These Words Were No Empty Boast

This isn't just talk. Take Charlotte Katakuri, Charlotte Perospero, and Mr. 3, for example. The first two have Paramecia Mochi-Mochi Fruit and Paramecia Lick-Lick Fruit, while the latter has Paramecia - Wax-Wax Fruit.

These three fruits are quite similar.

Charlotte Perospero and Mr. 3, in particular, developed their Devil Fruits in very similar ways. However, their strengths are worlds apart.

There are only a handful of pirates in the East Blue with tens of millions of dollars, and Alvida, being a pirate East Blue, is naturally very familiar with these great pirates. She immediately recognized Buggy the Clown's pirate flag, and her face immediately darkened.

A bounty, to some extent, is indeed a powerful testament to a person's strength. Therefore, Alvida felt a strong sense of vigilance at this moment. She stared intently at the seemingly peaceful island before her, while also glancing occasionally at Buggy the Clown's pirate ship, which was hurtling towards them at an astonishing speed.

Alvida was torn between two difficult choices. If she chose to land on the island, a fierce battle would undoubtedly ensue for the legendary treasure. However, this battle would most likely end in her crushing defeat, or even death. But to simply give up the treasure so close at hand was something she was truly unwilling to do.

At this critical moment, Alvida suddenly waved her hand, a ferocious look appearing on her face, and shouted, "Full speed ahead! Get to the island as fast as you can! We must find the treasure before Buggy the Clown!" Her voice echoed across the sea, revealing a resolute and decisive nature.

Not only Alvida, but Moke standing beside her was also extremely nervous. Although Buggy the Clown was just an insignificant character in the world of One Piece, with their current strength, they were still far from being a match for Buggy the Clown.

Under Alvida's command, the pirate ship sped towards the island like an arrow. The crew worked together, rowing desperately, afraid that Buggy the Clown would get there first.

Finally, they successfully reached the island before Buggy the Clown. As soon as they set foot on land, Alvida eagerly unfolded the treasure map and, following the route indicated on it, raced non-stop towards the center of the island. Her steps were swift, as if the entire world consisted only of her and the legendary treasure.

Seeing this, the other pirates dared not slack off and followed closely behind Alvida. They all harbored a desire for the treasure and hurried along, afraid of falling behind even a step.

Before long, a huge cave suddenly appeared before them. A hint of joy flashed in Alvida's eyes, and she excitedly shouted, "This is it!" Before she finished speaking, she waved her hand without hesitation, leading all the pirates into the cave like hungry tigers pouncing on their prey.

However, when they actually entered the cave, they were all stunned. Before them lay six forks, each seemingly bottomless, leaving them with no way to choose.

Clearly, the correct path should lie on Alvida's missing half of the blueprint. But at this moment, time was of the essence, and she simply didn't have time to explore each of the forks in the road. So, she made a decisive move, ordering everyone to split into six groups and enter each of the six forks.

Before entering the cave, Moke, like a nimble fox, cleverly lagged behind the group. His steps seemed casual, but each one concealed a secret, as if he had his own unique plan for the cave.

As the group slowly entered the cave entrance, Moke's eyes, sharp as a hawk's, were fixed on what lay ahead. Just as everyone's attention was drawn to the darkness inside the cave, he moved like a ghost, swiftly disappearing to the side outside the cave entrance.

Moke moved with Inazuma speed, attracting no attention. He stood there quietly, like an invisible observer, watching closely everything that happened in the cave.

When he saw all the pirates split into six groups and enter different paths, Moke's lips curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible hint of joy. This situation was far too advantageous for him!

Now, all he needs to do is wait patiently... As long as it's not Alvida who finds the Paramecia - Devil Fruit, he has a very good chance of succeeding.

Time ticked by, but Moke's heartbeat remained steady. He knew the wait might be long, but he firmly believed that victory would ultimately be his.

Finally, he saw Buggy the Clown and his gang land on the island. Just then, a commotion arose from inside the cave...

"Captain, we've found it... there's so much treasure inside!" A pirate's excited voice came rushing out from the third fork in the road.

