Trader In The World Of Pirates!!!

"It's over…"

In the realm of his consciousness, engulfed by a bloody darkness, Kaneki felt the searing pain tearing through his body. Slowly, he closed his eyes. 

The riotous ghoul instincts surging within him had imprisoned his human consciousness in this hellish world from the very beginning. 

No matter how hard he fought, he could not break free. 

And in that moment of despair… 

Kaneki finally grasped the true horror of the ghoul's existence. 

He had become a creature brimming with despair, trapped in a world where despair bled from every corner. 

It was a world utterly broken. 

A world so inherently wrong that, even if it were destroyed, he felt there would be no need for regret. 

To be honest… 

Kaneki had never seen himself as a noble hero willing to sacrifice for others. 

If it hadn't been Hideyoshi lying lifeless on the ground, he doubted he'd have found the courage to end his own life so resolutely. 

But as fate would have it… 

His closest friend had once again saved him. 

"Hide…" 

"Thank you for saving me. Again." 

His fragile human will murmured softly. 

A memory stirred, pulling him back more than ten years. 

Back then, after the loss of his father, he was just as he was now—alone, rejected by the world. 

It had been Hide who reached out to him, pulling him from the darkness of his childhood. 

And now, because of Hide… 

Kaneki had managed to cling to the last fragment of his humanity. 

"And… goodbye…" 

Tears slipped silently down Kaneki's cheeks. 

However… 

Just as Kaneki resigned himself to death, longing for an end to his torment, a radiant light burst into the void of his conscious world. 

A sacred light, piercing the darkness like a blade splitting the heavens, illuminated everything in its path. 

From within the light, a massive, warm hand emerged. 

Under Kaneki's stunned gaze, the hand reached for him, grasping him firmly and lifting him effortlessly from the abyss. 

As this happened, a voice resonated in his ears, rich with emotion: 

"That's enough, young man." 

Kaneki's eyes fluttered open, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, he saw light. 

In an instant, his consciousness returned to the real world. 

His body, once consumed by the violent frenzy of a ghoul, gradually reverted to its human form. 

The wounds inflicted by his rampaging kagune began to heal, transforming into unblemished skin. 

If not for his bloodstained clothes and the pool of blood beneath him… 

Kaneki might have dismissed the ordeal as nothing more than a grotesque nightmare. 

"Excuse me… who are you?" 

Feeling an unfamiliar vigor coursing through his body, Kaneki hesitated but couldn't help voicing his confusion to the figure before him. 

However… 

The man—Enel—who had healed Kaneki's injuries with a mere wave of his hand, smiled knowingly but did not answer immediately. 

Instead, he said: 

"Congratulations, young man." 

"You've successfully passed the test." 

"Test?" 

Kaneki blinked in bewilderment. 

"What test?" 

"The test of a trader, of course!" 

Enel replied matter-of-factly, his smile widening. 

As he spoke, he extended a finger toward Kaneki's forehead. 

The moment it touched, a torrent of information surged into Kaneki's mind, flowing like a steady stream and engraving itself into his memory—details of something far beyond his comprehension: dimensional transactions. 

"This is…" 

Kaneki's eyes widened in shock, his expression filled with disbelief. 

In an instant, everything clicked in his mind. 

"Sir Enel, this…" 

He stumbled over his words as Enel's identity and name surfaced in his memory. He hesitated for a long moment, unsure of what to say. 

Before Kaneki could gather his thoughts, Enel, the dimensional merchant, broke the silence. 

"There's no need to be nervous, Kaneki," Enel said calmly. 

"Since you've passed my test, it means you meet the criteria of a trader. Speak freely—say what's in your heart." 

"…Yes." 

Kaneki nodded eagerly, taking a deep breath. 

Images of the incredible items and concepts that had flashed through his mind resurfaced. Each promised solutions to any problem, and for the first time in a long while, hope began to bloom in his heart. 

Without hesitation, he asked: 

"Sir Enel… can I conduct a dimensional trade with you?" 

"Of course!" 

"That's precisely why I've come to this world." 

Enel's smile was gentle. Then, his expression shifted, and he spoke with a knowing grin: 

"However, Kaneki, have you decided what you'll use to trade with me?" 

"Ah!?" 

