After settling matters in Gourmet City, Ash Thalos and the Kirk siblings purchased a Log Pose calibrated for Spring Queen City. Before departing, they sought out Captain Markel, who was on duty, to bid him farewell.
Though reluctant to see them leave, Uncle Markel fully supported Kirk and Saff's decision to sail with Ash. His expression carried both pride and concern, the look of a man watching young birds finally take flight.
Originally, the Kirk siblings intended to bring along every cooking utensil they were accustomed to using. However, once Ash confirmed that they were all ordinary tools and recalled the image of Saff stabbing Hodge repeatedly with a kitchen knife, he immediately raised both hands in refusal.
"No need to carry old iron," he declared confidently. "When we reach Spring Queen City, I will buy you both the finest cooking equipment available."
The siblings exchanged glances, then nodded happily.
When it came to new tools, even chefs were not immune to temptation.
Two days later, they arrived at Spring Queen City, San Popura.
The nickname of the island was not exaggerated. The streets were filled with young, beautiful women, each dressed fashionably, their figures striking and confident. Ash's sharp gaze swept across the lively avenues, momentarily dazzled by the spectacle.
It had to be admitted that the world's creator was extremely generous when designing young women. Their proportions seemed unreal, long legs and elegant frames making many of them appear taller than they truly were.
Speaking of height, Ash himself had changed drastically. Ever since awakening Iron Body and consuming the Voidborn Chaos Fruit, his growth had accelerated. At only thirteen years old, he now stood close to two meters tall. This was precisely why the Kirk siblings had reacted so strongly when they learned his true age.
As the trio walked through the streets, Ash and Kirk instinctively scanned their surroundings like living radars.
Saff quickly grew irritated.
"Focus," she snapped, grabbing both of them and dragging them toward the shopping district.
Spring Queen City deserved its reputation as a shopping paradise. The dazzling array of boutiques, weapon shops, specialty stores, and gourmet markets explained the constant flow of visitors. Naturally, beautiful women were only one part of the attraction.
Mixed among the crowd were rough pirates, merchants, and occasionally Marines. Ash even noticed figures in suits bearing the aura of World Government officials. Considering the island's proximity to major government facilities such as Marineford and Enies Lobby, their presence was hardly surprising.
Once they entered the culinary supply district, Kirk finally stopped using his eyes as searchlights and became completely serious.
"Weapons," he muttered.
"The kitchen is a battlefield," Saff added firmly. "Cooking utensils are a chef's weapons."
Their standards were exacting.
The result was devastating to Ash's wallet.
Eight million Berries.
That was ten thousand times his bounty value.
Fortunately, the siblings restrained themselves before his funds were completely exhausted. Since Ash had left his original fleet without a Storage Ring, he could only carry limited physical cash. After indulging himself in Gourmet City's Food District, his remaining Berries were already running thin.
Still, he did not ruin the mood. If necessary, he could always replenish his funds by hunting pirates in the area. There was never a shortage of criminals in San Popura.
After finishing their purchases, the trio wandered the streets. While standing in line for takoyaki from a roadside vendor, they unexpectedly ran into Aunt Martha, Uncle Markel's wife, who was also in Spring Queen City buying supplies.
Though Ash's Observation Haki was not highly refined, his strong Spirit attribute compensated for it. With a brief sense of her presence, he immediately realized that Aunt Martha was no ordinary woman.
Then again, someone capable of keeping a man like Markel in line could hardly be ordinary.
With Saff explaining recent events, Aunt Martha quickly learned about Hodge's demise and the siblings' decision to sail with Ash. She expressed genuine happiness over their revenge and offered her full support.
She praised Ash warmly and asked him to take good care of Kirk and Saff.
However, upon discovering that Ash was only thirteen, she was visibly shocked. Moments later, she reversed her stance and instructed the siblings to take good care of him instead.
The contradiction left the trio amused and oddly comforted.
Fortunately, Aunt Martha was still within the prime years of the world's aesthetic standards. Ash endured her affectionate patting without issue. He silently reflected that if someone resembling Miss Bakkin had rushed at him, he might have instinctively ignited into flames out of self preservation.
Eventually, with Aunt Martha chatting endlessly, Ash agreed on a meeting location with the siblings and temporarily separated.
There was someone else he needed to meet.
In the northeast corner of Spring Queen City stood a refined leisure teahouse. This was where he had arranged to meet Vice Admiral Tsuru.
They exchanged simple greetings and sat down without unnecessary formalities.
Ash silently approved of her restraint. In a world filled with unpredictable Devil Fruit abilities, physical contact was never trivial.
The Hobi Hobi no Mi could turn someone into a toy with a single touch.
The Mane Mane no Mi allowed impersonation after contact.
The Nikyu Nikyu no Mi could send someone flying across the sea in an instant.
And Tsuru herself possessed the Woshu Woshu no Mi, the Wash Wash Fruit. She could literally wash people like clothes, flattening them and purifying their malice. It sounded almost absurd, yet in practice it was a terrifying ability.
Ash imagined being hung on a clothes rack, purified against his will. The thought alone was enough to make him suppress the scenario immediately.
He smiled calmly.
"I wonder why Vice Admiral Tsuru was so eager to meet me."
Tsuru observed him carefully. She had reviewed the limited intelligence available, yet none of it aligned with the young man before her.
Nearly two meters tall.
At thirteen.
Her expression remained composed, though inwardly she sighed.
"Does that height truly belong to a child?"
Ash leaned back slightly, posture relaxed but aura steady. If this Marine legend intended to test him, she would quickly discover something undeniable.
He was not prey.
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