"With this latest advancement in his Devil Fruit abilities, Hank's overall strength will increase significantly," Bege commented. "The next time he encounters a pirate worth two hundred million, he certainly won't struggle as much as he did just now."
"Ah! No wonder I suddenly felt so much stronger earlier! So that's what it was," Hank muttered realization dawning on him. He then puffed out his chest, placed his hands on his hips, and burst into boisterous laughter. "Hahahaha! Did you all hear that? My strength just took a massive leap forward!"
WHAM!
Moria landed a solid punch square on Hank's head, sending the younger man squatting to the ground instantly, tears welling up in his eyes from the stinging pain. That punch had been thoroughly infused with Armament Haki.
"Just barely able to handle a two-hundred-million pirate, and you're already this arrogant?" Moria snorted coldly.
This exchange drew hearty laughter from the rest of the crew. Hank nursed his bruised head with an aggrieved pout; he knew better than to challenge Moria directly and could only endure the rough treatment.
"Alright, alright, stop messing around," Bege interrupted with an amused wave of his hand. "Get busy plundering the alliance's treasure hoard. We're on a schedule." His soldiers quickly dispersed, heading deeper into the palace complex to systematically gather valuables.
Unbeknownst to Bege and his crew, however, in a distant, shadowed corner of the palace grounds, a shadowy figure lurking out of sight meticulously recorded the entire sequence of events – the battles, the aftermath, everything – with a Video Den Den Mushi.
Back in the main hall, Bege settled onto the palace's surprisingly modest throne. He took out a Den Den Mushi and dialed Wright's number.
"Wright. Hoki's little alliance is finished. I wiped them out," Bege stated bluntly the moment the call connected. "Inform the Shipping King I require more resources."
"Y-You... you really took out Hoki and the others?" Wright stammered on the other end, clearly finding it hard to believe. He was well aware of the alliance's formidable strength in the West Blue and hadn't truly believed Bege could eliminate them entirely.
"Their corpses are laid out in the Kullen Island palace," Bege replied coolly. "Come see for yourself if you have the time."
"O-Okay! I'll arrange it!"
Bege hung up crisply, a faint, calculating smile playing on his lips. He glanced around the grand hall where his men were now piling up numerous chests – the accumulated treasure of the pirate alliance. Outside in the main square, even more boxes were being stacked, filled with confiscated weapons, valuable ores, and other material resources.
Beside Bege's throne, a small, ornate box sat open. Inside rested a swirling, purple, Paramecia-type Devil Fruit. Several of Bege's soldiers eyed it with unconcealed longing. Next to the box lay a thick, black-bound book – a Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. Bege had acquired it from the Shipping King Umit at great expense some time ago, though it wasn't a complete edition containing every known fruit.
The encyclopedia lay open, and the illustration on the page precisely matched the Devil Fruit nestled in the box.
"The Kilo-Kilo Fruit," Bege identified it casually, reading from the entry. "Allows the user to freely alter their own body weight, ranging from nearly weightless up to a known limit of ten thousand kilograms. Hmm. It's a decent fruit." He recognized it, of course. In the known records, it was the fruit eaten by Miss Valentine, one of the Baroque Works agents formerly under Crocodile. A fruit with considerable potential, utterly wasted by its previous user.
"Even the Godfather says it's 'decent'? Then it must be quite good!" Calsedon immediately stepped forward. "Godfather, I wish to request this Devil Fruit!"
"Godfather, I also hope to receive it," Seamus added, stepping forward as well. The crewmates who hadn't successfully defeated a pirate worth over 100 million belli felt too embarrassed to even put themselves forward for consideration.
Suddenly, a deep voice rumbled from the massive palace doorway. "Captain," Brogy began, having to lower his head significantly just to peer inside, his giant face filling the entrance, "that Devil Fruit... it seems like it would suit me well. How about giving it to me?"
The moment Brogy spoke, both Calsedon and Seamus's expressions fell. If one of the legendary giants entered the running, they knew they stood absolutely no chance.
"Brogy!" Dorry's disapproving voice echoed from beside his fellow giant. "We are giants! We should rely on our own innate strength, not the borrowed powers of Devil Fruits!"
"But Devil Fruits are incredible, Dorry!" Brogy countered earnestly. "If I ate it, I'd become even stronger!"
"Dorry, Brogy," Bege intervened smoothly, addressing both giants. "To truly reach your peak potential in the battles to come, eating Devil Fruits might indeed be necessary someday. However, I have specific plans and expectations for you both, and I've already selected a particular direction regarding the types of Devil Fruits that would best complement your giant physiology and fighting styles. This Kilo-Kilo Fruit, while decent, is not the right fit for either of you."
