Blake did not avoid Ginny and Betty when distributing the Devil Fruits.
In fact, after the Revolutionary Army completely collapsed, the two had become rootless trees.
The main reason they still wore Sea Stone bracelets was that Blake was worried they might try a one-for-one exchange out of despair.
With their strength, it was naturally impossible to harm Blake, but if other maids were harmed, it would be a loss.
Upon seeing Blake distribute abilities, Ginny and Betty both showed incredulous expressions.
The two exchanged glances, and the surprise in their eyes gradually faded.
It no longer mattered.
Even if they knew this, what could they do?
Could they, like Ginny before, steal a transponder snail and try to send the message out?
Don't be silly, who knows if this isn't another new trap?
It could be said that in their hearts, Blake had already become a cunning, sly, sinister, and treacherous figure.
Any word he spoke, any action he took, could potentially be bait.
Blake naturally didn't know that his image in the two women's hearts had completely collapsed; he could only blame this world for misunderstanding him too deeply.
He had already reclined back on his lounge chair and casually picked up today's newspaper.
At a glance, what caught his eye was a clear headline—
"Exclusive Blockbuster! Obtaining the Ope-Ope no Mi May Make You the Next King of the World!"
"World Shocked! The Ope-Ope no Mi's Ultimate Secret, the Gate to Immortality Has Now Opened!"
Blake looked at the bold, impactful words on the newspaper, his eye twitching slightly, and he let out a soft "Tsk":
"Morgans really knows how to talk nonsense; these headlines are more shocking than the last."
"However, he's quite fast, and the spread effect is getting better and better."
He hadn't expected that the news he had Aramaki send to the Blake market a few days ago would appear in the newspaper so quickly.
It was even heavily embellished by Morgans, and from the looks of it, he seemed eager to make a series out of it.
With the spread of the World Economy News Paper, he believed this news had now spread throughout the entire sea.
Continuing to read, the report wrote in a highly inflammatory tone—
"According to cross-verification by this agency from multiple top channels, the widely circulated 'Immortality Surgery' is by no means empty talk!"
"Its core key is precisely that legendary Devil Fruit—the Ope-Ope no Mi!"
"According to an authoritative source who wished to remain anonymous, the conditions for performing this surgery are extremely stringent..."
What followed was a series of insider tips from informants and authoritative figures.
After finishing, Blake casually tossed the newspaper aside.
The Ope-Ope no Mi would not appear for over a year, and Blake had Aramaki spread this news merely to make arrangements in advance.
Brrr-brrr... Brrr-brrr... People really can't stand being talked about; just as he thought of Aramaki, the white transponder snail in Blake's arms rang.
Blake lazily took out the transponder snail and held it to his ear:
"What is it?"
On the other end of the transponder snail, Aramaki's respectful voice came through:
"Your Highness, regarding that matter, it has already appeared in the newspaper..."
"Of course, I know!"
Blake interrupted:
"Since the news got out, what's so strange about that bird Morgans putting it in the newspaper?"
"Yes! Your Highness!"
Aramaki hurriedly continued:
"This time, I disturbed you not only for this matter; there is news about the giant Anglerfish you previously instructed us to find."
A dark red bolt of lightning instantly flashed in Blake's eyes, his expression became serious, and he slowly sat up from the lounge chair:
"Continue."
His voice was steady, yet it carried a subtle sense of pressure.
Aramaki, far away in the South Blue, seemed to have noticed Blake's emphasis on this matter and did not keep him in suspense, quickly reporting:
"Someone discovered its tracks near the border of the West Blue and the Calm Belt."
"Eyewitnesses claim its size is comparable to an island, and the whirlpools it creates when swimming are enough to swallow a fleet."
It seems it might really be that fish from the original story.
Blake said concisely:
"Specific location?"
Aramaki immediately reported a series of precise nautical coordinates.
"Good, I understand. Continue to pay attention to relevant news."
Blake hung up the transponder snail after speaking.
He sat on the lounge chair, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the transponder snail's shell, his eyes as deep as the sea.
"pure gold..."
A moment later, Blake softly uttered these two words and put away the transponder snail.
The sun was just right, and the sea breeze, carrying a salty smell, blew in his face.
Blake waved to the other end of the deck:
"Rami, where are we now?"
Rami, impersonating the navigator, immediately trotted over, holding a sea chart wider than herself.
She somewhat clumsily spread the sea chart on the deck, her finger moving back and forth on the chart:
"Wait... let me see... we should be at... right!"
Her finger finally stopped at a point:
"We just passed through the Sea of Jellyfish and are sailing along the current."
"If the wind direction doesn't change, we'll see the next island in three days."
That far?
Blake glanced at the position Rami's finger pointed to, frowning slightly.
This was at least a ten-day journey from Reverse Mountain; if they continued to travel so leisurely, by the time he reached the West Blue, the Anglerfish would be gone.
Stella was not a combatant, and due to physical limitations, her development of the Door-Door Fruit was limited to short-distance movement and storage space.
The ability cards for improving physical fitness that Blake had were already used on himself, so there was no way to temporarily improve now.
He thought for a moment and instructed:
"Tell the Slaves in the lower deck to work non-stop, full speed ahead, and head to Reverse Mountain immediately!"
Rami looked up, glancing at Blake in surprise:
"But Your Highness, in that case, the Slaves will..."
Blake smiled and patted her small head:
"Go give the order!"
"Understood!"
Rami nodded vigorously, rolled up the sea chart, put it aside, and quickly ran towards the ship's cabin.
Blake turned and walked down the deck, his steps steady.
But only he knew that when he first heard the news about the Anglerfish, he could clearly feel his blood flowing faster, and his heart beating a few times quicker than usual.
Immortality!
Although Blake knew he would eventually find a method for immortality in this world, when immortality truly appeared before him, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
He usually wasn't overly harsh on the Slaves because his heart was arrogant; minor matters weren't worth affecting his mood.
But when a sufficiently massive benefit was at stake, the lives of those irrelevant Slaves became the least important consideration.
All of you, go pedal the treadmills!
If you don't pedal yourselves to death, then pedal like your lives depend on it!
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