"Barrier-Barrier Fruit? A Paramecia-type Devil Fruit eaten by a little girl—what enviable luck!"
"With an ability user on their side, no wonder they made a name for themselves as soon as they hit the Grand Line... With absolute defense, even I could do it!"
"If we could get her, our pirate crew would soar!"
Three days later, the World Economy News Paper ran a short piece introducing the two newcomers Karl and Carina to the Grand Line.
The article detailed the Barrier-Barrier Fruit’s power, and only then talked about Carina and Karl.
The appearance of the Barrier-Barrier Fruit made Carina stand out in the first half of the Grand Line, even drawing the attention and covetous eyes of quite a few big names.
If her fame were any higher, even the Beasts Pirates under Kaidō might have cast their gaze her way.
After all, for Kaidō of the Beasts, the Barrier-Barrier Fruit would be especially meaningful.
"Carina, you’re famous now!"
"You even got more column inches than me, hehe..."
After leaving the Bugas Kingdom, the three also read that news.
With an arm around Carina’s shoulder, Karl teased.
"Fame’s fine by me. It’ll probably lure some idiots."
Carina’s lips curved. "That way I won’t have to work so hard to hunt down targets."
"Wanna celebrate with a bath together?" Karl suddenly smirked and teased.
Realizing this guy needed an outlet again, Carina flushed and gave him an elbow, then turned for the deck chair under the sun umbrella, tossing a line that made Nami blush scarlet: "If you want a shared bath, go ask the little cat burglar. You still owe two favors."
"I... I’m not doing that..." Dıscover more novels at 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✶𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✶𝓷𝓮𝓽
Seeing Karl’s gaze shift to her, Nami hurriedly fixed the helm and scampered back into the cabin.
Watching her retreating back, Karl clicked his tongue in regret.
Nami at this age really wasn’t any fun.
If she were eighteen, he might have gotten his wish.
Maybe even a threesome.
Karl didn’t get discouraged. Neither girl had grown up yet; even if things worked out now, he’d get an eyeful and some fringe benefits, but still couldn’t go all the way.
So Karl dove into the sea, swam a thousand meters out, tussled with some massive sea beasts, and prepped dinner for the day.
Over the next month, the trio crossed island after island.
At last, in December of Sea Circle Calendar 1516, they reached the Boin Archipelago.
Because the Boin Archipelago is a cluster made of enormous plants, it reigns supreme over its waters.
You don’t need a Log Pose; once you enter that sea area, it’s easy to find.
"So that’s the Boin Archipelago?"
Staring at the archipelago blooming like a flower, Nami looked a bit timid. "It looks terrifying. When it eats, won’t the whole island close up?"
"Karl, are you sure you’ll be fine? Should I come up there with you?"
Even Carina lost her easy smile and looked a little solemn.
"No need. If I happen to hit feeding time, I’ll just clear it with a light spear." Karl shook his head.
"Alright, I won’t stop you."
Carina nodded. "We’ve got enough food aboard to last Nami and me a month. So you only have a month. Whether you finish evolving or not, you have to get out by then."
Karl flashed an OK sign.
When the tri-sail closed to a certain distance from the Boin Archipelago, Karl leapt from the ship into the sea and arrowed toward the gourmet paradise ahead.
"Carina, Karl won’t be in danger, right?"
Watching the white wake line streak across the water, Nami looked worried.
"Relax. Since he was nine, I’ve never seen anyone or anything in this world actually endanger Karl."
Carina patted Nami’s shoulder, soothing and encouraging her. "And I can’t fall behind either. While he evolves, I have to work hard this month too."
She headed back into the cabin to the little library she’d set up.
Several shelves were crammed with brand-new books.
These were "knowledge" Carina had bought across several stops.
With a clear goal set, over the next month she aimed to absorb at least twenty to thirty percent of it.
The moment he set foot ashore, the island’s residents "welcomed" him.
A man-eating sunflower several stories tall scuttled at high speed, maw gaping toward him.
One punch and the sunflower collapsed, out cold.
"I’m soaked and not in a good mood. Don’t test me."
After a one-hit KO, Karl glared at the giant ants and earthworms peeking from the brush. His aura surged, the pressure of a top predator rolling out as he became the apex of the food chain and cowed the lesser creatures.
They scattered in a panic.
Karl didn’t seem to realize that his presence kept growing fiercer, almost becoming tangible.
A sign that something was about to awaken.
After driving off the Boin Archipelago’s critters, Karl crossed a forest, searching the island for the gourmet paradise.
In less than half an hour, he accidentally kicked a steak-shaped stumbling stone.
Yes, a steak stumbling stone.
Like rocks sprouting from the ground—only this was steak growing from the earth.
Seeing the feast laid out ahead, Karl broke into a brilliant grin.
A ramen waterfall. Eggs bigger than a man’s head growing like yolks. Hams hanging from trees. Grapes and chocolates the size of boulders. Forked spaghetti sprouting from the turf. Coconut rice bowls, and more...
Behind it all, a colossal carnivorous forest, and here in front, a paradise where everything gave off mouthwatering scents.
The Boin Archipelago.