I still hadn't... done that...

Dill frowned as he recalled the strange phenomena on the island.

Hypnosis had no effect because the Dills had already been molded into the king's shape.

Devil Fruit powers involved rules, and his hypnosis could not shake them.

The old people who died had been robbed of their life force. Their souls turning into butterflies? They had clearly been turned into little snacks.

But the part about staying by the king's side forever was true.

The curse preventing them from leaving came from the king, and the lack of newspapers and Den Den Mushi was also on his orders.

Kill just a few News Coos, and the others would treat this place as a forbidden zone.

He advocated fitness for everyone, which was why children used solid black spears as toys.

But Dill still felt somewhat unsatisfied, because a few questions remained unanswered.

He simply asked aloud:

"What are you waiting for? Does this sudden ranking tournament have something to do with the Rainbow Mist that appeared three days ago?"

"That's right. You're very clever."

The king nodded and said:

"In this world, quality matters far more than quantity.

I've been waiting for a Dill with supreme talent. He'll be the sharpest blade, helping me seize this world."

"Have you found him?"

"No!"

"But I found something else in the Rainbow Mist."

The king clapped his hands, and a soldier in silver armor walked in carrying a treasure chest.

Click~

The chest opened, and the king lifted out an apple that was red all over, with five white stems at the top.

Several dozen meters separated Dill from the king. From his perspective, it was just an ordinary apple.

At most, it was unnaturally red.

"You were waiting for an apple??"

"Hehahaha~ Ordinary people mistake it quite easily."

The king cradled the apple in both hands, undisguised delight on his face:

"Zoan, Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan Model: Flame-Swallowing Lord."

"There's a legend passed down on an island in the North Blue."

"There was a handsome monster who looked no different from a human, called the Flame-Swallowing Lord.

He would spew flames, making the land dry and leaving people with nowhere to grow crops.

He would charm the village women, enter their homes, and eat the last of their food."

"Every year, the islanders execute their most handsome man. They firmly believe he's the incarnation of the Flame-Swallowing Lord and try to ease the drought this way."

"Of course, a legend is only a legend. Their drought is purely due to the weather. Killing a few people won't alleviate it at all."

"But this fruit really has appeared before."

Bzzzt~

The enormous screen lit up again, this time displaying several lines of text.

Dill held his breath and focused, widening his eyes to look closely.

Then he discovered he couldn't read it.

The scribble-like writing on the screen seemed to be another language.

"This is an excerpt I took from the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. It describes this very fruit.

Look. What a wonderful power."

The king clenched his fist and said excitedly:

"I finally don't have to wait any longer! Hehahaha!!"

"In a few days, once the ranking tournament ends, I'll not only find the top ten Dills in every profession,

I'll also find the Dill with the greatest combat ability. He'll eat this fruit and become the blade in my hand!"

Dill was utterly exasperated. Tell me what its actual powers are already!!

"Aren't you afraid he'll eat this fruit and break free of your control?"

The king chuckled and replied, "Of course not."

"I've had a few ability users under my command before."

"Besides, you've brought me a surprise!"

Bzzzt~

The image on the large screen changed again, this time showing the rooms Robin and Hina were in.

The king operated it himself, enlarging the image of Robin as his breathing quickened:

"A survivor of Ohara, with the ability to decipher Poneglyphs and revive Ancient Weapons!"

"How do you know?!"

"Living a long time has its benefits."

The king chuckled, and the screen switched to the treasury.

The treasures collected over more than three hundred years were piled there, including several enormous pieces of timber.

"Those are branches from Treasure Tree Adam, the best material for shipbuilding."

"I originally planned to pay a fortune to have the world's greatest shipwright, Tom, build a ship, but there's no need now."

"The Ancient Weapon Pluton, the most terrible battleship in shipbuilding history, is said to possess the power to destroy an island with one shot.

With it, I'll be able to unite the world even faster!"

He turned around, his tightly closed eyes facing Dill,

"When everyone in the world is called Dill, that will be when I become King of the World and never fall."

