Ash rolled his eyes when he heard that.
"Good grief, that line sounds exactly like something you would say five years from now. You didn't even bother changing a word before using it on me?"
"Seriously, how long have you been holding onto that speech?"
"In the future, there will always be someone you want to see with your own eyes. I hope you won't regret it when that time comes."
Ash replied with clear boredom, though his thoughts were elsewhere. He was considering the healing potential of Conis's Holy Light Fruit, wondering if it could regenerate limbs or restore sight.
"If there's a chance, I should have her train that ability more. If it doesn't work, I will just design another Paramecia-type fruit for medical use."
"Heh, actually… when facing you, Ash, who upholds justice, I find myself curious."
Issho spoke slowly, "Curious about what kind of person you really are. The color of your hair, the shape of your eyes, what your face looks like."
As he spoke, Issho rotated Shusui in his hand, then extended the hilt toward Ash.
"Forgive my rudeness, but I have thought before… if my eyes were not closed, it would be nice. That way, I could see your face. I imagine it must be a gentle one."
Ash listened, and the more he heard, the more something felt off. By the end, realization hit him.
This feels like something straight out of Monkey D. Luffy during Dressrosa.
Ash casually took Shusui, sheathed it, and tossed it into his storage ring.
"Black short hair, big eyes, double eyelids. In short, very handsome. Hahaha. Just for that, I will make sure you open your eyes again someday."
Issho chuckled.
"I hope so. Regardless, I am glad I met you today."
"Same here."
Nearby, Baccarat stood silently, completely lost.
She had only been ordered by Tesoro to transfer luck to Ash and keep him entertained. Instead, a blind swordsman had appeared out of nowhere, exchanged swords with Ash, and now the two were chatting like old friends.
And she was left standing there like decoration.
Should I leave? Can I even leave?
Fortunately, Ash did not keep her waiting long.
Although there was mutual goodwill between him and Issho, they were still strangers. There was no need to rush anything. The World Military Draft was still far off.
Since they were in a casino, they might as well enjoy it.
The two returned to the gambling tables.
For Ash, gambling was nothing more than curiosity. For Issho, it was something he genuinely enjoyed.
Ash had to admit that Issho's gambling ethics were admirable.
Despite possessing powerful Observation Haki, Issho refrained from using it. That level of restraint spoke volumes about his character.
Normally, someone like him would lose far more than he won.
But today, he was gambling with Ash.
Ash had poor gambling habits, average luck, and almost no skill. However, none of that mattered.
Because the casino owner himself was secretly helping him.
After winning several rounds in a row, Ash glanced at Baccarat, who stood quietly beside him, and immediately understood.
He did not mind.
Making himself happy was one of his principles. There was no need to pretend to be righteous and reject someone who was wholeheartedly serving him.
That would only make him a hypocrite.
Ash had his own standards, and they were flexible.
Issho, meanwhile, was winning heavily as well.
After years of gambling, this was the first time he had experienced such a streak.
He attributed it entirely to Ash's presence.
After they left the casino, Issho insisted on treating Ash to udon.
Using the excuse of arranging transportation, Baccarat quickly informed Tesoro of the restaurant. The chefs Tesoro had previously gathered rushed over to prepare everything.
For Ash, food was just as important as gambling was to Issho.
The udon Issho recommended turned out to be excellent. The other dishes were equally impressive.
Both of them were in high spirits.
They had won Berries and enjoyed a satisfying meal.
Baccarat and Mr. Tanaka were exhausted, but Tesoro was pleased.
Overall, it was a successful outing.
Over the next week, Ash settled into a relaxed routine. He spent his days exploring and his nights gambling, often ending the day sharing a meal with Issho.
That continued until a week later, when the World Economic Journal released major news.
The World Government had launched a massive encirclement operation against the Revolutionary Army in a South Blue kingdom.
The report exaggerated the outcome, praising it as a decisive victory that dealt the Revolutionary Army severe losses.
In the original timeline, this event led to the capture of Emporio Ivankov and Inazuma, who were imprisoned in Impel Down.
However, things were different this time.
Because Ash had taken Bonney away earlier, Bartholomew Kuma remained with the Revolutionary Army.
And with Kuma's abilities, moving troops was effortless.
With a single motion, he could send people flying across vast distances.
The so-called encirclement operation achieved almost nothing. Aside from destroying one long-established base, the Revolutionary Army had already been scattered to safety.
However, Kuma's involvement revealed something important.
The World Government and the Gorosei connected him to the Buccaneer descendant who had obtained the Paw-Paw Fruit during the God Valley Incident 33 years ago.
His bounty skyrocketed from 296 million to over a billion Berries.
The condition on his bounty poster also changed from dead or alive to capture alive.
When Ash read the news, he found it absurd.
Without Bonney holding him back, Kuma was one of the hardest people in the world to capture.
As long as Kuma did not make a mistake himself, even killing him would be extremely difficult.
His movement was completely different from others.
No matter how fast someone was, their path could still be tracked.
But Kuma simply vanished with a pop.
Tracking him was nearly impossible.
The reason Ash even paid attention to this news was simple.
Kuma had contacted him directly.
Because of Kuma's presence, the World Government was increasing pressure on the Revolutionary Army, which was still in its growth phase.
Monkey D. Dragon and Ivankov said nothing, but Kuma could not ignore the strain.
He refused to watch the organization's hard-earned resources be destroyed.
So he made a decision.
He would draw the World Government's attention onto himself.
Kuma understood his strengths better than anyone.
If he moved alone, very few could catch him.
Before doing that, however, he had one request.
He wanted to see Bonney one last time.
Ash had no reason to refuse.
Of course, he would grant it.
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