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"An Ancient Zoan?" Noir was taken aback as he looked at Franky.
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Franky smirked, an air of mystery about him, and said, "Yeah, that''s what I heard through some back channels. Only those with deep connections know about it. Someone''s actually looking to sell this Devil Fruit!"
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"Just like that? Selling it?" Noir asked in disbelief.
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This was an Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit!
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Even if Conis were to eat it, she''d turn into a powerhouse, capable of smashing opponents with a single punch!
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Who in their right mind would sell something so valuable?
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Franky mused, "The seller''s already eaten a Devil Fruit. Plus, from what I''ve heard, he made some powerful enemies to get his hands on it, so he''s in a hurry to sell."
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Interesting...
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Noir began to contemplate. There was no way he could let such a powerful Devil Fruit slip through his fingers.
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Not for himself, though, this one was meant for Wyper.
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Wyper needed to grow stronger quickly, and a Devil Fruit was undoubtedly a shortcut.
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And an Ancient Zoan, enhancing physical abilities, was perfect for Wyper''s combat style, especially one as rare as this.
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Noir decided that he had to visit this black market!
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Anyone who could sell a Devil Fruit of this caliber must be someone of considerable strength.
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But they probably didn''t anticipate that such a prize would attract a predator like Noir.
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Meanwhile, in another car of the Sea Train, several shady individuals were seated together.
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One of them, with short purple hair, dark circles under his eyes, and half his face covered by a mask, was Spandam.
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Spandam was in a particularly good mood. As the commander of CP9, he wielded significant power, despite his own lack of combat ability.
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Not long ago, his pride and joy, Rob Lucci, CP9''s strongest agent in 800 years, requested a Devil Fruit.
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Preferably a Zoan-type, so that his mastery of Rokushiki could advance even further.
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At first, Spandam had no idea where to find such a rare item. But soon after, he stumbled upon secret intel about an Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit.
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Spandam was ecstatic. If Lucci were to eat a rare Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit, he''d become even more formidable.
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Driven by the desire to please Lucci and secure this incredible opportunity, Spandam had boarded this train.
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Unbeknownst to him, in another car further back, there was another group of mysterious figures.
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One of them was the same man who had been spying on Noir earlier.
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Beside him sat a woman, her figure partially concealed by a heavy cloak, though her elegant form was still visible.
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In a low voice, the woman asked, "Are you sure Noir is here?"Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
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The spy nodded confidently, "Absolutely. They must be here for that Devil Fruit."
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The woman thought for a moment and then instructed, "Keep a distant watch on them. If possible, lend a hand. It might open up a chance for a conversation."
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Another member of their group voiced concern, "But Noir''s reputation for brutality... What if he turns on us?"
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The woman shook her head, "Don''t worry, I have a plan."
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On this train, three different factions were now converging on the same destination.
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Enel, yawning out of boredom, found the chatter around him irritating, making him drowsy.
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But from what he heard, the guy who had been spying on them earlier didn''t seem to be aligned with the group that attacked them in the street.
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Enel relayed this information to Noir, who was equally puzzled.
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Aside from the World Government, who else would have the means to track them?
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And more importantly, what did they want?
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Noir instructed Enel to keep listening while he continued his conversation with Franky.
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The train, full of secretive passengers with hidden agendas, finally arrived at an island near Water 7, the location of the black market Franky had mentioned.
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As Franky led Noir through the black market, Noir commented, "It''s surprisingly quiet here. I expected more activity."
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Franky smiled and explained, "It''s still a black market, after all. They deal in rare items, but most of them are highly illegal or taboo."
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"Like the Treasure Tree Adam I''ve been eyeing for a while... Still don''t have the money for that one."
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Noir nodded, then asked, "So, where''s the merchant selling the Devil Fruit? I''d like to have a chat."
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Thanks to Franky''s guidance, they soon found the merchant''s location.
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It was a small, shabby room, sparsely furnished, with nothing but bare walls and a middle-aged man sitting there, looking pale and worn out.
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This is where they''re selling an Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit? How underwhelming...
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Noir couldn''t help but feel a bit let down.
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Based on his experience, a place like this should be an auction house.
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In his imagination, a grand auction hall, where he would sit in a VIP box upstairs, bidding against the commoners below.
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Seeing Noir''s expression, Franky explained, "Even the most thriving black market is still part of the underworld. Secrecy is key."
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Fair enough...
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Noir sighed and addressed the man, "Hey, mind if we see the merchandise?"
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Without lifting his eyes, the man gave a slight nod.
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He turned around, opened a safe, and took out a wooden box, which he then placed in front of Noir.
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Inside, nestled within the box, was a Devil Fruit with a distinctive spiral pattern, its rough, leathery texture resembling the skin of a dinosaur.
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Noir asked, "Are you sure this is an Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit?"
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The man nodded confidently, "I''ve had the chance to study some fruit encyclopedias. This is definitely an Ancient Zoan."
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Noir pressed further, "And what species does this fruit represent?"
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The man replied firmly, "The Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Pteranodon!"
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Hiss,
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Noir drew in a sharp breath. A Pteranodon-type?
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This was even rarer than a standard Ancient Zoan.
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One of Kaido''s top officers, King the Wildfire, wielded the power of the Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Pteranodon.
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As for the Pteranodon, even with Noir''s limited knowledge of dinosaurs, he had heard of this legendary creature in his previous life.
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Also known as the Feathered Serpent Pteranodon, it was the largest known flying creature in human history.
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Noir glanced at Wyper, who blinked back at him in confusion.
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Given Wyper''s skills as a Skypiean, adept in aerial combat using Dial shells, the abilities of a Pteranodon would suit him well.
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Swallowing hard, Noir placed his hand on the box containing the Ryu Ryu no Mi and said, "Name your price."
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The man''s eyes gleamed as he met Noir''s gaze, and he replied coolly, "3.5 billion berries!"
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Noir nearly choked.
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He had expected the price to be high, but not this high.
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Yet the man wasn''t trying to rip him off, putting this Ryu Ryu no Mi on the open market could easily fetch a much higher price.
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If someone had the guts and the means to strike a deal with Kaido, the price could multiply several times over.
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But even so, Noir found it difficult to gather that kind of money.
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Even if he converted all the gold from his ship into berries, he could just about afford it, but that would leave him with nothing else.
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As Noir was racking his brain, a voice came from the doorway:
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"I''ll take that fruit!"
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Noir''s eyes lit up.
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A sucker, just in time!