Chapter 498: Quite the... Vile Devil Fruit Ability!

Chapter 498: Chapter 498: Quite the... Vile Devil Fruit Ability!

After surveying the surroundings, Law said, "The interior of this ship is even larger than I imagined."

"Otherwise, why do you think I took an interest in this ship?" Meiser said, his lips curling upward.

This time, Law just smiled and said nothing more.

"Luffy."

Chopper, who was sitting on the floor, seemed to have thought of something. He looked at Luffy and said, "Don’t you think that fellow who took Breed away looked a bit like a Lapin?"

As he spoke, Chopper carefully recalled the creature he had seen on the sea earlier; its appearance was indeed very similar to a Lapin.

"A Lapin?"

"They’re the giant rabbits from my hometown, Drum Island," Chopper said. "You should have seen them before."

Luffy had gone to Dr. Kureha’s place through the mountains, so it was impossible for him not to have encountered a Lapin.

Luffy scrunched up his face in concentration, thinking hard, before an expression of sudden realization dawned on him. "Ah~"

"Those giant bear-like rabbits! I remember now!"

He remembered those rabbits were quite fierce. They had even gotten into a huge fight back then, though they were no match for him!

Then, Luffy asked, "So, those guys are Lapins?"

"Not exactly."

Chopper shook his head and said, "They just look a bit like them. There are still some differences in appearance, and besides... Lapins can’t swim."

"Those are probably Sea Lapins," Law interjected.

"Eh?"

Chopper blinked, surprised. "You know about them?"

"Yes," Law replied. "I encountered them once while sailing in the North Blue."

"But normally, they shouldn’t have come to the New World..."

After all, these creatures habitually stayed within certain regions of their homeland, a characteristic common to all animals.

Then, Law looked down at Chopper and said, "So, is that why you followed us, Tanuki-ya?"

"Yes, it is..."

"Wait..."

"Hmm?"

"Who are you calling Tanuki-ya, you bastard!" Chopper roared, his mouth turning into a Shark Mouth. "I’m a reindeer!"

"Hahaha~"

Luffy burst into laughter; Chopper looked too funny like that.

"Luffy, don’t you dare laugh!"

"Sorry, sorry~"

Even as he said it, Luffy couldn’t stop laughing, making Chopper roll his eyes in frustration.

"I didn’t just follow because of that guy, but mainly because..." Chopper recalled what had happened on the ship and said, "They said they didn’t want to do this kind of thing."

"Didn’t want to do it?"

Law was taken aback, then asked in shock, "In other words, you can understand animals?"

"Yes," Chopper nodded.

"I see."

Law felt a sudden pang of envy. How the hell were the Straw Hat Pirates so perfectly well-equipped?

Forget it, don’t think about it. The more he thought, the saltier he felt.

Shaking his head, Law forcibly suppressed his stray thoughts and began to ponder the man from earlier.

Wait...

If he remembered correctly, that man said he was a Pet-Pet Fruit Ability User.

Thinking of this, Law said, "Does that guy called Breed have the ability to forcibly drive others?"

"It’s possible," Meiser said. "The Pet-Pet Fruit... might just have the ability to turn others into pets."

That was likely why those rabbits said they didn’t want to do those things.

"Which means he turned them into pets without their permission?" Chopper said angrily. "Then I definitely won’t forgive him!"

Such a guy was simply a scumbag!

"If I’m not mistaken, that’s exactly it," Meiser said.

After a slight pause, Meiser continued, "Alright, let’s hurry up and find that—"

"Hmm?"

"Where’s Luffy?"

Meiser looked back, several question marks immediately popping up over his head. How did that guy Luffy suddenly vanish?

Law’s expression darkened. Why did this guy always refuse to follow the plan?

"Hey, you guys, come look at this!"

Luffy leaned out from a distant corridor, waving his arms at them. "This aquarium looks so cool from below!"

"Hey, Straw Hat-ya!"

Law looked at Luffy, dumbfounded. "We’re not here on a sightseeing trip!"

