"Excuse me!"
The voice entered before the people. In the blink of an eye, four people walked into the reception room. They were three sturdy bodyguards in black suits and a purple-haired middle-aged man.
The purple-haired middle-aged man walking in front carried a gold-rimmed suitcase in his left hand and a long item in a cloth bag in his right hand.
Seeing everyone sitting on the sofa in the room at this moment, a brilliant smile appeared on his face: "Hello, ladies and gentlemen. I am Pugini, the manager of the auction house. I have brought your auction items this time."
Teresa blinked her eyes at Merlin at this moment. Seeing this, Merlin laughed, "Open the cases!"
Saying this, together with Monet who heard him and Teresa who reacted, they opened the cases on the table in front of them.
There were four cases on the table, containing a total of 700 million Berries. Merlin glanced at him: "Let's trade!"
Hearing this, Pugini's face instantly showed a brilliant smile, and he immediately beckoned the three people behind him to count the Berries.
Soon, the three finished counting the Berries on the table, and Merlin took out the excess 44 million Berries from the case.
At this time, Pugini placed the case in his hand on the table. After opening it, the platinum-gold Blessing Fruit came into view. He also took the [Fubuki] sword out of the cloth bag and placed it on the table as well.
"These are the two treasures you won. Please inspect them."
A gaze came over. Merlin raised his eyes to see Teresa looking at him eagerly. Merlin smiled and said: "To avoid long nights and many dreams, just eat it directly! Only when it's in your stomach does it belong to you."
Excitement flashed in Teresa's eyes. Then she nodded heavily, took the fruit out of the case, took a deep breath, and then took a big bite. After chewing twice.
Suddenly, Teresa's face turned green. Then she swallowed it forcefully, a look of despair appearing on her face: "So awful!"
She looked at the Devil Fruit in front of her with lingering fear. At this time, Pugini chuckled and said: "It is said that for Devil Fruits, as long as you eat the first bite, you can obtain all the abilities contained in the fruit."
Teresa's eyes just lit up, but at this time, Merlin's ghostly voice came: "A Devil Fruit worth 650 million, aren't you going to finish it all? Won't your heart ache?"
Teresa's eyes were dazed. She turned her head blankly to look at Merlin, tears involuntarily welling up in the corners of her eyes. A few seconds later, she mechanically raised the Devil Fruit and took big bites.
Eating heartily!
Watching this scene, Fulvio envied her but couldn't help complaining: "Merlin, are you a devil?"
Merlin smiled, then said casually: "I heard that there seem to be benefits after eating the entire Devil Fruit."
Hearing this, Teresa's cheeks puffed up, looking over with expectant eyes. But at this time, Merlin had already picked up the [Fubuki] on the table. Clang! Unsheathed it. The blade was snow-bright yet faintly glowing with a cyan halo.
Walking to the side, Merlin waved it casually a few times, feeling the touch of slicing through the air sharply. Raising it in front of him, he flicked the blade with his left finger. Ding— A clear and penetrating crisp sound appeared.
"Good sword!" Fulvio's eyes lit up, unable to hold back his praise.
"Merlin, let me try it."
Fulvio stood up with a smile and came over. Merlin turned the [Fubuki] in his hand, offering the hilt to him.
Taking the sword, Fulvio played with it in his hand, smiling and clicking his tongue in wonder: "Quality is even better than my [Splendid Wave]. The blade texture is delicate, and the transmission of force is also very good. Good sword!"
At this time, "Yah!" A sound rang out. Merlin and Fulvio turned their heads to look, only to see Teresa's whole body bursting with white light tinged with a golden halo at this moment.
With a sudden flash of insight, Teresa suddenly shouted delicately: "Blessing: Courage!"
A platinum-gold ripple spread from her body surface, affecting everyone in the room. At this moment, a strong look of excitement suddenly emerged in Merlin's eyes, feeling that only courage existed in his heart at this moment.
"Woo, awoo, awoo, awoo..."
"Wuu, wah, ah, ah, ah..."
"Yah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah..."
At this moment, sounds of wailing ghosts and howling wolves rang out in the room. Everyone looked like they had been injected with chicken blood (adrenalin), their faces flushed, their eyes shining brightly.
A moment later.
On the way back, the brilliant smile on Teresa's pretty face never disappeared.
Constantly playing with the undulating platinum light in her hand, until a moment later, everyone returned to the port and boarded the ship.
Not long after, on the ship deck.
Merlin and Monet each carried a backpack. Monet squatted on the ground at this time, pressing her hand on Sugar's head, whose eyes were reluctant to part: "After arriving at Mr. Merlin's house later, remember to be obedient! Sister won't be by your side later, you must remember to take good care of yourself."
Sugar nodded heavily, looking at Monet with reluctant eyes, her tone glutinous: "Don't worry, Sister. Sugar will listen to that Sister Yol properly.
"But when you have time, we must talk on the Den Den Mushi."
Monet nodded with a smile, "Don't worry, Sister will."
Fulvio and Teresa looked at Merlin with equal reluctance in their eyes. However, at this time, Teresa looked at Merlin curiously: "Merlin? What was the thing you asked me to promise before?"
