Chapter 42: Invitation (Part 2)!
"Enough, you ignorant women! Do you think Devil Fruits are common street goods that you can get just by wanting them? Do you know how many places the captain and I ran to for these two fruits? Let alone anything else, we crossed the Calm Belt back and forth two or three times! We even fought a fierce battle with a legendary expert, and the captain almost lost his life!" The furious Daz Bonez was wreathed in electricity, his aura appearing overwhelmingly powerful.
"Hmph, fought with a legendary expert, you say? Why don't you tell us which legendary expert you fought with?" The country-protecting warriors, angered by the word "ignorant," immediately retorted with cold sarcasm.
"Enough, all of you, say a few words less." Elder Nyon, who had been silent for a long time, finally stepped forward.
"Buggy, did you fight with that Golden Lion Shiki, known as the Flying Pirate?" Being from an older generation, Gloriosa, combining the ability Sandersonia had obtained with Daz Bonez's words, immediately thought of a possibility and hurriedly asked.
"This esteemed elder, the captain indeed fought a great battle with Golden Lion Shiki some time ago. Two islands were sunk before we found an opportunity to severely injure the Golden Lion, and only then did we achieve victory." As Buggy's loyal subordinate, Daz Bonez stepped forward at the first opportunity.
"Then there's no mistake. Only one of any given Devil Fruit will appear at the same time. If the Golden Lion hadn't died, Sandersonia wouldn't have been able to obtain this fruit. Thirty years ago, during the previous pirate era, I met the Golden Lion once. I'm not unfamiliar with his abilities. The power of the Float-Float Fruit is absolutely formidable; the Golden Lion is the best example! However, I didn't expect that you, Buggy, would have reached the level of being able to defeat an older generation expert in just a few short years."
Facing Gloriosa's exclamation, Buggy rarely blushed.
"Elder, you praise me too much. After the Golden Lion escaped from the Great Underwater Prison by severing his own legs, his strength had declined considerably. And even so, I wasn't able to keep him there. If Bonez hadn't intercepted him, the Golden Lion would have escaped."
Although Daz Bonez was giving him face and praising him in front of Hancock, Buggy was ultimately an honest person. What he couldn't do, he couldn't do. Buggy didn't covet that so-called battle record.
Seeing that even Gloriosa had stepped forward and spoken, the current Empress's grim expression turned to one of helplessness.
"Let it be, Your Majesty the Empress. I also know that when you initially proposed the conditions, you never thought Buggy could fulfill them. After all, both you and I know that Devil Fruits are inherently rare, let alone with restrictions on type and increased requirements. Buggy agreeing to them already showed great sincerity, and now he has even fulfilled the conditions. We have no reason to make things difficult for him anymore." Seeing the Empress's expression soften somewhat, Elder Nyon struck while the iron was hot.
"I heard earlier that Buggy prepared an absolutely surprising birthday gift for Hancock. Although tomorrow is Hancock's birthday, I think it should be fine to present it early. As long as your birthday gift can gain everyone's approval, I will no longer obstruct Hancock from leaving." Unexpectedly, the current Empress didn't pick up Gloriosa's topic but changed the subject.
"Hancock, you don't mind if I give you your birthday gift early, do you?" Sensing that Hancock seemed to want to say something, Buggy took a step forward, stood in front of her, and said softly.
"I don't mind, Big Brother Buggy!" Sensing the confidence in Buggy's words, Hancock nodded, a faint pink blush appearing on her cheeks.
"Then, happy early birthday to you! This is the gift I specially prepared for you. I hope you like it." As he spoke, Buggy took out an ordinary wooden box from the bag Daz Bonez was carrying.
"Hancock, open it and let us see!" Seeing Hancock take the box, the current Empress couldn't help but say.
Gently twisting the latch, with a click, the wooden box opened.
No jewels, no weapons or armor. What everyone saw was just an oddly shaped, hmm, judging by the patterns, it should be a Devil Fruit.
Uh, another Devil Fruit? Say, when did Devil Fruits become so worthless?
Seeing this Devil Fruit, not only the current Empress but even Gloriosa was very surprised.
"Buggy, tell everyone, what's so unique about this Devil Fruit?" Without letting the current Empress speak, Gloriosa spoke first to ease the atmosphere.
"Even if Elder doesn't ask, I was going to say. As you can see, this is a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit. To be honest, this Paramecia Devil Fruit is called the Hobby-Hobby Fruit. Its ability isn't reflected in self-enhancement. The reason I chose this Devil Fruit is that it is quite unique. If an ordinary Devil Fruit has only one side effect, which is becoming unable to swim, then this Hobby-Hobby Fruit has two side effects." Buggy paused here.
"Captain, what's the other side effect? Just say it all at once, don't keep us in suspense!" Paula, who had been standing aside unable to speak for a long time, finally found an opportunity to speak.
Glancing at Paula, Buggy nodded with satisfaction. Her aura had clearly increased. It seemed this little girl had been training diligently in Kuja these past two years.
"The previous owner of this fruit was a child, about seven or eight years old. That was the time she ate the Devil Fruit. Then, until the time she died, her body remained as it was when she ate the fruit, that is, looking like a seven or eight-year-old. Does everyone understand now?"
Understood? How could they not understand!
The women, upon hearing Buggy finish, all had their eyes shining!
Quickly closing the box in her hands, Hancock's eyes clearly showed a hint of vigilance, but her target wasn't Buggy in front of her, but the group of women behind her.
Facts proved that love of beauty was definitely a woman's nature. When any item could be directly linked to a woman's appearance in a positive way, it could drive women crazy.
Among the group of women, apart from Gloriosa, who was too old to be older, the eyes of all the others, including the current Empress, instantly shifted from Buggy to the box in Hancock's hands.
"Captain, you are really too biased! You're really too biased!" Paula was the first to cry out.
"Come on, even if I gave it to you, would you dare to eat it? Don't forget you're already an ability user. I wasn't the one who found the Thorn-Thorn Fruit for you. When I met you, you were already an ability user. Where's the bias in that!" Buggy would never admit to something that wasn't true, especially in front of Hancock.
"Big Brother Buggy, can I eat this fruit?" Hancock suddenly asked Buggy.
(End of this chapter)