Unknown Devil Fruit

"Will those I haven't influenced, as if fated, be forced to march toward their own futures?"

"Looks like I'll have to put more thought into them. Otherwise, the original plot might collapse too quickly, and I'll lose my advantage of foresight."

Van looked at Baby-5 in his arms, then at Drake and Law, and suddenly felt a sense of urgency.

"This is the sword I got."

Law handed the cursed blade to Van and deliberately complained, "It's too long. It's inconvenient for me to use; only Big Brother Van is really suited for it."

Kikoku's surface was covered in cross-shaped patterns. Its guard had a furry protective covering, while a tassel-like ornament was tied near the top of the scabbard. The entire sword was black.

Van played with it in his hand for a while but did not draw the blade, instead handing it back.

"This is a cursed sword. Since it chose you, that means you share a bond. Once you grow a little bigger, you'll be able to wield it properly."

He truly needed a suitable close-combat weapon, but Kikoku had chosen Law, so there was no need to force the matter.

"All right." Law gripped Kikoku tightly. "From now on, I'll focus on practicing swordsmanship and strive to become a great swordsman!"

Was he planning to compete with Zoro for the title of world's greatest swordsman?

A strange smile appeared on Van's face, and he could not help teasing him. "If that's your dream, then being a great swordsman is nowhere near enough. You have to become the world's greatest."

His original plan had been to find Law a top-tier Devil Fruit, whether Paramecia, Logia, or Mythical Zoan, as compensation.

But now it seemed that making decisions on his own was not a good idea. He still had to respect Law's wishes.

"Big Brother Van is right. Becoming a great swordsman is only a small goal. One day, I'll definitely become the world's greatest swordsman."

Law looked proud. His tiny body seemed to contain immense power, making it hard not to believe him.

At that moment, Drake suddenly seemed to remember something. He hurried into the inner bedroom and came back carrying a wooden box.

"I almost forgot. We also happened to get a Devil Fruit, but we don't know what power it has."

He opened the box and asked excitedly, "Big Brother Van, do you recognize it?"

Inside the box was a long, handle-bearing melon. Its bright yellow peel was covered in dark brown spiral patterns.

Van had never seen a Devil Fruit encyclopedia. He only remembered the appearances of a few more famous Devil Fruits, so he did not recognize it.

After pondering for a moment, he asked, "Where did you get it?"

"When we rescued Baiyan, we took care of a group of pirates. We got some supplies from their ship, including several bags of fruit."

Drake smiled and continued, "We didn't inspect them carefully. We only discovered a Devil Fruit mixed in when we ate fruit the next day. I figure those pirates didn't know either."

"I see..." Van pondered for a moment. "Keep it for now. Once you figure out what fruit it is, you can decide whether to eat it."

Naturally, a good fruit would go to Law first. If Law did not want it, they could give it to Bepo or the others. It definitely could not be wasted.

But if it was too poor, there was no need to let one of their own eat it. After all, some fruits had truly useless abilities, and eating one would only add another weakness for nothing.

"Mm, we'll listen to Big Brother Van."

Drake nodded, closed the box, and asked, "When are we leaving this island?"

"You arrived early. Did you hear any news?" Van added, "For example, about the gangs on the island or the underground market?"

"We never got off the ship. Shachi and Penguin have been the ones going out to buy things these past few days. Let them explain."

Drake pushed Shachi and Penguin forward. Although he knew the general situation himself, he did not know enough and was afraid of overlooking important information.

"Boss Van..."

"The biggest force on Wikoff Island right now is the Seidel Family. They control the port, and supposedly the Donquixote Family supports them from behind the scenes."

"As for the underground market you mentioned, we haven't heard anything about that. We only know that the Seidel Family runs an entertainment complex, and its customers are mostly pirates passing through..."

Shachi and Penguin were somewhat nervous. Between the two of them, they barely managed to explain what they knew.

Van wore a kind expression and patted their shoulders in thanks. "You've worked hard these past few days."

Shachi and Penguin were only one or two years older than Law, and their minds had not fully matured yet. They immediately became so excited that they did not know what to do with themselves.

In their eyes, Van was a great pirate with an 80 million Beli bounty. Receiving recognition from someone like him was absolutely an honor.

"They really do deserve our thanks. Otherwise, we wouldn't have made it here so smoothly."

Drake also thanked them. He had been under immense pressure before, afraid that something might happen and prevent him from safely returning Law and Baby-5 to Van.

"No, no... we're friends. This is what we should do..."

Shachi and Penguin hurriedly declined. By the end, their faces were red.

Only after they calmed down did Drake bring up the main matter. "Big Brother Van, you asked about the island's situation. Is there something you want to do?"

"We'll have plenty of places to spend money later, so we need to make a haul before we leave..."

Van laid out the plan, then introduced the situation on his side.

Learning that there were two more companions, one of whom was even a rare mermaid, Drake and the others did not have much of a reaction.

But Baby-5 was somewhat impatient and quickly asked, "Are we going over now?"

"I'll take Shachi and the others over first. You stay here and pack up. We'll leave after dark to avoid causing unnecessary trouble."

After giving his instructions, Van changed his appearance again and took Shachi, Penguin, and Baiyan back to the transport ship.

Seeing the three children, Qiangbalu looked confused. "Captain, these are..."

"They know the situation in town. Take them to purchase supplies, then return before dark."

"How much should we buy?"

"Food for ten people for five days will be enough."

Van did not explain much, and Qiangbalu did not ask further. Once he knew the amount, he took Shachi and the other two off the ship.

After dark, everything was ready, and Drake's group had all boarded the transport ship.

Van first arranged accommodations for them, then took Qiangbalu to the entrance of the entertainment complex.

It was a den of vice. Not only were there guards at the entrance, but several seductive women were also there to welcome guests.

"Did you just arrive? Or have you been here before?"

"If you're not familiar with the place, we can make arrangements for you. We guarantee you'll both be satisfied..."

Their gazes lingered more on Qiangbalu. His seven-meter-tall frame looked hard to mess with at a glance, and ordinary people could not handle him anyway.

"Forget about eating chicken. We're here to rob the place. Hand over the money honestly, and I'll be very satisfied."

As soon as he spoke, Van expanded his Operation Room and took control of the entire entertainment complex.

What followed was simple. He was responsible for reasoning with them, while Qiangbalu was responsible for collecting the money.

Though this place was near Reverse Mountain, it was ultimately in the North Blue. Haki experts were not so easily encountered.

Those who dared resist were not especially strong. After Van instantly killed a few of them, everyone became obedient.

Whether they were entertainment complex managers or customers, every single one began lining up to hand over their valuables.

In less than half an hour, the bag in Qiangbalu's hand was filled with cash and valuables. He could not even be bothered to take things that were not worth much.

"Tell Doflamingo that I'll be waiting for him on the Grand Line, and then I'll destroy everything he's painstakingly built!"

After leaving those words behind, Van took Qiangbalu and left the entertainment complex.

Not long afterward, the transport ship left the port and sailed into the pitch-black night.