Paper Paper Fruit In One Piece

New World, Faro Island, 

Located in the jurisdiction of the Marine G-5 branch. 

*Bam!* 

A kick sent a civilian sprawling to the ground, scattering the photo he was holding. If the Straw Hat crew were here, they would recognize the photo—it was of the children they had saved. 

Of course, they were normal-sized children. 

The person kicking him was a Marine officer wearing a large coat, a military cap, and a tight, flashy suit underneath, with metal boots. 

"I've told you so many times, the children's deaths were 'accidents'! You've been pestering us too much!" 

"Please, once again..." 

"Could you please contact Vice Admiral 'White Dove'? I heard he's really good at..." 

"Shut up! You've crossed the line!!" 

The furious Marine officer, Commodore, slammed his hand down. His name was literally "Over the Line," just like his catchphrase. 

"These facts were confirmed over and over by our superior, Vergo Vice Admiral of the G-5 branch!" 

"We've searched a thousand times!" 

The G-5 Marines behind him were silent. Their superior loved to exaggerate, such as

"If you keep arguing, I'll charge you with obstruction of justice and kill you, then burn down this entire town!" 

"Haha, Commodore, that's a bit too much." 

"We're leaving!"

Faced with the intimidating G-5 Marine Commodore, the parents who had gathered in the town could only silently wipe away their tears. As ordinary people, they hadn't even left this town in their entire lives, let alone gone out to sea. How could they possibly search for their children? 

"Even Mr. Vergo, who protects this island from pirates, said it was an accident..." 

"How could that be?! They were just playing near their homes and ended up dying in a 'shipwreck accident'? How are we supposed to believe that..." 

"Hmph, ridiculous." 

The angry Commodore, who stormed off, sneered. After all, he was a leader capable of taking down pirates with bounties over 100 million by himself. How could he waste time helping ordinary people search for their children? And besides: 

"They want to contact the 'Pigeon' Vice Admiral? Damn it! I wish I could be assigned to that guy's team. Plenty of credit, abundant supplies, promotions and riches just by lying around! It's way too easy..." 

"Commodore, stop dreaming. His team is full of 'second-generation Marines.' A bunch of young punks, all using the 'Pigeon' Vice Admiral's reputation to get promoted to Rear Admiral or Vice Admiral. It's just—" 

So envy-inducing! 

Although the Marines value strength above all, higher ranks mean better equipment, more elite subordinates, more advanced skills to learn, and even priority in Devil Fruit distribution... 

For example, to learn 'Rokushiki,' you need to be a higher-ranking officer. Tekkai and Shigan require at least Commodore level to even begin learning them— not everyone has Garp as a teacher, able to start learning Rokushiki as a lowly officer. Otherwise, Rokushiki would be everywhere on the seas by now! 

Big Mom's crew, who all mastered Geppo, gained detailed training methods from several fallen Marines. They didn't have to "teach themselves" like other powerful individuals who couldn't teach others. 

Like Luffy, who learned everything by just looking at it, or Sanji, who could fly just by running... 

"Forget it, having Vergo as Vice Admiral is a blessing for our G-5 branch. Let's not complain too much!" 

The Commodore knew very well that if any other Marine Vice Admiral had come here, they probably wouldn't tolerate their G-5 branch full of 'rogue' Marines! The most important thing for people is to be content. 

...However, what these Marines didn't know was that the two 'role models' they spoke of, not only had pirate identities, but they were also about to clash with each other in an explosive confrontation. 

——————

"Hey~~ to all the middlemen watching the screen," 

At the Punk Hazard research base, Caesar, who had turned himself into smoke, picked up a microphone and began showcasing his 'products' to underground arms dealers from all over the New World. After all, 

Conducting research costs a lot of money! 

Vegapunk had the Marine as a big sponsor, providing him with massive resources, but for a wild scientist like Caesar, he had to offer 'products' in exchange for money. In this war-torn world, where strong people are everywhere, what's more valuable than more powerful weapons of destruction? 

He had sold 'giant human transformation' to Big Mom and 'artificial Devil Fruits' to Kaido. Now, Caesar was ready to launch a third weapon that would break the limits of human potential. 

"Sorry for the rush in conducting this experiment, but I guarantee after you see what's coming, you'll feel it's worth every penny!" 

In various countries across the New World, powerful underground figures, roaming the black market, quietly waited for Caesar's next words as they watched him speak confidently on the screen. 

"I'm about to showcase various toxic gas weapons, which are even more powerful, perfect, and—" 

"Efficient!" 

As the screen switched, it showed the outside scene: a huge jelly-like slime was wriggling, chasing the armed personnel in the laboratory, the G-5 soldiers, and even the Straw Hat Pirates, making them run all over the place.

"Today, we are fortunate to have the elite of both the Marines and pirates: the G-5 branch led by the 'White Hunter' Smoker, and the 'Straw Hat Pirates' with a total bounty of over 900 million, here to show the power of my new weapon!"

·········

'They're actually using the Marines for experiments, what a big move!'

'Aren't those the Straw Hat Pirates who just came back? Why are they mixed up with Caesar, that crazy scientist...'

'Interesting, if this poisonous gas is really that strong, equipping it could be a good idea.'

'I just hope Caesar doesn't mess up...'

Various conversations echoed in the underground world. Compared to the "peace" of the first half of the Grand Line, the kings, lords, and mayors in the second half were much more concerned about the update and upgrade of war weapons. After all:

Even experts could still be taken down by all sorts of high-tech weapons!

