#37 The Devil Fruit Selection

"You...!!"

Seeing the dark muzzle of the cane, still smoking, Osju's face twisted with anger and disbelief.

But he would never get another chance to fight for the Devil Fruit or the final spot.

Lafitte's sudden move caught everyone off guard, even the onlookers sitting nearby. The bullet had already pierced Osju's chest...

'Thud!'

The next moment, the mad pirate from the North Blue fell to the ground, dead.

"Heh, too naive."

"So foolish, believing your enemy's words..."

Lafitte glanced at the fallen body, then bent down to pick up his gun, holstering it at his waist.

He removed his top hat and bowed gracefully to Blackbeard and Carlo on the high platform. "Captains, did I pass?"

"Of course!"

Carlo nodded from above, acknowledging him.

The selection was officially over. The final winners were exactly the same as in Blackbeard's original timeline: the same four people.

'It looks like I was right. In the original One Piece world, Blackbeard recruited these four here,' Carlo muttered to himself as he jumped down from the platform. 'It couldn't be just a coincidence. Is it Fate ?'

Just as he had predicted, letting Blackbeard do his thing would lead them to those unknown events that shaped his original path.

Carlo's guess was correct. This time, recruiting these four had been much easier than in Blackbeard's original timeline.

Though these four weren't particularly strong, they had difficult and rebellious personalities. Blackbeard had to use a lot of persuasion to convince them to join his crew originally.

But this time, the recruitment was simple and straightforward, without any hassle.

"Zehahaha! Welcome to my crew!"

Blackbeard and Carlo approached the four. They didn't waste any time, directly presenting four Devil Fruits for them to choose from.

"Here, take them. Four Devil Fruits, pick the power you want and eat it."

Carlo tossed the four Devil Fruits to them.

The four pirates were stunned. They hadn't expected their captains to be so straightforward. Rewarding them without any strings attached made Blackbeard and Carlo's image soar in their minds.

"Wiihahaha! Well, in that case, I won't be polite!"

Burgess was the first to rush forward, eagerly examining the fruits. Doc Q and Van Augur quickly followed, excited for this 'moment' they had been waiting for.

Even Lafitte, already having a Devil Fruit power, couldn't resist joining the excitement.

Each Devil Fruit had a note underneath, describing its powers. These notes were from the celestial dragon's vaults that Carlo and Blackbeard had looted.

"Hiss~~!"

"No way, I'm not dreaming, right? This is an Mythical Zoan Type?!"

"The top-tier Behemoth Fruit! This isn't just a legend?!"

Burgess gasped in shock, eyes wide as he read the description. His jaw dropped, and he couldn't snap out of it.

"...The fastest speed in the world, this is my dream ability. With this, I can team up with Senriku and unleash our full potential!"

Van Augur tried to keep calm as he caressed his beloved rifle, Senriku, but his voice betrayed his excitement.

Carlo chuckled, realizing Van Augur wasn't as emotionless as he appeared.

Apparently, even the cool act was just a facade!

"Cough...cough, cough...!"

A sudden violent cough broke the moment, startling everyone.

Poison Q, looking near death, pointed at another Devil Fruit, unable to speak. His gaunt, witch-like face trembled uncontrollably.

"Hey, hey, sick guy, don't get too excited. You passed the selection, don't keel over now," Carlo joked.

"Zehahaha, yeah, don't die on us. Or else I'll give the fruit to someone else!"

Blackbeard laughed, joining in the banter. They knew what Doc Q had found.

The Paramecia-type Virus Fruit!

Though it was unclear why Poison Q was so excited, his eerie vibe matched the unusual power perfectly.

"Cough...cough, you guys...you don't understand."

After a long pause, Doc Q finally calmed down. The severe coughing fit almost made him hack up a lung.

It was clear his health had worsened.

"I'm a doctor. For years, I've been researching more potent poisons, constantly surrounded by toxic substances. My body has been eaten away by them!"

What a doctor!

Hearing Poison Q's explanation, Blackbeard, Burgess, and the others looked at him in disbelief.

A doctor constantly exposed to poisons? Who would trust this doctor??

Even Carlo, found it hard to believe.

He knew Poison Q was the ship's doctor for Blackbeard, but he never imagined it would be like this!

A textbook example of a bad doctor!

Seemingly anticipating their reactions, Poison Q continued, "Aside from daily exposure to poisonous plants and drugs, I also tested poisons and viruses on myself!"

"That's why I look like this now..."

"I'm only twenty-seven, damn it!!"

For once, Poison Q cursed, clearly frustrated despite his voluntary tests. His current state made him extremely bitter.

At just twenty-seven, constantly being mistaken for an old man was infuriating!

No wonder his personality was so twisted, casually committing acts of violence.

"If it weren't for my medical skills keeping me alive, I'd have died long ago."

"But now, everything is great..."

"I really have to thank our captains for showing me this fruit!"

"The Virus Fruit, with it, hahaha, I can research poisons and viruses without any fear!"