The next day, the number of black-clad figures on Canopy Island increased dramatically.
They could be seen on every street, growing in number by the hour—and as they did, the number of ordinary people on those same streets steadily decreased.
CP's expression grew increasingly grim.
The rumors were spreading fast—among both pirates and merchants alike:
Six Devil Fruits.
And a technique that could steal Devil Fruit abilities!
Now, the Celestial Dragons had arrived at the harbor.
At the grand welcoming ceremony, a grotesque Celestial Dragon, encased in a bubble-helmet, stepped ashore. The crowd along the dock instantly dropped to their knees in perfect unison.
Behind the Celestial Dragon was a well-dressed man in his fifties, speaking to him in hushed tones.
Those familiar with the Celestial Dragons' brutality had long since gone into hiding, fearing even incidental harm. Those witnessing a Celestial Dragon for the first time mostly felt… disappointment.
This was supposed to be a "god" from the Holy Land of Mary Geoise?
Ugly. Dripping with snot. Ridiculous.
Many merchant ships had already cleared out of the port the night before.
As for Weiss and his crew, they had wisely docked their ship at a privately guarded port—where vessels could be safely watched over without requiring the crew to stay behind.
They didn't even need to ask. Someone had already arrived to "guide" and evacuate them.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, was allowed to block the Celestial Dragon's path.
---
In stark contrast to the festive decorations at the harbor, the heart of Canopy Island was boiling with tension beneath a calm surface.
That morning, a mysterious message began circulating:
Five Zoan-type Devil Fruits were hidden somewhere on the island.
And even more shocking—King, one of the "All-Stars" of the Beasts Pirates, was rumored to be en route.
All to claim those five Devil Fruits.
Everyone knew Kaido was assembling an army composed entirely of Zoan users. If word got out that five such fruits were here, it was inevitable someone from his crew would come.
But no one expected King himself.
The timid had already begun fleeing by sea.
The brave—or the greedy—were now combing the island for any trace of the Devil Fruits.
Five fruits were enough to form a terrifying pirate crew.
If even one of them turned out to be an Ancient or Mythical Zoan, that crew might even rise to the very top of the world.
Canopy Island was already famous for its shipbuilding materials, attracting countless merchants and pirates alike. The only reason things hadn't erupted yet… was because no one had seen a Devil Fruit. Not yet.
But once they did—chaos would explode.
---
At the center of the island, inside a grand castle, Groo stood silently before a table.
Laid out before him were six Devil Fruits.
The entire castle was now under full lockdown. Former servants were armed to the teeth, their faces grim and murderous.
Groo's daughter had already been sent away the night before—spirited off aboard a ship.
A father doesn't want his child caught in the disaster he, himself, set into motion.
"Emmet, prepare to release two of the fruits. These people won't take action until they see the bait," Groo said, eyes glinting with sarcasm.
"Yes, Master."
"Matt, where is the Celestial Dragons now?"
"They've landed. Latest reports say they're heading this way."
"Good. Then spread the word."
Matt hesitated for a moment, then answered, "…Yes, sir."
He reached for the den den mushi to make the call.
---
Meanwhile, on a certain street, in a small restaurant—Weiss and his three companions were enjoying a rare, delicious meal.
None of the four were good cooks. Most of their usual meals barely passed as edible, let alone tasty.
"Captain, shouldn't we start looking for a cook? If this keeps up, I'm going to waste away," Jack said through a mouthful, no longer pretending to be cool among friends.
"You saying my cooking's bad?" Karina asked flatly, her cold stare sending shivers down Jack's spine.
"N-no! Of course not!" Jack waved his hands frantically, then went back to devouring his food. A meal this good was too rare to waste time talking.
The waiter had already brought out several rounds of dishes. The restaurant owner, seeing how much they were eating, could barely contain his joy.
Pirates and adventurers really were a gold mine—eating like they'd just returned from the dead.
Suddenly, a new group entered the restaurant.
Rough-looking men, one carrying a large box, barged in and slammed it on an empty table.
"Hey boss! Bring out your best food! All of it!"
The owner's eyes lit up—another fat lamb… er, customer.
He hurried over to greet them but paled when he caught sight of the box.
Still, he dared not speak and quietly instructed the waiters to serve them, retreating to the back himself.
Weiss glanced at the box and muttered, "You've got to be kidding me."
The entire restaurant's focus shifted to that one box.
The pirates' eyes gleamed with aggression.
The merchants drooled with greed.
"Captain, you think it's real?" Kadun asked, reluctantly pulling his gaze away from the box.
Weiss didn't answer.
Karina sneered, "Seriously, Kadun? You're supposed to be our navigator—our intellectual. Can't even see through a basic scam?"
"Well, the island's been weird ever since we landed. And with so many detailed rumors, it's hard not to believe it," Kadun shot back.
At that moment, someone finally cracked.
"Hey, you pirates—what's in that box? Is it a Devil Fruit?" a curious bystander asked.
The gruff pirate holding the box pointed at it. "Can't you read the label?"
Sure enough, scrawled across the box were the words:
"Contains Devil Fruit."
"So… it's real?" the bystander asked again.
"Why don't you shut up and open it already?" another pirate grumbled, annoyed.
One of them stepped forward without hesitation, opened the box, and revealed a banana-shaped fruit with intricate patterns. It sat quietly, gleaming with allure.
The pirate licked his lips and declared,
"Let me taste it to verify. If it's real, I'll share it with everyone!"
He lifted the fruit—and everyone saw it.
"You think we're idiots?!"
A dozen pirates leapt on him instantly.
The poor man was swallowed in smoke and cut down on the spot.
His role was complete.
And just like that—the Devil Fruit ignited the first spark.
Every fighter in the room lunged forward.
No one wanted someone else to claim the fruit.
Blades flashed. Screams rang out. Blood pooled across the floor.
And chaos erupted beyond control.
Some fought for the fruit.
Some for treasure.
Some simply to kill.
One fool tried to target Weiss's group—he didn't even make it halfway before a bullet pierced his forehead.
The brawl spilled out into the street.
And the same scene played out elsewhere on the island.
Every pirate and merchant began rushing toward two locations—the sites of the rumored fruits.
But something was off.
The pirates who grabbed the fruit… weren't trying to escape.
They were charging in one direction.
Straight toward the Celestial Dragon's path.
CP's expression darkened.
Old grudges between pirate crews exploded into bloodshed right on the open street—none of them cared about Devil Fruits anymore.
And that… was exactly what Groo wanted.
Explosions rocked the city.
The sound of bombs echoed through the island.
No single person held onto a Devil Fruit for longer than five seconds before being attacked.
There were just too many hands reaching for them.
Buildings collapsed. Smoke blanketed the skies.
War engulfed the innocent.
Screams and cries for help echoed endlessly.
Groo, watching the reports flood in, was deeply satisfied.
A clash between pirates and Celestial Dragons was inevitable now.
Next… he needed even more chaos.
So what if people died?
This was the Grand Line. Death was part of the sea.
"Matt, throw out the remaining three Devil Fruits."
Groo's eyes flashed with killing intent.
"This chaos needs fuel."
If this succeeded, the Groo family could survive—perhaps even rise higher than ever before.
Who cares about the 'main headquarters'?
As long as I'm alive, anywhere I stand becomes the center of power.
---
For the members: You can check out the New Translation story at Ko-Fi (already at chapter 35). It will be uploaded here once it reach chapter 50.
Naruto: Getting Stronger Just by AFK
https:// ko-fi.com/sami27