Oh? The flying newsbird seemed to have caught the scent of Baily.
On the Poseidon, Leo lounged in his chair, basking in the sunlight. Ding! A coin landed perfectly in the bird's beak, and at the same time, a stack of newspapers fell beside Leo.
"The sea's in chaos right now. Charles, come take a look. There's some news you might find interesting."
Charles stepped out of the cabin, holding three drinks. "News from Star Island?"
"Exactly. Good news: Grady was executed on the spot for deceiving the Celestial Dragons. Star Island is temporarily under World Government control. Maybe there's still a chance for you to reclaim your ancestral inheritance."
"Forget it. All these years, I've been striving to become the world's top chef. Now that dream has come true, it all feels meaningless. Besides, I already promised to be your chef. You want me to break that promise?"
"Are you crazy? That day, I declared you the winner of the contest, but I never called you the world's best chef. You need to travel, compete with different chefs, and only when you defeat all the top chefs can you truly be called number one."
"Easier said than done… I want to travel the world, but I don't know if I'll ever make it." Charles leaned back, hands behind his head, daydreaming about the future.
It had been half a month since the Star Island culinary contest ended. Leo had used the tsunami to flood the Lord Island; after the waters receded, some on the island were unconscious. Leo took this opportunity to absorb the power of Grady's Shield Fruit and ransack the lord's treasury.
With his power successfully absorbed, Leo's Devil Fruit abilities were further enhanced. In high spirits, he no longer held a grudge against Grady, tossing him into the arms of the Celestial Dragons. The three of them left Star Island, unconcerned about what Carmel Saint would do upon waking.
The Star Island trip had been highly rewarding. Not only had Leo found a suitable chef, but he also secured a large sum of money—truly a big win.
As the champion of the culinary contest, Charles' skills were unquestionable. His combat abilities were also formidable. As a Devil Fruit user, he could transform any part of his body into steel weapons, and with his family's inherited physical prowess, his strength was not to be underestimated.
…
By noon, Will's stomach started growling with clockwork precision. "Leo, Charles, I'm hungry. When are we eating?"
"Let's have a barbecue. The weather's perfect—let's eat on the terrace."
Hearing the word 'cooking', Charles immediately perked up. "Good idea. I'll let you taste my secret sauce. I promise it's so delicious you'll wish you could swallow your own tongue."
The three of them busied themselves, and soon the aroma of the barbecue wafted across the sea.
Just as they were enjoying the food, a fast-moving ship appeared on the horizon. White waves splashed in its wake, and in the blink of an eye, it was beside the Poseidon.
Leo looked at the vessel, puzzled. "Hey, did you run into pirates? Need some help? Our rates are reasonable."
The captain of the approaching ship froze. Were these young people bounty hunters? Suddenly remembering something, he urgently warned them:
"Hurry! The island behind us… it will devour your soul!"
Leo's eyes lit up. He didn't believe in supernatural events in the One Piece world. If anything like that existed, it had to be a Devil Fruit user. Lucky for him, he had just stumbled upon another clue about Devil Fruits. Just as he was about to thank the captain, the man bolted, giving him no chance to speak.
"Leo, why do your eyes shine like that? That's a soul-devouring island! Why are you so excited?" Will, having spent so much time with Leo, immediately noticed his expression. That only made him more nervous.
"I think I've heard of this island—the famous Ghost Island on the first half of the Grand Line. It apparently has a cute name… Doll Island." Charles, familiar with the Grand Line's first half, immediately named it.
"Don't worry. There are no ghosts in this world. Whoever's there must be a Devil Fruit user." Leo comforted Will while steering the ship toward the island, leaving no room for refusal.
Before half a day passed, Leo encountered another fleeing ship—this time a real pirate ship. Leo cheekily called out, "Hey, did you run into pirates? Need help? Our rates are reasonable."
The pirate captain panicked. "Run! That island's terrifying—what? Nonsense! I'm a pirate, so pay attention to me!" He pointed at the pirate flag, swearing as though Leo's words insulted them.
"Oh? Do you have a Devil Fruit user aboard? If so, destiny has brought us together. I could give you a lift."
Already annoyed that the Poseidon blocked his path, the pirate captain's anger skyrocketed at Leo's calm tone. "I command an army of 8,000! Get out if you value your lives!"
"Eight thousand men? Amazing! Charles, Will, come here—I've found a rare Devil Fruit user. Ever heard of the Blowhard Fruit?"
