Log Pose

With Crocus's guidance, Mark's next destination was set on Solomon Shipyard.

According to Crocus, the shipbuilding techniques there were no worse than those of Water 7.

Moreover, Crocus knew one of the shipwrights at Solomon Shipyard, who had once been fellow apprentices with Tom of Water 7.

Hearing this, Mark immediately perked up.

Tom of Water 7.

He was the master builder of Water 7 and held the blueprints for the Ancient Weapon Pluton.

Could his fellow apprentice also know something about Pluton?

Or perhaps... he had seen Pluton's blueprints and possessed some advanced shipbuilding techniques.

In any case, Mark was very interested in this man.

At the banquet, in order to express his gratitude to Crocus, Mark brought down more ingredients from the ship and prepared several of his specialty dishes.

Everyone was delighted, especially Crocus.

Although he had joined Roger's ship relatively late, he had gotten along very well with all the crew members.

From him, Mark learned some embarrassing stories about Jaba, making everyone burst into laughter.

However, there was one thing Mark needed to take note of: when Crocus heard about Mark's Devil Fruit ability, a grave expression appeared on his face.

"The Dark-Dark Fruit..." Crocus looked at Mark solemnly. "Can you show me your ability?"

Seeing Crocus's expression, Mark was somewhat confused.

After thinking it over, he still used the Dark-Dark Fruit's power.

After Crocus saw it, his grave expression did not change. "It really is the Dark-Dark Fruit, that evil ability..."

"Evil?" Mark asked in confusion. What did Devil Fruit abilities have to do with being evil or not?

Daisy and Chiu Chiu were equally puzzled, unable to understand why Crocus would say that.

After some thought, Crocus said to Mark:

"Do you know why the Dark-Dark Fruit is called the most vicious Devil Fruit in history?"

After pondering for a moment, Mark replied, "Because it cannot transform into an element? And because of its powerful darkness?"

"No!" Crocus denied it.

He rose to his feet, walked to the shore, and looked out at the sea. After a silent moment, he said:

"The Dark-Dark Fruit's most vicious aspect is not whether its power is strong. Its true viciousness lies in its ability to seize other people's powers."

After taking a deep breath, Crocus continued:

"A person with this ability can quickly form a pirate crew where every member has a Devil Fruit ability. And because those powers can be taken selectively, the crew members' Devil Fruit abilities are often extremely powerful."

"And this ability will also cause the deaths of countless innocent people!"

A complicated look flashed through Crocus's eyes as he looked at Mark.

Someone had once used this ability to create an incomparably powerful pirate crew.

And after gaining that ability, he had also conceived the ambition of overturning the world.

Unfortunately... he had failed.

Crocus had never expected to see this Devil Fruit again after so many years, and on the son of an old friend no less.

After listening to Crocus, Mark fell silent for a long while.

So that was the ability he meant.

After obtaining the Dark-Dark Fruit, Mark had known how to use that ability. It was simply that he had never used it on a Devil Fruit user until now.

"Crocus, this Devil Fruit's power is very strong, isn't it?"

"Its power is indeed very strong..." Crocus said.

"Then since I ate such a powerful Devil Fruit and gained even greater strength, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with that!" Mark likewise looked out at the sea.

"This is my qualification to climb to the summit. This ability can help me, and it will only help me."

His tone was exceptionally firm.

Crocus looked at Mark with some surprise.

Only then did he realize that he had underestimated this little fellow before him.

The Dark-Dark Fruit might be powerful, but this little fellow before him was clearly even more powerful.

Still... he hoped what had happened to that man would not repeat itself in this little fellow.

"We're leaving, Crocus!"

The three of them stood on the deck and waved goodbye to Crocus, though Mark felt as if he had forgotten something.

Crocus waved farewell as well. Then, as if remembering something, he said:

"You don't have a Log Pose yet, do you?"

Only then did Mark remember what he had forgotten: he had forgotten to tell Crocus about the Log Pose.

When Crocus brought it up, Mark hurriedly nodded.

"No, Crocus. Do you have one?"

"I happen to have one here. I have no use for it staying here, so I'll give it to you!"

Crocus pulled out a Log Pose about the size of a pocket watch from his floral shirt and tossed it to Mark.

Mark caught it and wiped away some of the mottled rust on its surface.

This Log Pose looked quite old. He thanked Crocus.

"Thank you, Crocus!"

"Goodbye. Be careful on your journey."

"Goodbye!"

After bidding Crocus farewell, Mark and the others headed straight for Solomon Shipyard.

Their most pressing matter now was solving the problem with their pirate ship. He was truly afraid that a storm might come along and destroy the Moss here.

With the Log Pose, Mark and the others reached Solomon Shipyard without any serious mishaps.

Although it was only around ten nautical miles from Twin Cape, they encountered a small hailstorm along the way.

One moment, the sky had been cloudless for miles; the next, dark clouds covered it completely.

Fortunately, the hailstones were not too large, and they barely made it through.

However, the bow and cabin had still been punched full of small holes.

By the time they reached Solomon Shipyard, the pirate ship was already in a miserable state.

"Are you here to repair a ship?"

When the Moss reached the entrance of an alley on Solomon Island, they saw a middle-aged man holding an iron rod and a hammer. He wore reddish-brown clothes, had graying hair, and extraordinarily large eyes.

Seeing the man's attire, Mark roughly guessed his identity.

A shipwright from the island?

Mark asked, "We're not here to repair a ship. Do you know Jerry? I'd like to ask the old man to help us build a ship."

Jerry was the highly skilled shipbuilder Crocus had mentioned, as well as Tom's fellow apprentice.

"You know Master Jerry?" The middle-aged man asked when Mark immediately asked for Jerry.

"I do." Mark nodded.

"Jerry is your master?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes!" The middle-aged man nodded with a smile.

When the middle-aged man heard that Mark had come to ask Jerry to build a ship and that he knew Jerry, he became much more welcoming.

"I'll take you to Master Jerry right away!"

The middle-aged man was extremely enthusiastic.

After Mark and the others docked the Moss, he led them into Solomon Island.

Solomon Island was an entire shipyard from end to end.

All across the island were ships under construction or already scrapped, along with numerous busy shipwrights, as well as pirates and merchants.

The island's shipbuilding industry appeared enormous.