Arceus's Pirate Journey

Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Envy and Fury

The revolver machine gun replaced the arm, metal components took the place of the joints, and with special neural connection technology, Queen completed his modification in just one day.

Although Scotch became much bulkier after modification, he managed to maintain his combat power. Given his natural aptitude, this actually enhanced his combat prowess.

Even in the New World, not everyone is proficient in Haki, nor can everyone cut iron; modified people often serve a greater purpose.

But those willing to modify themselves are still a minority; more attention is drawn to Babanuki.

”How long has Babanuki been sleeping?”

”Two days and nights now, right? It’s already the third day, and nobody knows what’s going on with him.”

The ordinary pirates went from curiosity to confusion, and now to murmurs of speculation. They initially thought Babanuki would obtain vast treasures or something else, but the outcome didn’t appear to be quite as expected.

Until midday on the third day, calculating from when Babanuki first fell asleep, sixty hours had passed before he finally opened his eyes.

”Hey! Guys, Babanuki’s awake!”

The surrounding pirates gathered around upon seeing Babanuki awaken and curiously asked, ”Three days have passed; what did you get?”

”I’ll tell you later; is there something to eat....”

The duration of learning mainly depends on talent; Shaina mastered Sword Dance in seven hours, and Kaidou took even less time, while Babanuki used sixty hours, which equated to two months in the learning space, only reaching the beginner stage.

It also brought about mental fatigue and physical hunger; the rest of the pirates continued feasting; although not as grand as at first, they were always well-fed.

He went to the side and started eating heartily, and under the urging of the pirates, he got back on his feet again.

”Don’t rush, let me show you what I got.”

Saying this, he glanced around, seemingly searching for something suitable until a large stone half-embedded in the ground entered his view. He walked to the boulder and then embraced it with both arms.

”You’ve not lost your mind, have you? Do you intend to pull it out?”

The part of the stone exposed above ground was already taller than a person, and who knows how much more was beneath, maybe even connected to underlying rock layers. They were well aware of Babanuki’s capabilities; it was simply impossible.

But the next moment, the muscles in Babanuki’s arms seemed to swell twice over, and with a roar, he forcibly pulled the half-buried boulder out of the ground, lifted it high above his head, and hurled it into the distant sea.

He was lucky; it was just a loose boulder, and although it was not small beneath, it wasn’t ’deeply rooted.’

Seeing the jaws of the surrounding pirates almost drop to the ground, Babanuki felt a special kind of satisfaction.

Merely obtaining power without showing it off to others wouldn’t be nearly as effective.

Although using the Monster Strength Technique consumed more stamina, the strength acquired was totally worth it; previously, he couldn’t even, with all his might, throw such a stone so far, let alone one buried in the ground.

”Did you see that? If you want to gain this power, go out and fight, find what we need, and as long as you can bring these things back, you all have a chance to get this power!”

Treasures may be lost, but power will not. Those who go down the path of pirates wouldn’t mind having too much of their strength.

Babanuki’s show almost sparked a new wave of frenzy, and Arceus’s standing was elevated to a higher status.

Not every pirate is fearless, and many pirates harbor their own little thoughts.

Since the source of power is Arceus, and Kaidou merely discusses matters with Arceus without commanding him, it implies that if they gain Arceus’s approval, they too can obtain power.

Thus, within the Hundred Beasts Pirates, a special group emerged, one which epitomized the spirit of sycophancy, except their target was Arceus.

With their coaxing and the allure of power, Arceus’s status within the Hundred Beasts Pirates soared, becoming an object of worship. Centered around Shaina, a religious sect’s prototype took shape among the early members of the Hundred Beasts Pirates.

Meanwhile, some information was placed into the black market. The underworld of pirates is extremely chaotic, filled with intricate relationships, where you might even see announcements seeking a Navy admiral’s head.

They dare to put up any kind of news; whether anyone dares to take it is another matter, and even news of the Hundred Beasts was leaked out, targeting certain minerals, Zoan Devil Fruits, distinctively shaped plates, and so on.

Nonetheless, the black market isn’t particularly reliable, just as Arceus’s current policy is to scatter a wide net, so they’ve also put up substantial bounties on the black market.

In the black market, hard currency remains gold, Devil Fruits, and the like, stable and valuable items, so much so that even Belly is slightly lesser. The bounties offered by the Hundred Beasts are in Belly.

Moreover, the black market is fraught with troublesome issues such as betrayal, fraud, sting operations—anything imaginable could happen there.

In the black market, the most crucial elements are trustworthy strength and excellent discernment.

As for middlemen, when your strength is on par, they are intermediaries. When your strength is not equal, and you venture into this flesh-eating market, leaving alive and freely is your greatest fortune.

Next, it’s still the development phase; Kaidou, Arceus, and Shaina split into three groups, first searching for the plate on nearby islands, as Kaidou still needs to consolidate territory, and it’s best not to leave too far for now.

Simultaneously, the Hundred Beasts Pirates are developing economically since not everything can be solved by force, and Belly is indeed a very important commodity.

For instance, materials needed for shipbuilding; a timber capable of crafting a superior Dragon Bone is invaluable in the black market, virtually determining a ship’s lifespan.

With Babanuki as an example, the members of the Hundred Beasts became more ferocious in battle, especially Babanuki, who, having acquired the Monster Strength Technique, often wielded heavy weapons charging at the forefront.

All development was fairly smooth until the arrival of the News Bird, apart from newspapers; these news birds brought the latest wanted posters.

And it was precisely this wanted poster that caused Shaina to flip the table again, the erupting flames even set the house on fire.