A glint suddenly flashed in Moke's eyes, as if he had discovered something exciting. Without hesitation, he stepped into the third fork in the road, completely ignoring the astonished expression on the pirate's face.

The pirate watched as Moke walked so naturally into the side path. Although he was a little suspicious, he didn't doubt it too much since they were all on the same side. He thought to himself that Moke was probably just like them, eager to make some money. After all, what pirate isn't greedy? Besides, there were seven or eight of his brothers guarding the place, so there shouldn't be any problems.

However, not long after Moke rushed into the third fork in the road, a piercing scream suddenly came from the depths. This scream made Moke's expression instantly turn serious; he realized that something unexpected might have happened inside.

Something was clearly wrong, and this was not what Moke had hoped for. He was extremely anxious, quickened his pace, and rushed like a whirlwind towards the deepest part of the fork in the road.

When Moke finally reached the deepest point, the sight before him astonished him. A pirate stood there, clutching a Devil Fruit tightly in his hand, a smug smile on his face. However, the smile was unusually sinister, exuding a chilling aura.

Most chillingly, six pirate corpses lay scattered around him, their blood staining the ground. A closer look at the bodies revealed that four of them had been stabbed in the back, clearly indicating a meticulously planned ambush. The killer had struck swiftly and unexpectedly, taking advantage of the victims' unpreparedness, before turning his attention to the other two without hesitation.

"Bang!" In that breathtaking moment, Moke didn't hesitate for a second. He raised his gun like Inazuma and pulled the trigger without hesitation. The bullet shot out like a meteor and hit the other man in the chest with perfect accuracy.

The pirate suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. He instinctively looked down and saw blood gushing from his chest. He turned around in shock, his eyes meeting Moke's. The moment he saw Moke, he froze.

"It was you..." His voice was filled with disbelief and shock. In the instant he was shot, countless faces flashed through his mind, but none of them were the inexperienced newcomers like Moke. Yet, the truth was so cruelly laid out before him.

As his strength gradually faded, he slowly fell backward. As he fell, his eyes were filled with resentment and despair. Although he was just a small division commander in the Alvida Pirates, he knew the secrets of Devil Fruit. He understood that as long as he could swallow Devil Fruit, he could immediately become a powerful ruler in the East Blue, possessing unparalleled power and status.

That's why he didn't hesitate to kill his own subordinates, all for the sake of obtaining the legendary Devil Fruit. However, fate played a cruel joke on him, causing him to lose his life at the crucial moment when he was about to realize his dream.

This is his only chance to become stronger, after all, he is just an ordinary person. He has no special talent, nor any powerful background. If he wants to survive in this world full of danger and challenges, he must constantly strive to cultivate.

After more than a decade of diligent training, he finally achieved some success, becoming a squad leader in the Alvida Pirates, overseeing seven or eight people. Although this position wasn't considered high within the pirate crew, it was still a remarkable achievement for him.

However, his ambitions didn't stop there. He craved to become stronger and a true powerhouse. So when he learned that a Devil Fruit had appeared before him, he seized the opportunity without hesitation.

However, he never expected that even though he had the Devil Fruit in his hands, he wouldn't have the chance to eat it. In that instant of hesitation, Moke suddenly appeared, swiftly snatched the Devil Fruit from his hand, and then ate it without any hesitation.

After finishing the Devil Fruit, Moke couldn't help but curse, "Idiot... You get it and then eat it, what's there to be so smug about!" These words were like a sharp sword, deeply piercing the squad leader's heart.

The squad leader stared blankly at Moke, his heart filled with regret and resentment. He knew that the best choice was to eat Devil Fruit as soon as possible. But because of his momentary hesitation, he had missed this golden opportunity.

Finally, the squad leader slowly closed his eyes, and his life came to an end at that moment. Before he died, Moke's words pierced his heart deeply. Yes! What a load of rubbish! He should have eaten it immediately...

This fruit's power is simply beyond imagination; it can absorb any substance it comes into contact with and assimilate itself into that substance! The application range of this power is extremely wide; whether it's metal, Inazuma, or other elements, they can all be absorbed and transformed by this fruit.

