"Kid, get out of the way." Just as Daniel Davis was absorbed in watching Roger's execution platform, a sudden force from behind sent him stumbling to the side. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and managed to avoid falling to the ground.
As he regained his footing, Daniel turned around angrily, only to find himself facing a giant of a man, nearly 2.5 meters tall and massively built. Behind this brute stood six more men, each armed with different weapons.
"Move aside." Seeing Daniel still standing in his way, the giant swung his huge hand towards Daniel's head. Feeling the gust of wind from the swing, Daniel realized the force behind it was no joke.
Seeing this, the crowd around them either showed pity or smirked, anticipating the smaller Daniel getting knocked down.
A piercing scream suddenly filled the square. The onlookers' smiles froze as they witnessed the unexpected: the giant was clutching his now bent arm, howling in pain.
"Boss! Damn it, he dared to ambush the boss!" The giant's companions drew their weapons and charged at Daniel, enraged.
"Ambush?" Daniel sneered. Dodging the first attacker's swing, he kicked the man's arm, breaking it with a snap. The sword flew from the man's hand, nearly hitting some onlookers who quickly backed away further.
"Everyone, stop!" Just as Daniel felled a second attacker, the surrounding Marines intervened. Seeing the Marines, the attackers reluctantly stopped.
"What happened here?" The leading Marine, a lieutenant, asked, tasked with maintaining order in the square.
"They attacked me, so I had to defend myself," Daniel said calmly, spreading his hands.
While Daniel's physical strength wasn't top-tier in the One Piece world, it was well above average. He could easily handle newly embarking Luffy, let alone these nobodies.
"Is that so?" The Marine lieutenant eyed Daniel skeptically, noting that only his attackers were injured, while Daniel remained unscathed.
"I am the Pirate King!" A young man suddenly climbed onto Roger's execution platform, shouting loudly.
"Get down, you idiot!" The crowd's anger was palpable, but the man continued, "Want my treasure? It's yours for the taking. Find it! I left everything I own in one piece."
Boom!
As the man laughed maniacally, a burst of flame shot from the side, engulfing him. Screaming, he fell from the platform, still ablaze.
"That's Ace." Daniel quickly spotted the source of the flame: a young man with a yellow hat, grinning from the edge of the square. Recognizing him by his distinctive hat with two expressive faces, Daniel realized it was Portgas D. Ace.
"Why is Ace here? Did he just set out to sea? If so, he must have just obtained the Mera Mera no Mi. That's incredible luck."
The Mera Mera no Mi, a Logia-type fruit, was immensely powerful. Even with minimal development, it could make its user a significant force.
Ace's fruit made Daniel envious. Compared to Luffy's Gomu Gomu no Mi, Ace's fruit seemed far superior. Although Daniel knew there were no weak fruits, only weak users, he couldn't help but feel envious.
Devil Fruits had specific abilities that could solve problems more easily than pure physical strength. For example, the gravity power of Fujitora's fruit could be easily countered by Law's Ope Ope no Mi or Doflamingo's Ito Ito no Mi.
Of course, if one's strength reached Mihawk's level, such issues became irrelevant. A single sword swing could handle almost anything.
"Ace didn't develop his fruit to its full potential," Daniel thought. Theoretically, the Mera Mera no Mi could surpass Akainu's Magu Magu no Mi, as fire had no upper limit. If Ace had reached such potential, he wouldn't have died so easily.
Perhaps Ace's limited development was due to his lack of knowledge about fire. This mirrored how Law's development of the Ope Ope no Mi lagged behind Daniel's.
"Devil Fruit development is similar to alchemy." Comparing his use of the Ope Ope no Mi to Law's, Daniel saw parallels with alchemy, which also required extensive knowledge.
"By that logic, my fruit should be considered an alchemical fruit." With this in mind, Daniel decided to leave the square, as Ace's antics had drawn the Marines' attention, giving him and the other group a chance to slip away.
Neither Daniel nor the attackers wanted to deal with the Marines further.
Ace, despite being relatively new to his powers, wouldn't be easily captured by a few Marines, given his Logia abilities.
"Despite his hatred for Roger, Ace still seems to have some affection for him, judging by his actions," Daniel mused. While seeing Ace was exciting, he had no desire to introduce himself.
"I was once saddened by Ace's death. Seeing him in person, I'm only mildly pleased and have no urge to meet him. Is this the difference between fantasy and reality? Perhaps it's a 'Lord Ye loves dragons' situation."
"Not just Ace; I have no plans to meet Luffy either, let alone join the Straw Hat Pirates." With these thoughts, Daniel shook his head and smiled.