"I hope you can live a while longer. A world full of puppets would be very boring."

Dill looked speechless, feeling that there was something wrong with his logic:

"Once you've united the world, can't you just make them acknowledge you as their master? Why insist on changing their names?"

Although the World Government was also stifling free will, it was nowhere near as extreme as he was.

"Because I'm afraid of dying."

The king's face was completely candid as he said matter-of-factly:

"I've grown to this level through the Control-Control Fruit. Other people can do the same through other miraculous fruits."

"When those lucky people start running rampant with their fruit powers, I'll have to go to the trouble of dealing with them. I might even be overthrown."

"Rather than leave unstable elements behind, I might as well turn everyone in the world into Dill."

"You're really... cautious."

Dill was at a loss for words. Thoughts raced through his mind as he struggled to find a way out.

Hypnosis was like making eyes at a blind man.

Lightning couldn't attack at a distance.

Flames-unless he could burn the man to death with a single breath of fire, a casual word from his opponent could stop him from moving.

Mental control and verbal control...

His racing thoughts came together, forming a way out.

A glint flashed through his eyes, and he said:

"Do you know about Seastone?"

"Of course I do. The crystallization of the sea, the bane of ability users."

"Then do you have any Seastone here? Find a pair of handcuffs and put them on me. This barrel of yours is too short. Keeping my legs bent is really uncomfortable."

The corners of the king's mouth rose, irrepressible laughter in his voice:

"Hehahaha~ We will in the future. We will!"

He was very happy.

Once he fulfilled his dream and turned everyone into Dill, the Dill before him would be the only person left he could converse with normally.

But if Dill remained defiant and refused to speak even under threat of death, there was little he could do.

After all, he had already tried earlier, and Dill had not shouted "I'm a bastard" three times.

And now, Dill asking for Seastone showed that he had finally begun to consider submission.

"Dill, the parts of your body below your head can move now."

The king pondered for a moment, then said:

"The tendons in your hands and feet..."

"Wait!!"

Dill hastily spoke up. He didn't want to become disabled.

"Do you have any other requests?"

"Well, you know..."

Dill suddenly looked somewhat embarrassed, his gaze darting about as he said hesitantly:

"Could you not cut off my limbs?"

"I'm only twelve... I haven't done that yet..."

"I hope I'll be the active one when the time comes, rather than lying motionless in bed with all four limbs cut off."

The smile on the king's face grew even more pronounced. Young people-it was understandable.

"I promise you. But until we find Seastone Handcuffs, you'll have to stay in the barrel."

"Would you like me to summon the prettiest Dill on the island for you?

How about that wife of Hunter Dill's?"

"I'm only twelve, Your Majesty!"

Dill looked speechless. What could a twelve-year-old do?

"At least wait until I'm an adult."

"Hehahaha~ I was too impatient."

The king rose and sat back on the golden throne, toying with the Mythical Zoan Fruit while still making grand promises:

"By then, we should have conquered plenty of countries. Empresses, princess consorts-I can reward you with any of them."

Why are they all married women?!

Dill closed his eyes in refusal. He wasn't Boss Cao.

The king paid no mind to Dill's disrespect. Instead, he stroked his chin and said thoughtfully:

"Come to think of it, I still don't know your fruit ability. You can release electricity and control flames, and I also discovered that you seem to have the power of hypnosis."

"Ah, it's a Mythical Zoan."

Dill replied listlessly:

"It's called the Thunder-Flame Hypnosis Dragon or something.

Is that apple in your hand really a Devil Fruit? It looks completely different from the big, patterned fruit I ate back then."

Snap~

The king snapped his fingers.

A soldier in silver armor approached, took the apple from his hand, and walked over to Dill.

"Ordinary people really do mistake it quite easily. Look closely. There are still some patterns at the top."

Following the king's orders, the soldier brought the fruit before Dill.

Besides the patterns at the top, there was also a wavy pattern around the middle of the apple.

A glint flashed through Dill's eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, he thrust his head forward and opened his mouth.

Crunch~

A bite was taken out of the apple.