Carol leaned back slightly but did not activate her ability to dodge.
Just as the dark hand was about to touch Carol's neck, it stopped.
"Mr. Carol?"
Barrett shook off the snow and stood up.
It turned out that the large snowdrift was Barrett, who had been meditating.
Even though he had been promoted to a candidate for Admiral, Barrett still maintained a respectful address to Carol and Sakazuki:
"Devil Fruit ability, huh?"
Carol let out a sigh of relief:
"Phew—"
"That was close."
"You're too fast."
Barrett smiled.
Carol took out a package and handed it to Barrett:
"That's right, it's the fruit Admiral Sakazuki found for you."
"The Paramecia-type, the Teleportation Fruit."
Barrett looked at the virus and the fruit recycler in the package, nodded, and looked at Carol:
"Teleportation, huh..."
"That's pretty good."
Carol said:
"That doesn't sound very convincing."
After all, if Barrett hadn't stopped, he would have been captured...
Barrett spread his hands, looking a little helpless.
Carol shook his head and smiled, glancing at the time on his watch:
"Wait two more hours, then we make our move."
------
Late at night.
Drum Island, the Royal Palace.
Suddenly, two figures, completely wrapped up, appeared.
They stared at the king, Wapol, on the bed, who was overweight, embracing a woman, and sleeping soundly.
Barrett walked over and opened the glass bottle containing the virus.
He poured it directly into Wapol, who was snoring with his mouth wide open.
A bottle of virus was poured in, and Wapol even smacked his lips a few times before rolling over and continuing to sleep.
However, in just a few seconds, Wapol, in his sleep, began to feel extremely uncomfortable.
His chest felt tight, he couldn't breathe, and he felt like his whole body was drained.
He vaguely opened his eyes, wanting to call for a servant.
But his mouth was covered by a large hand, and Wapol instantly woke up!
In the dim moonlight, he could see two people dressed in dark clothes, intending to do something to him.
He wanted to struggle and shout but couldn't muster the strength.
He watched helplessly as one of the black-clothed figures pried open his eyelids.
And inserted something with a needle into him...
Blood flowed along the thin syringe into the container. Wapol felt only endless terror and weakness... his struggles grew weaker and weaker.
Finally, he fell into darkness...
The moment Wapol breathed his last, the blood in the container fused with the fruit and transformed.
Witnessed by the two of them, it turned into a Devil Fruit.
Carol slowly pulled out the needle.
As he pulled it out, he pressed a button, and a thin stream of nutrient solution flowed to the wound. The needle-sized wound healed instantly, leaving no trace.
Carol nodded, and Barrett repositioned Wapol.
The next morning.
A piercing scream shattered the peace of Drum Island...
---------
The Grand Line.
In the Royal Palace of the Land of Fire.
Upon receiving the notification, the elderly King Chirivaya sighed:
"My old friend... alas..."
The Crown Prince of Drum Island, exiled here, had not changed in the slightest after all these years.
If he were to be sent back, Drum Island would likely soon...
His attendant beside him also received the news, his brow furrowed:
"Your Majesty, perhaps..."
King Chirivaya shook his head:
"It's not possible. After all, he is the sole heir of a subordinate country."
"How could we possibly detain him?"
"The World Government wouldn't agree either."
"There's no other way... my old friend."
He sighed:
"Go and summon Mushuru."
He placed the letter in his hand on the desk.
He could already foresee that within a few years, Drum Island would disappear from this sea.
After all, his old friend's two sons... there was no "worst," only "worse."
That's why even someone like Wapol became king, because he seemed at least a little better than Mushuru...
-------
The Grand Line, an unknown sea.
A ship that looked quite decent was sailing towards Drum Island.
Loud laughter could be heard from the ship, the laughter being exceptionally unpleasant and grating.
Inside the cabin.
Mushuru, the Crown Prince of Drum Island, exiled for twelve years.
He looked at the letter, tossed and turned on the bed, and burst into wild laughter:
"Hahahaha!"
"It's good that idiot died!"
"Excellent! Excellent!!!"
"I can't believe I'm so lucky!!!"
"Just you wait, you damn bastards!!!"
Those foolish people who caused me to be exiled! And that old scoundrel Chirivaya!!!
You all deserve to die!!! Hahahaha!!!!
High above...
A pair of indifferent eyes were watching this place...
-------
Several days later.
The Land of Fire, Royal Palace.
King Chirivaya, who was handling official business, stretched his shoulders.
At this moment, the attendant from before rushed in frantically:
"Bad news, Your Majesty!!!"
"The ship transporting the Crown Prince of Drum Island has been shipwrecked!!!"
King Chirivaya suddenly stood up:
"What!!!!"
The shock of the news, coupled with the prolonged handling of official duties.
He fainted on the spot...
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
"Quick, get the doctor!!!"
-------
Impel Down, the underwater prison.
In an interrogation room, a high-ranking officer of the Revolutionary Army, Ivankov.
He hung limply on the torture rack, covered in blood.
His once robust body had become gaunt.
Two CP agents threw down their restraints and walked out of the room.
"Damn it, why is this guy so tight-lipped?"
"Yeah, it's been so long, and he hasn't said a single word."
"What should we do? If we don't get any information, we'll be in trouble from above."
"It's the same no matter who interrogates him. We've tried everyone useful, but he just won't talk."
"Sigh, let's go, time for lunch."
Shortly after the two of them left, a jailer patrolling the area happened to stumble.
A small note was thrown into the interrogation room.
Looking at the note under his feet, the semi-conscious Ivankov was confused, but he still laboriously stretched out his leg to grip it and hide it...
Late at night.
Lying powerlessly in his cell, Ivankov took out the note, covered in dust and blood, and his eyes widened suddenly:
"There's such a place?"
In his heart, a boundless hope for escape surged.
The fact that he could see this note meant that a jailer had been bribed.
There would definitely be a chance...