"What's this?" As he was about to leave the square, Daniel's eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar face. Freezing momentarily, he quickly continued walking normally.
"Dragon, he's here too." Heart racing, Daniel hurried away, recalling the faces he'd just seen. One was unmistakably Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, and another seemed to be Ivankov, the king of Kamabakka Kingdom.
Though they were hooded and cloaked, Daniel recognized them from a brief glance. Dragon's face was unforgettable.
"If Ivankov's abilities existed in the Marvel universe, many would be thrilled." In the U.S., many sought to change their gender, even superficially. Despite the hardships involved, the demand was immense.
Marvel's advanced technology had yet to offer a complete gender transformation. Even with the Ope Ope no Mi, Daniel couldn't achieve such a change.
Ivankov's power, a simple injection, could swap genders entirely. Such a power was incredible.
"Sir." Behind Daniel, one of Dragon's men spoke quietly. Although Daniel's movements were subtle, they hadn't escaped the keen eyes of Dragon and his companions.
Dragon merely shook his head, his gaze returning to Ace, who was still fighting the Marines.
With reinforcements called, the civilians began to disperse, avoiding the coming conflict. The uneasy peace in Loguetown relied on an unspoken agreement: pirates wouldn't cause trouble, and Marines would turn a blind eye.
In a world dominated by pirates, distinguishing them from civilians was impossible. Many pirates foolishly announced their identity, making them easy targets. Without fame, most pirates went unnoticed by the Marines.
"Let's stay here for now." The square's chaos hadn't reached Daniel. After scouting Loguetown, he decided to stay and focus on connecting the dimensional space. Once that was done, the One Piece world would be his playground.
"Opening a large portal and sending the Revolutionary Army to the Red Line would be interesting." The One Piece world had spatial powers like the Door Door Fruit, but its range was limited. Dimensional magic, almost ignoring distance, was far superior.
Beyond spatial powers, the One Piece world even had time-manipulating fruits.
"To avoid Smoker's suspicion, let's open a small shop." With this idea, Daniel quickly set up a general store in Loguetown. With plenty of Beli, the process was swift.
The so-called general store was actually a weapon shop. Loguetown once had many weapon stores, but under Smoker's administration, profits dwindled, and many closed.
Of course, this was only on the surface. Loguetown's black market still thrived, catering to pirates needing weapons and supplies before entering the Grand Line.
Smoker's Marines could guard the port, but the island was too large to cover entirely. Pirates could easily land elsewhere and still need supplies.
Daniel had no interest in black market profits. The shop was a pastime, not a moneymaker. He couldn't spend all day connecting dimensions.
He didn't expect to make money, but soon his shop had a major customer: Captain Smoker, purchasing for the Marines.
Weapons crafted through alchemy might not match renowned blades but were far superior to ordinary ones in hardness and sharpness.
Had Daniel flooded the market, other weapon merchants would be out of business.
Because of Smoker, these merchants didn't dare trouble Daniel. His weapons were only for the Marines, not the black market, maintaining peace.
"Buying swords—why doesn't the Navy fully equip with firearms? Is it a budget issue?" The prevalence of swords and such weapons puzzled Daniel, given the available technology.
Both Marines and pirates seemed equally reliant on melee weapons.
"This should be equivalent to a famous blade." Daniel admired a newly forged black katana, smiling. It was modeled after the Sandai Kitetsu from Loguetown's weapon shop. Though it lacked the cursed qualities, its appearance and durability were similar.
"Nice weapon." A stranger's voice startled Daniel. Turning, he saw a tall figure sitting calmly—Dragon.
"Found out, huh? Is it Observation Haki?" Dragon's appearance startled Daniel. He quickly put down the katana, knowing it wouldn't help against Dragon's strength.
"You seem to recognize me," Dragon said calmly.
"I've seen your wanted poster," Daniel replied. As the Revolutionary Army leader, Dragon was wanted worldwide.
"Oh." Dragon nodded noncommittally.
"What brings you here?"
"I want to buy some weapons."
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"Weapons?" Dragon's words surprised Daniel Davis, but he nodded and responded, "Sure, what kind of weapons do you need, Mr. Dragon?"
"Any kind will do, but I need a large quantity," Dragon continued.
"Okay, but I don't have that many raw materials." Daniel paused before agreeing. Since he encountered Dragon here, things wouldn't be as troublesome. He could learn Haki, the Six Styles, and other techniques directly from Dragon.