Giants were undoubtedly powerhouses, possessing immense raw strength. Bege knew that Devil Fruits were likely the fastest and most effective way to unlock their maximum potential. In order to forge a truly formidable giant army under his command in the future, Bege already had a specific blueprint in mind regarding which fruits would be most synergistic.
"Ah, so the Captain already has a plan for us! Understood!" Brogy relinquished his claim quite readily, trusting Bege's judgment. "In that case, I don't need this fruit."
Bege then turned his attention back to Calsedon. "Calsedon," he said, his tone level, "the Kilo-Kilo Fruit isn't bad, but it's merely 'decent.' As commander of the Second Division of the God's Guard, demonstrating greater accomplishments and earning more merit in our future campaigns will grant you the opportunity to acquire far better, more powerful Devil Fruits than this. Knowing this, do you still wish to claim the Kilo-Kilo Fruit now?"
Calsedon's expression turned solemn. He fell silent for a moment, his gaze flickering towards Longbill, who had notably not stepped forward to compete for the fruit. A look of renewed determination settled in Calsedon's eyes. He straightened up and bowed deeply to Bege. "Reporting to My God," he declared firmly, "I withdraw my request for the Kilo-Kilo Fruit. I shall earn a better one through service."
Bege nodded, satisfied with the commander's ambition. He then looked at the remaining candidate. "Then this Kilo-Kilo Fruit belongs to you, Seamus."
Seamus dropped to his knees immediately, thanking Bege profusely. With trembling excitement, he took the Devil Fruit from the box. Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, he took a deep breath and ate it without hesitation, enduring the notoriously foul taste.
"Seamus, quick! Show us what your new ability can do!" Longbill urged eagerly.
Seamus closed his eyes in concentration. He tapped the floor lightly with his foot, and astonishingly, his body floated upwards gently, as if completely weightless. Then, just as suddenly, his expression shifted, and he plummeted downwards like a stone. CRASH! He slammed into the solid palace floor with immense force, shattering the flagstones beneath him in a spiderweb of cracks.
"I... I can really change my weight!" Seamus exclaimed excitedly, picking himself up from the crater. "Incredible! For now, I think I can only increase it up to about five thousand kilograms!"
"A Devil Fruit's true power lies in its development and application," Bege advised, nodding slightly. "The best path is often to integrate the fruit's ability with your existing skills – your swordsmanship, in this case. Explore its potential. Imagine the possibilities, Seamus: changing the weight of your entire body for agility or impact, altering the weight of specific limbs for powerful strikes, perhaps even finding a way to infuse that weight change into your weapon during an attack... The impact could be terrifying if used creatively. Develop it well; don't let its potential go to waste."
"Yes, Godfather! I understand!" Seamus bowed deeply again, his eyes shining with determination. "I swear I will not dishonor this gift!"
Bege closed the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia and tucked it away, then rose from the throne. "Our business here is concluded. There's nothing left for us on this island. Let's go."
With that, Bege activated his Castle-Castle Fruit power, absorbing the vast quantities of treasure piled in the hall, as well as the boxes of weapons and resources stacked in the square outside, storing everything securely within his internal fortress. He then departed Kullen Island with his formidable crew in tow.
Meanwhile, as Bege and the Fire Tank Pirates were busy plundering the spoils on Kullen Island, back at Marine Headquarters, Marineford, a critical meeting was underway. The office of Fleet Admiral Kong hosted a gathering of the Navy's highest echelon. Giants of the Marines like Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr were present, alongside top Vice Admirals such as the renowned strategist Tsuru and the fearsome "Mad Tiger" Simon, among other key figures. They were gathered around a screen, watching footage transmitted from Kullen Island – the very recording shot by the undercover Marine agent using a Video Den Den Mushi.
When the recording finished, depicting the swift and brutal dismantling of the pirate alliance by Bege's subordinates, Fleet Admiral Kong's expression was deeply grim.
"The Fire Tank Pirates," Kong began, his voice heavy, "vanished without a trace for two years, only to reappear now and utterly annihilate a pirate alliance composed of over a dozen crews – crews led by captains who had survived the New World, no less." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "And the most disturbing part? Their captain, Capone Bege, reportedly their strongest asset, didn't even need to lift a finger himself."
Kong's piercing gaze swept across the assembled officers, many of whom shifted uncomfortably. "Surely," the Fleet Admiral concluded gravely, "you all grasp the seriousness of this situation?"
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