Marcus, Aldo, and the others rushed over after hearing the commotion caused by Gade's transformation.
"Boss! That noise just now… was that Gade?"
"We saw something from far away—it looked like a rhino!"
"Did he… eat a Devil Fruit?!"
"Yes. It was Gade."
Sami nodded.
"He bought a Devil Fruit from that fruit stall for 10,000 Beli."
"It's the Zoan-type Ox-Ox Fruit, Model: Rhinoceros."
"WOOOAH—!!!"
Everyone howled in envy.
"Ten thousand Beli?! A Devil Fruit?!"
Aldo beat his chest like he had just lost several fortunes.
"This Sky Island is a treasure land!"
"Nobody's been up here digging for years, so good stuff is just rotting on the street?!"
"Brothers, what are we waiting for?!"
"Target—fruit stalls! Charge!"
"Maybe we'll find another bargain!"
Several excited sailors immediately started shouting and prepared to run off.
Sami shook his head.
Devil Fruits were incredibly rare.
Finding even one was already an absurd stroke of luck.
There was no way they were lying around everywhere.
Still…
He didn't stop them.
Deep down, he thought—
What if…?
Thinking about Devil Fruits reminded Sami of another one.
A far more powerful one.
The Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Among Logia fruits, it was considered top-tier.
If he remembered correctly—
It should be on Birka, another Sky Island.
Sami himself couldn't eat a second fruit.
But if he obtained the Rumble-Rumble Fruit—
Whether used as a strategic deterrent or given to a trusted officer—
It would be an enormous upgrade.
Birka…
Where exactly is it located?
He would have to ask around.
Just then—
A series of hurried footsteps came from the street.
The fruit vendor from earlier had returned.
Behind him followed a Sky Island security squad of about thirty men.
The vendor's earlier sly expression had disappeared.
Now he wore a dramatic look of righteous anger.
"Officer! It's them!"
"These rude Blue Sea people!"
"They used violence and forced me to sell my treasured Devil Fruit for only 100 million Extol!"
"That fruit was a family heirloom!"
"You must bring justice for honest merchants like us!"
"Devil Fruit?!"
The captain of the guard was a stern middle-aged Sky Islander.
He followed the vendor's finger and looked toward Sami's group.
Then his eyes fell on the bitten fruit in Sami's hand.
His heart jolted.
Regret surged inside him.
That old bastard's fruit…
The one sitting in his shop for two years…
Was actually a Devil Fruit?!
If I had known, I would've bought it myself…
He quickly suppressed his thoughts.
Then spoke coldly.
"Blue Sea people!"
"We have received a report that you forced a transaction and disrupted market order!"
"As captain of the Third District Guard, I order you to surrender immediately!"
"If you cooperate, pay a fine, and serve three years of labor, your punishment will be reduced!"
"Huh?!"
Gade, who had just changed clothes, exploded with anger.
He stepped forward and pointed at the vendor.
"Forced transaction?!"
"You've got some nerve!"
"Who said it was a thousand-year miracle fruit?"
"Who promised a refund if it didn't taste good?!"
"Who said the original price was one billion and gave a 'friendship price' of one hundred million?!"
"And the moment you got the money you hung up a No Refunds sign!"
"Who's the liar here?!"
The guard captain ignored him completely.
He didn't care about the truth.
He only wanted to control these Blue Sea visitors quickly.
His expression darkened.
His hand moved toward the weapon at his waist.
"Enough!"
"You Blue Sea people should know your place!"
"Continue arguing and you'll be charged with obstructing law enforcement!"
"Don't blame us for using force!"
Sami watched the scene unfold.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Ah… I get it."
"The merchant sells fake goods."
"He sets a trap, promises one thing, then refuses later."
"And you guards don't bother checking the facts."
"You just support him and plan to arrest us?"
The guard captain's eyes flashed.
"How dare you!"
"You dare slander law enforcement?!"
"Are you resisting arrest?"
"Violent resistance and obstructing law enforcement are serious crimes on Aramuk Island!"
"The maximum punishment is Cloud Drift Execution."
"That's the death penalty!"
"Death penalty?"
Sami laughed softly.
"As if."
"That only matters if you can actually catch us."
Then he glanced toward Gade.
"Gade."
"Stretch your legs."
"Let them see your new power."
"Don't hold back."
"Heh!"
"No problem, Captain!"
"I've been holding back my anger for a while!"
The next second—
Before the terrified eyes of the guards and the crowd—
Gade transformed again.
