Chapter 16: Arrival at Ohara
When Adrian mentioned the Devil Fruit, Captain Krivat's expression changed. He seemed pleased at first, but then a troubled look crossed his face. "However, the Capone Mafia owns this Devil Fruit."
If the Capone Mafia discovered he gave away the fruit, Captain Krivat might have to leave the West Blue for good.
Adrian, catching on to the familiar term, raised an eyebrow
The Capone Mafia, or the "Gang," was linked to the supernova "Capone Bege," more than 20 years into the future...
Adrian recalled some basic info about the Capone Mafia, he smirked and said, "Weren't you planning for your wife to take this Devil Fruit and escape? Why didn't you consider the Capone Mafia's reputation then?"
No matter what, Adrian will not give up on this Devil Fruit right now!
The Devil Fruit is truly the 'Great Sea Secret Treasure,' possessing unparalleled allure for anyone in the world.
Adrian doesn't have any aversion to Devil Fruits; becoming a Devil Fruit user has always been part of his plan.
If you asked which Devil Fruit was easier to obtain in the world of One Piece, it would be the natural-type 'Rumble-Rumble Fruit' found on Skypiea right now!
The power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was formidable too!
In any case, Captain Krivat knew he couldn't possibly be a match for the young man before him. The fact that the other party was willing to make a 'fair trade' was a stroke of great luck. If it were those violent pirates downstairs, they would likely just come at him with a sword and take the goods by force.
Instead of worrying about the Capone Gang's future threats, surviving the pirate attack was a more immediate concern!
"I agree to this deal!" Captain Krivat nodded heavily.
"Good," Adrian nodded.
"Now, give me the key and the treasure chest!"
Astonished, Captain Krivat asked, "Aren't you going to eat the Devil Fruit now?"
"Do you know the name of this Devil Fruit?" Adrian inquired.
"I don't," Captain Krivat shook his head.
"I don't either," Adrian shrugged, placing the fruit in a treasure chest and carefully stashing it away, "I don't want to rely on luck or risk facing an unknown ability."
Captain Krivat seemed to believe this explanation.
Before leaving the captain's room, Adrian asked, "One last question, what's your daughter's name?"
"… Perona."
Dealing with the Razor Blade Pirates wasn't challenging for Adrian. Though his level wasn't exceptionally high, he had significant advantages in attributes. Facing a group of West Blue pirates with an average level of no more than 30 would only be difficult if he was drunk and drugged.
After easily defeating the highest-level pirate, Captain Johnson, with just two slashes, the remaining pirates quickly lost morale. They dropped their weapons and surrendered.
Captain Krivat quickly ordered his crew to bind the pirates, preparing to later exchange them for bounties at the Marine base.
Although the unexpected encounter with the pirates was resolved, it did have a negative impact on the merchant ship's reputation. Captain Krivat could only hope that the bounties on the pirates would somewhat make up for the losses.
Later, Adrian politely declined Captain Krivat's invitation to a post-victory celebration and left the ship alone, just as he had arrived.
In the captain's cabin on the top deck of the Seimizu Maru, Lady Penelope held her daughter and gazed at the gradually disappearing figure on the distant sea. She couldn't help but remember the words spoken by the courteous young man during their farewell.
'Your daughter's name is nice, Lady Penelope. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I will be spending most of the next year near the Tree of Knowledge in Ohara. If anything unexpected arises and you need assistance, you can send someone to find me there. My name is Adrian. No need to be wary; consider it an added bonus to our deal!"
"Adrian," Lady Penelope absentmindedly brushed a strand of hair from her forehead and looked down at her daughter still peacefully sleeping in her arms. "Little Perona, we've truly encountered a kind soul..."
With flowers blooming on both ends, each showing a different beauty.
At this moment, Adrian, now in possession of an unexpectedly acquired Devil Fruit, sailed in a small boat, accelerating towards the direction of Ohara Island.
Without a doubt, he now had one more reason to head to Ohara Island—the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia!
Even though the name of the Devil Fruit in his hands had been largely determined, without confirmation from the "Devil Fruit Encyclopedia," Adrian couldn't be 100% sure of his speculation.
Who knows if Perona might be the Ghost Princess Perona who appears over twenty years later?
So, could you possibly be... the Ghost Fruit? (Horo Horo no Mi, Hollow-Hollow Fruit)
Adrian touched the chest hidden in his arms, which held the Devil Fruit, and his speed increased once again.
In the evening, Adrian, putting in extra effort to speed up, and reached the Island of Scholars—Ohara—a half-day earlier than planned.
Unlike any other island he had seen in the West Blue, the main feature of Ohara Island was the millennia-old Tree of Knowledge.
From a distance, the vast and dense crown of the tree almost shrouded the entire island. The trunk of the Tree of Knowledge, standing in the center of the island, resembled a towering jade pillar, providing shelter for the diligent scholars below.
The unique atmosphere of tranquility, harmony, and solemnity collectively shaped the distinct ambiance of Ohara.
Adrian, upon arriving on the island, faced no investigation. The scholars of Ohara welcomed any guests eager for knowledge.
Without needing directions, Adrian smoothly reached the brightly lit Tree of Knowledge Library at the center of the island.
Adrian followed the rules and obtained a library card at the front desk.
Flipping through the small card in his hand, Adrian declined the kind librarian's offer to guide him through and walked alone in the quiet library.
"The Brief History of Ohara," "Fundamental Mechanical Maintenance in the Future Kingdom," "Comprehensive Map of the Entire Ilisia Kingdom," "Illustrated Guide to the Long-Arm Tribe's Arm Skeleton," "Introduction to Human Basic Blood Types"...
The shelves were filled with densely packed books, covering everything from geography and history to astronomy and medicine. Adrian was overwhelmed by the vast array of topics, with his eyes darting around, trying to take it all in.
Truly deserving of being called the "Tree of Knowledge" Library!
Soon, Adrian found his target area.
'Overview of Devil Fruits', 'Study on the Appearance and Characteristics of Devil Fruits', 'Relationships between Devil Fruits', 'Analysis of Devil Fruit Types'... and most importantly, the 'Devil Fruit Illustration Book!'
"The most sinister in history, the [Dark Dark Fruit], the heart-like [Surgery Fruit], the cluster of fiery orbs [Flame-Flame Fruit]... and,
"The [Ghost Fruit]! It truly is!!!"
幽灵果实 (Yōulíng Guǒshí) 果然是 (Guǒrán shì)
Horo Horo no Mi, Hollow-Hollow Fruit