually hanging from his lips. Zeff's expression was one of quiet pride as he murmured to himself, "That's really good, you boy."
The bounty order clearly stated: Black Leg - Sanji, with a bounty of 60 million Bellys.