His skin thickened.
His bones expanded.
Muscles surged.
In an instant—
A three-meter-tall rhinoceros beast appeared in the middle of the street.
"Mo—monster!"
"He really transformed!"
"ROOOAR—!"
Gade roared and charged forward like a living war machine.
"Attack! Stop him!"
Several guards quickly raised their bows.
Instead of arrows, they fired solid white cloud arrows.
Others rode Wavers across temporary cloud paths and slashed with swords.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Their blades struck Gade's thick hide.
But only shallow white marks appeared.
The recoil numbed their wrists.
"How is that possible?!"
"His hide is too thick!"
"We can't cut through it!"
Gade completely ignored them.
He swung his massive head.
His powerful neck muscles moved with terrifying force.
BAM!
One guard trying to flank him was sent flying along with his Waver.
CRASH!
Another was kicked away like a rag doll.
Then a third.
A fourth.
Gade didn't even need to charge seriously.
Just casual movements—like swatting flies—
And the thirty guards collapsed across the street.
Gade shook his head and scanned the area.
"Where's that vendor?"
"Ran away already?"
"Since that's the case…"
"That scam shop doesn't need to exist anymore."
He snorted and lowered his horns.
BOOOOM!!!
The fruit stall and the shack behind it collapsed instantly under the rhino charge.
Wood, fruit, and debris scattered everywhere.
"You… you…"
The surviving guard captain staggered to his feet.
His voice trembled with anger—and fear.
He grabbed a snail-shaped communication shell.
"Third District! Third District under attack!"
"Violent assault by Blue Sea people!"
"Requesting reinforcements immediately!"
"Repeat—requesting full support!"
A sharp alarm echoed across the island.
Soon—
More footsteps approached.
From every direction.
Over one hundred guards appeared.
They surrounded Sami's group with weapons drawn and Wavers ready.
Marcus snorted.
"Looks like this won't end peacefully."
His hand rested on his sword.
Aldo grinned and licked his lips.
"Heh."
"That kid Gade took all the fun earlier."
"I haven't even warmed up yet."
Sami simply said four words.
"Finish it quickly."
The battle that followed was completely one-sided.
These Sky Island guards might have been strong against civilians.
Their dial weapons and Wavers were unique.
But against the battle-hardened elite of the Jellyfish Pirates—
They were helpless.
Sami didn't even bother fighting.
He simply stayed beside Barry.
Within minutes—
The fight was over.
More than a hundred guards lay scattered across the street.
Fewer than twenty were still standing.
And none dared approach again.
Broken Wavers and dial weapons littered the ground.
Several nearby buildings had been damaged.
"How is this possible?!"
"Blue Sea people should become weak on Sky Islands!"
"They're monsters!"
Sami ignored them.
His eyes drifted toward the distant Sky Island residents hiding behind buildings.
Their gazes were filled with fear and disbelief.
"…Tch."
Sami clicked his tongue.
The fearful stares and the pointless conflict caused by greed and favoritism annoyed him.
"What a disappointment."
"We barely explored the island and already got dragged into this mess."
He turned toward the crew.
"Let's go."
"Next destination."
"Yes, Captain!"
"Wait."
Sami suddenly remembered something.
He walked toward the injured guard captain.
The man trembled as Sami approached.
Sami looked down at him coldly.
"One question."
"Where is Birka?"
"Give me the Log Pose pointing to it."
The guard captain froze.
He hadn't expected that question.
But seeing Sami's cold eyes—
He knew refusing meant death.
With shaking hands, he pulled out a small delicate Log Pose.
"B-Birka…"
"It's southeast of the White Sea…"
"This pointer… indicates its general direction…"
"Thanks."
Sami said casually.
Then he patted the man's shoulder.
"But I really hate people like you."
"Next life… try being fair."
He turned and walked away.
Leaving only one word behind.
"Aldo."
"Heh."
"Got it!"
Aldo grinned.
He had been waiting for this.
He swung his spiked club down at the guard captain.
"You—you can't—!!!"
The man screamed.
BOOM!!!
The spiked club smashed him into the cloud ground like a nail.
A deep crater formed in the island cloud.
Aldo casually slung the club over his shoulder and followed Sami.
"Boss. Done."
"Good."
Sami took out the Log Pose again and checked the direction.
Birka.
The Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
The so-called strongest Logia.
It was worth making a special trip.
But then a thought crossed his mind.
…Who should eat it?
Sami sighed.
"Man…"
"That's actually a tough decision."
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