Rayleigh possessed a Devil Fruit, a testament to the treasures he acquired and the pirates he plundered during his time with the Roger Pirates. However, age had altered his circumstances, and now his priorities had shifted.
"In that case, ten, no more," Ron stated after a moment of consideration.
Considering the current clientele of the tavern, it seemed unlikely that anyone else could make effective use of the pills besides Rayleigh. Thus, if he could make a profit, even if only in sheep, it was still a win for Ron. After hearing Ron's proposal, Rayleigh agreed without much thought, "Deal!"
However, after taking ten of the pills that could alter size, the rather thoughtless head below momentarily fell silent, and the astute intelligence regained control.
The more Rayleigh considered it, the more something seemed amiss, and he calculated meticulously, "You exchanged two sheep for thirty, and the old man exchanged one Devil Fruit for ten. What the hell, brat, you tricked me!"
Ron chuckled and added, "Remember, no returns. Send the Devil Fruit over tomorrow."
Rayleigh's expression darkened, and while he wanted to unleash a string of curses, he lowered his head in despondency. There was no way around it—Ron had outsmarted him once again. Usually, he relied on Ron's tiger whip wine and Shakky's goji berry wine to keep himself going, as relying solely on his training would have likely drained him long ago.
Meanwhile, Big Big Wolf on the side enjoyed the wine Ron had just provided and expressed his gratitude, "Boss, thanks for the sheep. My wife praised me all night after eating. Come to think of it, she hasn't been this happy for years."
Ron smiled and assured him, "The sheep will keep coming in the future."
Rayleigh, patting Big Big Wolf on the shoulder, quipped, "Brother, are you afraid of your wife too?"
Big Big Wolf nodded vigorously, feeling a sense of helplessness in his heart.
It wasn't merely fear anymore; it had evolved into a kind of trepidation. Big Big Wolf knew that if it weren't for his destiny, he might have ended up as a lost soul under the frying pan. Rayleigh shared a similar sentiment, acknowledging, "Hey... When I'm in good shape, Shakky treats me well, but when I'm not, she kicks me out without hesitation."
Rayleigh took a sip of wine and continued, "It's said that when you drink water, you don't forget the person who dug the well. However, even after digging the well, people might still find you repulsive."
Big Big Wolf picked up his wine glass and responded, "I understand what you mean. Although I felt exhausted while digging the well, the water from it is very sweet."
Ron and Rayleigh exchanged puzzled glances. Big Big Wolf, with his seemingly honest face, turned out to be a skilled driver, navigating the emotional terrain expertly. Rayleigh shook his head with a wry smile, saying, "Well, that's life. Since getting old, I've worked hard to dig wells, but I haven't seen a drop of water."
Ron's eyelids twitched, intrigued by the unexpected turn in the conversation.
As time passed, guests gradually left the tavern. Big Big Wolf departed after enjoying a bottle of wine, eager to present a sheep to his wife. Shendu and his son still maintained a strained relationship due to the trumpet practice threat.
After lunch, Rayleigh pocketed a bottle of Tiger Whip wine and discreetly kept an eye on Ace in case of any trouble.
With the tavern now empty, Ron contemplated taking a nap with Yoruichi in his arms.
Suddenly, a jingling sound interrupted the tranquility as the tavern doorbell rang. Hearing the noise, Ron instinctively turned his gaze towards the entrance.
The tavern door swung open, revealing a world quite different from the tranquil exterior. Instead of the usual scenery, an unusual sight greeted them.
In an instant, a green dragon with two horns on its head squeezed through the door, surprisingly speaking in human words, "It turns out the voice didn't lie to me. There really is a tavern here. I didn't expect the last thing I'd see in my life would be a human and a life form with a very high concentration of spirit particles."
The dragon's golden vertical pupils scanned Ron and Yoruichi with apparent disgust. Yoruichi, instantly awake, reacted by fluffing up his fur. "What kind of monsters come to your tavern? Each one is scarier than the last!"
Ron, trying to reassure Yoruichi, softly comforted him while rubbing his back, "Don't worry, this is Lucoa's friend."
The dragon revealed itself to be Tohru from the world of [Dragon Maid], a descendant of Democles, part of the dragon clan associated with the forces of chaos.
Suddenly, a purple magic circle appeared above Tohru's head, and Lucoa descended from it, embracing Tohru 's head affectionately. "Great, you're not dead."
Feeling the familiar and soft touch, Tohru 's golden vertical pupils contracted, and she exclaimed, "Lucoa?" She hadn't expected to encounter her friend in another world.
Lucoa's brow furrowed slightly, a hint of worry crossing her eyes. "Are you injured?"
Tohru 's weakened breath suggested she was on the brink of death. She nodded silently, expressing relief through her eyes.
Not long ago, Tohru had fought alone against the Protoss, sustaining serious injuries before falling into this unfamiliar world.
From the bar, Ron's voice called out, "Come in and talk, don't block the door. By the way, Tohru, you'd better shrink your body; otherwise, the tavern won't be able to accommodate you."
Tohru disdainful eyes remained, but after brief contemplation, she nodded slowly.
Weng...
Amidst a gentle burst of light, Tohru massive body gradually shrank. However, unlike Lucoa, she retained her original dragon form.
As Tohru moved her limbs to step into the tavern, both Ron and Lucoa noticed the ancient-looking sword stuck in her back. Although it exuded a powerful aura, it constantly suppressed and eroded Tohru body.
"Excalibur?" Lucoa shook his head with a wry smile. "No wonder you were so desperate just now." This divine sword, condensed with the divine power of the gods, required someone with no faith and no reverence for God to pull it out. Even Lucoa, the supreme god, couldn't intervene.
"Despair is not quite the right word. It can only be regarded as relief," Tohru admitted, shaking her head, and took a seat at the bar.
Puff...
Perhaps due to the movement, scarlet blood continued to overflow from the wound, tracing a path down her back.
"Guest, your wine," Rem presented a bottle of wine in front of Tohru.
Unlike previous instances, Rem didn't leave immediately after serving the wine. Instead, he stood nearby, examining Tohru wound. Tohru glanced back.
"I'm sorry..." Rem quickly lowered his head, fidgeting with his fingers, and whispered, "I'm just curious. It must be very painful to have it embedded in your body. Otherwise, my sister and I would help you pull it out."
Ram, standing beside Rem, clenched her fists and nodded vigorously.
"Whatever you want," Tohru replied, maintaining her cold tone. However, when she turned her head, the disgust in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a warm appreciation.
With Tohru's agreement, Rem and Ram unleashed their ghostly horns, entwined with Armament Haki, gripped the sword's hilt, and pulled with all their might. Yet, no matter how hard they tried, Excalibur remained steadfast.
Five minutes later, Rem and Ram's faces were flushed, their foreheads covered in sweat. Exhausted, they gasped for breath, "Master... my sister and I are out of strength. Come and help us."