Three days later.
Punk Hazard.
After seeing off the visitor, Sakazuki obtained a virus from Vegapunk and prepared to depart.
Below the warship, Karrul held the latest intelligence report and said:
"Admiral Sakazuki, another major war has broken out in the New World."
Sakazuki walked over:
"What's the situation?"
Karrul said:
"Kaido, one of the Four Emperors, and Red-Haired Shanks are engaged in a fierce battle on Kukkus Island."
"However, neither side could gain the upper hand, and they eventually parted ways."
"Kukkus Island sank... the residents..."
Sakazuki's eyes narrowed:
"They couldn't gain the upper hand, huh..."
"Growing so fast..."
"It seems a fourth pirate emperor will be born in a few years."
Karrul was taken aback:
"That soon?"
"He's about the same age as Enel, isn't he?"
"Talent is really unpredictable."
"Rosinante is also the same age as Enel..."
A few dark lines appeared on Karrul's forehead:
"Uh..."
"That's true."
"But total annihilation..."
Sakazuki shook his head:
"Countless towns are wiped out by pirates every year."
"Some kill more, some kill less."
"This island is just a small microcosm, there's no time to lament."
"Let's go, we're departing."
"Time to get down to business."
Recalling Devil Fruits...
Sakazuki walked up the stairs onto the warship.
Karrul folded the newspaper and followed him.
Shortly after, all personnel boarded, and the warship slowly set sail.
The direction of departure was the first half of the Grand Line...
After the new Fleet Admiral was appointed, Sakazuki took the initiative to propose patrolling the Grand Line and combating pirates.
As always, relentless battle on the front lines... which brought Sengoku a measure of peace.
-------
Inside the warship's cabin.
Sakazuki was planning the route.
He finally drew a large cross over a place called 'Fire Country':
"Let's go here first."
Karrul looked at the location, recalling the information:
"This is for the Fungus-Fungus Fruit, isn't it?"
"Twelve years ago, the former King of Drum Island exiled the first prince, Mushuru, an ability user of the Fungus-Fungus Fruit."
Sakazuki nodded:
"Correct."
"That fruit is known as the most malicious ability."
"Besides cultivating fungi as a means, it has a special ability that can only be used once every ten years."
"Spore Bomb."
"If the environment is favorable, it can destroy a country in a matter of moments."
"The commotion that guy caused back then was even heard within the Marines."
Karrul thought for a moment:
"Yes, it was too insane."
"The former King of Drum Island was a good king, but he raised two sons..."
"It's a long story..."
Twelve years ago, the first prince of Drum Island, Mushuru.
While the former King of Drum Island was attending the World Conference, he used the Spore Bomb, which could only be used once a decade, and fired it at Drum Island.
Under the guise of "testing his abilities."
If it weren't for Drum Island's blizzards that made it difficult for the ability to spread, Drum Island would have been destroyed.
However, that incident also resulted in the area where the Spore Bomb was launched becoming devoid of life... directly killing one-tenth of Drum Island's population.
The former King of Drum Island, who was attending the World Conference at the time, was so enraged that he nearly died.
This incident, which occurred during the World Conference, was also heard by the Marines.
After being rescued, the former King of Drum Island immediately withdrew from the World Conference and returned home.
But in the end, he couldn't bring himself to punish him, after all, it was his own son...
Because the effect of the Fungus-Fungus Fruit diminishes in high-temperature environments.
It was therefore exiled to his friend, King Cilaire, in 'Fire Country'...
Sakazuki chuckled:
"Then let him have no descendants."
"I've already sent Barret to Drum Island."
"You will take this virus and the Devil Fruit Retriever with you."
"Once this virus is ingested, the victim will die without any warning, and even if it's sent to the Marine research team for examination, the result will be natural death."
"As for this Devil Fruit Retriever, insert its spikes into a hidden part of the flesh."
"Watch them die, and the Devil Fruit's ability will be transferred into the fruit within this container."
"It will transform into a new Devil Fruit."
Taking the two items handed over by Sakazuki, Karrul scratched his head:
"Understood..."
"But how should I deliver it..."
Sakazuki produced a pale white Devil Fruit and handed it to him:
"Eat this, and you'll know."
Karrul took the Devil Fruit and looked at it:
"This is a Paramecia type, can it fly?"
After all, they had only just departed from Punk Hazard, and it would not be easy to reach Drum Island in the first half of the Grand Line with an ordinary fruit.
Karrul took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and took a bite.
His brows furrowed, he chewed a few times, and swallowed with some pain:
"I'm going to die..."
Sakazuki chuckled and handed him a cup of water.
Karrul took it and drank it down, letting out a long sigh:
"Hoo—"
"I'm alive."
Sakazuki said:
"Try it."
Karrul nodded, concentrated his power, and sensed something... Suddenly his eyes widened in shock, and he looked at Sakazuki.
Karrul, who was standing in his original spot, instantly disappeared and reappeared on the sofa to his left.
*Swish*—
*Swish*—
*Swish*—
Figures flickered, disappearing and reappearing without warning.
*Swish*—
He reappeared in his original position.
Karrul's shock had not yet subsided:
"This is teleportation."
Sakazuki nodded:
"Correct, a Paramecia type, the Teleport-Teleport Fruit."
"The previous owner of the ability was a member of the government's CP."
"The earliest I recall is the Battle of God Valley."
"Later, during the Sgree Sea Battle, Quell was also brought back by him, I don't know if you've seen him."
Karrul recalled:
"Is that so..."
"Vice Admiral Quell was brought back by him."
"But we had already departed by then, so we didn't see him."
"So, before the Sgree Sea Battle, you and Fleet Admiral Sengoku were rushed there by him, right?"
Sakazuki nodded:
"That's right."
"This fruit is an unexpected bonus."
"The government has also been researching the technology to retrieve Devil Fruits."
"But it hasn't been effective."
"Later, it was led by Mr. Vegapunk."
"After several years of research, there has been some progress."
"But the success rate is not high, only one percent."
"This guy was already old, and coupled with the injuries sustained during missions in his youth, he wouldn't live much longer."
"So he was brought here, hoping to see if his fruit could be recovered."
'A gamble.'
"The result... 'naturally' failed."
"As for the government trying to find it again, it's unlikely."
"It has probably 'reborn' in some sunless corner of the sea, awaiting its next host."
Karrul smiled and made an okay sign:
"Understood."