Moreover, in war, most of the fighting is still done by ordinary people with their flesh and blood. Even just using it to intimidate enemy forces is necessary; without a backup plan, you can't survive in the New World.

——————

"Hey, what are these weird things that explode when they're cut?"

After Zoro's flying slash cut a "small slime," which immediately exploded neatly, the Straw Hat Pirates started taking these wriggling creatures seriously. But of course, they weren't really afraid:

"Should I freeze them all?" Nami suggested.

"I can use poisonous plants to create a 'quarantine zone,'" Usopp also raised his hand.

"If we can figure out the weak points of these 'slimes,' it will be easier."

Their weakness... no, its weakness is water.

Of course, Roman wasn't going to spoil it. On one hand, the Straw Hat Pirates could handle this kind of thing, and on the other:

"Wow, these slimes are gathering together!"

Luffy excitedly looked at the giant purple slime that had merged into a towering mass, then turned to Roman with great enthusiasm.

"I've decided, I want to keep it! Let's name it Little Soft—"

"Roman, think of a way to capture it!"

···········

"Sorry, our ship can't carry something this big. But..." 

With a wave of Roman's hand, a slime the size of a human head was wrapped in white paper and then covered with a layer of hard ice!

"Maybe we can try keeping a small one..."

While they were chatting, a huge "candy" was thrown from the nearby laboratory base, sinking into the giant purple slime's body.

It's here!

"Choo choo choo~~Eat up, my dear pet."

Behind them, Monet sarcastically commented, "It can't even hear what you're saying," as Caesar watched the giant purple slime swallow the "candy," revealing several fruits with rings of patterns on them!

Artificial Devil Fruits.

These were Caesar's carefully selected "artificially poisonous Devil Fruits."

Although they were only semi-finished products and gave users poisonous powers while causing various unknown mutations, making them practically useless, what if they were meant for a creature that could only function after it died?

For creatures that had eaten a Devil Fruit, these artificial fruits would also kill them.

"Well then, see you in the next life!"

Boom~~~

The giant slime that had just digested the artificial Devil Fruits instantly expanded, collapsed, and disintegrated, turning into an explosive toxic gas—its owner killed it.

Yes! This giant slime was also a "Devil Fruit user." Its body was created by high-tech methods, consuming a "Salamander Fruit - Hexagonal Dinosaur Form" gel toxic gas H2S bomb.

Since the Devil Fruit gave it life, it of course inherited the fatal weakness of not being able to eat two Devil Fruits. So:

"This huge monster just died like this?"

"It turned into smoke... no, toxic gas!"

As the giant slime suddenly disintegrated and spread out, this obviously dangerous thing made everyone instinctively run far away. A laboratory guard who was caught in the toxic gas was instantly turned into:

"Statue!?" 

"That person... they turned stiff!" 

"What is this thing, aaahhh, 'Master'! Please save us..." 

In an instant, the people around them were shocked! They had encountered poison gas before, but this terrifying poison gas seemed to challenge the limits of human endurance. A living person turning into a grayish-white statue in the blink of an eye... 

"Shuuuu~~ everyone." 

In the laboratory base, Caesar was proudly introducing his 'new product' to the powerful figures from around the New World. 

"Even the deadliest poison gas can be resisted and escaped by those with strong bodies." 

The difference in human physical strength in this world is like the difference between a baby and Ultraman. A regular person is still just flesh and bone, and even a small fall could cost them their life; but for the strong, even if they're gravely injured or soaked in hot oil for hours, it's no problem. 

The same poison gas that is instantly deadly to ordinary people only makes the monsters of the Grand Line... no, even the small fry... feel a little scratchy in their throats. So, 

"That's why I've added a 'protein coagulant' to this new mixed toxin. It can make any creature covered by the poison gas—note, ANY!" 

"Instantly become rigid and then silently die from the continued exposure to the poison gas! Shuuuu~~~" 

The terrifying laughter echoed throughout the base, even reaching the entire island through a phone bug that had quietly appeared in the corner of the room. 

"Shuuuu~~ Domination, war, usurpation!" 

Caesar's voice carried an evil, seductive tone, almost like the whisper of a devil. 

"You can even turn your worst enemy into a 'statue' and admire their suffering and pleading forever. It has many uses, so get yours quickly~~" 

——————

"I'm not going after that Caesar anymore," 

Luffy said seriously as he pressed his straw hat while looking at the statues of Caesar's abandoned subordinates, each one with blood and tears frozen on their faces. 

"I'm going to take him down! — Roman," 

"Say it," 

The White Knight nodded. 

"I'm listening." 

"Get everyone here to safety!" 

'Here' included the Straw Hat crew, G-5 Marines, and also: 

Caesar's abandoned subordinates. 

"Alright." 

On the other side, 'Roman' and 'Nami', wearing Marine officer coats, flew to the Sunny. When they landed on the deck, the spark in their eyes immediately faded, and they became mere puppets controlled by The White Knight. 

Much easier, 

The White Knight, who had been idly waiting on the battlefield, retracted the energy maintaining the two puppets, and cracked his neck. 

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh— 

Nearby, after a few sword slashes, the steel doors of the laboratory that could withstand cannon fire were completely destroyed by Zoro. 

"Anyone who doesn't want to die, get inside." 

 ----You can read 10 advanced chapters at my patreon.com/YeyeQiu