When the fruit touches iron, it instantly transforms its body into an iron man, possessing the hardness and strength of iron; and when it comes into contact with Inazuma, it can unleash powerful lightning energy like Enel. Even more astonishingly, this fruit also possesses the Elementalization ability of a Logia Fruit user, allowing it to transform into various material forms at will.

It is no exaggeration to say that if the Dark-Dark Fruit is the most unique and special Logia Devil Fruit, then the Absorb-Absorb Fruit definitely stands out among Paramecia Fruits, making it the best of the best! Its unique abilities give its user a huge advantage and endless versatility in intense battles.

In that instant, Alvida's gaze toward Moke underwent a complete transformation. Previously, she had only held a scrutinizing attitude towards Moke; now, her eyes were filled with Moke and admiration.

Although Alvida's pirate crew members often praised her highly, their compliments paled in comparison to Moke's. Moke's words of praise were like a gentle spring breeze, soft and warm, stirring up ripples in Alvida's heart, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, leaving a lasting and profound impact.

"Hahaha..." Alvida couldn't help but burst into laughter again, but this time, her laughter carried a hint of shyness.

As the Alvida Pirates sailed further and further away until they disappeared above the horizon, deep worry appeared on the faces of the villagers. The old man, in particular, could no longer contain his anxiety and turned to the village chief, saying, "Village chief, do you think Moke might come back to take revenge on those young men in our village?"

As soon as he finished speaking, another middle-aged Big Mom immediately chimed in, "Yes, village chief! My Xiao Hai went on that ship too. Now that Moke is the Musketeer Squad of the Alvida Pirates. If he's targeting my Xiao Hai, his life will be in danger! Waaah..." As she spoke, the Big Mom couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with grief and burst into tears.

Hearing this, the parents of the other young people also turned their gazes to the village chief, their eyes revealing a hint of displeasure and hostility. Their children were facing unknown dangers because they had boarded the Alvida Pirates' ship; how could they not be extremely anxious?

Immediately afterwards, their gazes fell on a young man standing next to the village chief. This young man was the youngest among his peers in the village, and everyone had initially felt quite sorry for him.

However, at this moment, because of him, their children are in danger of retaliation, which has caused a subtle change in their attitude towards him.

Once one's stance changes, one's perspective and attitude towards problems will also be completely different. To drive several young people in the village into dire straits simply because of one person is undoubtedly an extremely unwise choice.

Although these young people knew perfectly well that becoming a pirate was practically a death sentence, before the Moke incident, they at least held onto a sliver of hope. However, now that hope was shattered, leaving only endless despair.

The village chief's expression also turned serious. Before this, he had been single-mindedly thinking about having Moke take one of the spots so that the village would lose one less person. But now he Satori that this was an unsolvable problem, and no matter what he chose, he would inevitably be criticized and condemned.

If Moke isn't allowed to take the place, the villagers will surely complain that he can't distinguish between close and distant relatives; but if Moke is allowed to take the place, the villagers will also accuse him of being incredibly foolish, sacrificing several other young people for one person.

Worse still, if Moke were to take their own child's place, these villagers would probably show a completely different attitude.

This is the complexity and contradiction of human nature; people often judge things based on their own interests and positions, rather than looking at issues from an objective and fair perspective.

Well!

The village chief sighed, his heart heavy. He hadn't expected that by abandoning his inner kindness and principles, he would only be met with incomprehension and accusations from the villagers.

Captain Alvida stood steadily at the bow, holding half a drawing in her hand. Her gaze was intense, fixed on the sea ahead. The half drawing trembled slightly in her hand, as if telling a secret unknown to anyone.

"Straw Hat Kid, just you wait!" Alvida muttered through gritted teeth. "Once I find Lileya's Treasure, I'll recruit soldiers and expand my power. Then, I'll make sure you know what happens when you offend me!"

However, just as Alvida was pondering to herself, Moke, who was standing not far away, heard her words clearly. "Lileya's Treasure?" Moke murmured to himself, his eyes suddenly lighting up as if he had discovered some treasure.