He hadn't considered Dragon before because the Revolutionary Army was too far away. Who knew he would run into Dragon so soon? Moreover, as the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon had more credibility compared to the Navy. It's not that people like Sengoku or Garp were untrustworthy, but they were backed by the World Government.
"We can handle the raw materials on our end. By the way, have you thought about joining us?" Dragon extended an invitation to Daniel. To Dragon, Daniel's abilities were crucial for the Revolutionary Army. His direct combat skills might not be outstanding, but his support capabilities were unparalleled.
Whether it's the Navy, Revolutionary Army, or pirates, all need a large number of weapons. Otherwise, Doflamingo's underground arms business wouldn't be so prosperous. Pirate crews like Luffy's Straw Hat Pirates that don't need to buy weapons are very rare.
After all, there are only a handful of top-tier individuals in this world. The majority are ordinary people for whom weapons are very important. Remember, in Luffy's time, one of the eleven supernovas frequently mentioned the overwhelming disparity in military strength, relying on the Castle-Castle Fruit to bring many subordinates into battle.
Even Daniel himself hadn't thought that he would immediately overturn his previous stance of not selling weapons in the Marvel world. The allure was too strong.
However, joining the Revolutionary Army was out of the question. Providing weapons was one thing, but joining them would be too much trouble. He wasn't here to save the world.
"I'll think about it," Daniel said, essentially refusing politely. If he were stronger, he could outright refuse.
"That's fine. When would you be available?" Dragon asked.
"No rush. I'd like to know what the Revolutionary Army offers in return," Daniel responded. This was a business transaction, not charity, so they needed to agree on compensation.
"Of course, it would be at market price, with the cost of raw materials deducted," Dragon explained. Since the Revolutionary Army provided the raw materials, they wouldn't charge for them. If Daniel insisted, he could charge, but it wouldn't be much since raw materials are relatively cheap, and weapons are much more valuable. Due to the Navy and World Government, it's very difficult for the Revolutionary Army to buy weapons; otherwise, Dragon wouldn't have come in person to negotiate.
Dragon was in the East Blue to purchase various supplies for the Revolutionary Army. Compared to the other seas, he was most familiar with the East Blue, his birthplace. Weapons, food, medicine, and more were in short supply for the Revolutionary Army.
"I don't need money right now. I want the training methods for the Navy's Six Styles and Haki. How many weapons would that be worth?" Daniel asked.
Negotiating with Dragon made Daniel realize that starting a company in the pirate world was the best idea. He didn't want to travel the Grand Line like Luffy; instead, he could learn from Doflamingo's methods.
Doflamingo's biggest mistake was using the Hobby-Hobby Fruit to turn citizens into toys, which led to widespread rebellion. If he had captured pirates instead, he wouldn't have faced as much trouble.
As long as I make the people happy, even if King Riku reappears, it won't shake my foundation. The same goes for Orochi in Wano Country. Their biggest mistake was exhausting their resources without considering long-term sustainability.
Of course, you can't blame them entirely. After all, they didn't have Daniel's wisdom from five thousand years of Chinese history.
Daniel's words made Dragon pause. The training methods for the Six Styles and Haki were not that valuable. In the Four Seas and the first half of the Grand Line, they might be rare, but in the New World, they were fairly common. The challenge lies in how well you can master them.
If Daniel joined the Navy, with his abilities, he could easily obtain these techniques and a significant rank.
So, Dragon was unsure how to price them. If he priced them too low, it wouldn't be meaningful; too high, and future cooperation would be difficult.
As for kidnapping Daniel and forcing him to serve the Revolutionary Army, that thought never crossed Dragon's mind. They were revolutionaries, not pirates or the World Government. They united like-minded people, not through coercion.
"The techniques you want are not that rare," Dragon said.
"In that case, how about your personal instruction in addition to the techniques? How many weapons for ten thousand soldiers?" Daniel proposed after some thought.
"No problem," Dragon agreed immediately. If they could get equipment for ten thousand soldiers, the Revolutionary Army's strength would significantly increase.
"I have one condition: I don't want this deal to be leaked. I'll only deal with you." Daniel wanted to avoid the World Government's spies within the Revolutionary Army from discovering this transaction.
"No problem," Dragon nodded.
"Should I provide Jericho missiles, Iron Man suits, various missiles, cannons, tanks, mortars, and other weapons? It's quite exciting to think about," Daniel mused.
Compared to modern weapons, the weapons in the pirate world are too simplistic. Even the Buster Call, which can destroy an island, relies on continuous bombardment with large-caliber cannons.
"Let's start now. By the way, I want to know about the Six Styles and Haki," Daniel asked.
