One Piece : Captain, We’ve Arrived at Laugh Tale

The Devil Fruit Hunt

The Merry had just weathered a storm, so Nami had everything under control.

Indeed, navigators are absolutely essential on the Grand Line. Those brave enough to sail alone in a small boat deserve genuine admiration. Simply surviving here is considered a remarkable achievement.

Having spent considerable time on the Grand Line, Carl was filled with respect for its unpredictable weather patterns.

When faced with natural disasters, one truly feels nature's overwhelming power. Perhaps even the mighty Whitebeard himself would struggle against such forces.

Whenever Carl contemplated this reality, he couldn't help but admire both Ace and Mihawk. These two possessed not only exceptional talent but also incredible courage to traverse the Grand Line alone.

However, Ace was likely concerned about encountering Blackbeard, wasn't he?

Carl recalled the storyline—the Straw Hats should reach Skypiea soon, but before that, they would arrive at Mock Town. Carl wondered if they would meet the Blackbeard Pirates there this time, and if so, what course of action they should take.

Blackbeard was undeniably powerful, and his Dark-Dark Fruit had bizarre abilities, but the current Blackbeard Pirates probably stood no chance against the Straw Hats.

If they could eliminate Blackbeard, wouldn't that save Ace?

Then the Marineford War would never occur—seemingly a positive outcome!

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Carl's expression darkened.

The original storyline had already been significantly altered, making future events increasingly unpredictable. Whether Blackbeard would still dare to capture Luffy remained uncertain.

Nevertheless, if an opportunity presented itself, Blackbeard should be eliminated.

The Marineford War might appear as a victory for the Marines, with both Whitebeard and Ace perishing, which the Marines celebrated as justice prevailing. But Carl believed it was actually Blackbeard's victory—everyone had been manipulated by him.

The Four Emperors remained, leaving the Marines' efforts seemingly futile.

The Whitebeard Pirates essentially handed their power to Blackbeard, giving him an effortless advantage.

Moreover, while the Marines sought to boost their reputation, they failed to consider that defeating Whitebeard wouldn't enable them to control his territories.

Although civilians in Whitebeard's territories paid protection fees, they generally enjoyed stable lives—likely better than those in countries forced to pay the Celestial Dragons' tribute.

Whitebeard's fall would inevitably trigger new conflicts throughout the New World, with civilians in those territories suffering the consequences.

The Marines' strategy lacked foresight.

This wasn't about defending pirates but acknowledging reality.

Logically, the Marines could have continued developing their strength, waited for Whitebeard's natural death from old age, and then swiftly claimed his territories in the New World. This approach would have both enhanced the Marines' standing and minimized casualties.

Of course, this was merely Carl's personal assessment.

The New World's situation was exceedingly complex, and Carl's understanding was limited. Many of his ideas were likely oversimplified.

The Marines surely had their own considerations and constraints; the Marineford War wasn't decided impulsively. The leaders must have deliberated extensively before initiating the conflict.

The more Carl pondered these matters, the more his head ached—primarily because the Marineford War and the Straw Hats weren't unrelated.

Ace was Luffy's sworn brother. Once they learned of Ace's scheduled public execution, the Straw Hats would inevitably join the battle, putting them in direct conflict with the Marines.

Carl's primary concern was the crew's combat capability!

Currently, Luffy and Carl could potentially handle an Admiral, but the others probably couldn't even match a Vice Admiral. They needed more time to develop their strength.

Entering such a battle could mean death for his companions!

The more he considered these possibilities, the more anxious he became. Carl hadn't slept properly for days, constantly displaying dark circles under his eyes. His training regimen for the crew had grown increasingly intense.

Everyone seemed to notice Carl's troubled mood, so they remained obedient and avoided antagonizing him.

With nothing else to do, Carl pulled out the Devil Fruit radar and activated it. To his surprise, a bright flash appeared on the screen.

There was a Devil Fruit ahead!

"Nami! There's a Devil Fruit in that direction!" Carl shouted urgently.

"What? A Devil Fruit appeared?!" Nami's excitement was immediate.

The others familiar with the radar—Robin, Chopper, Marie, and the trio—jumped up joyfully. They had learned about the Devil Fruit radar from the ship's log. [Even Law was curious.

The existence of a radar capable of detecting Devil Fruits was astonishing—they had to excuse their ignorance.

"Yosh! Nami, turn around! Let's go treasure hunting!" Luffy leaped up from his special seat on Merry's figurehead, shouting enthusiastically.

Seeing the Merry's sudden U-turn, the submarine following behind mimicked the maneuver without questioning why. Before encountering the storm, the Merry had been leading the way, and the Heart Pirates had grown accustomed to following.

Law also realized something important: [Nami's navigation skills were superior!]

"Mr. Carl, how long until we arrive?" Nami could barely contain her impatience—she seemed to envision 100 million Berries beckoning to her.

"Here, it's right here." Carl confirmed, studying the radar screen.

"Here? But this area is nothing but open sea!"

Everyone appeared confused.

Surrounded by water in every direction, where could they find a Devil Fruit? Beneath the waves?

Carl laughed and explained, "The Devil Fruit is on the seafloor. We'll need to find a way to descend and retrieve it! Nami, that's at least 100 million Berries!"

At the mention of such wealth, Nami's eyes gleamed with determination.

The seafloor? This was truly becoming an expedition!

Law and his crew—including Bepo—maneuvered their submarine alongside the Merry, puzzled by the Straw Hats' behavior.

"Straw Hat, why have you stopped here? Is a natural disaster approaching?" Law asked directly.

"Oh, Torao, there's no disaster! We're hunting for treasure!" Luffy replied cheerfully.

"Treasure?"

"That's right! We detected a Devil Fruit on the seafloor, and we're planning to retrieve it!"

A detectable Devil Fruit?!

Were the Straw Hats delusional?!

Carl turned to Zoro: "Zoro, anything?"

Zoro shook his head: "My Observation Haki range is too limited to penetrate deeply, but I haven't detected anything within a hundred meters."

Carl then looked to Luffy: "How about you, Luffy? Find anything?"

Luffy also shook his head: "I've searched about three kilometers, but found nothing. The seafloor seems flat and deep. What about you, Mr. Carl?"

Carl shook his head as well: "I haven't sensed anything either."

Seeing the Straw Hats' serious approach, even employing Observation Haki, Law realized they weren't fabricating this story. Still, a Devil Fruit detection system seemed incredibly far-fetched.

Then, everyone turned toward the Heart Pirates' submarine, smiling knowingly.

Who said the seafloor couldn't be explored? Wasn't there a submarine right here?

Law sighed deeply—he had anticipated this development but wasn't inclined to refuse. A diving mission was straightforward enough. Besides, he was curious to see if a Devil Fruit really awaited them below.

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