Shanks Completely Broke Down: Spit It Out!
14: Chapter 14 — One Bite Swallowed a Billion Berries!
Shanks Completely Broke Down: Spit It Out!
Portgas D.
Ace had always possessed a simple, straightforward goal.
Become famous.
Become stronger than that bastard father of his.
And eventually— Stand above the entire sea itself.
To Ace, defeating a Marine Admiral someday represented the perfect proof of strength.
Across the tavern, Benn Beckman calmly exhaled smoke while observing Ace.
This brat… He carried the aura of a ferocious lone wolf.
The kind that would bare its fangs even while outnumbered.
“Kid.” “A Marine Admiral isn’t someone you challenge with hot blood alone.” “Out on the sea, strength matters more than arrogance.” Beckman’s tone sounded calm, almost instructional.
Like an older man warning an inexperienced rookie.
Ace immediately glared back fiercely.
“Mind your own business, you smoking old man.” Nearby, Sabo quickly pulled Ace backward before the idiot started provoking a Yonko crew directly inside Makino’s tavern.
Unlike Ace, Sabo seemed genuinely fascinated by Shanks’s stories.
Growing up within the suffocating walls of the Goa Kingdom, most tales about the Grand Line only existed inside noble libraries.
“Have you really been to the Grand Line?” “Is it true the sky turns upside down there?” Sabo asked curiously.
Shanks grinned widely.
“These three brats really are interesting…” Then he answered casually: “The sky’s not upside down.” “But seawater flows upward.” “There’s a place called Reverse Mountain.” “The currents climb the mountain itself.” “Once you see it, you’ll never forget it.” Then Shanks gradually began recounting stories from the New World.
Strange races.
Sky islands.
Lightning-filled seas.
Gigantic monsters hiding beneath the ocean.
The atmosphere inside the tavern grew increasingly lively.
The Red-Haired Pirates loudly added details while drinking and laughing.
Meanwhile, Monkey D.
Luffy listened with sparkling eyes.
Compared to catching beetles around Mount Colubo every day— The sea sounded infinitely more exciting.
Suddenly— Luffy stood atop the bar counter loudly.
“I WANNA GO TOO!” “I WANNA BECOME A PIRATE!” “I WANNA SEE REVERSE MOUNTAIN!” His declaration echoed throughout the tavern proudly.
Ace immediately crushed his dreams without mercy.
“A crybaby like you wants to become a pirate?” “You can’t even beat the wild boars around Mount Colubo.” “If you went out to sea, you’d probably wet yourself during the first storm.” Luffy instantly became furious.
He hated being called weak more than anything.
The little boy clenched both fists tightly.
“I’M NOT AFRAID OF WILD BOARS!” “My punches are as strong as pistols!” Ace walked over casually before flicking Luffy’s forehead hard.
Bonk.
“Stop bragging.” “Who was running around screaming because of wasps yesterday?” Luffy covered his swelling forehead immediately.
Tears filled his eyes.
Yet stubbornly— He refused to cry.
Sabo sighed helplessly.
“Alright, Ace.” “He’s only five.” “Weren’t you crying every day yourself back when Kahn used to beat you up?” Instantly— Ace’s face turned bright red.
“SHUT UP, SABO!” “That was because Kahn’s a monster!” Nearby, Kahn calmly continued eating his eleventh plate of grilled meat without even looking up.
At this point, he had completely grown numb to watching children argue.
Meanwhile, the Red-Haired Pirates laughed hysterically at the scene.
Shanks nearly slapped the counter apart from laughing too hard.
“Hahahaha!” “You brats are seriously energetic.” Then he poured a large glass of milk before pushing it toward Luffy.
“Here.” “Future great pirate.” “Drink this and calm down.” Luffy, still angry, grabbed the drink and swallowed it immediately.
Afterward, he smacked his lips.
“…Pretty good.” Shanks instantly pointed at him while laughing even harder.
“Hahahaha!!” “He really is just a little kid!” “Real pirates drink alcohol!” Yasopp and Lucky Roux immediately joined the teasing.
“That’s right!” “The milk-drinking brat should stay in the village!” Only then did Luffy realize he had been tricked.
His face turned bright red from humiliation.
“Shanks, you liar!” “I’m not a little kid!” Ace laughed the loudest out of everyone.
“Serves you right.” “You can’t even tell when people are making fun of you.” Luffy’s anger finally reached its limit.
He desperately needed something to vent his frustration.
Or perhaps— Something tasty.
His gaze wandered around the counter randomly.
Then stopped.
Beside Shanks rested a small wooden box.
The lid remained slightly open.
Through the gap, a strange purple glow could be seen.
Without hesitation— Luffy grabbed the box.
At that exact moment, Shanks happened to be discussing supply routes with Beckman and failed to notice immediately.
Click.
The box opened fully.
Inside rested a bizarre-looking fruit covered in swirling patterns.
Purple skin.
Strange spirals.
Completely unnatural.
Yet Luffy’s brain processed things very simply.
If it was stored carefully in a box— Then it had to be delicious.
Without hesitation, Luffy grabbed the fruit and took a massive bite.
Crunch.
He swallowed immediately without even chewing properly.
Then— His entire face twisted violently.
The taste exploded across his tongue like concentrated poison.
It tasted worse than rotten fish left under the summer sun for weeks.
“This tastes horrible!!” “What kind of rotten fruit is this?!” Luffy shouted loudly before tossing the remaining half onto the counter.
The tavern finally went silent.
Shanks slowly turned his head.
First— He saw the empty box.
Then— The half-eaten fruit.
Finally— Luffy’s still-chewing mouth.
The future Emperor completely froze.
“…Huh?” Nearby, Beckman’s cigar slipped directly onto his pants without him noticing.
Yasopp dropped his glass.
Crash.
Lucky Roux even forgot about the meat in his hands.
The atmosphere inside the tavern instantly became deathly quiet.
“You…” Shanks pointed at Luffy with trembling fingers.
“…You ate that?” Luffy innocently burped.
“Yeah.” “It tasted awful.” “Why were you keeping disgusting food inside a treasure box?” For perhaps the first time in years— Shanks genuinely panicked.
That fruit was no ordinary Devil Fruit.
It was the fruit the World Government had guarded for centuries.
The fruit secretly renamed to hide its true identity.
Gomu Gomu no Mi.
A Mythical Zoan possessing terrifying significance connected directly to Joy Boy himself.
And now— A five-year-old idiot had eaten it like dessert.
“SPIT IT OUT!!” Shanks lunged instantly.
He grabbed Luffy upside down by the ankle before shaking him violently.
“RIGHT NOW!” “SAVE IT!” Sweat poured down the Yonko’s face frantically.
Luffy spun around helplessly.
“I ALREADY SWALLOWED IT!” “HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SPIT IT OUT?!” Then— Something impossible happened.
Luffy’s neck stretched.
Not metaphorically.
Literally.
His body elongated downward like rubber while his head bounced against the wooden floor.
Two meters.
Three meters.
Completely violating human anatomy.
Ace’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull.
“His neck got longer?!” Sabo rubbed his eyes repeatedly.
Makino nearly screamed.
Only Kahn remained perfectly calm while slowly sipping water beside them.
The show had finally begun.
After all— This was not truly the Gomu Gomu no Mi.
Its real identity was far more terrifying.
Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika.
The legendary Sun God fruit itself.