Pirates: I Rely Only on Myself

After squeezing every last ounce of value from the Blood Blade Pirates, Noah sealed the unconscious Parrot-Man Gulo into a card.

He then turned to the pile of pirate corpses nearby. With a flicker of resolve in his eyes, he unleashed a Napalm Card.

Moments later, he detonated the Incendiary Card attached to the pirate ship.

BOOM! Under the blazing inferno that lit up the sky, the Blood Blade was obliterated, sinking into the depths as roaring flames consumed its remains.

The corpses were swiftly engulfed by the searing napalm, reduced to nothing but ash.

Noah wasn't one to leave loose ends. To prevent any information about himself from leaking out, he had to eradicate every trace—leaving nothing that could be used against him. In a world where Devil Fruits granted all manner of bizarre abilities, who knew if someone might leave hidden messages on a body or even fake their death? There could very well be a fruit similar to the Revive-Revive Fruit out there.

With the bodies and the pirate ship destroyed, Noah and his crew scoured the deserted island one more time. As expected, there was no sign of the Slip-Slip Fruit.

Such was the fickle nature of divination.

Even knowing that the slip-slip fruit was somewhere in these waters, he still couldn't pinpoint its exact location.

That evening, considering the Blood Blade Pirates had shown up here, Noah decided against staying overnight. He piloted the Nautilus to dive beneath the waves, setting a course for the next deserted island.

________________________________________

Five days later.

They had searched seven deserted islands over the past few days, yet still came up empty-handed.

Today was October 13th, 1503.

Noah glanced at the sea chart spread out before Lilith. Three deserted islands were marked nearby, one of which actually had a name—Goat Island.

Most people might not recognize this island, but mention Alvida, and anyone familiar with the tales of the Pirate King would know her.

This Goat Island was Alvida's base during her... less glamorous days. It was also where she was defeated by Monkey D. Luffy.

Noah pulled out his tarot cards, his mind focused.

Gazing at Clover Island No. 11, the deserted island closest to Goat Island, he decided to perform a divination.

"This journey will be smooth, but the outcome is uncertain," he murmured.

Noah frowned thoughtfully.

"The Hierophant, Nine of Wands... So, two stubborn leaders locked in debate and conflict?"

He drew another card.

"The Hierophant, Knight of Cups? A false friend, a stranger, and a tempter. I must seize the moment decisively."

A realization sparked in his eyes. Turning to Lilith, he instructed, "Lilith, set a course for Clover Island No. 11 at full speed."

"On it, Noah," Lilith replied promptly, her fingers dancing over the controls.

The Nautilus swiftly adjusted its heading, cutting through the waves toward Clover Island No. 11.

________________________________________

Four hours later, a tiny island less than two kilometers in diameter emerged on the horizon.

Without wasting a moment, everyone split into groups to search the island.

Before long, Mary and Vic's team struck gold. Nestled among a coconut grove near the beach was the elusive Slip-slip Fruit.

As soon as they secured the fruit, Noah recalled everyone. "We're moving out. No time to linger," he announced.

The crew hurried back aboard, and the Nautilus dove beneath the surface, setting off toward their next destination.

________________________________________

Approximately six hours after the Nautilus had departed.

On a beach bathed in the fiery hues of sunset.

A whirlwind stirred, and a cloaked figure materialized on the sand.

Eyes hidden beneath a green hood scanned the fresh footprints scattered across the beach. A thoughtful glint flickered within.

"Fresh tracks, made today, and they left in quite a hurry. Could it have been the Blood Blade Pirates?" the figure mused aloud, the voice barely a whisper carried away by the wind.

Moments later, the figure vanished as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving only the swirling sands dancing in the fading light.

________________________________________

After leaving the waters around Goat Island, the Nautilus was now cruising toward Dawn Island.

Dawn Island—the home of the Goa Kingdom.

But the Goa Kingdom wasn't Noah's destination. His sights were set on the most beautiful island in the East Blue—Sixis Island.

Sixis Island, ominously dubbed the "Hell's Ant Nest."

This island was infamous throughout the East Blue. Ships that ventured there vanished without a trace. Yet, whispers of hidden treasures within kept luring the daring and the desperate.

Located approximately 436 kilometers southeast of Dawn Island, Sixis Island beckoned.

Whether there was treasure on Sixis Island, Noah couldn't say. But he was certain the surrounding seabed was a graveyard of sunken ships.

