Meanwhile, as Benimaru was talking with the tribe members, the three who had originally run away from him were seen at the top of the forest, inside a treehouse. It was made entirely of wood, but the craftsmanship was remarkable, solid and well-built, resembling a normal house, except it was suspended in a tree.
"Why did we run earlier, Camille? What if that stranger hurt the others? We should have helped them, just like they helped us when our parents died," asked Jayce, a teenage boy, clearly concerned for the residents who had taken them in.
"You don't have to worry, Jayce. I just came back to eat that weird fruit we found in the forest earlier. According to a book I found in the library, it's called a Devil Fruit. It's supposed to give the person who eats it special abilities. I just don't know what kind of ability this one gives," Camille replied.
"Then eat it already. What are you hesitating for, Sister?" said their other brother, Viktor, who had been silently observing the conversation.
"It's not that simple, Viktor. Once I eat it, I won't be able to swim anymore, which is a huge weakness—especially since we dream of going out to sea one day," Camille said, still hesitating. But Viktor quickly suggested a solution.
"Then let me eat it. I know you want to get stronger, but this could become your biggest weakness. I'll take the risk and just rely on you two if I ever fall into the ocean," Viktor said, determined to bear the burden.
"Alright, I'll leave it to you, Viktor," Camille agreed, handing him the Devil Fruit.
Viktor took a bite—and instantly regretted it. The taste was so horrible that it almost made him throw up.
"BLEEGHHHGHHHH!" he gagged dramatically, as if trying to cough up his guts.
Camille smiled, satisfied with her decision not to eat the fruit herself. She knew she would've vomited immediately—she couldn't handle bad-tasting food at all.
"So? Do you know what ability you got?" Jayce asked eagerly, eyes wide with anticipation.
"Yeah… right after I ate it, I somehow just knew. It's called the Gara Gara no Mi—it makes me a Stone Human. Like this," Viktor explained, before transforming his body into solid rock. His appearance resembled The Thing from the comics, but with the added ability to summon, control, and even become metal at will.
"Whoa, that's so cool! With that power, I'm sure we can defeat that stranger! Come on, let's go fight him!" Jayce shouted, thrilled by the transformation. Camille also smiled, feeling reassured now that Viktor had become stronger.
The three siblings descended from their treehouse and rushed back toward the settlement, expecting to find chaos. But when they arrived, what they saw stunned them: the villagers were talking and laughing with Benimaru. No fighting. No fear. Just peace.
The siblings stopped in their tracks, completely confused.
"What is going on? Aren't we being attacked by this stranger? Why are you all laughing with him?" Camille, Jayce, and Victor shouted in unison, completely bewildered by the scene before them. To them, the sight of their fellow villagers laughing with someone they assumed was a threat felt like a surreal betrayal of logic.
"We're not being attacked. It was just a misunderstanding," one of the tribe members explained nonchalantly. "This young man is only here to take our treasure and then leave."
The siblings blinked in disbelief, their confusion only growing.
"What?! He's here to rob us and you're happy about it? What is happening? Did he use some kind of trick to make you all dumber than usual?" Camille asked bluntly, her words hitting harder than intended. The villagers immediately looked down, slightly offended, while Benimaru struggled not to burst into laughter.
"Sister, you don't need to insult them. Just ask questions calmly," Jayce whispered, stifling a chuckle himself.
"Well, let me clarify," Benimaru said, stepping in to ease the tension. "The 'treasure' they're referring to is a weapon described in a journal by the only person in your tribe who's ever explored the entire island. It's supposedly hidden somewhere in the forest. That's what I'm here to find—but don't worry, I'm not going to harm anyone or take anything else."
"So you're saying... you're on a treasure hunt? For a weapon that might not even exist?" Camille asked, narrowing her eyes slightly. Benimaru simply nodded.
Meanwhile, Victor and Jayce were having a quiet conversation off to the side. Victor wore a haunted, hollow-eyed expression.
"So I just gave up my ability to swim... for nothing?" Victor groaned, slumping over like a deflated balloon, perfectly mimicking the dramatic despair pose Franky would do when hit by a Negative Ghost. Jayce patted his back in silent sympathy.
Benimaru raised an eyebrow. "What's up with him?"
"He ate something called a Devil Fruit earlier—because we thought you were attacking the village," Jayce explained. "Turns out he didn't need to. Now he's lost his ability to swim... forever."
Victor glared at Benimaru, clearly blaming him for his own tragic mistake, while Benimaru, on the other hand, was stuck on one specific detail.
"Wait… you ate a Devil Fruit? Oh! Congratulations!" he said with genuine excitement. "Do you even realize how rare that is? There are probably fewer than a thousand Devil Fruit users across all the seas."
Victor's ears perked up.
"Is that true?" he asked, still skeptical.
"Absolutely. Even the weaker ones are incredibly valuable. A single Devil Fruit can go for 150 million berries or more. I'm not sure how to translate that into your daily life here, but just know—it's a lot of money."
Victor stood up straighter, suddenly feeling more accomplished. "Really? Well… I guess I'm lucky then."
Benimaru grinned.
"Hey... wanna join my pirate crew?"