"Have you heard?"
"CP9's only survivor, Shihu Kelin, recently returned to the Grand Line from the New World!"
"That guy's a monster. When CP9 was wiped out at the Grand Line entrance in the South Blue, he was the only one who wasn't there."
"But in terms of strength, all the others combined couldn't beat him. Why do you think they didn't send him to stop the Shane Pirates back then?"
"The Shane Pirate Crew? Everyone calls them the Dragon Something Pirate Crew now. I can't quite remember. Marine Headquarters doesn't seem to want the Shane Pirate Crew's name to become even more famous."
Whether deliberately or otherwise, their conversation mentioned Kelin, CP9's strongest member, known as the Lion-Tiger Beast.
He was said to possess the Cat-Cat Fruit's Ancient Zoan Lion-Tiger Beast form.
His strength bordered on the monstrous!
"Strange. What mission could be so important?"
"Shut your mouth. Talking about CP9 like that-do you have a death wish?"
"But I heard they're escorting a Devil Fruit!"
"Some say the Marines are recruiting and building their forces for something big, so they're transporting all kinds of Devil Fruits."
At the mention of Devil Fruits, the other people in the tavern who heard their conversation also frowned.
"I've seen Devil Fruit Users a few times. The Grand Line does attract powerful people from everywhere, after all."
"But ultimately, the Marines still have the most users. Their stockpile is terrifying."
At the bar.
Shane finally responded to their racket.
"Their stockpile of fruits? Don't make me laugh. Who doesn't know who really owns those fruits?"
Hey!
Everyone had been dropping hints, afraid Shane might not hear them.
They kept talking about how precious this Devil Fruit was and how it might even be a Logia.
But the moment they heard Shane was