#54 Poisoned Apples and Training Woes

"You just said that the poison in this fruit is lethal if someone eats it, right? There's no way to save them?"

Carlo kept tossing the apple in his hand, squinting at Doc Q with frustration.

He had hoped that after all the time Doc Q spent researching poisons and viruses, he would come up with some incredible toxins or viruses. But no, it was still the same old deadly apple trick!

This poison wasn't contagious; it just caused death shortly after ingestion. According to Doc Q, even the strongest people couldn't be saved once they were poisoned.

So, under the shocked gazes of everyone, Carlo took a bite of the apple. Using the repair gauntlet on his waist, he easily neutralized the poison, showing no ill effects and proving Doc Q wrong.

"Tell me, who would eat this on a real battlefield? Do you think everyone's an idiot?"

"To create a deadly virus, it has to be contagious and impossible to defend against. That's the basic requirement, right?"

"It should also lower people's immunity and mess with their minds!"

"The key is contagion. It has to spread widely, even with the slightest contact!"

"Get rid of the requirement that it must be ingested. There are so many ways to spread a virus. For a poison master, your thinking is way too rigid. I've given you the direction; now it's your job to figure it out."

Carlo wasn't just scolding; he was giving Doc Q pointers on how to develop his Devil Fruit abilities. This applied to Burgess and Van Augur too.

These guys weren't dumb; they were actually quite sharp. They quickly realized Carlo wasn't just berating them but giving them the "answers."

The more they listened, the more amazed they became.

"Vice Captain, you came up with this? I'm starting to wonder who really ate the Virus-Virus Fruit!"

"Yeah, running and finding the best sniping points, speeding myself up, and even reloading faster. How did I not think of that...?"

"It seems my thinking was too narrow. I always just focused on shooting speed and accuracy without combining all these methods!"

"Wiihahaha, I get it now, Carlo. I shouldn't waste time on that jet device anymore. I'll ditch it!"

"Thanks for the tips, first mate!"

These guys were quick learners. After their brief shock, they realized Carlo was actually helping them. If they followed his advice, they couldn't go wrong, wasting their powerful Devil Fruits would be unthinkable!

Lafitte, who wasn't directly involved in this, was also surprised. He had never considered his ability could be used for espionage.

And disguising a pigeon as a seagull? He definitely needed to try that!

"Enough flattery. I want results!"

"Get back to training!"

Carlo waved them off, stopping their compliments. Teaching others to train was more exhausting than training himself!

Not that he had trained much...

"Zehahaha, Carlo, you've got a sharp mind! No wonder you're so strong, coming up with all these training methods."

Seeing Lafitte and the others leave, Blackbeard, who had been watching, came over, impressed by Carlo's training methods.

"Cut the crap, Teach. How much longer until we arrive?"

Ignoring Blackbeard's joke, Carlo rolled his eyes.

"About seven hundred nautical miles. If the wind stays the same, we'll reach the first island by tomorrow night."

"Zehahaha, Munch-Munch Fruit, here I come!"

A day and a half passed quickly. By the next evening, under the darkening sky, the Blackbeard Pirates finally reached their destination.

This wasn't Drum Island yet, just the first island in this sea region.

Blackbeard decided to stay the night and set sail the next day. There was no rush since they were in the target area. They could gather clues, resupply the ship, and relax a bit after being cooped up for half a month.

As soon as they docked, everyone dropped what they were doing and explored the unknown island, including the seven warriors from the Kuja Pirates, who, with Hancock's permission, ran into the island's depths.

Carlo didn't join them.

Why would he search for nonexistent clues and gather supplies with a bunch of burly guys?

Instead, he leisurely strolled along the coastline, enjoying the sea and night views. He wasn't exactly alone, though.

Behind him, keeping a careful distance, was a "little tail." Not too close, not too far, afraid of losing him.

It was Hancock, who had been following him since they left the ship!

"This girl is interesting. She's been following me all this time and hasn't shown herself yet?"

Carlo laughed to himself, amused by Hancock's behavior.

He knew she was following him. In fact, he had given her the opportunity!

From her reactions over the past days, Carlo knew she would follow if he left the ship alone. Why else would she stay on board while everyone else left?

Despite being a proud queen, she was doing something so sneaky!

So, Carlo waited until everyone else had left and then walked alone along the island, clearly "fishing."

Why? Simple. Hanging out with Blackbeard and the guys was boring...

Boring as hell!

In this world, besides getting stronger, his biggest goal was flirting with girls!

With Hancock, a stunning beauty, right there, why would he want to play survival games with a bunch of rough men?

Carlo couldn't stand the thought. He was a carnivore, after all. Even if he didn't intend to "eat," he still wanted a taste.

But what frustrated him was that despite being off the ship for half a day, Hancock just followed him silently, not daring to show herself.

Maybe she was too scared...

"Alright, I'll go to you then."

"A man should be proactive!"

After talking to himself, Carlo disappeared into the nearby jungle, vanishing from Hancock's sight.