Trader In The World Of Pirates!!!

"Damn it!" 

"That bastard Aizen! How dare he be so audacious?!" 

"This is outright provocation!" 

"I can't forgive him!!! Ahhh!!!" 

In a hidden warehouse in Karakura Town, a blonde girl with twin braids that shot up like antennae shouted at the sky, her voice echoing with fury. 

This hot-headed girl was Hiyori Sarugaki, formerly the vice captain of the 12th Division in the Seireitei over a hundred years ago. 

Framed by Aizen and used as a subject in his Hollowfication experiments, she was sentenced to a felony by Central 46. With the help of Urahara Kisuke, she escaped to the human world and had been living in hiding ever since. 

Nearby, Hirako Shinji, who had shared a similar fate and was once Aizen's captain, clicked his tongue softly and said: 

"Calm down, Hiyori." 

"If Aizen is acting so boldly in the human world, he must have enough support to back his actions." 

"Step outside now, and his spies will find you immediately." 

"As things stand, we don't stand a chance against him." 

Shinji's voice was calm, but the glimmer in his eyes betrayed his inner turmoil. 

"Damn it!" Hiyori clenched her fists tightly, still fuming as she watched Rukia annihilate the Hollows and then casually interact with Aizen. 

However... 

At that very moment— 

A strange voice suddenly spoke from behind them. 

"You two don't seem very satisfied with your fates…" 

"Who's there?!" 

Hearing the unexpected voice, Shinji and Hiyori felt a cold shiver run down their spines. 

They spun around instantly, only to see— 

A wooden puppet, about half a meter tall, sitting atop a large container. Its finely crafted limbs swung back and forth as it smiled at them. 

It had a pointed nose, intelligent but uncanny button-like eyes, a red vest paired with dark blue overalls, and a small straw hat perched on its head. 

"An artificial soul?" Shinji narrowed his eyes, eyeing the peculiar doll with suspicion. 

"Hmm..." 

The puppet tilted its head thoughtfully before responding with a smirk: 

"You could call me that, though I'm not particularly fond of the term." 

"After all, I'm a one-of-a-kind being created by my mother!" 

The puppet's face shifted to a surprisingly human-like expression, filled with emotion. 

"Mother?" Shinji's frown deepened. 

"Wait, you're not Urahara Kisuke work?" 

"Urahara Kisuke? Never heard of him," the puppet replied with a mocking laugh. 

As it spoke, it raised its wooden hands and leapt off the container. Its fragile-looking frame seemed like it might shatter from such a fall. 

However... 

Before the puppet hit the ground, countless small, blood-red branches sprouted from its feet, cushioning its descent with an eerie elegance. 

When it landed, the puppet straightened itself and smirked arrogantly. 

"Alright, enough chit-chat…" 

"I've got another show to catch after this!" 

It stepped forward, grinning at Shinji and Hiyori. 

"My name is Pinocchio, and I'm a dimensional merchant." 

"Seeing as the two of you don't seem particularly wealthy, I'll get straight to the point..." 

"Would you, two individuals dissatisfied with your fates, be interested in making a grand dimensional deal with me?" 

Pinocchio tilted his head back, flashing an unsettling smile. 

Pinocchio was no ordinary being. Originally just a display item in the window of an art shop, it had been repurposed by Linlin during her recent "escape." 

She imbued it with life, turning it into her new vessel for conducting dimensional transactions in this world. 

Although Pinocchio possessed some self-defense capabilities, Linlin had no intention of revealing her true identity until she fully understood this world's intricacies. 

For now, she chose to operate from the shadows, using a proxy to carry out her plans. 

Certainly. 

Compared to the hastily created Hermes from before, Linlin—now with a significant amount of points saved up—had incorporated some practical functions into Pinocchio. 

Suddenly, two radiant beams of light shot out from Pinocchio's button-like eyes and penetrated directly into the minds of Shinji and Hiyori. 

In an instant, a torrent of knowledge about the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce and dimensional transactions flooded their memories. 

A moment later, both of them opened their eyes abruptly, as if waking from a deep slumber, and exchanged wide-eyed stares. 

Without a word, they turned to look at each other. 

Thanks to the tacit understanding developed over centuries, they immediately grasped the meaning behind the other's expression. 

Hiyori: '"Is it real?"' 

Shinji: '"I don't know, but we can't rule out the possibility that this is another trick of Aizen's."' 

"Aizen!?" 

Vigilance filled Hiyori's eyes as she clenched her fists. 

But Shinji appeared more contemplative, still processing everything. 

"Perhaps… there's really such a thing as a miracle." 

With that unspoken conclusion, Shinji turned his attention back to Pinocchio, his face tinged with awkwardness. 

"Um… Mr. Pinocchio..." 

"First, let me clarify—I'm not doubting you or this whole 'dimensional transaction' concept…" 

"It's just… hard to believe that something like this could actually exist." 

Pinocchio sighed internally. 'Suspicious, are we?' he mused. But thanks to Linlin's memory inheritance, he understood their skepticism. 

After all, though nearly a century had passed since their betrayal and exile, their names were seldom spoken in the Seireitei. 

Yet, Linlin—ever curious and observant—had pieced together some clues during her exploration of new worlds. From her omniscient perspective, she identified the irregularities and deduced Aizen's possible role in framing them. 

Pinocchio, however, wasn't upset by Shinji's doubts or Hiyori's wariness. Instead, he maintained his odd smile and replied: 

"It's only natural to be skeptical." 