Merlin's gaze moved slightly. Looking at Teresa, he asked: "Does your fruit ability have the effect of purifying abnormal body states?"
Teresa's eyes went blank for a moment, then she pondered, platinum light blooming in her hand: "The core effect of my Blessing Fruit ability is to provide some positive enhancements to the body or mind based on my strong belief.
"I don't know if it can achieve the purification of abnormal states you mentioned."
"Is that so?"
Merlin smiled, "Then feel it yourself."
Teresa stood up blankly, but her eyes suddenly widened immediately after, because black flames rose from Merlin's hand as he extended it.
"This is?" Saying in surprise, but at the same time, Teresa trustingly placed her hand in Merlin's hand.
"Calamity: White Platinum Lead."
In a breath, a palm-sized white patch appeared on Teresa's arm.
Merlin withdrew his hand, looked at her curiously, and said: "Through my ability, I released this slight abnormal state of Platinum Lead poisoning on you. See if you can expel it?"
Teresa looked at Merlin blankly. Aside, Fulvio was even more shocked, his mouth wide open, stammering: "Mer... Mer... Merlin, you are actually an ability user? Since when?"
"Since a long time ago."
Merlin smiled.
"Then why didn't you?"
Fulvio said helplessly. Merlin smiled and continued his sentence: "Why didn't I say it? Actually, it doesn't matter whether I say it or not. This kind of thing isn't important."
At this time, Teresa opened her closed eyes, a flash of disappointment passing through them: "It seems I can't purify your power. However, I can bless myself to increase my own abnormal resistance, thereby greatly weakening the influence of this abnormal power on my own body."
A flash of understanding passed through Merlin's eyes. It seemed Teresa currently couldn't counter his Calamity ability. However, if her ability awakened, abnormal resistance might be able to resist his Calamity influence.
However, this kind of confrontation on ability effects also had priority levels.
But for now, it didn't matter anymore.
After all, if she couldn't dispel his Calamity ability effect, then this wouldn't affect his subsequent plans.
Merlin reached out to land on her shoulder at this moment. Black flames emerged, recovering the Platinum Lead Calamity. Then he smiled at her: "Haven't thought of it yet. But don't worry, won't make you do things you are unwilling to do."
Speaking of this, Merlin said to Fulvio: "Of my remaining 44 million Berries, I took 4 million. Help me take the rest back to Yol."
Then looking at Teresa, "Take care of Sugar more on the way back. After all, she is still small."
Hearing this, the two also knew it was time to part, nodding heavily with reluctance.
Fulvio stepped forward, reached out to pat Merlin's shoulder, his eyes solemn: "Don't die there at Donquixote's. Remember to take good care of yourself."
Teresa looked at Merlin unblinkingly, "Maybe we won't be able to meet for a long time in the future..."
Saying this, she took a step forward, squeezed her brother aside, and reached out to hug Merlin's neck. After a few seconds, she stepped back, smiling brilliantly at Merlin: "The sea is very dangerous. Since you have decided to be a pirate in the future, I hope you get a bounty as soon as possible so I can know your real-time movements.
"By the way, I heard from Vice Admiral Tsuru before that she sometimes participates in the headquarters' work of deciding titles for pirates. Do you have any desired title?"
Merlin looked at her with a strange gaze, saying speechlessly: "Is this really okay for you?"
"Alright, let's stop talking. Let's leave it at this for now. Looking forward to our reunion!"
Voice falling, looking at Monet standing beside him with Sugar at this moment, he reached out to rub Sugar's head, smiling:
"Goodbye, Sugar!"
Sugar looked up at Merlin, eyes filled with deep reluctance. As her mouth opened, her glutinous voice appeared: "Brother Merlin, Sister Monet is entrusted to you!"
Merlin nodded with a smile, then looked at Monet and nodded, "Let's go!"
"Okay! Mr. Merlin."
The two got off the ship and walked towards the east.
The three on the ship watched the two walk away until they were out of sight. Teresa squatted down at this time and rubbed Sugar's head: "Don't worry about them, because Merlin is very strong. Also, don't worry about the future. Yol is very nice, Lami is also well-behaved. They will live well with you."
Sugar looked at Teresa, eyes somewhat uneasy: "Really?"
Teresa nodded heavily: "Really."
Not long after, Merlin and Monet arrived not far from the location where the Donquixote Family's ship was docked.
At this time, looking at the charming girl beside him.
For ease of movement, Monet wore clothes convenient for activity today. Her upper body was a green waist-cinched T-shirt, her lower body was tight jeans, and a pair of black low-heeled boots.
At this time, Merlin took down the [Fubuki] from his waist and handed it over, saying: "Take this sword and use it for now."
Monet took it in surprise, "Mr. Merlin, aren't you a dual-wielder (Nitouryuu)?"
Merlin shook his head while walking, "I am not a dual-wielder."
Then looking at her, he said, "We are arriving soon. Remember not to talk too much later.
"Just leave everything to me."
"Okay!" Holding the sword, Monet responded softly.
And in the time of speaking, the two arrived near this big ship shaped like a pink flamingo.
At this time.
A voice came from the opposite deck.
"I thought you dared not come."