250 One Piece: My Name is Jack

"Why are there so many outsiders here?"

"Could they be like Inuarashi and Nekomamushi—members of another race?"

"This is definitely Wano, but why are there so many foreigners?"

"I think I've heard of this race before... they're Fish-Men!"

"And look at how well they get along with the people here."

"Let's find a place to eat first."

"Do we have any money on us?"

"I have some hidden in my shoe. It should be enough for a meal."

"Where should we go?"

"That place! It has the most people, which means we can gather information while we eat!"

...

Although Teren was now a famous businessman in Wano, he had an unusual quirk—he loved grilling, especially skewered kidneys. His grilled kidneys were legendary, not just among common folk but even among the likes of Kaido and Jack, who were regular customers.

Every evening, Teren's food stall was packed with customers. Regardless of their status, one thing they all shared were the heavy dark circles under their eyes.

When he noticed Kin'emon and his group lining up, Teren was slightly surprised. Unlike the rest of his patrons, these newcomers had healthy, rosy complexions, and they walked steadily—completely out of place. His gaze lingered on Kikunojo, and after a moment of scrutiny, he quickly averted his eyes, looking shocked.

"Humans these days sure know how to enjoy themselves..."

"Coming here to replenish their strength in advance, huh?"

"But a one-versus-three situation..."

"Didn't expect that from such a beautiful woman."

"Sigh, what a waste..."

When it was finally their turn, Kin'emon had just opened his mouth to speak when Teren impatiently cut him off.

"I've only got fifty skewers of beef kidney and a hundred skewers of beef left!"

"Everything else is sold out. No cola left, only beer. Take it or leave it. If you don't want it, make way for the next customer!"

The group instinctively nodded. Teren pointed toward a table in the corner.

"Go wait over there! It'll be ready soon!"

As they sat down, they quietly listened in on the conversations around them.

"Tch, if you ask me, that new Longarm woman is the best!"

"She can make you pass out instantly!"

"Hah! That's nothing! I still prefer Ahua, the Octopus Fish-Woman!"

"I heard her husband was a samurai, but he got drained to death, so she started her own pleasure house!"

"Don't be fooled by the looks of the women there—they all have their own special skills! Especially Ahua!"

"That feeling! Cough... cough..."

"Hey, you're coughing up blood! You okay?!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine! Just let me eat a few more kidney skewers, and I'll be back in action!"

Kikunojo looked at Kin'emon and the others in confusion. For some reason, Kin'emon, Kanjuro, and Raizo all turned red—Kin'emon even had a nosebleed.

"Bang!"

"Your skewers are ready!"

"Five hundred skewers of chicken kidneys and a thousand skewers of duck meat! Enjoy!"

"Huh?!"

Staring at the overwhelming pile of skewers before them, Kin'emon wiped his nosebleed and shouted,

"Wait a minute! I ordered fifty skewers of beef kidney and a hundred skewers of beef!"

"Hah?"

The rough-looking Fish-Man held up a sign beside him and pointed at it.

"Ten times compensation for any mistakes! Ten times!"

"New here, huh? That's the rule—ten times the amount!"

"Eat up!"

"Hahaha, these guys are hilarious!"

"You—!"

As Kin'emon turned to argue, Kikunojo quickly stopped him.

"Let's eat first and recover our strength. Something's off about this place—we should gather more information later."

"Hmph!"

Kin'emon grabbed a skewer and took a bite. His expression changed in surprise.

"Not bad! The flavor is..."

"What's this black stuff?"

"The saltiness is just right!"

Nearby, Teren handed a stack of money to his workers, who were picking their noses so aggressively that they made themselves bleed.

"Alright, we're sold out for the night. No more digging around in your noses."

"Split this cash among yourselves!"

"Burp..."

After eating their fill, the group sighed in satisfaction. Raizo wiped his mouth and turned to Kin'emon.

"You know, it's a good thing they gave us extra. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been enough!"

"Time to settle the bill!"

Hearing the word "bill," Teren immediately strode over. His face darkened when he saw Raizo take off his shoe and pull out two small gold nuggets.

"Remember to give us change!"

Raizo reluctantly handed over the gold. But the next moment, Teren's expression turned murderous.

"Smack!"

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

Teren slapped the gold out of Raizo's hand and frowned.

"Are you guys joking with me?!"

"Gold and silver aren't accepted in Wano anymore! You guys living in the past or something?!"

"Huh?"

Kin'emon and the others exchanged bewildered glances before turning back to Teren.

"Then how are we supposed to pay?"

"With this, obviously!"

"Bam!"

Teren slammed a wad of bills onto the table. The group froze when they saw the faces printed on the currency.

"That's... Kaido!"

"And that one! King! And Queen!"

"And him! He's the one who killed Momonosuke!"

"He looks different now, but I'd recognize that face anywhere!"

"Damn it! Those bastards!"

Their conversation didn't escape Teren's ears. He scrutinized their outfits—strange, outdated attire that didn't match current fashion trends. Suddenly, a drunken tale from Orochi surfaced in his mind.

"Oi! You guys..."

"Don't tell me you're those ghosts from the old legend? The 'Nine Shadows' or whatever?"

"What?!"

Kin'emon and the others instantly jumped back, eyeing Teren warily.

"Ghosts of the Kozuki Clan? What are you talking about?"

"Wait... don't tell me—"

"Shut up!"

Teren cut them off impatiently, extending his right hand.

"I don't care who you are!"

"Even ghosts have to pay for their meals!"

"That'll be one thousand Beast Coins! No exceptions!"

"Hand it over!"

...

The group exchanged uneasy glances. Kin'emon scratched his head awkwardly.

"Apologies, but we don't have that kind of currency..."

"Oh?"

"So you're broke and trying to dine and dash, huh?"

Teren cracked his knuckles with a sinister grin, stepping toward them menacingly.

"Ghosts? I don't care if you're ghosts! If you eat my food, you pay up!"

"I run an honest business, and I hate freeloaders the most!"

"BAM!"