"Resupply!"
Sharn ordered, and the giant Wolf leapt ashore first — the ground trembled like an earthquake. The Sky Islanders panicked, especially the group of monks standing nearby. Among them was a boy no older than nine.
In this age of chaos — where the Celestial Dragons abused power and pirates ran rampant — even children of eight or nine could already fend for themselves.
Sharn strolled into the island tavern and began eating and drinking without restraint. After all, they'd plundered mountains of gold and shells from God Island. Before leaving, he even left a Den Den Mushi with the Shandia chief — a direct line to his new territory in the sky. Not a bad trade at all.
Sharn devoured everything. Ever since he'd begun combining his Paw-Paw Fruit and Swallow-Swallow Fruit, his body had evolved further. His dragon form was now intertwined with his Haki and martial art techniques.
The Swallow-Swallow Fruit had fused with his internal organs, letting him "devour" and synthesize any matter — from metals to energy itself. Food became raw fuel for his monstrous physiology.
He wondered: could he even swallow magma someday? Or ice?
Since it was a Paramecia fruit, it didn't require digestion — only conversion.
Meanwhile, the Paw-Paw Fruit had given him tangible paw pads on his palms, able to fire compressed air shockwaves or eject abstract things like pain, fatigue, and memories. But this was just the beginning. By merging both fruits' powers, Sharn was now refining matter — removing impurities and creating perfect new materials. One day, he thought, he'd spit magma bombs for fun.
Even the soles of his feet had developed paw markings. And if pacifists could shoot lasers from their mouths — why couldn't he?
Sharn imagined blasting Pressure Cannons directly from his tongue.
Glug!
He gulped down a slab of grilled Sky Island meat, savoring the texture — when a small bald-headed boy approached. The child had two Sky Island antenna-balls tied to his hair, giving him an oddly spiritual look.
"Sir," the boy said earnestly, "our temple kids are starving. You're adventurers from the sea, right? Grown-ups say people like you carry magic seeds that can grow food!"
The tavern fell silent. Sharn looked toward the door — several adults outside snickered, clearly mocking the boy. They'd sent him to humiliate himself, maybe even risk his life by provoking pirates.
Sharn's eyes narrowed.
"They told you that?" he asked.
"Yes!" the boy nodded wide-eyed.
"What's your name, kid? And how old are you?" Sharn asked, still eating noodles straight off the plate.
"Ulqui. I'm nine. I'm a little monk at the temple, but the elder says I'm too stupid. I ate a strange fruit when I was little… makes me tough, but not too bright. They call me the 'dumb demon.'"
Sharn paused. This kid… the monk from the Sky Islands? So this is him, huh?
Young Urouge — the future Mad Monk, one of the Eleven Supernovas — at this point, just a scrawny, kind-hearted child.
"You ever want to see the outside world?" Sharn asked casually.
"Y–Yes!" Urouge answered instinctively, not realizing what he'd just agreed to.
"Moria!" Sharn called.
"Understood!"
Moria's eerie laughter filled the room — "Heeheehee! Urouge, from now on you're the lowest-ranking trainee crewman! Heeheehee!"
Shadow bats swarmed through the tavern, Moria practically skipping with joy. Finally, someone beneath him in rank.
"Kid! Remember this — I'm Kaido, Governor of the Beasts Pirates!"
Kaido slammed a hand on the bar, grinning proudly.
"Governor Kaido!" Urouge echoed, clueless but respectful.
"And I," Sharn said with a smirk, "am your captain. This is the Sharn Pirates. Every crewmember can form their own fleet — but there's only one captain: me."
Kaido shrugged. "He can call me whatever he likes — Governor, Vice-Captain, doesn't matter. But the kid's one of us now."
"Welcome aboard, Trainee Crewman Urouge," Sharn declared.
Outside, the laughter of the tavern crowd died as screams echoed — some townsfolk had their shadows stolen by Moria's powers, others fled into the sunlight, never to return.
"Supplies are ready!"
Chef Olivia stood outside, rifle slung over her shoulder.
"Then let's go, Urouge," Sharn said, striding forward.
Kaido followed, with Moria dragging the dazed boy behind him.
The morning sun gleamed brilliantly — and the bullied temple boy left the island without looking back, walking straight into the path fate had opened for him.
Onboard, their living engine — Sanjuan Wolf — floated them forward, his Inflation Fruit letting him expand and carry the ship like a blimp through the White Sea.
Molly had donned a cute new "JK-style" outfit, prancing about happily.
The islanders had thought "monsters" were rare in the world.
Now they realized — it was full of them.
And here was a pirate crew made entirely of demons.
Urouge's Role
The new trainee crewman and shipwright.
He knew Sky Island engineering and shell (Dial) technology better than anyone. Using his mechanical talent, he installed propulsion dials under the hull.
"Install propulsion shells — full speed ahead!" Sharn ordered.
By fusing multiple Sky Island Dials with his Swallow-Swallow ability, he created hybrid boosters that absorbed wind and converted it into thrust — propelling the ship at terrifying speed.
When they finally left, the island was stripped bare — an entire month's worth of provisions gone.
That's what happens when your captain eats enough for ten giants.
Even Olivia, normally refined, had begun eating more to fuel her growing body from all the training.
Nightfall
That night, Urouge lay in the captain's quarters, exhausted.
Outside the door, Moria crouched, ear pressed against the wood.
"You dare eavesdrop?" Kaido hissed.
"Not my fault!" Moria whispered. "The captain keeps calling Urouge in here every night — what are they doing?"
"Mind your business!" Kaido growled, but then… he leaned closer himself. Even Olivia joined in, purely for "sniper hearing practice."
Inside — Sharn was launching Pressure Cannons with his Paw-Paw powers, blasting the boy across the cabin.
Urouge's Causality Fruit allowed him to grow stronger the more damage he took.
"Recoil Cannon!" Sharn shouted.
BOOM!
Compressed air detonated from his tongue — a blast of power that sent Urouge flying straight through the door.
"Cause and effect!" Urouge yelled, body swelling with power as he rebounded, muscles rippling. His punch cracked the deck, but Sharn simply raised a paw and absorbed the impact.
"Good," Sharn nodded. "Your fruit development's improving — and you make the perfect sparring partner."
Outside, Kaido sighed. "This kid's gonna die…"
Then —
"Captain! There's another island ahead!" Molly called from the crow's nest, eyes wide.
Sharn looked up, grinning.
"The southern land… Birka!"
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