Moke's mind raced with various thoughts, especially when he thought of Alvida's Paramecia -type Slip-Slip Fruit. A strong premonition welled up in his heart—this magical fruit might just be from Lileya's Treasure!

The thought of this possibility made Moke's heart race, and his hands clenched involuntarily. But he knew he couldn't show any weakness at this moment, so he suppressed his inner turmoil and tried his best to appear as calm as usual.

Time flies like an arrow, and in the blink of an eye, half a month has passed. During these long days, Alvida led her ship around and around the nearby waters, as if she would never find the legendary treasure.

However, perseverance pays off. After a long and arduous search, one day, a small island, no more than a few miles in circumference, appeared in their sight like a bright pearl. This island stood alone on the turbulent sea, surrounded by a ring of shallows, like a silver ribbon gently encircling it. The island's vegetation was lush and verdant, the dense forest like a green ocean. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, as if playing a beautiful melody.

Alvida's heart pounded even harder. Her eyes widened, her face burning with excitement, but that excitement was instantly replaced by shock. The iron bar in her hand swung wildly in the air as if it had gone out of control, making a whooshing sound, as if protesting something. However, in that instant, her body seemed to be frozen in place, completely unable to move. Her face turned deathly pale in an instant, as if she were tightly bound by an unseen fear, unable to break free.

Alvida's gaze swept rapidly to her left like two bolts of Inazuma, as if something utterly terrifying was lurking there. Her breathing quickened, and a soft gurgling sound came from her throat, as if an invisible hand was gripping her throat, making it hard for her to breathe.

At the same time, Moke noticed Alvida's unusual behavior. His heart tightened, and an ominous premonition welled up inside him. He quickly followed Alvida's gaze, trying to see what was making her so terrified.

The moment their eyes met, a peculiar pirate ship came into view. The ship's prow was designed in an unusual way, resembling a giant elephant from a distance. Its massive body and long trunk made it instantly noticeable.

However, upon closer inspection, they were astonished to discover that the elephant's trunk was topped with a clown-like Buggy! Moreover, that Buggy was not an ordinary decoration, but a huge cannon muzzle!

This astonishing discovery left Alvida and Moke speechless; they never expected that this seemingly comical pirate ship would conceal such a powerful weapon.

"Holy crap..." Moke exclaimed in astonishment, completely stunned by the ship's unique and bizarre design, as if frozen in place. Such a ship was truly remarkable, its distinctive features unforgettable and sure to stand out among all other vessels.

Without a doubt, this must be Buggy the Clown's pirate ship! Sure enough, when Moke's gaze fell on the pirate flag flying high, his guess was immediately confirmed. On that flag, the skull representing pirates also had a striking Buggy, exactly the same as the Buggy on the bow of the ship.

Now, Moke was 100% certain that the ship in front of him was Buggy the Clown's pirate ship! After all, such a unique pirate flag was absolutely one of a kind in the entire world of One Piece.

His gaze slowly returned to Alvida, as if seeking some response or explanation from her. In other words, these two met here and later formed an alliance to defeat Straw Hat Luffy?

Moke's gaze was fixed on the tiny, almost negligible island in the distance, as if it were a mysterious land filled with endless treasures. He thought to himself, "In that case, the possibility of the Paramecia - Slip-Slip Fruit appearing on this island will undoubtedly increase greatly." This thought made his heart pound even harder, and his body trembled involuntarily.

Perhaps for most people, the Paramecia Smooth- Slip-Slip Fruit isn't a particularly eye-catching fruit. However, Moke knows all too well that some Devil Fruit are often underestimated in their true value. Take the Time- Slow-Slow Fruit, for example. It should have been an extremely powerful Devil Fruit, but because it fell into the hands of someone like Foxy the Foxy the Silver Fox, it was buried and became an insignificant existence.

Let's look at the Slip-Slip Fruit that Alvida ate. Not only does it have enviable beauty benefits, but it can also easily deflect enemy attacks, rendering them harmless. Such an ability is undoubtedly very practical in combat. If it were developed to its fullest potential... it would be absolutely overpowered... Therefore, the Devil Fruit largely depends on who eats it...