“Oi, why is the World Government after you?”
The man slowly raised his head.
His face was filthy, his eyes dull and lifeless, as if all vitality had been drained from him.
His lips were cracked like dry earth.
Seeing this, Sven brought over food and water and placed them in front of him.
“Eat first.
We talk after.”
Only those who had experienced true hunger understood how unbearable it was.
Despite the Seastone handcuffs, the man devoured the food without hesitation.
The man finished two bowls of braised meat and rice in a short time.
“The cook on this ship is skilled.”
He wiped his mouth and finally spoke.
“My name is Phoenix.
I’m a doctor… and a Space Human who ate the Space-Space Fruit.”
“The World Government has likely found a way to recover Devil Fruits.
They want mine back, that is why they captured me.”
A doctor.
A so-called Space-Space Fruit.
Sven remained expressionless, but his mind sharpened instantly.
The Ope Ope no Mi.
There was no doubt in his mind.
If it were just an ordinary Devil Fruit, the CP leader would not have tried to kill Phoenix the moment Dracule Mihawk appeared.
The World Government would rather destroy the fruit than risk losing control of it.
The man’s earlier despair also did not match his current behavior.
Someone who had truly given up would not eat like that.
Only someone clinging to survival would act this way.
And his explanation sounded rehearsed, too clean, too deliberate.
Information about the Ope Ope no Mi was nearly nonexistent.
A fruit capable of granting immortality would be treated as a top-level secret.
The World Government would erase every trace of it.
Even so, Sven judged calmly.
If Phoenix truly possessed that fruit, he was still far from mastering it.
A mere ten CP agents had nearly captured him.
His strength was not impressive.
“May I ask your name?”
“Sven Beeelzebub.”
“Sven, where are you heading?”
Sven smiled faintly.
“That is not something you need to know.
Right now, you are nothing more than a prize I took from the World Government.”
“Coincidentally, I am interested in your so-called Space-Space Fruit.
And even more coincidentally, I know a way to recover Devil Fruits.”
Phoenix froze.
His already pale face lost even more color.
Nearby, Mihawk paused mid-drink.
Sven’s words carried weight.
Phoenix forced a bitter smile.
“A man with the qualities of a king like you… knows about such things as well?”
Sven lightly tapped his shoulder.
“I am joking.”
He turned away as if it meant nothing.
“From today onward, you handle the cleaning on this ship.”
Phoenix immediately lowered his head.
“Yes, Captain.
I will not disappoint you.”
The ship continued its course toward Jaya.
Even if Phoenix truly possessed the Ope Ope no Mi, Sven had no intention of forcing anything from him now.
He was only fifteen.
Immortality at twenty sounded appealing.
At fifteen, it was meaningless.
Better to wait until his body matured fully before considering such things.
For now, reaching the land of gold was far more important.
That golden pillar could be traded for the divine blade, Musou Isshin.
Opportunities like that did not come twice.
Elsewhere, in the headquarters of the World Economy News Paper.
Big News Morgans stared at a faxed photo in his hand, then at the Den Den Mushi in front of him.
“Do you have clearer images?
This will not cause a sensation.”
“3 million Berries, and I will send everything.”
Morgans scoffed.
“3 million?
You have lost your mind.”
The Den Den Mushi spoke again.
“He is a member of the Roger Pirates.
Before I was knocked out by Conqueror’s Haki, I captured several shots that will shake the seas.”
“All ten CP agents are dead, and he took the target with him.”
Morgans narrowed his eyes.
“You do not even know his full name.”
“Does that matter?
What do you think of Roger’s surname?”
Morgans clicked his tongue.
“I do not deal in fake news.
Two million, final price.”
“Deal.”
Moments later, high-quality images arrived.
Morgans burst into laughter.
“Big news!
This is real big news!”
One image showed the sky filled with lightning, red and black Haki tearing through the air, and Sven holding a glowing blade.
Perfect for the front page.
Another captured his youthful face and white hair in sharp detail.
Morgans grinned as he wrote.
“Beelzebub Sven.
Possesses Conqueror’s Haki, wielder of the Goro Goro no Mi, slayer of World Government agents, abductor of a mysterious individual.”
He paused, thinking.
“What title should he have?”
He paced back and forth.
“Douglas Bullet already took Demon Heir.
White Hair sounds weak.”
He muttered to himself before snapping his fingers.
“Thunder God.”
With the headline finalized, Morgans slammed his desk.
“Tomorrow’s paper will sell out!”
Before printing, he picked up another Den Den Mushi and contacted an old associate.
“I have located Beelzebub Sven.
Three million Berries, and the information is yours.”
The voice on the other end asked coldly,
“Is Dracule Mihawk still with him?”
Morgans paused.
“They are together?
I have not heard that.”
“Good.
Thank you.”
Far away, in Loguetown.
Rukia Ichijou received the news and froze.
“What?!”
“A nobody with no Haki, no combat skill, no Devil Fruit… how did you even reach the Grand Line?”
Her expression twisted with rage.
She had wasted over a month searching aimlessly in the East Blue.
Now this.
“Beelzebub Sven… you really deserve to die.”