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The Straw Hats embarked on their journey once again.
Before they left, Chopper made sure to leave plenty of medicine for Zenny. Although it couldn't fully cure his illness, it would help him live for a few more years.
Ace stood on the deck of the Going Merry, gazing at the calm sea with a complicated expression.
Ikki noticed and approached him with a smile. "What's on your mind? Still thinking about chasing down Blackbeard?"
Ace nodded resolutely. "Yeah. My whole reason for leaving the Whitebeard Pirates was to capture Teach. I promised Pops that I would bring him back."
Ace then turned to Ikki. "How long until we reach Sky Island?"
Ikki thought for a moment. "It shouldn't take too long as long as the Merry keeps sailing."
Just as Ikki finished speaking, the sound of cannon fire echoed in the distance.
Ikki pulled out a telescope from his space ring and saw two Marine warships pursuing a pirate ship.
But before he could decide whether to help the Marines, the pirate ship suddenly exploded.
"Huh. Seems like there are some pretty strong folks on that Marine warship," Ikki mused.
Nearby, a Marine Lieutenant Commander with a sturdy build, appearing to be in his fifties, observed the Going Merry through a spyglass.
Behind him stood a female officer of similar age.
"Heh... So the Straw Hats' Private Marines have finally arrived," the Lieutenant Commander said with a grin.
"Yes... The wheel of fate is beginning to turn..." the woman replied.
The Going Merry sailed closer to the two Marine warships. The Lieutenant Commander, still holding his telescope, gave the Straw Hats a respectful salute, flashing a broad, welcoming smile.
Sabo chuckled at the sight. "Looks like the Private Marine name is making the rounds among the Marines!"
"That's great!" Vivi added, stepping forward and handing Sabo a drink. "This way, we won't be chased all over by Marines!"
For Vivi, the Straw Hats' status as Private Marines was a major reason she felt safe joining their crew.
If they had been labeled as pirates, it could have caused immense trouble for Alabasta and her father, King Cobra.
After all, a princess becoming a pirate would be quite the scandal.
As the Going Merry sailed past the Marine warships, Ikki noticed the man and woman standing on the deck.
They were Rapanui and Isoka, characters tied to the Rainbow Mist arc.
Time truly was a mysterious force. Meeting them here meant they must have traveled back fifty years during their adventure in the Rainbow Mist.
Ikki's mind raced with possibilities. How will the story unfold from here? he wondered with excitement.
Smiling to himself, Ikki sat down on the deck and decided to do some more draws.
After numerous draws, Ikki realized there wasn't much difference between single draws and ten-pulls. In the end, he preferred the thrill of single draws.
[Obtained: Tiger Talisman]: A gold-level item from the world of Jackie Chan Adventures.
The Tiger Talisman's effects were astonishing—it could harmonize opposing forces within the body, allowing the user to simultaneously wield multiple Devil Fruit abilities. Additionally, if broken, it would physically split the user into two beings representing yin and yang.
Before Ikki could fully process this, Usopp's voice rang out from the watchtower.
"There's a treasure chest floating near the Merry!"
The moment treasure was mentioned, the first to react was, of course, Nami.
"Where?! Where?!" she cried, dashing to the ship's side.
She quickly spotted a football-sized treasure chest bobbing in the water. However, upon seeing its small size, her excitement deflated.
"Even if there's treasure inside, how much could it really hold?"
Still, treasure is treasure. With the mentality that even a little is better than nothing, Nami raised her Clima-Tact, conjuring a whirlwind that lifted the tiny chest onto the deck.
"This probably fell from that pirate ship that got blown up earlier," Ikki commented, glancing toward the Marine warship still pulling pirates from the sea.
"So… are you saying we should return it?" Nami shot Ikki a skeptical look.
"No… I'm saying that you should have someone with you when you open it. You never know if it's something valuable," Ikki advised.
Nami nodded, then carried the chest to the front deck of the Merry.
Seeing this, the entire crew gathered around, curious to see what was inside.
The chest was secured with a golden lock, but for the "Cat Burglar," that was hardly an issue. With just two thin wires, she picked it open in seconds.
As the lid creaked open, the crew leaned in—only to find not treasure or gold, but…
A Devil Fruit with a distinct spiral pattern.
Ace, having eaten a Devil Fruit himself, recognized it instantly.
"This is… a Devil Fruit!"
Nami's enthusiasm immediately dropped. "Ugh, it's not treasure?"
Sabo chuckled. "Don't be so disappointed, Nami. A single Devil Fruit can sell for at least 100 million berries."
At the mention of 100 million, Nami's eyes sparkled.
No one understood that number better than her. After all, she had spent years scamming, stealing, and saving to gather 100 million berries—only to have it stolen by Arlong. Yet here was a fruit worth that much just sitting in front of her!
Still, Sabo offered a different perspective.
"Honestly, instead of selling it, eating it would be more valuable," he mused. "Having a Devil Fruit ability can greatly increase someone's combat power!"
"I just wonder… what kind of fruit this is?"
Ikki picked up the fruit, then recalled the Tiger Talisman he had just obtained.
"If this fruit is powerful… Luffy, Ace, or even Chopper could eat it and become dual-fruit users…"
Even if they could only use one ability at a time without the talisman, that was still insanely overpowered.
Ikki examined the fruit closely. It was oval-shaped, with transparent leaves sprouting from one side. Its surface had the signature spiral pattern of all Devil Fruits.
Many believed you could identify a Devil Fruit's ability by its appearance, but the deeper one delved into the Grand Line, the more unreliable that method became.
Turning to Ace, Ikki asked, "The Whitebeard Pirates should have a Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, right? Can you tell what fruit this is?"
Ace took the fruit, inspecting it carefully. "I've read the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia before, but I didn't memorize all of it. I don't recognize this one."
Ikki thought for a moment, then grinned.
"Ace! How about it? Do you want to become a dual-fruit user?"