Without question, the Straw Hat Contractors took first place.

When Usopp pulled out the hidden timber he had stashed away, the entire arena erupted. Everyone had expected a draw. Nobody imagined that the bastard who had burned down their bases had secretly hoarded a piece of wood, stolen from their own supplies, no less.

Fortunately, Usopp was a fast runner. Otherwise, the other fourteen furious teams would have beaten him half to death.

The rare competition ended dramatically. What should have been decided by architectural skill became a simple matter of survival and sabotage. The Conomi Islands administration not only had to pay for the destroyed ships but also dispatch a rescue fleet to retrieve everyone stranded on the deserted island.

Naturally, Dante wouldn’t pocket the prizes just because of a minor technicality. With so many eyes watching, he had a reputation to uphold. He honored the redemptions fully.

Everyone got what they wanted.

Luffy received the Baratie buffet voucher. He was so ecstatic he tried to drag the entire team onto the next ferry to use it immediately.

Usopp won the one million berries. He strutted proudly toward a beautiful girl in the crowd, his chest puffed out, beaming with absolute pride.

Chopper wasn’t sure what to pick. As a partner of Marine Branch 16, he was already well-compensated and could afford most things he wanted. He happily settled on the luxury smart foot-spa. It was his first real competition and his first victory, and he planned to gift the tub to Kureha.

Sanji claimed the Premium VIP Card he’d been dreaming of and vanished into town to enjoy its benefits.

Zoro obtained the Famous Sword Voucher. His two cheap, notched blades had finally shattered completely while cutting through Franky’s robot earlier. He needed replacements anyway, and the voucher saved him a fortune.

He suspected Dante had issued this specific prize just to lure him in. Not that Zoro held back. He took it without hesitation. The only named blade he owned, Yubashiri, was a gift from Dante years ago anyway. Why be polite now?

As for accusations of Dante going easy to let him win? What a joke. He had lost to Dante eight thousands of times. Did his Senpai really need to throw a logging match?

According to the terms, the voucher could be traded for one of the 50 Skillful Grade Blades, or two Standard Grade Blades. He planned to get two. Standard Grade was more than enough for now. The weapons on Conomi Island were forged by high-tech machines developed by Vegapunk, the quality was guaranteed to be impressive.

Once armed, he could finally measure the gap between himself and his Senpai. He declined Luffy’s invitation to eat, eager to visit the weapons shop.

Helmeppo, unsure of what to get, simply followed Zoro’s lead and took the second Sword Voucher. Though his current blades still worked, they were cheap. They would likely shatter just like Zoro’s eventually. Better to have premium spares than spend his own salary later.

Besides, he didn’t risk let Zoro wander the island alone. Work resumed in a couple of days, and he couldn’t have the man vanishing into the wilderness again.

One wanted to visit Romance Dawn, two went to buy swords, and another was busy bragging. Luffy stood alone, slightly disappointed. He had planned to invite all of them, even the robot, to join his crew. In exactly one year, he would set sail.

But moments later, his signature grin returned. There was still a whole year. He believed they would all meet again eventually. Clutching his buffet voucher, he ran off to find the nearest meat stall.

--**--**

Meanwhile, Helmeppo led Zoro through the bustling streets toward the Conomi Islands premier weapons shop.

His suspicions had been entirely correct: Zoro could get lost even while walking in a straight line with someone pointing the way. Helmeppo didn’t even have the energy to complain anymore.

Luffy acted entirely on impulse, his brain functioning on a completely different wavelength than normal people. Zoro, on the other hand, was hopelessly directionally challenged. Look away for a single second, and the man would vanish into an alleyway.

These two gave him endless anxiety. Helmeppo sighed, but as they stopped in front of their destination, his jaw dropped. "This shop is quite luxurious!"

It was massive and opulent, completely unlike the gritty, iron-smelling weapon shops common across the sea.

And the name etched in gold above the doors... ’Velvet Scabbard’.

"Did we come to the wrong place?" Helmeppo asked nervously.

"Who cares, as long as they sell weapons." Zoro paid no mind to Helmeppo’s concerns. "Let’s go inside. I hope they don’t disappoint me."

He pushed the heavy doors open and walked straight in.

"Hey, wait!" Helmeppo hurried after him. "We need to choose carefully. Don’t get scammed. Places like this love ripping people off."

Zoro ignored the muttering. He chose swords by instinct, if a blade felt right, he bought it. Besides, this time they were free.

Passing through the grand entrance, a cool, fragrant breeze washed over them. The interior was dazzlingly magnificent, resembling a royal museum more than a blacksmith’s forge.

Did a weapons shop really need velvet carpets and crystal chandeliers?

Instead of being piled haphazardly in wooden barrels, the swords here were mounted individually on the walls, each encased behind a pristine glass dust shield.

Helmeppo stood dumbfounded. He didn’t know much about named blades, but just looking at the craftsmanship, their extraordinary value was obvious. They possessed a unique gleam unlike anything he had seen on the open sea.

"My goodness," Helmeppo muttered blankly. "These must be expensive, right?"

"So what if they are?" Zoro shot him a sideways glance. "We’re not paying anyways."

"True!" Helmeppo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hey, if we use these and sell them outside, think we could make a massive profit?"

Zoro stared at him with deadpan. They hadn’t even secured the weapons yet, and he was already planning to pawn them? He ignored the man, his mind focused entirely on challenging his Senpai. He continued deeper into the gallery.

A sharply dressed clerk wearing immaculate white gloves approached them, flashing a professional, perfectly practiced smile.

"Welcome to Velvet Scabbard. Are you two gentlemen here to purchase swords?"

===============

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