Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Human Shop
As Koa recruited one more crew member, he remembered that, at this time, Gild was still someone who would steal, cheat, intimidate—anything he could do to ensure he got money. He also hadn't experienced betrayal from his so-called friends yet, nor had he lost all of his money to an illegal gambling room. Koa then remembered another character with a tragic fate in Gild's story—Stella. She was the one who gave Gild the love he longed for, and also the one who drove him to despair over wealth.
"Do you know where the Human Shops are here?" Koa then asked Gild, as he wanted to see if Stella was a slave now. He wasn't sure at what age Stella became a slave. Gild, who heard Koa's words, smiled, treating Koa's words as his first mission. He then began leading Koa to Area 22, a section known for Human Shops around Sabaody. Since the quality of slaves here was lower than that in the Human Auction, the prices were also lower.
When they arrived at Area 22, what Koa noticed first was the overwhelming despair and helplessness in the atmosphere. His Observation Haki was so advanced that it detected every kind of emotion in the entire area without him even actively using it.
'The One Piece world really is brutal for those without the strength to fight back. Almost everyone here is a normal human, and they'll be sold as slaves to Celestials known to torture their slaves to death. I guess, to them, death is a relief,' Koa thought, as both he and Gild began walking around. Koa instantly attracted attention—he was a tall figure with horns protruding from his head, something that would fetch a huge price if sold.
But before anyone could move, they froze, slowly realizing who he was.
Koa continued looking around, searching for slaves who still had drive in their eyes. He wanted to increase his crew, even with ordinary members—perhaps even a navigator replacement to make his days more relaxing. He then stopped at a shop, noticing someone with a rare fire in her eyes. Koa looked at the slave, who stared back at him with a ferocity uncommon among slaves. The owner of the Human Shop smiled as he began upselling the slave like she was a mere product.
"I heard from the seller that she used to be a member of the army, but was enslaved when her country was defeated in war. So, I guess she has strength in her," the owner said, which intrigued Koa.
"What's your name?" Koa asked the slave, who continued staring at him but didn't respond. The owner then shocked her with the electric collar she wore, making her convulse violently from the current—it wasn't weak.
"Answer the question!" the owner yelled, increasing the voltage. After five minutes of torture, he finally stopped. The slave was left in a disheveled state, yet she still had the same stubborn fire in her eyes.
"What's your name?" Koa repeated calmly. The slave remained silent. The owner was about to activate the shock collar again, but Koa stopped him.
Then, Koa looked the slave in the eyes and released his Conqueror's Haki. The entire Sabaody Archipelago felt it. The ground beneath him cracked from the pressure. Gild and the owner fainted instantly, but the slave, to Koa's surprise, didn't—despite him holding back.
"Hmm... I like you. Want to join my pirate crew? I'll give you your freedom back," Koa said. The slave looked at him, surprised.
"Why would you want to invite a defeated soldier like me?" the slave spoke for the first time as Koa retracted his Haki.
"You intrigue me, that's all. I can still see the fire in your eyes—something rare for slaves," Koa replied honestly.
"My name is Sarah Fortune," the slave finally introduced herself, and Koa smiled.
"Want to join my crew, Miss Fortune?" Koa asked, giving a subtle nod to another character who shared her name. He'd noticed that some characters from League of Legends seemed to appear in this world, too.
"I have a sister. She's being sold in a different shop. If you buy her too, I'll join your pirate crew," Miss Fortune said.
"You have yourself a deal," Koa agreed. Gild woke up quickly after Koa's Haki blast, showing his resilient nature. The owner, however, took almost an hour to wake up.
"I'll buy her. How much?" Koa asked the moment the owner regained consciousness. The man, completely forgetting that Koa had made him faint, lit up with excitement.
"I'm willing to part with her for 50 million berries," the owner said. Koa paid in full without hesitation. The owner handed over the key to the shock collar and the remote.
Koa destroyed the remote in front of Gild and Fortune, which made her smile. He then removed her collar, and together, they began looking for Sarah Fortune's sister.
"Do you know where your sister is being sold?" Koa then asked Miss Fortune, as the three of them were walking along the Human Shop. Miss Fortune kept looking around, as she was trying to remember where her sister was sold in the shop around here.
"Yes, it's just around here," Miss Fortune said, as the three of them arrived at another human shop. This time, two slaves were being displayed outside of their cages—both female. One of them caught Koa's attention immediately. It was Stella—the very person he was looking for, and the main catalyst behind Gild's future actions.
Gild, walking just behind Koa, turned his head toward the cage. The moment he saw the slave inside, he froze. Her beauty stunned him—he had never seen anyone like her before.
Miss Fortune also looked toward the other slave and immediately recognized the girl: a child with one blind eye. Relief flooded Miss Fortune's face as she saw her sister again. The girl, recognizing her as well, rushed forward and tried to embrace her, only to be stopped by the metal bars. The two pressed against each other through the cage, tears running down the younger girl's face as she clung to her sister.
Koa, watching the scene unfold, immediately realized the girl was Miss Fortune's sister. Her emotional reaction left no doubt. The girl looked no older than ten and was already blind in her left eye.
Miss Fortune turned toward Koa with an expectant, pleading look—reminding him of the promise he made. Her sister mirrored the expression, silently begging Koa for help.