"Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho~ Bring Binks' Sake, deliver it to your side~ Let it ride the wind and waves, like the free-spirited sea breeze…"
The legendary sea shanty of the Pirate King echoed over the night ocean. Rimuru sat quietly on a chair, sipping his drink while listening to a bunch of grown men howl off-key in unison.
Whitebeard's voice was the loudest—and also the most off-key. Honestly, his pitch was so far off, you'd need a bomb to reach him from a thousand miles away.
Even though their singing could be used as a weapon of mass destruction, Rimuru strangely felt at peace. Listening to them brought back memories—of his dad, who used to sing just as horribly at home, always insisting Rimuru say it was "beautiful." And Mom… How long had it been since he left? How long would it be until he could return? Would he even be able to?
"Rimuru, are you okay? Why are you crying?" Marco noticed the tear slipping down Rimuru's cheek and immediately walked over in concern.
"I'm fine." Rimuru quickly wiped it away and smiled softly at Marco.
"My Lord." Ranga padded over, sensing his master's sorrow. The giant wolf nuzzled Rimuru's face and gave it a gentle lick.
"Stop licking me!" Rimuru laughed as he gently pushed Ranga away and patted his fluffy fur. Ahhh, soft and warm—nothing beats a good fluff therapy session!
"Hey Rimuru… Do you still have that stuff?" Marco asked sheepishly, seeing that Rimuru's mood had lightened.
"…What stuff?" Rimuru tilted his head, confused. (＠_＠?) Can you be more specific, dude?
"That blue, gooey thing you used to heal Pops," Marco said, gesturing vaguely with his hands. As soon as he mentioned it, the rest of the pirates fell completely silent, turning their gazes toward Rimuru like a pack of hungry wolves.
Even Whitebeard looked interested.
That single blue glob had not only healed him on the spot, it had also repaired his hidden internal injuries and fully restored his stamina. For pirates constantly on the brink of death, this wasn't just medicine—it was a miracle! Just imagine: two pirates beat each other half-dead, and suddenly one pulls out a mystery jelly, slaps it on, and gets back up like nothing happened? The rage! The despair!
"I do have more," Rimuru admitted, shivering under the intensity of their stares. Why does it feel like I'm about to get robbed? He was just a normal high schooler back then, barely able to speak in public. Even as a Demon Lord, he rarely addressed crowds. This much attention? Stressful!
But he quickly adjusted his expression and flashed a scheming merchant's smile. "I've got plenty, but what'll you give me for it? Let's be clear—I don't want gold."
"How about Devil Fruits?" Whitebeard offered without hesitation. When it came to something that could save his sons' lives, he wouldn't miss the chance. With these potions, he could save countless crewmates!
"Deal!" Rimuru agreed immediately. "One Devil Fruit for ten recovery jellies. No haggling!" ╭(╯ε╰)╮
The Whitebeard Pirates stared in disbelief. That's it? That cheap? These things cost just a few tens of thousands of Berries each. From the way Rimuru acted, they expected the price to be sky-high. Is this really how you do business, dude?
In the end, Whitebeard pulled out his own inner merchant and mercilessly haggled Rimuru down, striking a deal on the spot: ten Devil Fruits in total—eight Zoan types at one fruit for ten potions, and two Paramecia types at one fruit for twenty potions. The pirates were curious about where Rimuru had pulled all those items from, but nobody asked. After all, everyone has their secrets.
From that day onward, every member of the Whitebeard Pirates carried at least a few recovery jellies on them. Want to kill them? Good luck! These guys became the nightmare of the Grand Line, earning two new infamous titles: The Most Annoying Pirates in Paradise, and The Pirates You Pray Never to Meet.
Time passed peacefully. Rimuru, aboard the Moby Dick, had completely blended in with the crew. Over the month, he'd punched more than a dozen people—why? Because they tried to flirt with him!
To make them give up, Rimuru even transformed back into his original slime form during one of Whitebeard's parties. Whitebeard had used the excuse, "This Sea King got heatstroke," to hold the banquet.
After Rimuru revealed his true form, most of the crewmates had expressions of utter disappointment. Ten out of eight people (yes, even mathematically impossible numbers) looked devastated.
That really ticked Rimuru off.
In his rage, he gave them a taste of reality—with his fists. One by one, he pummeled sense into them. Only after that did his mood finally settle.
Meanwhile, Ranga had been glaring at Marco every day like he was watching a mentally-challenged child. It drove Marco crazy. He finally challenged Ranga to a duel.
Big mistake.
Ranga wasn't just a cute face—he was terrifyingly strong. His physical power, speed, and endurance were off the charts, not to mention his command of black lightning. With his awakened Demon Lord-level mana, Ranga was easily a match for a Yonko-class fighter. Only someone like Whitebeard could suppress him.
And so, with brawls, booze, and jelly-based healing, a month passed in merry chaos.
Finally, they arrived.
"Pops! We've reached Loguetown!" one of the pirates at the helm shouted.
"Loguetown, huh?" Rimuru's eyes sparkled with interest.
"Gol D. Roger… Looks like it's finally time to meet face to face!"