The Stomach Baron's feeding lasted for a full ten hours. The Bellamy Pirates waited on the open sea, watching from a distance until night fell.
Just before the sun was about to rise the next morning, the giant flower bud, taller than any mountain peak, began to descend with a series of deafening roars.
RUMBLE!
In an instant, the waves surged violently, and the very world seemed to shake. The calm surface of the sea was churned by an immense force, sending massive waves, one after another, as if to devour the entire ocean. Bellamy had thought they were a safe distance away, but he had never imagined the island's descent would cause such a colossal disturbance.
"Back! Get back, fast!"
The Stomach Baron's every move impacted its surroundings with the force of a small storm. The very existence of such a creature was a miracle in itself.
The terrifying scene sent an uncontrollable thrill through Bellamy. I wonder if the Stomach Baron has self-awareness, he mused.
With self-awareness and without were two completely different concepts. If this giant plant lacked even the most basic intelligence, then it was nothing more than a rather large carnivorous plant. But if the Stomach Baron was self-aware... now, that would be interesting.
He knew that in the world of One Piece, there were many Devil Fruits with outrageously powerful abilities. Several of them, if their conditions were met, could forcibly control the bodies of sentient beings. Some of the more notable examples included:
The Pet-Pet Fruit: The user can activate their ability through their voice. Any intelligent being that hears the user's voice will find a pet collar appearing around their neck. Once collared, the creature completely loses its autonomy upon hearing the user's call, forced to do whatever the user commands.
The Jacket-Jacket Fruit: The user can transform into a jacket and possess others. Whether the target is an animal or a monster, once they are worn, they fall under the user's complete control.
The Dango Fruit: The full extent of its abilities is currently unknown, but from the information revealed so far, any creature that eats the user's dango will be compelled to obey their requests.
Whether massive creatures over ten thousand meters in size, like the Stomach Baron, Zunesha, or the Island Turtles, could be affected by these abilities was something no one seemed to have ever tested. If they could be, then Zunesha's so-called "punishment" suddenly seemed a lot more understandable.
"I should keep an eye out for fruits of this type in the future," Bellamy thought to himself. If one could truly control a giant creature, the potential would be far greater than just 'interesting.'
"Prepare to go ashore," he commanded.
Leaving the ship docked was out of the question; they would have to anchor it in the nearby waters. Fortunately, with two clones still on board, there was no need to leave anyone behind to stand guard.
Once the sea had calmed, Bellamy's crew quickly lowered a small boat and began rowing toward the Boin Archipelago.
"It smells amazing!"
As they drew closer to the miraculous island, the rich aroma of meat washed over them. But it wasn't just meat; the scents of various fruits, cream, and even chocolate mingled in the air, creating an intoxicating fragrance that enchanted them all.
Upon setting foot on the island, the first thing that met their eyes was a vast, green forest. This forest, while appearing to be a separate entity, was actually just another part of the Stomach Baron's body. Every plant on this island originated from a single individual: the Stomach Baron itself.
"Oh my god! This tree is growing cream cakes!" As a chef, Mia couldn't contain her curiosity. She walked over to one of the cakes and dabbed a bit of the cream with her finger. "The aroma of this cream is so rich!"
"Captain, can we eat these?" Mia turned to Bellamy. She wouldn't dare eat such bizarre food without getting confirmation first.
"Go ahead. Most of the plants here are edible," Bellamy said, casually breaking off a tree branch and chewing on it. It tasted like a vegetable cracker.
"Can I eat this roasted meat, too?" Ross walked up to a roasted pig leg and couldn't resist taking a huge bite. "It's delicious!" It tasted even better than the roasted meat sold in ordinary shops.
The cakes and roasted meats they were eating all grew directly from the trees. Yet, not only did they look identical to the real thing, but they also tasted nearly the same, if not better.
"Huh? What's this?" Muret poked at a fruit that looked just like a bottle. "It smells like alcohol." She dipped her index finger into the opening and tasted it. "It really is alcohol!"
"I can smell juice, too."
The tree was laden with dozens of these bottle-shaped fruits. Muret picked up another one and sniffed it. "It's lemon juice."
Besides alcohol and juice, other bottles on the tree contained honey, syrup, chocolate sauce, and all sorts of other beverages. It was truly magical.
Everything here filled them with utter amazement. Even Bellamy, who already knew what to expect, found himself marveling inwardly. To think such a peculiar island existed in the world—no wonder the captain had insisted on coming here.
High-energy foods were scattered everywhere, and delicious, nutritious drinks were readily available. Not only that, but the aroma of food constantly attracted Sea Kings. The Boin Archipelago itself was also an island that moved slowly. It wouldn't be recorded on any standard sea chart. Without a specific Eternal Pose, finding this place was nearly impossible.
If they wanted a place for special training, they truly couldn't find a better location.
The Stomach Baron's feeding cycle was extremely long. Bellamy and his crew could easily build a treehouse to rest in first. The upcoming training would be incredibly demanding, and proper rest was essential to ensure its quality.
Under Bellamy's direction, Drake and Ross began chopping down trees and clearing an area, while Muret and Mia assisted them. Due to the island's unique nature, Bellamy didn't plan on leading the team deep into the "forest" for training just yet. He intended to set up camp near the coast first, allowing everyone to acclimate to the environment.
"Captain, you're slacking off again!"
Everyone was working with great enthusiasm, eager to have a place to sleep for the night. But seeing their captain just standing there without moving, Mia couldn't help but grumble.
Bellamy ignored her complaints. He was staring at the forest before them, deep in thought.
I remember there's a wild man living in this forest.
He wasn't an important character, so Bellamy couldn't quite recall his name, but he seemed to be quite strong. This wild man had apparently lived here alone for a very long time.
All of Bellamy's knowledge about the Boin Archipelago came from the anime in his past life; he knew almost nothing about the finer details. For instance, how often did the island feed? How often were Sea Kings lured in by the scent of food?
They would be staying here for a long time, and this was information Bellamy desperately needed. Suddenly, this seemingly insignificant character had become very important.
In that case, Bellamy decided, the first thing to do is find this wild man.