Their goal here was to take back Caesar; what was the point of shouting like that?

"Hahahaha, because it’s so—"

Before Luffy could finish his sentence, a large number of animals rushed out from inside, attacking him with fierce glares.

Seeing this, Luffy immediately shut his mouth, turned around, and began fighting those creatures.

Meiser sighed at the sight. "It seems that with Luffy around, a secret infiltration is impossible..."

True enough. Even a place like Impel Down couldn’t intimidate Luffy, let alone a place with only one enemy.

With a helpless sigh, Meiser quickly rushed toward Luffy.

"You two, stop dazing off! Subdue these guys first!"

"Right!"

Hearing Meiser’s words, Chopper also charged forward, leaving only a sweating Law behind.

"Why did I ever agree to cooperate with them..." Law muttered through gritted teeth.

Even though these guys were powerful... every single one of them was so damn willful!

After a few disgruntled curses, Law also rushed toward the distance, assisting Luffy and the others in attacking the animals.

Soon, through everyone’s efforts, these creatures were all beaten to the ground!

"Alright, let’s hurry and find that guy," Law said, adjusting his hat. "Otherwise, it’ll be dawn soon."

He didn’t want to be still trying to get Caesar back by tomorrow morning.

"Let’s go then," Luffy said.

He’d had his fun; it was time to get Caesar back.

Just then, a figure rushed in from the distance, aiming a punch straight at Luffy!

Clang!

Boom!!

"What?!"

Luffy, having dodged the attack, looked at the large crater created by the Kung Fu Dugong in shock. "This guy can use Haki!"

An animal mastering Haki? This was the first time he had seen such a thing.

Law was also a bit surprised, but he didn’t take the opponent seriously.

After all... he was stronger!

Law prepared to use his ability to finish the guy off.

"Wait." Luffy grinned. "Leave this one to me."

"You’re still planning to play around?"

"No."

Luffy walked toward the Kung Fu Dugong step by step, saying, "I just want to have a serious fight with a fellow who can use Haki."

Luffy spoke faster and faster, his steps accelerating until he was in a full sprint.

Then, he threw a punch at the Kung Fu Dugong charging toward him!

Clang!

Boom!!

Ultimately, the Kung Fu Dugong was sent flying by Luffy’s Haki-infused fist.

Whoosh~

Boom!!

Looking at the Kung Fu Dugong lying on the ground, Luffy raised his hands and shouted, "Hahaha, I win!"

Meiser shook his head helplessly at the sight. This guy...

"Alright, now that the enemy is dealt with, let’s..." Before Law could finish, he saw the Kung Fu Dugong rush back over and excitedly hug Luffy’s leg, chattering away incessantly.

Law: ???

What now?

"Could this be what they call ’becoming friends through fighting’?" Meiser muttered.

After a moment of thought, Meiser looked down at Chopper. "Chopper, what is he saying?"

Wait, why did this turtle look a bit familiar?

"He said: Master, long time no see."

"Master..."

Chopper muttered the words, then seemed to recall something. "Could you be the Kung Fu Dugong who became Luffy’s disciple back in Alabasta?"

"Awoo awoo!"

The Kung Fu Dugong nodded excitedly, confirming Chopper’s words.

Law: ...

What kind of habit did Straw Hat-ya have? How did he end up taking a Kung Fu Dugong as a disciple?

Meiser also remembered this part of the story, and his expression turned a bit strange.

So it wasn’t a turtle, it was a Kung Fu Dugong.

"How nostalgic~"

Luffy excitedly held the Kung Fu Dugong’s hand. "How have you been?"

"Awoo awoo!"

The Kung Fu Dugong waved its arms at Luffy excitedly, then signaled its conscious companions to come over and meet its Master.

Just like that... Luffy became friends with the animals again.

"You guys sure make friends fast..." Meiser deadpanned.

At this moment, even he had to admire Luffy’s socializing skills.

"Can someone explain to me exactly what’s going on?" Law asked with a dark expression.

"Ah, that guy is a Kung Fu Dugong from the country of Alabasta," Chopper explained. "Since they are a martial arts species, they often challenge others."

