5 Official Crew

"Boy, do you possess a Devil Fruit power?" Queen boomed as he settled into the special grand chair the pirates had prepared for him. He ignited a cigar and took a deep drag, his narrow eyes concealed behind the dark sunglasses intently fixed on Sebastian.

Sebastian, admitted, "Yes, I have a Devil Fruit ability."

This wasn't something that could be concealed. The Beasts Pirates had already documented the Devil Fruit powers of all their recruits when they came on board. Sebastian knew that attempting to hide it was futile; if Queen scrutinized it, he'd easily uncover the truth.

"What ability is it?"

Sebastian's competence in defeating an official crew member wasn't a surprising feat for someone with Devil Fruit abilities. Generally, those with less physical strength experienced greater improvements after consuming a Devil Fruit.

"Boss, he's a Bat Fruit user," a nearby pirate chimed in. He had been the one who recruited Sebastian into the crew and had witnessed his ability.

Upon hearing that it was a Zoan fruit, Queen grinned. Zoan types were the Beasts Pirates' favorites.

The only regret was that it wasn't a Mythical Zoan. If it had been an Mythical Zoan, there might have been the potential for a true powerhouse.

"Good lad, from today onward, you're an official crew member! I hope you grow stronger quickly!"

Queen didn't appear to care about the spilled soup. When weighed against a Zoan Devil Fruit user, it was a minor loss.

The other apprentice pirates who had joined the Hundred Beasts alongside Sebastian looked at him with envy. As an official pirate, Sebastian would have the opportunity to attend the feasts hosted by Master Kaido, which garnered respect even from the most formidable pirates on the sea.

"I'm so envious. He won't be doing the same chores as us anymore and can enjoy a good life every day," murmured a young pirate, his tone dripping with jealousy.

"Forget it, he ate a Devil Fruit. Even if it's just an ordinary one, it easily earned him the status of an official crew member. As for us, we'll have to wait for the right moment to showcase our abilities."

"Indeed, it's a stroke of luck. Devil Fruits are worth at least 100 million Berries. If it were me, I might have sold it for the money."

Queen, leading a band of pirate followers, ascended the stage and began singing and dancing. He was a peculiar character, often marching to the beat of his own drum, relishing in festivities, dancing, and occasionally gathering a group of pirates to watch him perform.

Sebastian fell into deep contemplation. It seemed Zoan fruits of the ordinary variety couldn't capture Queen's attention. This was precisely what he had expected.

There are no fruit powers that are inherently worthless, only users who may not exploit them fully. The credibility of this notion is often questioned. In his previous life, many took Luffy as an example. With the ordinary Paramecia power of the Gomu Gomu no Mi Fruit, he overcame numerous formidable pirates. However later it was revealed that Luffy's power wasn't Paramecia; he was a Zoan type, a Mythical beast, and one of the most powerful among them.

Each Devil Fruit contained a reservoir of untapped power, and its strength only grew as it was developed. This was undeniable. Nevertheless, fruits with a strong starting point were inherently easier to harness for power than those with a lower starting point. Even underdeveloped Logia-type Devil Fruits such as the Goro Goro no Mi, Magu Magu no Mi, and Pika Pika no Mi are inherently more powerful than the lesser-known Jacket-Jacket Fruit and Whisper-Whisper Fruit.

In this world without the likes of top talents such as Garp and Roger, it was clear that the pinnacle for those consuming ordinary Zoan fruits was low. Not even the Hundred Beasts piarates could surpass this level of strength.

Sebastian gazed up at Queen, his eyes narrowing with contemplation.

"System, what are the conditions for modifying Queen's fruit?" Sebastian inquired mentally, not forgetting the System's promise of unwavering loyalty from the person whose fruit he modified. This would allow him to strengthen his cadre of beasts significantly. A powerhouse like Queen was certainly a prime target.

By altering Queen's Devil Fruit, how far could he boost Queen's prowess? Would it elevate him to the level of an Admiral?

The System's response came, "The Host can modify Queen's Devil Fruit ability by simply placing his hand on any part of Queen's body for ten minutes."

Ten minutes? It seemed like a rather extended period, especially considering Sebastian's current status. There wasn't any reason to maintain physical contact with Queen for such an extended duration.

"Is there a way to shorten this time?" Sebastian inquired further.

"As the Host's strength increases, the time required to modify Devil Fruit abilities will gradually decrease," the System replied.

It appeared that modifying Queen's Devil Fruit wouldn't be a quick process. Sebastian's stomach growled audibly, a reminder of his need for sustenance. After altering his Devil Fruit, his body had become considerably more robust, leading to increased energy consumption. He had pushed his hunger aside when provoked earlier, but now it was demanding attention.

"Come here," Sebastian beckoned to a trainee pirate.

Cautiously, the trainee pirate approached. "Boss, what can I do for you?"

"Fetch me some food, preferably meat, and the more, the better," Sebastian ordered with no pretense of politeness.

The rules within the Hundred Beasts Corps were straightforward and unceremonious, and trainee crew members primarily served as laborers. Full-time crew members enjoyed more freedom before receiving missions.

"Yes!" The trainee pirates hurried off to prepare a hearty meal for Sebastian.