"After all, your lives seem to have been riddled with disasters caused by misplaced trust." 

"But…" 

"If you're so unsure, why not conduct a real dimensional transaction with me to test the authenticity of this miracle?" 

With a creak, Pinocchio extended his wooden arm, gesturing toward Shinji and Hiyori as if inviting them. 

However, paired with his bizarre smile, his posture resembled a devil beckoning mortals to step into the abyss. 

"This…" 

Shinji blinked uncertainly. 

On the one hand, he couldn't shake the lessons learned from past betrayals, even if the knowledge was directly infused into his mind. 

On the other hand, the potential of the dimensional transaction—if true—was immensely tempting. With its power, they might finally stand a chance against Aizen and achieve their long-awaited revenge. 

"Excuse me… how do I try it?" 

Shinji asked with a wry smile, betraying no embarrassment at having his curiosity exposed. 

"It's simple." 

Pinocchio retracted his hand, leaving only a single finger pointed at Shinji's forehead. 

"Just use the knowledge in your mind…" 

"Use… my knowledge?" Shinji hesitated, startled. 

This wasn't what he had anticipated. He thought Pinocchio would demand some strange or rare materials. 

"Knowledge? Can that even be exchanged for points!?" he asked in surprise. 

Pinocchio replied without hesitation: 

"Of course!" 

"Knowledge has immense value, no matter the era or world." 

"That said, because knowledge is universal, only a lucky few in each world ever get the opportunity to trade it." 

"And since knowledge can be communicated without loss, even after you trade it, it won't harm you in any way." 

Pinocchio chuckled and added: 

"I must say, you're indeed quite fortunate!" 

Pinocchio smirked, his dark, reflective eyes capturing the silhouettes of the two before him. The eerie stillness of the warehouse only heightened the peculiar atmosphere.

He continued:

"In this dimension, no one has ever traded knowledge before. If your knowledge proves interesting enough, it could lead to some unexpected surprises!"

Hearing Pinocchio's words, Shinji's eyes flickered with anticipation, his hands trembling slightly.

At this moment, 70% of him began to believe in the reality of dimensional transactions.

After all, he knew one thing for certain:

His knowledge, while valuable, was not something that would ever interest Aizen.

If this was part of some elaborate scheme by Aizen, it would be far too tedious and uncharacteristic. Aizen wasn't one to concoct such convoluted lies merely to toy with him.

Fueled by urgency, Shinji initiated the dimensional transaction right there in the dilapidated warehouse.

Shortly after, Shinji sorted through his knowledge and traded it all.

When he opened his eyes again, a floating Rotom Phone hovered in front of him.

Pinocchio glanced at the information interface displayed on the phone. After a moment, his face lit up with astonishment, and he exclaimed:

"Congratulations, Mr. Shinji!"

"The knowledge you traded has earned you a total of 20,000 points!"

"Which means..."

"From this moment, you are officially a VIP4 member of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce. Your corresponding shop permissions have now been unlocked."

Pinocchio leaned closer with a sly grin:

"So… Mr. Shinji, what kind of items would you like to purchase?"

Shinji hesitated briefly, examining the Rotom Phone and skimming through its interface. After confirming there was no additional hidden information, he closed it and turned back to Pinocchio.

Drawing on the guidelines he had received from the memory inheritance, Shinji decided to rely on Pinocchio for advice, as traders from other dimensions often did.

Nodding slightly, he asked:

"Mr—no, Sir Pinocchio, could you guide me? If I want to acquire the power to resist illusions, what would you recommend I buy?"

Pinocchio's wooden face creaked slightly as he appeared to ponder the question.

"Resist illusions?"

He murmured to himself:

"In other dimensions, there are usually just a few ways to counter illusions... Either you train an unbreakable willpower, rendering yourself immune to the opponent's illusions… or you master illusion techniques yourself and dismantle the opponent's abilities from within."

Pinocchio's tone turned contemplative:

"I don't suppose there are any other particularly effective methods. So, which route do you plan to take?"

"If you choose the former, you'll need abilities that enhance your mental fortitude. But be warned, most of these will require sustained training and effort to strengthen your will over time."

"As for the latter, I have some methods that can help you master illusion techniques quickly, though the cost might be… substantial."

"So, what will it be?"

Shinji froze for a moment, carefully digesting Pinocchio's words.

As a captain-level fighter, he understood the two options clearly.

Each path had its strengths and drawbacks. His decision hinged on which approach aligned better with his current needs.

Though he wasn't expecting to outmatch Aizen with just the 20,000 points he had earned, he knew this choice would define his future trajectory.

The warehouse fell silent. Even the typically boisterous Hiyori sensed the gravity of the situation and remained still.

After a full minute of deliberation, Shinji finally raised his head. His eyes were resolute.

"I'll take the path of mastering illusions!"

No matter how strong one's willpower might be, it could not directly translate into combat effectiveness.

While Shinji recognized that the first option likely had merits he hadn't fully grasped, the immediacy of his current situation left no room for hesitation.

Pinocchio grinned, pleased with the determination in Shinji's choice.

"So, you want to pursue mastery of illusions? In that case, let me show you some options!"

With a wave of his wooden arm, Pinocchio activated the permissions granted to him by his creator.

Simultaneously, the Rotom Phone hovering before Shinji began displaying a list of items tailored to his choice.