"If they lose a challenge, Kung Fu Dugongs follow their code and become the disciple of the winner."

"Luffy defeated him back then, so he became Luffy’s disciple."

Chopper explained the situation to Law and Meiser all at once to let them know what was happening.

Law: ...

Although the whole thing was bizarre, when he thought about Straw Hat-ya’s personality, it actually seemed quite reasonable.

After all, this guy was someone who never followed the script.

Then, he pointed at Luffy and said, "While I understand what’s going on, what is he doing now?"

"Hmm?"

Watching Luffy practice punches alongside the Kung Fu Dugong, Chopper fell silent for a moment before saying uncertainty, "He’s probably teaching the other how to fight."

Law: ???

Live teaching?

"That’s it, Dugong!" Luffy shouted. "When you punch, do it like this!"

"Keep your arm straight, sink your waist!"

"Awoo awoo!"

"Use more strength!"

"1-2, 1-2."

"Awoo!"

Chopper: ...

They really are two of a kind.

Meiser couldn’t help but chuckle. Luffy really could have fun with anyone.

"I didn’t expect you to really be the Kung Fu Dugong from back then." After the practice, Luffy squatted down to look at the creature. "You’ve gotten so much stronger, you even know Haki now."

Toward the end, a look of admiration appeared on Luffy’s face.

He knew all too well that even for him, learning Haki hadn’t been an easy feat.

"Awoo awoo!!"

"What did he say?" Meiser looked at Chopper.

"He said he went through a lot, and gradually he learned that special power."

"Ho~"

"Seems you’re quite talented, little guy," Meiser said with a smile.

While those who could learn Haki in the New World were as numerous as hair on an ox, animals who could learn Haki were not as common as one might think.

So this fellow was indeed very talented.

Hearing Meiser’s praise, the Kung Fu Dugong looked bashful, as if to say: Oh... I’m just okay~

Meiser smiled at the sight; he was a shy little guy.

"So..." Law glanced at the Kung Fu Dugong and asked, "Why would Straw Hat-ya’s disciple come to the New World?"

"Also, why did you kidnap Caesar?"

Hearing Law’s words, the Kung Fu Dugong’s expression gradually grew despondent.

"Awoo awoo..."

"He said: I didn’t know the ship we attacked was Master’s. I’m very sorry." Chopper translated for the Kung Fu Dugong. "As for why we’re in the New World..."

"Back then, Master told me this sea is very vast, so I set my sights on becoming a pirate like Master and came to this wide ocean alone."

"After experiencing many things, I grew stronger, and I met these partners."

"After overcoming many obstacles, our Sea Beast Pirate Crew finally reached the New World."

"But it was at that time... that man named Breed appeared."

At this point, the Kung Fu Dugong’s expression turned noticeably gloomy.

"He used a strange ability to control us, so now we are his Slaves..."

"We cannot resist his orders, so we could only follow his instructions to take Caesar away."

"That is also why we attacked you, Master."

Finishing its explanation, the Kung Fu Dugong bowed its head deeply, clearly expressing its apology to Luffy.

"So that’s how it is."

After hearing Chopper’s translation, Luffy understood what had happened.

Then, he smiled and patted the Kung Fu Dugong. "It’s okay, I’ll just take Caesar back."

Since it wasn’t the other’s fault, he couldn’t possibly be angry.

"It seems this is close to what we suspected," Meiser said, glancing at Law. "That guy indeed has the ability to turn living beings into his pets."

The Pet-Pet Fruit... a fruit that uses its ability to turn others into pets?

It really is a vile ability.

Thinking this, Meiser looked toward the Kung Fu Dugong’s neck.

There was a strange green collar there. If he wasn’t mistaken, that thing was a product of the Pet-Pet Fruit ability.

With that thought, Meiser pointed at the Kung Fu Dugong’s neck. "Is that thing the one affecting you?"

"Awoo awoo..."

The Kung Fu Dugong nodded, confirming Meiser’s suspicion.