Pfft! Charles hadn't even looked up before Will spit out the barbecue in surprise.
"Hey, why won't you cooperate? You're making it awkward for me to perform my 'Poseidon Technique—Water God!'" Leo waved his hand nonchalantly, sending a massive wave that submerged the pirates.
Back at the table, Leo frowned. "Business is tough… maybe I need a pretty poster girl for promotion."
Later that day, they arrived at a beautiful small island. As night fell, ships queued for the port, creating a bustling scene.
Leo stared in disbelief. "Huh? What's this? Where's the scary island… the Ghost Island?" He looked disappointed as he docked the ship. "I'm going to gather intel. You two do whatever you want."
"I'll go to the market and restock supplies. We're almost out of food," Charles said, uninterested in the eerie tale.
"And you, Will?"
The small, chubby fish poked his head out nervously. "I… can't I go?"
Leo raised an eyebrow and shrugged lazily. "Fine, stay and watch the ship. Will, you're brave to stay alone." He and Charles went off in opposite directions.
"Wait… wait for me!" Will jumped off, terrified, but soon chased after them on his short legs.
The best place to gather intel was, of course, the tavern. Leo chose the largest tavern in town and pushed open the doors.
Inside, the atmosphere was lively. Scanning around, Leo nodded in approval—it was relatively quiet, with not a single pirate in sight.
At the bar, Leo tapped the counter. "Give me a whiskey with milk."
The bartender ignored him and instead pulled out a sign from under the counter: "No minors allowed."
Heh. This is the world of pirates, the Grand Line. Who cares about such silly rules? I'm from the Great Heavenly Empire—my father fed me wine with chopsticks as a child, and now you tell me minors can't drink? Ridiculous!
Just as he was about to lose his temper, someone placed a glass of milk in front of him. "Kids, drink this. Milk helps you grow tall. Drink alcohol, and go back to your proper age—this place isn't for you."
"Who are you calling a kid who'll never grow up? Bong! Burp! Who do you look down on?"
Leo sighed. Business was more important, so he let the stern bartender be. He placed 10,000 bottles of Baileys on the counter. "Excuse me, what is the name of this island?"
The bartender raised an eyebrow and discreetly pocketed Baily. "Param Island. Are you tourists?"
"Hic! Yes… though we seem to have gone the wrong way. We're heading to Doll Island. Do you know where that is?"
With a clatter, the bartender's glass shattered, and the rowdy tavern fell silent.
"Huh? You know everything, huh? Who can answer my question?" Leo hadn't expected the name "Doll Island" to provoke such fear.
A bald man sitting at the bar broke the silence. "Another lost soul… kid, I advise you not to seek death."
"Bartender, give this gentleman a Nanville beer… no, a rum. Can you tell me the story of Doll Island?"
The bald man sipped his drink, dazed. "Doll Island is a tiny archipelago beside Param Island. It wasn't always called Doll Island, and there were no ghost stories back then."
"What was the original name?"
"We called it Moon-Viewing Island. It truly was a beautiful place."
He sipped again. "Everything began seven years ago. The elderly count's cherished Annabelle was beautiful, kind, and clever. Though noble, she was approachable, and the islanders loved her. One day, Annabelle suddenly disappeared."
"Everyone searched for her but found nothing. Just when it was thought she was kidnapped, her brother, Mr. Tommy—oh no, now Count Tommy—brought back her body from Moon-Viewing Island. I say 'body' because Annabelle's soul remained trapped on the island. Some say she died unjustly, her spirit became malevolent, wandering the island. Whenever travelers pass by, her soul traps them, forever following them."
Another patron added: "That's no legend. Doll Island got its name because Annabelle's spirit liked to trap souls in dolls, hanging them from trees. I've seen countless dolls on the island, all staring at me, grinning. It was terrifying."
Leo stayed in the tavern until nightfall before returning to the Poseidon.
As he boarded, he saw Charles and Will had returned.
"Charles, Will, I'm certain there's a Devil Fruit user on that terrifying island. And I'm convinced they're a Ghost Fruit user."
"Of course, Captain. The truth will soon be revealed. We're so close. I'll give you a map of Doll Island." Charles remained as haughty as ever—he had the map in hand, yet still acted all Versailles.
"Perfect! Tomorrow, we'll explore Doll Island and see who's playing tricks there." Hic… heave… Leo began gagging before he finished speaking.
"Charles, do you have an antidote for milk poisoning?"
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