Kuma froze as the strange man gently took the Paw-Paw Fruit from his hands.
"No! Give it back!" he shouted, panic flooding his face. "Without it, we can't save everyone!"
Realization hit him too late—he lunged at Dimon, desperate.
Dimon merely smiled, holding the fruit in one hand while pressing down on Kuma's head with the other.
"Relax, kid. I'll get you all off this island safely. But this fruit…" he gave it a playful shake, "better let Uncle keep it."
Stussy snorted with laughter beside him.
What was this—an overpowered uncle stealing candy from children?
"What's so funny?" Dimon shot her a glare. "You think this is easy work?"
Then he turned toward Charlotte Linlin, who had poor Ivankov dangling in her grip.
"Put him down, Linlin. What about the other fruits?"
"They're all here, in the boxes," she replied, tossing Ivankov aside like a rag doll and cracking open the remaining chests.
Inside lay a glimmering array of Devil Fruits—each one radiating power.
"I know the Azure Dragon and the Paw-Paw," Dimon mused. "What about the other four?"
"Beats me," Linlin shrugged. "I don't keep a fruit encyclopedia."
Dimon crouched, eyeing them one by one.
To be prizes alongside the Azure Dragon and Paw-Paw, they had to be top-tier—Mythical Zoans, Logias, or worse.
"Fine. We'll check later." He tore a strip of canvas from a crate, carefully wrapped all five fruits together, and slung the bundle over his shoulder.
"The Azure Dragon Fruit—you giving that to Kaido?"
Linlin grinned. "Sure. But not for free. He owes me for this one!"
"Do as you like," Dimon said. "I'll see these kids out. We've got what we came for—it's time to go."
He gestured for Ivankov to lead on.
"Can we… trust you?" Ivankov hesitated, torn between fear and hope.
"Try your luck," Dimon replied simply. "You're out of options."
Reluctantly, Ivankov took Kuma's hand and led the way.
Stussy stayed behind, watching them go.
Linlin smirked. "What, tired of clinging to Whitebeard already? Changing your type?"
"Newgate's fun," Stussy said with a sly smile, "but Dimon's interesting."
Linlin sighed. "Hopeless. Come on—we'll find Kaido."
They hadn't taken ten steps before a gunshot cracked the air.
The bullet punched through Stussy's temple—she collapsed instantly.
Linlin clicked her tongue, halting midstride.
Her Observation Haki surged outward, locking on to the shooter—ten kilometers away, perched on a rock, a young woman with sharp eyes and a wicked smile.
"Sniper," Linlin muttered.
The girl playfully stuck out her tongue, resting a rifle on her shoulder.
"So it's true… immortality, huh?"
Behind her, Stussy's corpse twitched—then stood, hole closing, face whole again.
"Ugh, this is so annoying! Why is it always me getting shot!?" she fumed, eyes darkening.
"God's Knights, right? Don't underestimate a scientist, idiots!"
Inside the Cavern
Dimon followed Ivankov into a hidden cave packed with trembling refugees—slaves from the Celestial Dragons' "hunt."
"Big Bro Ivankov! Kuma!" a young freckled girl ran to them, tears brimming.
"This is…" Dimon murmured.
"She's Ginny," Ivankov said grimly. "Sorry, the plan failed. But—" he straightened, addressing the others, "this man's with the Rocks Pirates. He swore to get us out alive."
"Rocks Pirates!?"
The crowd recoiled in horror, fear replacing hope.
Dimon ignored them, his gaze fixed on Ginny.
He recognized her now. Her tragic future flashed before him—taken by the Dragons, forced into a nightmare marriage, birthing Bonney… and dying young.
"You don't have to believe me," Dimon said calmly. "I'm doing this out of convenience."
He brought two fingers together and drew a pentagram across the ground.
As he worked, the lines began to glow faintly red.
"What is that!?" Ginny gasped. "Magic?"
"Less talking, more standing inside the circle."
Unlike Imu's restrictive sigils, Dimon's teleportation needed only coordinates. People, objects—it didn't matter.
He herded all thirty-some captives into the formation.
Then he crouched, pressing a hand to the ground.
"Target—Hive Island. My bar. Once you arrive, you're free to go."
Whoosh—
Black mist billowed up, swallowing the captives whole.
When it faded, the cave was empty.
Dimon clapped the dust from his hands. "And that's that."
He reached for the bundle of fruits—then paused, sensing heavy presences closing in.
Outside the Cave
A shadow passed overhead—a massive bird, wings spanning twenty meters.
Perched atop it, a tall woman with long legs and mismatched eyes touched the earpiece at her ear.
"Found him," she reported. "At—"
Before she could finish, the bird unraveled like thread, reforming into a ribbon that coiled around her arm as she dropped lightly to the ground.
Dimon smiled. "That was fast, Holy Knights. I remember you—Gunko, right?"
Her brow twitched. "We've met before, brewer Dimon?"
He didn't answer. His Observation Haki swept wider—there it was again: Harald's giant aura approaching fast.
And another, sharp and cold—a second Holy Knight.
"So eager to catch me?" Dimon sighed. "You must've gotten special orders."
He could guess who gave them.
Imu must've seen him shatter Saturn's immortality—recognized the danger.
"Dimon," Gunko said steadily, "you could join us. Earn the title of Celestial Dragon. It's a gift no one else receives."
Dimon tilted his head, smiling faintly. "You're listening, aren't you, Imu?"
Gunko's eyes narrowed.
"Next time we meet," Dimon said softly, "I'll visit you myself. For now…"
He snapped his fingers. "Consider this a friendly hello, Your Majesty."
A black pentagram flared beneath his feet.
Gunko's eyes widened—the same sigil as Imu's teleportation.
[Stop him!]
Imu's voice thundered in her head.
Gunko's ribbon lashed forward like a viper—but too late.
The smoke twisted—Dimon was gone.
Hive Island — Eternal Bar, Second Floor
The air shimmered—black mist coalesced on the floorboards.
Dimon stepped out, brushing soot from his coat, the bundle slung over his shoulder.
"Try to catch me, huh?" He chuckled. "Good luck with that."
He untied the cloth—five gleaming Devil Fruits rested inside, their strange patterns glimmering in the candlelight.
"Top-tier fruits," he murmured, satisfied. "A fine haul."
He poured himself a glass of wine, leaned back, and smiled.
"Now then… let's see what kind of devil I can make next."
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