Kaneki froze, the question catching him off guard. 

In his excitement, he had only thought about what he could gain and completely overlooked the cost—the most critical part of the transaction. 

And as he considered it further, he realized he had nothing of value for such an extraordinary exchange. 

"This…" 

Kaneki's heart sank, his enthusiasm dimming. 

He murmured silently to himself: 'I thought I could finally escape this ghoul identity and become human again through dimensional trade…' 

But suddenly, a thought sparked in his mind, reigniting his hope. 

"Wait! Ghoul…!?" 

An idea took shape, and Kaneki quickly looked up at Enel. 

"Sir Enel… can I trade the ghoul organs in my body?" 

If there was anything in his possession worth trading, it could only be his kagune—the organ that defined his ghoul nature. 

He had just experienced its immense power firsthand. It allowed him to defeat the experienced ghoul Nishio with ease, proving its exceptional strength. Surely, it could be worth a significant amount in a dimensional trade. 

Moreover, if he rid himself of the kagune, perhaps he could revert to being human. 

This organ, foreign to the human body, could be removed without causing him harm. 

As expected, Enel's response was quick and affirmative. 

"Hm… a combat-capable biological organ that can extend outside the body?" 

"Although it seems to be classified as D-level, considering its growth potential…" 

"Yes, it's definitely a viable trade item." 

Enel nodded, smiling. 

"That's great!" 

Kaneki's face lit up with relief and joy. 

But just as he was about to propose trading his kagune, Enel's next words doused his enthusiasm like a cold shower. 

"However, young Kaneki, I wouldn't recommend trading your own kagune." 

"Your body is already saturated with ghoul cells. Even if the kagune is harmlessly removed through dimensional trade…" 

"…your body will still function like a ghoul's. You won't be able to digest normal food…" 

"…and there could be uncontrollable side effects." 

"How… how can this be…" 

Kaneki's voice trembled as despair crept back into his heart. 

Before he could fully succumb to his disappointment, Enel spoke again, his tone laced with encouragement: 

"However, while you can't trade your own kagune…" 

"…you could trade the kagune of another ghoul. Couldn't you?" 

"What!?" 

Kaneki's head shot up in shock, following Enel's gaze as he pointed behind him. 

Turning around, Kaneki's eyes landed on the lifeless body of Nishio—the ghoul he had defeated in his earlier frenzy. 

According to the original timeline, Nishio was never meant to die at Kaneki's hands. 

However, the arrival of Enel seemed to have caused a significant deviation in this world. This alteration led Kaneki, in his violent state, to completely kill Nishio in a single blow. 

At that moment, Kaneki immediately grasped Enel's intention. 

"Sir Enel wants me to… use Nishio-senpai's kagune for the trade!?" 

This thought surged in Kaneki's mind, bringing with it immense resistance. 

Trading a ghoul's organs for dimensional commerce—how was that any different from consuming ghouls like a monster? 

But then… 

Kaneki's gaze shifted to Hideyoshi, lying unconscious on the cold ground. 

"But…" 

"If I can't break free from this ghoul imprisonment—if I let this opportunity slip away…" 

"…then there's no future for me!" 

Faced with this life-or-death situation, something within Kaneki seemed to shift entirely. 

Countless thoughts raced through his mind before he finally steeled himself. Slowly, he raised his foot and stepped toward Nishio's lifeless body. 

No one could comprehend the turmoil raging inside him at that moment. 

To prevent himself from becoming a man-eating monster… to protect his friends from harm… 

Kaneki was prepared to stain his hands with blood. 

Because he had no other choice. 

With a sharp breath, Kaneki suddenly drove a steel pipe into Nishio's body. 

Using knowledge from the educational programs he had once watched, he carefully opened Nishio's corpse piece by piece. 

Soon, he found it—a strange, blue organ, pulsating like a living heart. 

"This is it!" 

Suppressing the revulsion rising in his chest, Kaneki stretched out his trembling hand and peeled the organ from Nishio's body. 

"Sir Enel, can we trade now?" 

Kaneki's voice was calm, yet his expression revealed the inner conflict boiling within him. He held the bloody organ aloft, his demeanor utterly transformed. 

His expression wasn't one of joy, nor was it entirely one of despair. 

