"Ancient-type, as expected!"
Oguro nodded.
To be honest, he was quite tempted by that epic-level lottery ticket.
But his current combat power was sufficient, so he had no plans to redeem it just yet.
"If an Ancient-type can net an epic-level ticket, then Mythical Zoans and Logia fruits should be able to get a god-level ticket, right?"
The thought immediately made Oguro think of Smoker in Loguetown.
That guy was a Logia-type, Smoke Fruit user.
And currently, he wasn't too strong—either Rukia or Rangiku could easily defeat him!
If he eliminated Smoker, he could effectively gain a captain-level ally!
The idea excited him, but Oguro quickly pushed it aside.
The reward was tempting, but the trouble wasn't worth it.
Even within the Marines, Logia users were extremely rare.
If Oguro dared to kill Smoker, he would surely provoke the full wrath of the Navy.
Plus, Smoker was aligned with Aokiji. Knowing that man, he would personally come after him.
And East Blue was Garp's territory, with Garp on good terms with Aokiji, he would likely interfere as well.
Facing two legendary powerhouses at once? Definitely not a risk worth taking.
Most importantly, Smoker hadn't done anything to Oguro.
He wasn't building a tyrannical kingdom—he aimed for a supreme divine nation.
Randomly killing people wasn't part of the plan.
"Is there really no other target?" Oguro muttered to himself.
Logia users were scarce, and the top-tier ones even rarer.
Wait! There's actually a perfect target!
Oguro's eyes lit up, imagining an arrogant, mystical figure with notably large earlobes.
Enel, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit user!
Though his fruit was touted as the strongest natural-type, Enel had never received system training. He had no idea that Haki existed to counter him.
With a well-thought-out plan, Oguro could seize this strongest natural-type fruit in one go!
The thought made him tremble with excitement.
He could already see the golden god-level lottery ticket right before him!
"I need to head to the Grand Line immediately!"
With a target in mind, Oguro felt a surge of motivation.
"First, I need a reliable ship!"
The Grand Line's weather was unpredictable, a normal ship wouldn't survive.
"With the bounties from Arlong and the treasure we collected here, it should be enough."
The treasure on the island was roughly twenty million Berries. The combined bounties of Arlong and his crew added up to over thirty million.
That was plenty to purchase a decent ship.
With a general plan set, Oguro headed to Baratie, the floating sea restaurant.
After a fruitful day, a good meal was in order.
Baratie, East Blue's most famous restaurant, was staffed by chefs with fierce expressions.
Nami was startled.
Were these really chefs?
Oguro could only shake his head.
All of Baratie's chefs were former pirates. Though they had gone straight for years, that aura of menace never fully left them.
Most ordinary people wouldn't dare dine here.
"Ah! What a marvelous day! Three beautiful ladies grace this humble establishment!"
From the tone alone, Oguro knew—the flirtatious cook Sanji had arrived.
Sure enough, in the next moment, Sanji glided forty meters across the deck and landed at their table, eyes full of hearts.
"To the three beautiful ladies, I am Sanji, the sous-chef of this humble restaurant. May I take your orders?"
"Hey, bastard Sanji! Who are you calling humble?" Zeff bellowed.
"Old man, that's exactly who I meant!"
Sanji snapped back with a fierce look, but then immediately turned his heart-eyed gaze back to Rukia and the others.
"Oh! My beautiful ladies, whatever you wish, I shall prepare the most exquisite dishes!"
Rukia and the others couldn't help twitching at his stare.
Anyone being watched like that would feel uncomfortable.
Fortunately, Sanji's lecherous nature had limits—he wouldn't actually do anything improper. Otherwise, Rukia would've drawn her blade.
"Lord Soul King, what would you like to eat?" Rukia respectfully asked Oguro.
Only then did Sanji notice Oguro, surrounded by three women.
"Surrounded by three beauties… this guy is… so lucky!"
Sanji looked on with jealousy and envy, wishing he could switch places.
Hanataro Yamada, sitting at the edge, was completely ignored.
Oguro glanced at Sanji's lovestruck expression and sighed.
He had considered recruiting Sanji as part of his crew. After all, he was a member of the original protagonist group.
With Nami contributing an epic-level lottery ticket, Sanji surely wouldn't fall short.
But seeing him like this, Oguro decided against it.
In anime, a flirtatious yet chivalrous cook seemed entertaining.
In real life, relying on someone who freezes at the sight of a woman was just a headache.
He wanted absolutely reliable subordinates, not unstable factors.
"Alright, chef's recommendation it is."
Putting recruitment thoughts aside, Oguro focused on the meal.
A seafood-and-red-wine set was soon brought to the table.
Sanji tried to offer a rose to each of the three women. Where he even got them was a mystery.
But all three refused.
Heartbroken, Sanji slumped into the corner, fading into gray, while Oguro and his group began enjoying their meal.
After finishing, Oguro wiped his mouth, satisfied.
No wonder Sanji was the protagonist crew's dedicated chef, his cooking was unparalleled.
Rukia and the others were very pleased, and even their impression of Sanji improved slightly.
If only he were more reliable…
After the meal, they set sail back to Paparoko Island.
Sanji waved reluctantly from the deck, making Nami quite exasperated.
"Does this guy have a problem? Has he never seen women before?" she complained.
Oguro chuckled at her reaction.
In the original story, Nami and Sanji were basically canon-paired.
Yet now, seeing him in person, she was disgusted.
How unexpected!
Perhaps it was because she hadn't been influenced by a gag-prone group.
The group returned safely to Paparoko Island.
Oura reported everything on the island was fine. Oguro placed the main component of the dimensional gate in his yard.
The upgraded gate now resembled an altar. Its panels remained hidden, only appearing when activated, making it nearly undetectable.
With the gate ready, Oguro asked the town mayor to contact a shipyard and order a vessel capable of surviving the Grand Line.
***
new week new goals, bonus for 50 stones as last time
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