After all, the sea around this island was treacherous—peculiar weather patterns akin to the Calm Belt, combined with a circular current that enveloped the entire island. Without a ship equipped with modern steam power, old-fashioned sailing ships stood no chance of escaping.

In the past few months, Noah had already used up his once-a-month detailed divinations.

He had now essentially confirmed that the Flame-Flame Fruit was on Sixis Island.

Additionally, three other Devil Fruits had been located: the Sickle-Sickle Fruit had already been consumed; the Sound Wave Fruit was within the Oykot Kingdom, Nami's homeland; and the Glue-Glue Fruit was on the Dominion Islands, 733 kilometers north of the Organ Islands.

The Iron-Iron Fruit and the Whisper-Whisper Fruit likely hadn't been reborn yet.

To quickly bolster his crew's strength and potential, Devil Fruits were the quickest path.

________________________________________

In the Nautilus's kitchen, the air was thick with anticipation.

Lillian carefully sliced the Slip-Slip Fruit into small pieces, the peculiar patterns on its skin hinting at the power it held. She handed the pieces to Mary, who eyed them with a mix of excitement and dread.

Taking a deep breath, Mary opened her mouth and began stuffing the chunks inside.

"Ugh, this tastes like rotten sludge... Bleh..." she grimaced, her face contorting as the vile taste hit her.

"Hang in there," Lillian encouraged, her eyes filled with empathy.

But thinking of Noah's expectations and the strength she would gain, Mary steeled herself. Fighting the nausea rising in her stomach, she swallowed the remaining fruit in one go.

"Quick, Lillian, pass me the apple juice!" she gasped, her voice strained.

Lillian was ready, handing over a large bottle.

Mary seized it and began gulping down the sweet juice as if it were the elixir of life.

Gulp, gulp...

"Ahh... I think I'm going to live," Mary sighed in relief, wiping her mouth.

"Look at your skin!" Lillian exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder. "It's so smooth and radiant! Try out your ability!"

A spark of excitement lit up Mary's eyes. She glanced around and grabbed a kitchen knife.

"Watch this," she said with a grin.

She swung the knife at her arm. Instead of cutting her, the blade seemed to meet an invisible barrier, gliding off harmlessly and nearly embedding itself in the floor.

"Whoa!" Lillian gasped. "That's incredible!"

Mary laughed, flexing her fingers. "It's like my whole body is covered in the world's best armor."

Before she had consumed the Slip-Slip Fruit, Noah had explained its potential to her.

"This fruit's ability is more powerful than most realize," he had told her. "And it's one of the few that doesn't fear seastone or seawater."

"Alvida didn't tap into its true potential because she lacked the knowledge to develop its powers deeply," he had explained.

"What exactly is slipperiness?" he had posed the question.

"It's when the particles on a material's surface are arranged so neatly that they create a kind of surface tension, preventing other substances from sticking to it."

"In other words, when you activate the Slip-Slip Fruit's ability, your body forms a thin force field—a sort of invisible shield—that creates a barrier between you and everything else."

"This barrier prevents seastone particles from directly touching your body," he had continued. "As long as you have enough stamina, you could even swim in the sea without losing your strength."

"Additionally, the Slip-Slip Fruit can achieve effects similar to the Rubber-Rubber Fruit. For example, you can accelerate your blood flow to gain explosive power."

"And think about conceptual expansions—you could potentially 'slide' away toxins, fatigue, pain, or even unwanted memories from your body, much like the Paw-Paw Fruit."

"Although before awakening, the Slip-Slip Fruit's abilities can't act outside your body, even just working on yourself offers a vast range of uses."

Back in the present, Mary felt a surge of excitement. The possibilities were endless.

"I can't wait to see what else I can do," she said, her eyes gleaming with determination.

"Just be careful," Lillian cautioned with a smile. "We are in a submarine, after all."

"Right, wouldn't want to accidentally slice the hull open," Mary joked, the two sharing a laugh.

________________________________________

Meanwhile, in his private quarters, Noah was deep in thought.

He knew that obtaining the Flame-Flame Fruit would be a game-changer. But he also knew that the journey ahead was fraught with danger.

"Sixis Island," he mused aloud. "A place where ships vanish and legends are born."

He gazed at the map, tracing the route with his finger.

"We'll need to be prepared for anything."

________________________________________

Unbeknownst to them, fate was weaving its threads, bringing together forces that would shape the future.

And as the Nautilus sailed toward Sixis Island, a sense of anticipation hung in the air—a feeling that their next adventure would be unlike any before.