Chapter 111: Childlike Fruit
At this time, the Corrida Colosseum was not the lively venue it was during the alliance of the Straw Hat Pirates and Trafalgar Law. Nor was it hosting a tournament to determine the winner of the Flame-Flame Fruit. Instead, the arena was solemn and empty.
A large number of 'Thunder Soldiers,' composed of toy soldiers, blocked all entrances to the Colosseum, preventing anyone from entering.
Most of these toy soldiers had been transformed from humans into toys by Sugar, a special officer of the Donquixote Family, using the powers of the Hobi Hobi no Mi (Childlike Fruit).
It's worth noting that Sugar was classified as a "special" officer by Doflamingo due to the broken nature of her Devil Fruit. With a single touch, she can turn any living being into a toy. While in toy form, the person retains their thoughts and speech, but their body is entirely controlled by Sugar.
The type and style of the toy are based entirely on Sugar's preferences. Most frighteningly, once transformed, everyone who previously knew the victim loses all memory of them. It's as if the person never existed.
Over the years, Sugar has categorized her toy victims into two types: tool dolls and Thunder Soldier troops. She binds both types with contracts—prohibiting them from harming humans or rebelling against the Donquixote Family. They're forced to labor or fight to the death.
Another terrifying side effect of the Hobi Hobi no Mi is that Sugar herself stopped aging when she ate it. Her appearance, height, and physical age are frozen at the age she consumed the fruit. Though she looks like a young girl around seven or eight, she is actually 22 years old.
The only known way to break her ability is to make her lose consciousness. Once Sugar faints, all those transformed into toys revert to their human form, and everyone's memories of them return.
Due to how essential she is, Torrebol—one of the top executives—always acts as Sugar's bodyguard.
"Hey, Sugar-chan, let the toy soldiers handle things here. Let's go to the palace where it's safer," Torrebol coaxed, sticking close behind Sugar.
"I don't want to," Sugar pouted and turned to glare at him. "I'm a family officer too! I won't run away without a fight."
"I want to fight too!" she declared, raising her tiny fists.
"But Sugar-chan, your power isn't suited for head-on battles. You can stay behind and command the Thunder Soldiers instead—there's no need to risk yourself," Torrebol continued to persuade her.
"No~ I said I want to fight." Sugar ignored him and marched toward the front gate. "They're strong intruders. I want to turn them all into toys... then let them fight for us."
"Sugar-chan..." Torrebol tried to stop her, but at that moment, the arena gate exploded open. Thunder Soldiers and debris were sent flying.
Three figures stepped through the smoke—Vores, Skaar, and Yaki—members of the Spade Pirates assigned to capture Caesar.
"Intruders!" Sugar gasped, not in fear but in joy. She excitedly ran forward, yelling, "I'll turn you all into toys!"
Torrebol panicked and shouted, "Sugar-chan! Those aren't enemies you can handle—come back now!"
"A kid?" Vores and Skaar frowned as they noticed Sugar charging toward them. Yaki, who looked brutish but had a soft spot for children, stepped forward to stop her.
"Hey, hey," Yaki said, placing his hand gently on Sugar's head and squatting down. "This isn't a place for a little kid like you. Run along home, okay?"
"How dare you look down on me!" Sugar shouted angrily. She grabbed Yaki's hand, activating her Devil Fruit power.
"Yaki, careful!" Vores shouted, realizing what was happening—but it was too late.
"Toy Bear!" Sugar transformed Yaki into a teddy bear in an instant. At the same time, Vores and Skaar completely forgot his existence.
"Strange... I feel like I've forgotten something important," Vores muttered as he looked at the bear.
"Me too," Skaar added, face tense.
Even Torrebol was stunned. A Spade Pirates officer with a bounty of 186 million had been toyified so easily.
"Seems the Spade Pirates let their guard down around children," Torrebol mused. "Maybe Sugar really can win this."
Sugar licked her lips and gave an innocent smile as she walked toward Vores and Skaar. Just as she reached out to touch Skaar's leg, Vores yanked him aside.
"Be careful, Skaar. Ace told me there's a girl in the Donquixote Family with the Hobi Hobi no Mi. Anyone she touches turns into a toy, and we'll forget they ever existed."
He narrowed his eyes at Sugar. "That girl is the one. And someone—probably one of us—has already been turned into a toy. That's why we feel like something's missing."
Skaar's expression hardened. Though he and Vores were now on guard, neither could bring themselves to attack someone who looked so much like a child.
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