Devil Fruit users are not uncommon in the Grand Line, especially in the New World, where the probability of Devil Fruits appearing at auction is even higher.
Devil Fruit isn't a must-have for the strong, but a suitable Devil Fruit can quickly enhance a person's combat power.
Among the known strong figures, there are more users than those who rely solely on body techniques. Powerful Mythical Zoan, special Paramecia-type, formidable Logia-type, and each type of fruit has its own space to shine.
Devil Fruits don't discriminate against races; whether it's ordinary humans, Long-armed Race or Long-legged Race, Fur Race, Fishman Race, or Dwarves Race, they can all gain the power of a Devil Fruit.
The Zoan-type Fruits, which inherently carry will, can even bestow abilities to lifeless objects.
However, among many races, the Giant Race is an exception. Giants almost never have fruit abilities, and from Hajrudin's memories, whether it's everyone living in Elbaf or the legendary predecessors Green Orge and Red Orge, they rely on the physical bodies of Giants.
With their physiques, combined with a suitable fruit, they can actually exert very strong power. There are few Giant fruit users, but those who are have quite a reputation.
Sanjuan Wolf is one of them. Originally a member of the Giant Race, after consuming the Bulk-Bulk Fruit, he made his body size even more exaggerated, eventually earning the nickname of Giant Warship, a villain that the World Government also desired to erase from existence.
Another is the Revolutionary Army's Western Commander, Morley.
Biologically male but still a cross-dresser, being part of the Giant Race minority, his buffs have already been stacked to the max.
He's a Paramecia-type: Push-Push Fruit user who was once imprisoned in the Undersea Prison.
But those who imprisoned him were careless, not thinking Morley was a fruit user, thus not using Seastone Handcuffs, allowing Morley to find a chance to use his fruit ability to quietly dig a hole and break out of prison, leaving behind level 5.5 secret space in Impel Down.
With the Revolutionary Army's activities intensifying, Morley, this cross-dressing Giant, is becoming well-known to everyone.
Hajrudin also wants to acquire an ability, preferably a Logia-type, so he can be closer to his goal of becoming the king of the Giant Race.
For the Giant Race, the greatest concern is that fruit users cannot swim; their bodies are too huge for ordinary ships to accommodate them, and the Giant Race's own shipbuilding technology is undeveloped. Once capsized, it's life-threatening.
Nereus, however, is an exception. If Hajrudin's eyesight wasn't wrong, she just transformed from a special Sea King type into what she is now.
"You must be mistaken; where have you seen a fruit user who can swim?"
Hundred Beasts' fruit users seldom jump into water in front of outsiders; only Mandfeish has demonstrated a few times. Besides this, there are few other examples.
Therefore, he was considered to be a Bloodline Factor technology user, which was also a heavy black spot on Queen, hard to shake off.
"It shouldn't be... Look!"
Nereus transformed back into Gyarados's form, diving into the water toward Mandfeish's territory. It's her habit, her true form is Gyarados, and she's long accustomed to being in Gyarados's shape.
Fighting in human form is convenient, but swimming is different; using that shape to swim feels awkward to Nereus.
She didn't hide anything, by the way, and Nereus is that rare other example.
The same racial appearance, with only the color different, further solidified this assumption.
The Giant Race is not isolated, but its information is a bit outdated, so they're unaware of such non-publicized news.
"Brothers! We've docked. Apparently, more surprises await us in the future!"
It's hard to think on the sea; with this time, they'd rather go ashore and ask around. Giants are generally straightforward, and there are fewer crafty Giants.
Once they have ideas, they naturally act on them. As to why Hajrudin considered Nereus as a Giant fruit user, it's simply an instinctive reaction.
The basic way for Giant Race to determine if someone is a Giant is by looking at height; when the body proportion isn't particularly exaggerated, adults taller than 12 meters are Giants, or have Giant blood.
Otherwise, they're just large humans.
Additionally, although Devil Fruits are more common on the Grand Line than in the Four Seas, they haven't reached the point of being everywhere; they're still precious items.
Those who get Devil Fruits either eat them themselves or exchange them for money. Giving them to non-human entities is almost impossible.
It's akin to weapons that have eaten Devil Fruits; the first thought is that an animal ate an Arms-Arms Fruit, not a weapon eating an animal fruit.
In Hajrudin's view, Nereus seems more like a person who ate some Fish-Fish Fruit rather than a Gyarados who ate a Human-Human Fruit.
With this discovery, Hajrudin was quite excited. If his New Giant Soldier Pirates could all become users unafraid of water, then restoring the glory of the Giant Soldier Pirates and unifying all of Giant Country would be easier to achieve.
Viewing it this way, joining other forces mid-way seems to be a clear choice; Buggy Express can't achieve this.
With their vigorous rowing, they soon reached the shore.
Nereus frequently visits here, and there are many large Fishman Race individuals, so Mandfeish has no problem accommodating the Giant Race.
These Giant mercenaries have generated substantial profits recently; hence Mandfeish warmly welcomed them.
But Nereus is different; she's not used to talking with strangers, so after Hajrudin spoke for a long time, the response was just two nods.
It was ultimately Mandfeish who painted two big prospects for him. As a former lead strategist, Mandfeish knows well how to outline such prospects; in summary, work hard, meet the achievement requirements, and if willing to join them, then everything is negotiable.
Hajrudin and his group were only here for temporary resupply, and after resting briefly, they left the island, whereas Nereus decided to stay for a while to rest.
Mandfeish is also busy dealing with affairs at hand, planning to finish them quickly to take his family back to Wano Kuni for vacation.
But not everyone is as relaxed.
First Half of the Grand Line, on a nameless deserted island in the Windless Zone, a certain foundational fake mentor is still training Luffy.
"Not enough! The agreed time is getting closer; do you intend to go into the New World like this?"
With a wooden stick swung, Luffy was knocked dizzy by Rayleigh, while the watching Herko sighed and picked up the item before him.
With a bit of fiddling, a makeshift stone pickaxe appeared in his hand.
Comparing it with Luffy, Herko felt that this item's size was quite suitable.
It's just a stag beetle, oblivious to these things, merely feeling Luffy will eventually need this item.