The scene shifted back to Sami.
With Old Barry sitting on his shoulders and curiously looking around, Sami strolled through the streets of Aramuk Island.
His main goal was to purchase a batch of dials, one of the primary purposes of this trip.
Before long, he found a fairly large specialty shop.
The sign above the door read:
"Cloudshell Treasures."
Inside the store, Sami carefully lowered Barry and let him rest on a cloud chair provided by the clerk. Then he began browsing the merchandise.
Shelves throughout the shop displayed all kinds of dials, many crafted into decorative objects.
The most common were Lamp Dials.
They were embedded into beautifully shaped stands. As long as they absorbed light, they would glow steadily—far more convenient and safer than oil lamps.
Natural, eco-friendly lighting.
Besides those, there were also:
Wind DialsTone DialsHeat DialsWater Dials
Each had its own unique function.
Prices ranged from a few hundred to tens of thousands of Beli, depending on size and craftsmanship.
Although Sami didn't see any combat-type dials, buying some inexpensive civilian ones was still worthwhile.
After all, Sky Island dials had been rare in the Blue Sea for a long time.
Rare items meant high value.
Besides—
They had already come this far.
Soon Sami selected a batch and handed them to the clerk for packaging.
While paying, Sami casually asked:
"By the way… do you have any more special dials?"
"For example… Impact Dials or Slash Dials?"
The clerk paused briefly while packing.
He glanced at Sami, then at the large purchase bags near his feet.
He shook his head.
"Sir, the combat-type dials you mentioned…"
"Stores like ours that serve ordinary residents haven't stocked them for a long time."
"To be honest, Aramuk Island values peace."
"Since the previous island lord's era, offensive dials have gradually stopped being sold publicly."
"Not just here. If you ask other shops, you'll likely hear the same answer."
"I see."
Sami nodded thoughtfully.
"Then where could I find them?"
"If you truly need them," the clerk said carefully,
"you might try the White-White Sea at 10,000 meters."
"It's said that things are… unstable there."
"Conflicts and battles occur from time to time."
"In that kind of environment, combat dials should still circulate in the market."
"But…"
The clerk lowered his voice slightly.
"That place is much more dangerous than Aramuk Island."
"If Blue Sea visitors go there… please be extremely careful."
"The White-White Sea… still at war?"
Sami murmured.
"Hmm… that makes sense."
Just as he was about to ask more—
"SO—DIS—GUS—TING—!!!!!"
A miserable scream exploded from the street like thunder.
The shop fell silent.
Clerks and customers looked toward the source.
People outside also stopped walking, curious.
Sami frowned.
That voice…
Why did it sound familiar?
…Was that Gade?
Without hesitation, Sami paid the bill.
He grabbed the two large bags of dials with one hand and hoisted Barry back onto his shoulder with the other.
Then he quickly headed toward the noise.
Soon he saw a small crowd gathered around a fruit stall.
Several of his crew members stood nearby.
Someone seemed to be kneeling on the ground.
When Sami pushed through the crowd—
It was indeed Gade.
Gade was kneeling on one knee, supporting himself with one hand while clutching his mouth with the other.
He was gagging violently.
Tears and snot were streaming down his face.
"Gade! What happened?"
Sami hurried forward and crouched down.
"Are you injured?"
"Poisoned?"
His gaze swept the ground.
Then he noticed a strangely shaped fruit, with a bite taken out of it.
"Captain! You have to help our captain!"
One angry sailor pointed at the fruit vendor nearby.
"That crooked merchant tricked him!"
"He talked our captain into buying that rotten fruit for 10,000 Beli!"
"The moment he bit it, he became like this!"
"It must be poisonous!"
"Ten thousand Beli?"
Sami froze for a moment.
He picked up the fruit and carefully examined the twisted spiral patterns on its skin.
"…Gade."
"You spent ten thousand Beli on this?"
"You actually have quite the luck."
"Captain?" Gade looked up miserably.
"I've been completely scammed…"
"That taste… it's…"
The crew stared at Sami, confused.
Why was the captain calling it luck?
Sami looked again at the fruit.
Then at Gade.
A helpless smile appeared on his face.
"If I'm not mistaken…"
"This isn't just a disgusting fruit."
"These patterns… and that uniquely horrible taste."
"This is most likely a Devil Fruit."
"D-Devil Fruit?!"
Gade's eyes snapped wide open.
Even the nausea paused.
The crew collectively gasped.
"The legendary treasure that grants superpowers but makes you hated by the sea?!"
"Captain, you mean this disgusting thing is THAT?!"
"Yes."
Sami nodded firmly.
"Gade."
"Forget the taste."
"Focus."
"Try to feel your body."
"Do you sense anything different?"
"Imagine… a certain change. A certain power."
"Power…?"
Gade repeated blankly.
He looked down at his hands.
A Devil Fruit…
He ate one?
He closed his eyes and tried to feel it.
Something…
Something inside his body felt strange.
Like something was moving beneath his skin.
"Uh… ah…!"
Gade groaned involuntarily.
His face flushed red.
Then—
The change began.
The skin on Gade's hands darkened.
It grew rough.
His fingers shortened and thickened.
His nails hardened and extended—
Becoming heavy black hooves.
The transformation spread upward.
His arms bulged with muscle.
Coarse gray hide covered his body.
His neck thickened.
His skull structure changed.
His nose protruded.
Two gray horns—one long, one short—slowly emerged from his forehead.
His body grew larger.
Stronger.
His back arched.
Within seconds—
Before everyone's stunned eyes—
Gade had transformed from a man into a massive beast.
A powerful creature with thick gray hide and two horns.
Standing on four legs.
"MOOO—?!"
A deep confused roar escaped from the beast's mouth.
The entire street fell silent.
Even the Sky Islanders watching nearby were shocked.
They pointed and whispered.
The fruit vendor's jaw dropped.
The rag in his hand fell to the ground.
The weird fruit he had been unable to sell for two years…
Was actually a Devil Fruit?!
Gade looked down at his hooves.
Then twisted his thick neck to examine his body.
His animal-like eyes were full of shock.
"What… am I…?"
Sami pushed aside the thoughts in his mind.
He stepped forward and patted Gade's thick shoulder.
Thud. Thud.
Then he smiled.
"As expected."
"Zoan-type: Ox-Ox Fruit — Model: Rhinoceros."
"Congratulations, Gade."
"That ten thousand Beli bought you a priceless treasure."
"WOOOOW!!! Captain Gade looks amazing!"
"That size! That power!"
"So cool!!!"
Gade slowly lifted his massive head.
His eyes were still confused.
But he was gradually processing the reality.
The price of that soul-destroying taste…
Was the power to become a rhinoceros.
Was that a loss?
Or the greatest bargain in history?
He shook his head.
Then tried to change back.
With a thought—
The transformation reversed.
The thick hide receded.
The horns withdrew.
His limbs returned to human form.
A few seconds later, Gade stood there again.
His clothes were torn.
But his face was full of disbelief—and excitement.
"I… really…"
He stared at his hands.
They felt filled with power.
"You can experiment later."
Sami interrupted with a smile.
He pulled a loose coat from the dial purchase bag and tossed it to him.
"Put something on first."
Then his tone turned slightly serious.
"Gade."
"You know what it means to be a Devil Fruit user."
"You can't swim anymore."
"But you've gained power far beyond ordinary people."
"Zoan fruits greatly enhance physical strength and recovery."
"And a Rhinoceros Zoan isn't weak among normal Zoans."
"Use it well."
Gade clenched his fists.
His voice was firm.
"Yes, Captain!"
"I understand!"
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