One Piece:The Merchant King of Grand Line

The Merchant King of the Grand Line

Chapter 3: The Devil's Bargain

---

Expanding the Empire

With the seafood industry under my control, the town had transformed practically overnight. The local economy now revolved around me, and even the merchants who once resisted had no choice but to buy from my supply chains.

But this was just the foundation. If I wanted to establish a true business empire, I couldn't just rely on fish sales. The world revolved around rare goods, smuggling routes, and hidden industries.

And today, I would be making my first step into the underworld market.

The Right Kind of Trouble

It began with a whisper.

A few days ago, one of my men brought me some interesting news—word of a black-market auction being held a few islands away. Unlike the usual bootlegged weapons and stolen goods, this auction was rumored to have something much rarer.

Something that immediately piqued my interest.

An experimental Devil Fruit.

Now, normally, Devil Fruits were nearly impossible to obtain. They were scattered across the world, and most were consumed the moment they were found. The fact that someone had an artificial one meant two things:

1. Someone was researching Devil Fruits in secret.

2. If I could get my hands on it, I could enter an industry that no one else controlled.

The biotechnology of the One Piece world was almost non-existent compared to my past life. Vegapunk, Caesar Clown—these people had done their own research, but no one had properly monetized it.

That's where I come in.

If I could control the production and distribution of artificial Devil Fruits, I wouldn't just be a merchant.

I would be a kingmaker.

A Deal with the Devil

The auction was being hosted on a neighboring island, run by a small-time crime syndicate known as the Iron Fangs. They weren't major players, but they were well-connected enough to get their hands on rare items.

I set sail under the guise of a traveling merchant, bringing along a few trusted men and guards. The journey was uneventful, and within a few days, I arrived at the auction house, a decrepit but well-guarded building hidden deep in the island's black market district.

Inside, the atmosphere was tense. Pirates, smugglers, bounty hunters, and black-market brokers all mingled, each eyeing the others with equal parts distrust and greed.

I took my seat in the VIP section, nodding to a few notable figures. My reputation as a rising merchant had begun to spread, and I could feel the eyes of others measuring me.

The auction began with standard fare—weapons, stolen goods, even some high-quality Sea Stone tools. But I wasn't interested in any of that.

Then, finally, the real prize was brought out.

A small metal case was carried onto the stage, guarded by two heavily armed men. The auctioneer, a slimy-looking man with a gold tooth, grinned widely.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our final item of the night—something truly one of a kind."

The guards opened the case, revealing a strange-looking fruit with a spiral pattern unlike any I had ever seen. It was smaller than a natural Devil Fruit, almost as if it had been artificially altered.

"The first successful artificial Devil Fruit—created through secret research." The auctioneer smirked. "The lucky buyer will have exclusive access to a revolutionary technology."

The room exploded into whispers.

Pirates, brokers, and warlords all leaned forward, eyes gleaming with greed and ambition. Everyone wanted it.

But I wasn't here to compete.

I was here to win.

Outbidding Pirates & Warlords

The starting bid was five million berries—a fortune for most.

Immediately, hands shot up.

"Six million!"

"Eight million!"

"Twelve million!"

The price soared rapidly, and I could see the room heating up. The Yonko might not care about a single Devil Fruit, but to the underworld? This was a goldmine of opportunity.

By the time it reached twenty million, the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

I leaned forward, my voice calm and confident.

"Fifty million."

The entire room went silent.

The auctioneer nearly choked on his own spit. "F-Fifty million?! Going once—"

A rough-looking pirate with a bounty poster stapled to his belt growled, standing up. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

I smiled. "Someone who can actually afford it."

The pirate's eye twitched. He looked around, expecting someone else to raise the bid higher. But no one did. Fifty million berries wasn't just a high bid—it was a statement.

It said: "I have more money than all of you combined."

"Going twice—" The auctioneer swallowed, scanning the room. No one moved.

"Sold to Victor D. Lancaster!"

Applause rippled through the room, but I could feel the glares of multiple criminals burning into my back.

No matter. They could hate me all they wanted.

Because now, I owned something priceless.

---

A Dangerous Investment

Back in my private quarters, I examined the fruit. The artificial swirl pattern was unlike anything I had ever seen, confirming that this was indeed not a natural Devil Fruit.

This was a prototype—proof that someone, somewhere, had cracked part of the Devil Fruit mystery.

But more importantly, if one had been created…

That meant more could be made.

I wasn't planning to eat this fruit myself—not yet. I needed to research it, study its properties, and most importantly… find out where it came from.

Because if I could find the original creator…

Then I wouldn't just be a merchant selling goods.

I would be the one controlling the most powerful market in the world—Devil Fruits themselves.

And that?

That would put me on equal footing with the World Government itself.

---

Next Chapter: The Hunt for Knowledge

(Victor sets out to uncover the origins of the artificial Devil Fruit—drawing attention from powerful forces along the way.)