Saturn felt the world spin wildly around him. Everything blurred and shifted as if reality itself were twisting.
When he opened his eyes again, he was back at Mary Geoise, the Holy Land. Quietly, he sought a hidden corner and reactivated his teleportation array, determined that no one would know he had just suffered a humiliating defeat.
Meanwhile, in God Valley, Shiro's tiny hands flexed with excitement as he examined the paw pads forming on his palms. He couldn't stop bouncing with joy. This power—beyond anything he had imagined—was like having an invincible cheat.
Thanks to his memories of the original timeline and his experience with similar "games," he realized he could fling anyone—or even himself—to almost any location.
But his initial excitement quickly gave way to caution. Saturn had fallen for his trick only because he underestimated a child. Against a serious opponent using Haki, this move might be useless.
"Ha ha ha… little brat, hand over the Paw-Paw Fruit!"
A booming, familiar laugh rang out nearby. It was Charlotte Linlin.
Shiro turned to see Kuma, terror on his face, taking step after step backward as Big Mom advanced relentlessly.
Shiro knew he wasn't entirely innocent—after all, he had tricked Kuma into giving up the Paw-Paw Fruit—but he couldn't just leave him to die. A pang of guilt pricked his conscience.
Still, a thought crossed his mind, and he couldn't resist: Wow… even at this time, Charlotte Linlin is still gorgeous and in shape. Totally different from the fat, ugly balloon she becomes later.
Oda's twisted sense of humor was clear: turning young, stunning women into grotesque, unrecognizable versions in their later years. Charlotte Linlin only became fat, but the other legendary beauties of the God Valley battle—"Flame Flower" Gloriosa and Buckingham Stussy—aged into short, wrinkled, and unattractive versions of themselves. Painful to look at.
Shaking his head, Shiro refocused. No time for distractions. With determination, he slammed his tiny paw into his chest again.
In the next instant, he appeared beside Kuma. The sudden teleport shocked the giant—his eyes wide with disbelief—but before he could react, Shiro's paw touched him, and Kuma vanished from sight.
"You little brat! You actually ate the Paw-Paw Fruit! I'll kill you!"
Charlotte Linlin's anger flared instantly, her eyes burning with fury. She gripped her sword Napoleon tightly and swung at Shiro with terrifying force.
Shiro's heart pounded. Sweat soaked his back.
"Not good…" he muttered. Even with the Paw-Paw Fruit, his four-year-old body severely limited his reaction speed. The deadly blade was coming too fast, and he could only watch in terror.
At the critical moment, a shadow streaked through the air. A sharp axe struck the sword, producing a loud CLANG! Sparks flew, and the weapon's deadly trajectory was deflected. The axe bounced back, and Shiro felt a cold rush of air brush past his face. His legs nearly gave out. Thanks to that timely intervention, he survived.
Charlotte Linlin frowned, her expression darkening. She lifted her head, eyes blazing as she scanned the battlefield.
A man was approaching, leaping with agility. He wielded two axes, sunglasses perched on his face, a confident, teasing smile playing at his lips.
"Charlotte Linlin, is bullying kids all you're good at? I'll be your opponent!" he called provocatively.
"Scopper Gaban, do you love meddling that much? Then die in his place!" Charlotte Linlin replied, a deadly glint flashing in her eyes. Without hesitation, she abandoned Shiro and aimed her sword at Gaban, her aura becoming even more intimidating.
Shiro's eyes lit up. Hearing the name Scopper Gaban instantly reminded him of who he considered the strongest. In the original story, he had hesitated over who was truly the most powerful—but after learning that Gaban had fathered a child with a giant woman many times his size, the answer was clear.
To Shiro, Gaban's mastery of the "always hit the middle and forget the sides" strategy was legendary. He was, without question, the strongest.
"Kid, get out of here!" Gaban shouted, clashing with Charlotte Linlin while warning Shiro.
Shiro knew he had no business staying. This battle far exceeded his abilities. Remaining here would only make him a liability. Without a second thought, he turned and ran.
But he didn't leave God Valley. Guided by his memories of the original story, he sprinted toward Ivankov's hidden room. In his recollection, besides the Azure Dragon and Paw-Paw Fruits, there were four other unknown Devil Fruits stored there.
When he arrived, however, the sight disappointed him. The boxes containing the four Devil Fruits were gone, and the room was in shambles. Ivankov lay unconscious on the floor, clearly attacked. Ginny hurried over, her face anxious, carefully helping him to his feet.
Shiro didn't pause to explain anything. He placed his paw on Ginny and Ivankov, and both vanished—teleported beside Kuma at the God Valley harbor.
Kuma stood there, confused, staring at the dense cluster of ships, still recovering from the previous chaos. Shiro arrived moments later.
The reunion of Ivankov, Ginny, and Kuma overflowed with emotion. They embraced tightly, relief and joy shining on their faces.
"Too bad we still can't escape from here," Ginny murmured, disappointment in her eyes.
"Ivankov, why didn't Kuma eat the Paw-Paw Fruit? Why did he give it to that child?" she asked.
Kuma stammered, then explained the whole situation.
"You're too honest, too kind," Ginny scolded, hands on her hips. "With that Devil Fruit, we could all survive… but now…"
Kuma hung his head like a guilty child, his face full of shame.
"Don't worry," Shiro said, stepping forward confidently. "Wherever you want to go, I can help you!"
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