"Captain, there's an auction in the Kingdom of Nion in two days. A Devil Fruit is the star attraction. Want to check it out?" Hill asked, her eyes scanning the newspaper in her hands for any news of the elusive fruits.
Ren Kurogane took the paper, looked at the photograph of the fruit, and shook his head. "That looks like a Paramecia. It's not what I'm looking for."
"I see. Never mind then."
Law looked up, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "What kind of fruit are you looking for, Captain?"
"A Mythical Zoan," Ren stated firmly. "I don't have much interest in standard Paramecias or Logias. Only a top-tier Mythical Zoan is worthy of being my goal!"
"A top-tier Mythical Zoan... those are rarer than Logias," Klin remarked with a faint smile. "There are probably fewer than ten known Mythical Zoans in the entire world right now."
"Exactly, Captain. Your standards are way too high~" Blue said, resting his head on his arms. "I'd settle for a Paramecia. They say the strongest man in the world, Whitebeard, is a Tremor-Tremor Fruit user, and that's a Paramecia!"
"That's not just a rumor; it's a fact," Ren said. "And mark my words, once we reach the New World, I'm definitely going to have a fight with Whitebeard!"
"Hey, hey! Don't go setting such impossible goals so suddenly!" Law sighed, sounding exhausted. "Do you have any idea how strong Whitebeard is? He's a monster who can flip an entire island with ease!"
The newspapers were full of such reports—stories of the Four Emperors destroying islands, slaughtering fleets, or leveling mountains during their skirmishes. With photos of devastated ruins accompanying the articles, the credibility seemed high to the general public.
However, only those involved knew the truth. Ren didn't believe for a second that an old man like Whitebeard went around destroying islands for fun. Why would he use the Tremor-Tremor Fruit to accelerate his own death?
Ren glanced at the paper again—mostly useless filler—and tossed it onto the table, grinning at his crew. "Don't worry! That Whitebeard fellow won't be a match for me!"
"Man, where do you get this confidence?" Blue looked at his captain with a deadpan expression. "But fine, if the Captain's goal is that high, we can't afford to lag behind. I've decided—I'm going to get stronger too! I'll start by eating an extra bowl of rice tomorrow!"
"You just want an excuse to eat more!"
"Ah, you caught me~"
Despite the jokes, Blue joined Law the next day for the daily "beatdown training." His physical stats were lower than Law's—he was a regular human without a Devil Fruit or prior systematic training. But because of that, his progress was visible to the naked eye.
After a week of sailing and training, Blue's muscle definition had become sharp. Surprisingly, he had a natural affinity for Armament Haki. After only a week of being pummeled, he could already sense the "flow" of his internal energy.
Olisi Town
This was a lawless zone in the North Blue, perpetually occupied by pirates. It served as the final stop for those heading toward the Grand Line—much like Loguetown in the East Blue. However, while Loguetown was under strict Marine control, Olisi Town was a pirate's paradise.
"After this, we enter the Grand Line. We need to stock up on a lot of supplies. Klin, stay with the ship. Everyone else, help with the shopping," Hill commanded, leading the group ashore with a long shopping list.
Compared to the previous islands, the environment in Olisi Town was wretched. Screams echoed from narrow alleys, and red fluid could be seen trickling out from the shadows.
In one corner, a group of emaciated addicts held their stashes with blissful expressions, only to be dragged behind a building by a thug who didn't like the look of them. There were even open slave markets; men and women knelt on the ground with hollow eyes, waiting to be inspected like livestock.
Ren's group stood out sharply in the crowd with their clean clothes and confident stride. Some who recognized Ren from his bounty poster tucked their heads and hurried away.
But there are always those too thick-headed to know better. Seeing a golden-haired beauty like Hill, several thugs' eyes glazed over. Some even began to drool, wearing expressions of pure lechery.
Hill frowned, doing her best to ignore the stares. Ren, however, was far less patient. My woman, and you pieces of trash look at her like you want to devour her?
He glared at the crowd, and his Conqueror's Haki erupted!
As the invisible pressure swept out, the drooling thugs instantly rolled their eyes and collapsed. Even the most foolish pirates realized Ren's terror. Those who had harbored illicit thoughts fled immediately, not daring to take another step toward the group.
Under Hill's efficient lead, they finished their shopping quickly. Carrying piles of supplies, the group returned to the ship. None of them wanted to spend a second longer than necessary on that filthy island.
Thud!
Ren dropped a crate onto the deck and let out a heavy sigh. "I've never felt this tired during training. Shopping with Hill is exhausting."
"Anyway... set sail!"
At Hill's command, Klin hauled up the anchor, and the Starsea hurried away from the island. Only when the land vanished from the horizon did Hill let out a long breath. "Phew! Finally away from that dump!"
If it weren't the only place to get supplies for the crossing, she would never have set foot in such a place.
"It really was a mess. I bet even the islands in the Grand Line are better than that," Blue noted.
"Of course. The Grand Line is the hub of trade for all four seas. As long as it isn't an island of complete idiots, it'll be wealthier than the blues," Grey added with the air of an experienced traveler.
Ren thought to himself, Too bad there actually is a place in the Grand Line just as bad as Olisi Town. He wasn't sure if they'd end up on Luffy's original route, so the chances of visiting Jaya were slim.
Hill fiddled with the Log Pose on her wrist. Once they reached the Grand Line, the magnetic fields would become chaotic, rendering regular compasses useless. They would have to rely entirely on the Log Pose to navigate.
"The books say the magnetic fields in the New World are even worse. A standard Log Pose won't work there. Once we hit Sabaody, I'll have to upgrade!"
"Upgrade away! Get the best one money can buy!" Ren added casually.
"Hehe! Thanks, Captain!"
As they drew closer to Reverse Mountain, the atmosphere grew strangely heavy.
"Have you guys noticed? It's gotten... too quiet," Hill said, looking around.
"Has it? I actually like it. It's perfect for a nap~" Ren rolled over, intending to go back to sleep. Suddenly, a jolt of danger spiked in his heart.
Ren snapped awake, leaping to his feet and throwing a punch toward the starboard side of the ship!
BOOM!
The air exploded, and black lightning crackled! The shockwave cleared the surrounding mist, revealing a massive silhouette hidden within.
Meanwhile, back in Olisi Town, Hawkins cut down a reckless attacker. He looked toward Reverse Mountain and whispered to himself, "Ren Kurogane... the divination was not wrong. Today marks the greatest disaster of your life."
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