Judge was ecstatic.

He hadn’t expected that joining the Sun and Moon Pirates could be so easy for some people.

His eyes fell on his eldest daughter, Reiju.

From every perspective, he did not believe that Reiju was in any way inferior to those two young girls who had just been accepted onto the ship.

However, there were too many people present.

Judge didn’t dare to step forward and talk to Kuke directly.

The Sun and Moon Pirates were welcomed into the palace with the highest level of hospitality.

Kuke had no interest in conversing with Katakuri and the others or learning about Big Mom’s family affairs in recent years.

Instead, he took Pudding and Flampé aside to the garden, where he could get to know the new members better.

Seeing an opportunity, Judge brought Reiju along and quietly approached the garden.

Lowering his head humbly, he cautiously stepped before Kuke. “Lord Kuke, I am Vinsmoke Judge. I have admired you for a long time.”

Kuke, who was casually playing with Flampé, didn’t even lift his head.

“Speak.”

If he hadn’t already known about Judge from the original story, or if Reiju weren’t standing behind him, Judge wouldn’t even have the qualifications to stand in his presence.

“Lord Kuke, we have long admired you. My eldest daughter, Reiju, has always dreamed of joining the Sun and Moon Pirates. I hope you will allow her to follow you.”

Facing a legendary figure like Kuke, Judge dared not play any tricks. He simply stated his request directly.

“Lord Kuke, I have admired the Sun and Moon Pirates for a long time,” Reiju added, cooperating with her father, showing a look of admiration.

In truth, she was more curious than eager.

She wasn’t particularly desperate to join.

She had grown accustomed to her past life, and the idea of suddenly joining a completely unfamiliar crew made her somewhat resistant.

She thought that, while the Four Emperors were certainly powerful, there was no reason for their side to be so subservient.

But for the sake of her father’s plans, she didn’t dare show any signs of resistance.

Kuke finally raised his gaze slightly.

His eyes briefly landed on Reiju—the elder sister of Sanji in the original story.

“Not sincere.” Kuke withdrew his gaze.

What he saw was only a faint glimmer, not the passion of someone who had longed for this crew.

With the current strength of the Sun and Moon Pirates, Kuke no longer had much need for new members.

At least, Reiju didn’t hold enough value for him to insist on taking her in.

Reiju’s heart tensed.

When Kuke’s eyes met hers for that brief moment, her mind went completely blank.

It felt like a bolt of lightning had struck her, leaving her body cold.

It was as if everything about her had been seen through completely.

Judge opened his mouth, about to say something more, but suddenly, Shakky appeared behind Kuke.

The infamous “Witch.”

Judge didn’t dare interrupt.

“Captain, it’s a call from Yamato and the others. They have succeeded,” Shakky placed a Den Den Mushi in front of Kuke, and Yamato’s excited voice came through the receiver. “Captain, Captain, we did it! Hurry and bring us back! We don’t want to spend another ten days sailing back!”

“Alright, you’re coming back now.”

Kuke lightly tapped the table.

On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, thousands of miles away, Yamato, Belo Betty, and Kuina instantly appeared in front of Kuke.

Judge was completely dumbfounded.

He stumbled backward and fell to the ground, staring in shock at the suddenly materialized Yamato.

He had just heard their voices over the Den Den Mushi.

Now, they were standing right here in front of him.

Judge looked at Kuke with a gaze that could only be described as reverent—like looking at a god.

This wasn’t something a human could do.

No matter how many stories he had heard before, nothing could compare to witnessing it firsthand.

“This must be fake, right? They said it takes over ten days to sail back! How could they just appear here instantly?” Reiju refused to believe it.

A journey that took at least ten days, spanning thousands of miles—how could someone possibly teleport them back in an instant?

Kuke hadn’t even been near them.

No matter how strong he was, it was impossible.

She preferred to believe that they had actually been nearby all along, only pretending to appear out of thin air.

But why go to such lengths?

“Could this be some kind of ploy to shock us?” Reiju’s mind ran wild with speculation.

“Captain! Look, we brought back the Mythical Zoan Daibutsu Fruit! We even ran into that old bastard!” Yamato triumphantly placed the Devil Fruit in front of Kuke.

Judge’s pupils shrank.

Reiju was equally stunned.

She had heard of the Mythical Zoan Fruits.

These were among the rarest and most mysterious Devil Fruits in existence, and now one was right in front of her.

“This was once Sengoku’s ability?” Other members of the Sun and Moon Pirates curiously gathered around.

Katakuri and his siblings were also intrigued, but they didn’t dare crowd around. They merely observed from a distance.

Though they were impressed, they weren’t particularly shocked.

After all, at this point, they had grown numb to the incredible things the Sun and Moon Pirates were capable of.

“Who wants this Devil Fruit?”

Kuke glanced at his crew.

He specifically looked at those who weren’t already Devil Fruit users.

The best candidate was Kuina. Her foundation was already excellent, and with the addition of a top-tier Devil Fruit, her strength would skyrocket.

“Captain, I still want to pursue the way of the sword. If I ever reach a dead end, I’ll consider eating a Devil Fruit then,” Kuina shook her head.

Koala seemed a bit interested.

However, she understood that her current strength didn’t warrant consuming a Mythical Zoan Fruit.

There weren’t many non-Devil Fruit users left on the ship.

Even Kozuki Hiyori had become a Devil Fruit user three years ago when she accidentally obtained a Devil Fruit during the crew’s return to Wano.

She had eaten the Paramecia-type Tama Tama no Mi.

It didn’t significantly enhance her combat abilities, but its effect on animals was extraordinary. Given that Hiyori wasn’t a combat-focused crew member like Yamato, the fruit suited her well.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Judge stood there, completely dumbfounded.

Katakuri and his siblings were just as shocked.

Their breathing grew rapid, and their eyes turned red with envy.

That was the Mythical Zoan Daibutsu Fruit, once wielded by the former Fleet Admiral of the Marines, Sengoku! And none of them wanted it?

If they didn’t want it, give it to us!

We want it!

They had never even seen such a powerful Devil Fruit before.

Their eyes turned from red to green with jealousy.

They stared at the members of the Sun and Moon Pirates in utter disbelief.

They were just being handed a Mythical Zoan Fruit, and they didn’t even care? Had they come across so many top-tier Devil Fruits that they had become indifferent?

They couldn’t help but mentally complain.

Then they looked at Gion and the others.

And their jealousy only deepened.

It seemed to be true—the Sun and Moon Pirates possessed more top-tier Devil Fruits than any other force in the world.

“Why wasn’t I born a woman?”

“If I could join the Sun and Moon Pirates, I’d do anything! I’d even be a janitor on their ship!”

Many people sighed.

Reiju heard them.

She looked at these people in disbelief.

They were all monsters.

These were high-ranking officers of the Big Mom Pirates, each incredibly strong in their own right.

Yet here they were, willing to abandon their prestigious positions just for a chance to serve aboard the Sun and Moon Pirates’ ship?

Her entire worldview was collapsing.

——

DONT FORGET POWER STONE

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep