On God Valley Island, inside Prize Storage Warehouse No. 1.
"I never expected a full-scale brawl to break out here, Kuma! This is a heaven-sent chance—if we miss it, we'll never escape this hell. Hurry, the temporary prize depot is just ahead. While the Marines are busy fighting the pirates, we'll slip in and find 'that thing'!"
Ivankov—his huge head unmistakable since childhood—led the simple-minded Kuma down the burning street, charging toward the blazing warehouse.
Exactly as he'd said.
Not a single Marine could be seen.
Collapsed houses and burning shops lined the road.
The vicious Celestial Dragon masters had vanished as well.
The Marines had no time to guard the tournament prizes.
They could barely protect themselves.
The two boys ran full-tilt, gasping, scanning every direction for their target, daring not stop.
Ginny was still waiting for them.
If they could lay hands on the Devil Fruits prepared for the victors…
…and eat them…
…those weird powers might give them a way off the island.
"Found it—the prize warehouse!"
Ivankov's eyes lit up; he pointed at a burning mansion and dashed over in delight.
Ignoring the flames, the kids covered their noses and burst inside, searching frantically.
Smoke from the fire filled the warehouse, bringing tears to their eyes.
Devil Fruits, however, were priceless.
The chests that held them were ornate, impossible to miss.
Within seconds Ivankov and Kuma spotted several gold-trimmed chests stacked against a wall.
"That's them!"
Ivankov darted forward and flipped open the top chest; inside lay a strange fruit.
He lifted it out.
A bluish-green fruit covered in scale-like patterns.
"We've got one! A Devil Fruit!" Ivankov exulted. "No idea which kind—looks like fish-scales, weird."
Kuma had pulled another odd fruit from a different chest and held it cupped in his hands.
"Mine… looks just like a bear paw."
He stared at the paw-shaped fruit, fascinated.
"Stop gawking! Whatever power it is, we'll figure it out later—eat it now. And save one for Ginny!"
Ivankov raised the fruit to his mouth.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A section of wall exploded; a huge hand shot through, seized Ivankov by the neck, and slammed him against the opposite wall.
Another hand flashed out, snatching the scaly fruit from his grasp.
"Mamamama! Close call—almost lost it! Such a top-grade rarity would be wasted on you!"
Charlotte Linlin—eyes gleaming—burst through the rubble, ripping the fruit away.
"Little Iva!!" Kuma froze in shock.
"Oh? Another one?" Spotting the paw-shaped fruit in Kuma's hands, Linlin grinned, dropped Ivankov, and lunged.
"Eat it now, Kuma!! Don't let her take it—that's your chance to live! Even if only you survive, we win! RUN!" Ivankov screamed.
Kuma shoved the entire paw-shaped Devil Fruit into his mouth and swallowed desperately.
The fruit was enormous.
Even for someone his size, gulping it down in one go was nearly impossible.
"Zeus!" Linlin barked.
"Yes, Mama!"
The thundercloud appeared overhead and flicked a thin bolt at Kuma.
"Agh!" Struck, Kuma convulsed, paralyzed.
Linlin grabbed his ankle, hoisted him upside-down, and shook him like a sack.
Kuma tried to clamp his mouth shut, to finish swallowing.
But the electric shock left even his jaw muscles limp.
The fruit slipped from his mouth and fell.
"No!!" Kuma shut his eyes in despair.
Laughing, Linlin picked the saliva-slick fruit up without a care.
"Mamamama! Another score! Looks like the Paw-Paw Fruit—Paramecia-type, odd power… no matter, I'll take it."
She tossed the sobbing Kuma aside, checked the remaining chests—only treasure, no third fruit.
Apparently the warehouse had held just two Devil Fruits.
Understandable.
Even the loaded Celestial Dragons weren't fool enough to stock everything in one spot.
After all, first-prize Shakky wasn't here either.
Content with her haul, Linmin beamed, strode outside, humming.
She admired the scaly fruit she'd taken from Ivankov.
"A top Mythical Zoan—Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Model: Azure Dragon! A power to rival Karlo's Garuda!"
"Mamamama! Katakuri will eat this and become a pillar of my crew."
Imagining her Haoshoku-bearing son wielding that fruit…
…and the future power that might match Karlo himself…
…Linlin's grin stretched ear to ear.
So elated was she that she failed to notice the shadow behind her hefting a spiked club.
The black kanabō whistled in a full circle and smashed into her face.
The sickening thud sent even Linlin's steel Physique sprawling, teeth and blood flying.
The azure-scaled fruit flew from her grip.
Kaido's eyes blazed as he tracked the spinning fruit.
"I heard every word—that's a Mythical Zoan, same as Karlo's! Azure Dragon? Exactly what I've dreamed of!"
He leapt, mouth open, ready to swallow it mid-air.
"Azure Dragon, you're mine!!"
Too elated to sense the new shadow behind him…
…a black halberd whipped around and cracked across his face.
THWACK!
Blood burst.
"Who—who the hell snuck me?!" Kaido roared, the half-swallowed fruit shooting from his mouth along with blood and saliva.
He watched the azure dragon fruit spiral upward…
…and futilely reached after it as he tumbled.
"NO!! My Azure Dragon!!!"