Dragon was taken aback by Daniel's eagerness but began explaining. The Six Styles and Haki are standard techniques in the Navy. Anyone who meets the basic requirements can learn them, but how far they go depends on the individual, much like students in school.
The basic requirements for learning the Six Styles are high. Even mastering one of them can earn you a rank in the Navy. Mastering all of them to a certain extent makes you a general.
In the Navy, mastering the Six Styles is significant, and in CP9, you must master all six to be considered a true member.
Daniel's physical condition already met the requirements to learn the Six Styles.
"This world's training is tough," Daniel remarked. The Six Styles are physical techniques, and their training is grueling. After explaining the basics of the Six Styles and Haki, Dragon left to gather raw materials for the weapons.
They agreed to meet in a month. Dragon needed time to gather materials and transport them to the East Blue. Since Daniel hadn't joined the Revolutionary Army, he wouldn't be going to their base or headquarters.
During this time, Daniel planned to establish a connection with a dimensional space, allowing him to escape if necessary.
"Logia Devil Fruits indeed don't mesh well with physical techniques," Daniel observed. In Loguetown, he watched Captain Smoker use his Smoke-Smoke Fruit to capture pirates. Despite his rank, Smoker never used the Six Styles in combat, relying solely on his Devil Fruit abilities.
With Dragon's guidance, Daniel's strength improved rapidly. Partly because his initial physical condition was already good but also due to the nourishment from Sea Kings' meat.
Loguetown was close to the Calm Belt. Knowing the benefits of Sea Kings' meat, Daniel ventured there and used his Ope-Ope Fruit to secure a substantial supply.
"Finally done. Time to act," Daniel said, having established a connection with the dimensional space. He sold his shop in Loguetown and set off for Cocoyasi Village.
Cocoyasi Village, the Arlong Pirates, and Nami.
According to the original timeline, Nami would meet Luffy in about three years, meaning she'd suffer for three more years. Since Daniel was in this world and had the power, he would deal with the Arlong Pirates.
Daniel had long forgotten the island where Nami was born but had pinpointed the Arlong Pirates' location. If it weren't for establishing the dimensional space, he would have dealt with them already.
"To think Jinbei supports the Arlong Pirates' arrogance in the East Blue, only to end up on Luffy's ship as Nami's companion," Daniel thought, flying on a broom with a Disillusionment Charm.
The Arlong Park below was luxurious. "Should I attack head-on or sneak attack?" Daniel mused.
The Fish-Man race is physically superior to humans in strength and lifespan. Yet, they never produced a Four Emperors-level powerhouse. If they had, their situation would be much better.
"Let's go with a sneak attack. I haven't mastered all the Six Styles yet," Daniel decided.
Using dimensional magic and the Ope-Ope Fruit, dealing with the Arlong Pirates, who lacked Armament Haki, was simple.
"Room: Slaughterhouse." A golden portal opened behind Arlong. Daniel stepped through, activating the Ope-Ope Fruit and slashing Arlong into six pieces.
"Brother Arlong!" Seeing their leader seemingly dismembered, Hatchan, an octopus Fish-Man, charged with six swords.
"Room." Hatchan was quickly dismembered. Next, Kuroobi, Chew, and other Fish-Men fell to Daniel's powers.
The Arlong Pirates, who gave Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji a hard fight, were easily defeated by Daniel. That's the power of Devil Fruits.
Had Daniel fought head-on, he might not have succeeded against the Fish-Men.
Of course, if he wanted to annihilate the Arlong Pirates, he could drop a missile from above, wiping them out instantly.
"Fast escape," Daniel noted as the Arlong Pirates' pet fled. Its speed was impressive.
"What do you want?" Arlong,
his head separated, yelled as his crew suffered the same fate.
"What do I want? I'm here to kill you all. Do you think you can act so arrogantly on human land?" Daniel said, shooting webbing to seal Arlong's mouth. Furious, Arlong bit through the webbing with his sharp teeth.
"Impressive teeth for a sawshark Fish-Man. How about this?" Daniel shot more webbing, finally silencing Arlong.
"Shut up, all of you." Daniel sealed the mouths of the other Fish-Men.
"Hatchan, Rayleigh? No matter," Daniel decided, looking at Hatchan's head. He wasn't Luffy and had no intention of turning enemies into friends.
Regarding Rayleigh, Daniel wasn't a match now but would be in the future.
"Quite a treasure," Daniel remarked, looting gold, jewels, and a large amount of Berries from Arlong Park.
Clap.
After gathering the loot, Daniel stood at the entrance of Arlong Park, clasped his hands, and pressed them to the ground, activating earth alchemy.
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