After sealing The World island ship into a card, Noah led Ari and the others onto one of the Baron Stomachs.
The flower-like island formed by the Baron Stomach was teeming with enticing ingredients and various animals drawn to it. The amphibious sea beasts were especially large and plump, having feasted on the bounty of the island.
"This flower island formed by the Baron Stomach really has a unique flavor," Ari said as he casually tore off a piece of plant meat dripping with nectar and stuffed it into his mouth. "Mmm… this is amazing!"
Meanwhile, Lilian, who had discovered the Baron Stomach, held a small notebook, diligently recording the different ingredients she found.
Aside from the central feeding mouth, the rest of the flower island was composed of rich, fertile leaves. These leaves acted like soil, nurturing a variety of symbiotic plants and fungi, alongside the Baron Stomach's own creations—nectar flowers, plant meat, and delicious fruits.
While Lilian wasn't too interested in the fattened wild beasts, she was captivated by the symbiotic plants and fungi, which were incredibly flavorful ingredients.
Looking at the vast array of ingredients before her, Lilian could barely contain her excitement. Drooling slightly, she asked, "Noah, could we build a base here?"
"Here?" Noah pondered for a moment.
Building a secret base here wasn't impossible.
However, it couldn't be built directly on the Baron Stomach, nor could it be placed in the surrounding sea. The reason was simple: the Baron Stomach released pheromones that attracted animals—and sometimes even humans.
If they built a base on the nearby sea, passing ships would inevitably discover it. And Noah's family couldn't possibly go on a rampage, killing every passerby they encountered.
So, while a base could be established, it would have to be built in the sky.
"Lilian, when you return, contact Monet. Have her send a team to this area and use cloud-making technology to create a small Emperor Cloud above. Once that's done, notify me, and I'll build a small sky island on it."
Lilian's eyes sparkled with excitement as she nodded eagerly. "Thank you, Noah!"
"You can come here to study and cook, but be discreet. Understood?"
"I promise I'll keep it a secret!" Lilian said, nodding quickly.
At that moment, Vepa, Mantis, and the others who had gone to explore the other Baron Stomachs called in with a report.
Not long after, Ari brought Raqi back from one of the flower islands of another Baron Stomach. In her hands, she carried a dark purple fruit etched with intricate patterns.
Noah glanced at the fruit and immediately recognized it. "Huh? That's the Sick-Sick Fruit!"
"The Sick-Sick Fruit?" Law, standing not far away, looked at the fruit with surprise.
Noah hadn't expected this. Just a few days ago, the Sick-Sick Fruit user had been killed by Red-Haired Shanks, and now the fruit had already reincarnated here.
This Sick-Sick Fruit was the same fruit that, in the original timeline, belonged to Doc Q of the Blackbeard Pirates.
Of course, this wasn't a problem. Doc Q was only 14 years old at this time, so he likely hadn't consumed the fruit yet.
Had Noah and his crew not found it, the Baron Stomach would probably have eaten the fruit whole, which would have caused serious problems. The Baron Stomach would have been affected by the Devil Fruit, becoming sick and eventually dying in the sea.
It wasn't that the Sick-Sick Fruit had any harmful side effects on its own, but being a Devil Fruit meant that its power would conflict with the sea, rendering the user weak. Once the Baron Stomach became weak, it would no longer be able to devour the animals attracted to it, which would cause its flower island to be eaten clean. This would lead to malnutrition and eventual death.
This was the fate of most sea creatures that consumed Devil Fruits.
Looking at the Sick-Sick Fruit in his hand, Noah knew it would be perfect for a doctor.
"Ari, go to Sixis Island and bring Andy here."
Ari nodded and disappeared through a wormhole.
"Noah, are you planning to give this fruit to my father?" Law asked.
Noah tossed the fruit lightly. "This fruit is best suited for a doctor. You already have the Ope-Ope Fruit, so your parents are the best candidates within the family."
"That makes sense," Law admitted.
A short while later, Ari's wormhole opened again, and he returned with Andy.
A confused Andy quickly asked, "Lord Noah, is there something you need me to do?"
Noah tossed the fruit to him. "This is for you. It's a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit—the Sick-Sick Fruit."
Andy stared at the fruit in disbelief. "Lord Noah, isn't this a bit too precious?"
"Devil Fruits are meant to be eaten by people. You and your wife are the most suitable candidates for this one in the family. Don't refuse it. Devil Fruits only realize their full potential when in the hands of someone who knows how to use them. I hope you won't disappoint me."
Andy nodded vigorously, his excitement clear. "Thank you for trusting me, Lord Noah. I will do my best to contribute to the family."
"Eat it."
Without hesitation, Andy took a large bite of the fruit.
Watching the pained expression on his father's face, Law grinned mischievously. "Dad, you have to eat the whole thing. I had to eat it all when I got mine too."
Determined not to be outdone by his son, Andy said nothing and continued devouring the fruit.
Shaking his head, Noah handed Andy a bottle of snow pear juice from his card collection. "Here, rinse your mouth."
"Thank you, Lord Noah." Andy gratefully took the bottle and drank it down in one gulp.
"Andy, how's your research on the Hero Water formula we obtained from Alabasta coming along?" Noah asked.
Andy's expression turned serious at the question. "Lord Noah, we've been studying the Hero Water formula, and with the medical texts we acquired from Iron Bucket Kingdom, we've developed three derivative products."
Intrigued, Noah asked, "Tell me more."
"The first is Blood Water, which adds a component of Life Blood to the original formula. It greatly suppresses the side effects and can allow a person to temporarily gain the strength of a Marine Captain for about an hour. The side effect is intense fatigue and exhaustion afterward."
"The second is Frenzy Blood, which builds on Blood Water by incorporating IQ Grass. It allows a person to temporarily gain the strength of a Vice Admiral for about thirty minutes, but the side effects include loss of sanity and, after the effects wear off, serious internal damage, possibly organ failure."
"The third product is Source Blood. It takes a different approach, combining the properties of IQ Grass and Life Blood to release power slowly over a month. During this period, the user can undergo high-intensity training, which quickly and safely improves their strength. It's designed to enhance the physical capabilities of those below Vice Admiral level."
Noah nodded, clearly impressed. "Excellent. Blood Water and Source Blood can be distributed to some members of the crew. Keep up the good work."
"It's an honor to have your approval, Lord Noah," Andy replied, thrilled.
After another hour of discussion, Noah provided Andy with some guidance on developing his Sick-Sick Fruit powers. Once finished, he had Ari use the Hole-Hole Fruit to send Andy and Law back to Sixis Island.
As for Lilian, she returned to Rum Kingdom to coordinate with Monet about setting up the Emperor Cloud above the Baron Stomach.
Noah and his team left the Baron Stomach, using the Float-Float Fruit to control the Nautilus as they prepared to cross the Calm Belt into the South Blue.
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𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙟𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙮. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚!
𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 shoutouts 𝘁𝗼:
•Leroy
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