It carried the same melancholy as Nishio's before him—an air of bitterness and disillusionment with the world. 

The only difference was… 

Though Kaneki was filled with disappointment in this cruel world, there was still a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes—a light that refused to be extinguished. 

"Very well," Enel said with a smile, nodding approvingly. 

Without hesitation, he summoned the trade interface in Kaneki's mind. 

---

A few minutes later. 

When Kaneki opened his eyes again, a floating Rotom-like mobile device hovered before him. 

"Congratulations, young Kaneki," Enel said with an approving tone. 

"You are now a Level 2 VIP member of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce." 

"This device is a gift from the Chamber of Commerce. Use it well." 

"Thank you," Kaneki replied, nodding as he reached out to take the room mobile phone. 

As someone from the modern era, Kaneki was no stranger to mobile phones. 

However, this phone was unique—it seemed almost alive. 

Opening the information interface, Kaneki immediately noticed his points balance: 

[Current Points: 2000] 

"Nishio-senpai's kagune is worth two thousand points?" 

Kaneki nodded quietly to himself. He wasn't sure if he felt relief at becoming a trader or satisfaction at Nishio's unexpected contribution. 

But these thoughts quickly faded. 

Because what came next… was the real turning point. 

Seeing the eager and expectant look in Kaneki's eyes, Enel wasted no time and summoned a glowing screen. 

Displayed on the screen was a radiant emerald-green energy sphere, emitting a mesmerizing and almost hypnotic light. 

Enel began to introduce it: 

"The Essence of Life is a miraculous energy, practically omnipotent for physical beings," he explained. 

"Prolonging life, healing injuries, enhancing potential—there's almost nothing it can't accomplish." 

"The problem you're currently facing lies in the ghoul genes within your body, which cause your organs to reject anything other than human flesh. This prevents you from obtaining nutrients from normal food." 

"But…" 

"With just a small sphere of Life Essence, worth about 500 points, you can transform your body and achieve a complete evolution of your being." 

"Once transformed…" 

"You will no longer be tormented by the rampant ghoul factors caused by extreme hunger. Instead, you'll be able to absorb the nutrients provided by ordinary food, which will not only sustain you but also rapidly strengthen your body." 

"Other than developing a voracious appetite that might drain your wallet, there are no notable downsides." 

"So, what do you think of this product?" Enel asked with a gentle smile.

Under normal circumstances, according to the rules of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce, only VIP Level 6 members and above were eligible to purchase Life Essence. 

However, given the uniqueness of Kaneki's situation and Enel's personal compassion, he made a special request to Leo, the overseer of the Chamber of Commerce. 

Naturally, Leo approved the request without hesitation. 

Rules, after all, are static, but people and circumstances are dynamic. 

Just as it was with Kaido's case, these rules were designed primarily to encourage traders to engage in more transactions for better products. 

As long as the request promoted beneficial dimensional trades, Leo had no objections. 

As Kaneki gazed at the glowing Life Essence displayed on the screen, a lump formed in his throat. 

In a single day, he had experienced more turmoil and transformation than in the entirety of the past year. 

Without a doubt, this product was his answer. 

The moment Enel posed the question, Kaneki nodded without hesitation and used 500 points to purchase the Life Essence. 

In an instant, a divine aura of life enveloped his body. 

He felt an overwhelming surge of power as his body began to evolve under the influence of the Life Essence. 

Where he was once a hybrid—half-human, half-ghoul—Kaneki was now something entirely new. 

He had transcended both humanity and ghoulkind. 

Kaneki now possessed the fearsome regenerative capabilities and immense strength of a ghoul while gaining the ability to grow even stronger by consuming ordinary food. 

It was clear: 

Even if Kaneki ceased all dimensional transactions from this moment on, his potential alone could propel him to the apex of this world. 

The dimensional transaction had brought him unimaginable surprises. 

As he reveled in the sensation of his hunger for human flesh fading, Kaneki knew he had only scratched the surface of what was possible. 

With three-fourths of his 2,000 points remaining, he wasn't about to stop now. 

Eager to thrive in this brutal world, Kaneki's gaze quickly shifted to the second product Enel recommended: 

[Blood Demon Art: Combustible Blood].