One Piece Devouring Fruit - Chapter 61

Holding a piece of fried scorpion, Michion led the group to the shop that had caught their attention by shouting, “Honey ants.” Upon entering, they saw the honey ants being raised in the shop and realised how fitting the name was.

These ants resembled regular ants but were much larger, with their abdomens swollen to the size of a cherry.

Never having seen such a creature, Michion and his companions were intrigued. They eagerly asked the shopkeeper about this fascinating species.

The middle-aged shopkeeper, with a constant smile, didn’t show any impatience toward their questions. He even seemed to enjoy explaining to the curious youngsters, likely because he recognised their navy uniforms and knew they could afford to buy them.

“This honey ant got its name because it’s incredibly greedy, causing its abdomen to swell like a large honey jar. Look at their abdomens; don’t they look like jars?” The shopkeeper pointed to the ant colony, highlighting the swollen abdomens of the honey ants.

“In the desert, food is scarce, and only after heavy rains do plants produce abundant nectar. In such a dry environment, this is a rare food source.”

“These greedy ants gorge themselves on nectar until they’re about to burst.”

“When food is scarce, other ants can tap the honey ants, causing them to regurgitate the stored nectar. This is how the colony survives during lean times.”

“Amazing, I didn’t know such ants existed,” Tina remarked, marvelling at the sight.

“You can eat the honey ants after removing their heads. Why don’t you give it a try?”

“Remove the head and eat it? Are you Bear Grylls reincarnated?” Michion thought, glancing at the smiling shopkeeper. However, he didn’t stop Tina from trying.

After all, it was a good marketing strategy—get the customers to try it, and they’d likely buy it out of courtesy or curiosity.

Tina, curious and unafraid, removed the head and popped the abdomen into her mouth.

“Mmm, it tastes like watermelon and is cool and refreshing. It’s really good,” Tina said, her eyes lighting up as she savoured the taste.

“Of course, since it’s so hot here, we mix a bit of mint with the nectar. It’s quite refreshing, isn’t it?” The shopkeeper smiled. “And because the honey ants fully mix the food in their stomachs, there’s no need to add anything else to enhance the flavor. It’s all-natural.”

Seeing Tina enjoy the honey ants, Michion bought some of each flavour for everyone to try. The pure mint flavour was his favourite—it was cool and pleasant.

Besides the honey ants, what piqued Michion’s interest was the honey ant drinks and the wine brewed from them. Simply filtered drinks offered a refreshing taste with the added mint, making them delightful in the heat.

The wine, however, was unique. Made with special ingredients and processes, it was filtered multiple times to remove remnants, resulting in a pure drink.

The shopkeeper’s smile widened at the bulk purchase. Money wasn’t an issue, as the navy often shared loot from captured pirate ships with those involved in the battles, prioritising those injured.

Michion and his companions had accumulated a lot of money from their journey since Roger’s execution, though they hadn’t had much opportunity to spend it.

The sweet wines, reminiscent of cocktails from Michion’s previous life, came in high and low alcohol content. As a minor, Michion naturally chose the low-alcohol versions. Despite being called wine, it tasted more like a beverage to him.

The group found the drinks refreshing and enjoyable, likely due to their strong physical constitutions.

After stocking up, they continued to explore, waiting for Vice Admiral Akainu to return. They discovered other interesting foods like crocodile eggs, turtle eggs, and grilled crocodile meat, indulging in the local delicacies.

The leisurely street food experience reminded Michion of relaxing strolls through street markets in his past life, a rare opportunity to unwind in this world.

However, this tranquillity was soon shattered.

“Damn it, those sand thieves are here again! Run!”

“Run for your lives!”

“Where’s the guard team? Damn it!”

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