Gawain, noticing Sanji's mood, gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.
"When our name spreads across the seas, then they'll know."
Sanji exhaled a puff of smoke, turned to him, and asked excitedly:
"Captain... um, would it be alright if I recruited a team of beautiful female chefs for the kitchen?"
He was so worked up that he couldn't even keep his cigarette steady, his head already brimming with fantasies.
Gawain's mouth twitched.
"...I shouldn't have asked you."
Raven Harbor — Lord's Mansion
Inside the lord's mansion, Grayza sat with the newly acquired Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, flipping through its pages with care.
The scent of fresh ink still lingered on the paper. The encyclopedia cataloged nearly every known Devil Fruit—ranging from the basic Paramecia, Zoan, and Logia types, to the more advanced Special Paramecia, Ancient Zoans, and even the mythical Zoan types.
Every devil fruit ever wielded by a known user on the seas had its entry.
"This version might be the most comprehensive one ever published," she murmured.
Jasmine leaned in beside her, glancing over Grayza's shoulder.
Suddenly, pages filled with exotic and bizarre fruits spread out before their eyes.
A few minutes passed before Jasmine gasped.
"Miss! This one—this is the fruit you ate!"
Grayza unfolded the book and placed it flat on the table. The open page displayed an illustration of the Devil Fruit she had consumed.
Paramecia-Type: Smooth-Smooth Fruit.
This fruit could significantly alter a person's appearance, and objects it touched would lose all friction.
In recent weeks, Grayza had steadily grown more adept with her powers. Her combat capabilities had noticeably improved—enough that the port guards were no longer a threat. She could now defend herself to some extent.
"Devil Fruits really are magical... To think they can even alter appearances so drastically," she remarked.
Jasmine glanced sideways at her and smiled mischievously.
"Miss, what do you think Gawain's reaction will be when he sees you like this?"
Grayza froze. A blush bloomed across her face. Then, snapping out of it, she turned toward Jasmine in embarrassment and irritation.
"How dare you tease me like that! You're working overtime with me tonight!"
"Huh?!"
Jasmine looked as if her soul had left her body, her expression drained of hope.
Grayza chuckled softly, lips curling into a gentle smile.
"Alright, I won't bully you. Our main task now is to find a suitable fruit for Mr. Gawain."
"Yes, ma'am!" Jasmine responded instantly, fearing any delay might make Grayza change her mind. She rushed to the safe, retrieved a small box, and set it carefully on the table.
Grayza opened it.
Inside was a bizarre fruit—orange-red in color, covered in thorns, with two curved horns protruding from the stem.
They began comparing it against the illustrations in the encyclopedia.
Hours slipped by. The pile of pages Grayza held grew thinner, their expressions increasingly perplexed. By the time they reached the final page, they hadn't found a single match. Out of the thousands of fruits recorded, not one resembled the one in their possession.
"How can it not be here?" Grayza muttered, frowning. She combed through the pages again, convinced she must've missed something. But still—nothing.
"So strange..."
She was about to start another round of comparisons when the dawn sunlight crept through the window. Jasmine had already fallen asleep at the table, soft snores escaping her lips as a thin line of drool dampened her sleeve and the tabletop.
Grayza smiled fondly at the sight and quietly draped a blanket over her assistant.
Meanwhile — An Island on the Grand Line
On a remote island in the Grand Line, a tall, thin man in a mask sat silently in a grand chair as his subordinates delivered a report.
"Lord Hanafuda, the Devil Fruit you've been tracking has been confirmed to have entered Raven Harbor in the East Blue."
"But... isn't our target always the Ancient Zoan types?" another subordinate asked hesitantly. "This fruit doesn't appear to be one of them. Why go to such lengths—?"
Hanafuda's gaze cut sharply toward the speaker. A strange light flickered in his eyes.
"If I didn't already possess a Devil Fruit power myself, I'd be trying to claim it too. That fruit... its power rivals even Lord Kaido's."
"The rarest of all Devil Fruits..."
"Don't ask questions you're not meant to ask."
As his words fell, the subordinate dropped to his knees, trembling in fear. His face paled, beads of sweat dripping down his temples.
He had reason to be afraid.
The man before him was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—a power that stood alongside the Navy and the Four Emperors.
The Lizard King — Hanafuda.
A man whose wrath could reduce islands to rubble.
Seeing the man shake, Hanafuda didn't press further. He turned to the two cat-like subordinates standing at attention beside him.
"The Navy is keeping a close eye on me, especially that old fool who's against the Warlords system. If I make a move myself, I'll be targeted instantly."
"Fortunately, the fruit is in the weakest sea—the East Blue. With your strength, clearing the path should be easy."
"Labute. Lachet."
"You're responsible for retrieving the fruit. Don't fail me."
One tall and thin, the other short and rotund—two men with human faces but cat-like attire stepped forward and responded in unison:
"Yes, sir!"
"Nya!"
Hanafuda nodded.
A few hours later, a small pirate ship set sail from the island's port, heading straight for the East Blue.
Aboard a Marine Warship — Watching from Afar
From the deck of a nearby warship, an elderly man with short purple hair and a massive mechanical right arm raised a telescope, observing the departing vessel with narrowed eyes.
"To the East Blue...?"
"I remember that kid Smoker saying there was a rising pirate over there..."
"But if it's only Hanafuda's subordinates, then they're not the real threat."
He lowered the telescope, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face as he debated whether to intervene.
At that moment, a young woman with long, dark blue hair rushed onto the deck. Her expression filled with exasperation as she spotted him.
"Zephyr-sensei! The Crusher is still in testing—it can't handle high-intensity combat yet!"
"Besides, Hanafuda is one of the Seven Warlords, officially recognized by the World Government. We can't engage him without a clear reason!"
Zephyr smiled calmly and replied.
"Ain, haven't I taught you before?"
"By the time we do have permission... it'll already be too late. And for a man like him to send forces to the East Blue—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Suddenly, Zephyr's breath hitched. His chest tightened. A wave of pain struck him, stealing the air from his lungs. His entire body went rigid.
"Zephyr-sensei!" Ain cried, rushing forward to support him.
"Ship doctor! Get the ship doctor!"
"His asthma is acting up again! Where's the special medicine?! Hurry!"