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"Phew!"
It wasn't until Rosh's glowing figure had completely vanished into the night that everyone, Bullseye included, finally let out a breath they didn't realize they had been holding.
Heaven help them—despite Rosh being an ally rather than an enemy, his very presence felt like an immense weight, a mountain pressing down on their chests and stealing their ability to breathe freely. The memory of Rosh unleashing a relentless barrage of photon bullets with a simple wave of his hand—slaughtering every ninja in an instant—continued to send shivers down their spines.
"Boss, was that man really the owner of the Home of the Devil Fruits? That's terrifying!" After a long, heavy silence, Bullseye finally broke the tension, his voice trembling with a mix of awe and disbelief as he turned to Fisk.
"Today was the first time I truly witnessed the Shopkeeper's power," Fisk admitted, his tone laced with astonishment and a lingering trace of unease.
He swept his gaze across the room, his expression hardening as he addressed his subordinates. "What happened today stays here. No one talks about it, and no rumors leave this room. Is that clear?"
"Understood!" the men responded in unison.
"Good. Clean up the scene," Fisk commanded, his tone sharp and decisive. "Bullseye, you're in charge of disposing of those bodies. The Shopkeeper said to burn them to ash, and I want you to handle it personally."
"Yes, boss," Bullseye replied, nodding firmly as he prepared to do the task without question.
The team quickly sprang into action, diligently following Fisk's commands. Meanwhile, Fisk retreated to his luxurious office with Vanessa, leaving the grim cleanup to his subordinates. Once seated in his plush chair, Fisk wasted no time. He opened his private social media account and typed a message to Shaun Lee.
"Lee, I can't thank you enough. The Shopkeeper arrived just in time and resolved our crisis. I'm deeply grateful for your help!"
Although it was the Shopkeeper who intervened, rather than Shaun Lee himself, it was obvious that the Shopkeeper was acting on Lee's behalf at his request. Because of this, Fisk felt a sense of gratitude and owed him a debt for his assistance. Considering how quickly the shopkeeper agreed to help, Fisk couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the relationship between Shaun Lee and the shopkeeper than met the eye.
Of course, Fisk also wondered if the Shopkeeper's actions were driven by personal grievances with The Hand. After all, the manager had mentioned that they had robbed his Devil Fruit Shop. However, dealing with The Hand would be easy for someone like the Shopkeeper—he could take action with just a flick of his wrist. The fact that he had come all the way to Hell's Kitchen suggested that his presence was more closely tied to Shaun Lee's involvement than to any lingering issues with The Hand.
It was evident that Shaun Lee was someone who could be valuable to build a relationship with.
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Home of the Devil Fruits
"Lee, the situation on my end has been resolved; I will now carry out a thorough investigation into the assassin and make sure to provide you with answers as quickly as I can."
Rosh used his alternate account and persona, Shaun Lee, to communicate with Fisk, ensuring his true identity remained concealed while engaging in the conversation. After expressing his gratitude, Fisk promised to pursue the investigation with determination. Rosh didn't refuse the offer.
"Thank you, I'll leave it in your hands, Fisk. Please inform me as soon as you uncover anything," Rosh responded.
Although he had already exacted revenge on the Hand—taking out three of their leaders and dozens of their ninjas—his actions were largely driven by assumptions rather than concrete evidence. He still lacked definitive proof that the Hand was responsible for the assassination attempt.
The investigation was essential to uncover the truth. If the Hand proved to be the true culprit, so be it. However, if they weren't, it would mean the wrong people had been killed. Not that it made much difference to him, Rosh didn't lose any sleep over wiping out a group of scum. However, What bothered him was the thought of allowing the actual perpetrator to escape justice.
"There's no need to thank me, Lee. It's the least I could do to help," Fisk replied politely and courteously. After sharing a few more polite remarks, their conversation ended.
With no customers visiting the shop, Rosh found himself with nothing to do. To pass the time, he grabbed his phone, logged into the international server of Arena of Valor, and immersed himself in ranked matches. No matter how much effort he put in, he couldn't progress beyond the gap between Diamond II and I. The inability to break through was mildly frustrating.
"I refuse to believe I can't do it," Rosh muttered to himself as he poured a glass of water, flexing his fingers in preparation for a focused, all-out effort. However, just as he was about to dive back into the game, the sound of the shop's bell interrupted his thoughts. Looking up, Rosh immediately recognized the figure stepping inside—a bald head gleaming like a freshly polished egg.
Nick Fury.
Rosh's eyes narrowed slightly. While Fury wasn't particularly powerful—some might even consider him weak—there was no denying that he was a highly significant figure in this world. Rosh had been expecting his arrival ever since Black Widow's visit. So, when Fury finally walked into the shop, he wasn't at all surprised.
"Shopkeeper Rosh, I've been looking forward to meeting you," Fury said, his hands clasped behind his back as he casually walked in. "Normally, I'd introduce myself, but I'm sure you already know who I am, don't you?"
"Oh, and Natasha delivered your message," Fury added with a slight nod.
"Good," Rosh replied casually, his tone indifferent as he briefly glanced at Fury. "So, Nick Fury, tell me—are you here to buy a Devil Fruit, or is there something else on your mind?"
"Shopkeeper Rosh, while I'm the head of America's largest intelligence agency, there's no need to be so on guard," Fury said, shrugging casually. "This time, I'm here purely in a personal matter capacity. To be more specific, I've come as a customer."
"So you're here to buy a fruit?" Rosh asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Exactly," Fury replied, nodding without hesitation. "Even someone like me can't resist the allure of the legendary Devil Fruits. So yes, I'm here to make a purchase—and maybe have a little chat with you while I'm at it."
"Chat, huh? That depends on my mood," Rosh chuckled. "I'm not really in the habit of having casual conversations with older men."
"I have a feeling you're in a good mood today," Fury replied smoothly. "But for now, Shopkeeper, let me take a look at the catalog." Without saying anything further, Rosh retrieved the Devil Fruit catalog and handed it over to Fury.
As Fury flipped through the pages, even someone as calm and composed as him couldn't hide the surprise that briefly flashed across his face.
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Next Chapter: A Devil Fruit Highly Favored by Nick Fury
Next Next Chapter: Maximizing Fury's Single Eye
Next Next Next Chapter: Can Tears Kill? You Tell Me
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