Ah no… This is real.
In the Office!
Sure enough, money can make all the difference!
Although the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia is an extremely rare and valuable book, it is not out of reach for those who control the underground world. The key factor? Wealth!
Charlotte had spent a considerable sum, not only acquiring this precious book but also purchasing simplified training methods for Rokushiki (Six Powers) through underground channels.
Everything was going smoothly.
He carefully cross-referenced the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, flipping through its aged pages, examining the fruit he had obtained.
A moment later, he couldn't help but feel shocked.
> Zoan-Type · Ape-Ape Fruit · Ancient Model · Titan Kong Form!
An Ancient Zoan…
This fruit was indeed extraordinary. Unlike normal Zoan-type fruits, Ancient Zoans granted their users enhanced durability and resilience—traits that made them powerhouses in battle. Although not as rare or mystical as Mythical Zoan fruits, their raw physical prowess was undeniable.
Even so, Charlotte had no intention of eating it himself.
The major drawback of Devil Fruits—the inability to swim—was too great a weakness for someone like him. If he were to consume one, his first choice would be a Logia-type or an exceptionally powerful and unique fruit.
So, who would this Zoan Fruit be for?
The answer was obvious.
---
A While Later…
"Boss Charlotte, I'm here!"
A loud, rough voice boomed from the doorway.
Who else could it be but Beta?
"Beta, can't you do something about your rowdy nature?" Charlotte narrowed his eyes at the burly man standing before him.
"Heh, Boss, I'll definitely change! I swear!"
The same guilty tone, the same remorseful expression—yet Charlotte knew Beta's bad habits would persist.
He sighed, rolling his eyes.
Forget it. What's the point of getting angry at a blockhead?
"Anyway, this is for you."
Charlotte opened a small, ornate treasure chest and slid it toward Beta. He had nearly let his frustration make him forget his main objective.
Beta blinked and curiously examined the strange-looking fruit inside.
He had never seen a Devil Fruit before, so he had no idea what it was. But Beta never questioned Charlotte's decisions—without hesitation, he picked up the fruit and prepared to take a bite.
"That's a Devil Fruit." Charlotte stated flatly.
Beta froze mid-motion.
Of course, he had heard of Devil Fruits—those legendary, mystical objects that granted extraordinary abilities.
Tears welled in his eyes.
"Boss Charlotte… you're too good to me!"
Without another thought, he opened his mouth wide and chomped down!
---
The Taste of Hell!
An indescribable, horrifying taste immediately flooded his senses!
How could he even begin to describe it?
Imagine:
A pair of rotten leather boots, soaked in a sewage-filled ditch for years…
Stuffed with moldy socks that had decayed for decades…
Marinated in the most pungent, fermented stinky tofu imaginable…
"BLEGH—!"
Beta almost threw up on the spot! But then—his eyes turned red with determination.
He must not betray Boss Charlotte's trust!
More importantly, Beta never wasted food.
Not. A. Single. Bite.
With sheer willpower, he forced himself to swallow the rest in one painful gulp.
Charlotte, sitting nearby, silently observed Beta's torment.
A sudden chill ran down his spine.
Good grief… this guy is something else.
A single bite was enough to gain the fruit's powers—yet Beta ate the entire thing.
It was common knowledge across the Grand Line that just a small bite sufficed!
Clearly… Beta had no idea.
What a reckless fool!
---
Transformation Begins!
"Ah no… this is real!"
Beta's body trembled violently as an overwhelming force erupted from within him.
Charlotte watched, intrigued.
An intense, primal aura exploded outward—savage, untamed, and raw!
Beta's body began to grow uncontrollably! His muscles bulged, his frame expanded rapidly, and in mere seconds—
A titanic golden ape roared into existence!
His towering form exceeded five meters, his massive arms were thicker than tree trunks, his nails were like razor-sharp daggers, and two enormous golden fangs glistened under the light. His scarlet eyes burned with primal majesty!
Just as Beta's transformation reached its peak—
Charlotte kicked him out of the window.
"BOOM!"
The ground trembled as Beta crashed into the courtyard below, sending dust flying.
---
Beta's Awakening!
Charlotte tiptoed over the window frame, landing effortlessly outside.
Gazing at the golden behemoth before him, Charlotte nodded in satisfaction.
Beta, still in his transformed state, was ecstatic.
"Boss! I turned into a gorilla!"
Charlotte sighed. This fool…
"Idiot. That's a Titan King Kong."
After a moment, Beta slowly reverted to his human form.
But surprisingly… his body was still larger than before.
Now standing at two and a half meters tall, Beta looked completely different from his former self.
Charlotte frowned.
Can Zoan fruits… permanently enhance the user's body even when not transformed?
This was new information.
"Boss, why did you kick me just now?" Beta asked, looking pitiful.
Charlotte's expression darkened.
"Are you seriously asking? You almost demolished my castle!"
Beta immediately grinned sheepishly.
"Heh… Boss Charlotte, I'm just glad you don't hate me!"
???
Where did that logic even come from?!
Charlotte was speechless. Trying to reason with Beta's nonsensical thought process was a lost cause.
"Enough talking. Get familiar with your abilities. From now on, you'll be training under me personally."
Beta's entire body shuddered.
That one sentence carried a deep, ominous meaning.
Beta had suffered countless times under Charlotte's brutal training before…
And now, he was doomed to experience it again—at an even more terrifying level.
"Boss Charlotte, wait! Maybe we can talk about this—"
Charlotte's sharp gaze silenced him instantly.
"What were you about to say?"
Beta gulped.
"Uh… Nothing! Everything's fine! Haha! Absolutely fine!"
Charlotte smirked.
"That's what I thought."
Beta had no idea…
From this moment forward, his training from hell had only just begun.