Chapter 39 - CHAPTER 39 - Devil Fruit Obtained, Capacity Triggered

"What was that? A blade? Wasn't he just using a normal sword? When did he get something like that? And how could it be so fast that we couldn't even see it?" Those who had just been certain Bones would lose were now on edge. Losing a fight—even dying—wasn't the scariest thing. But not even being able to see how you died? That was terrifying. Those who hadn't witnessed the attack's speed were left stunned. It was eerie. It was overwhelmingly powerful. With a flick of his wrist, Bones retracted that thin, elongated weapon in an instant, returning it to its original form—a narrow blade, or rather, a katana. "Did Bones awaken his ability? No... it doesn't seem like it. His stamina and speed probably aren't at the level needed for an awakening." Rosen found it odd. Since when did the Dice-Dice Fruit allow for extended blade attacks? And with such speed—expanding and retracting instantly? As far as he recalled, the Dice-Dice Fruit simply allowed the user to turn their body parts into blades. The blade length should match the user's body, with maybe minor variations. But now, Bones could extend his blade to absurd lengths at will—so fast it was nearly imperceptible, almost as if it carried a blade aura of its own. At first, Rosen couldn't figure it out. But as he replayed Bones' movements in his mind, he began to understand. So that's why he needed a weapon. It wasn't his own body that had changed—it was the weapon itself. By using his ability, he had transformed a steel weapon with blade properties, rapidly modifying it into an incredibly thin, razor-sharp, and elongated blade. Since it wasn't his actual body, it could be reshaped freely without any risk to himself. A fascinating application of his fruit's power. But this went beyond the standard Dice-Dice Fruit abilities. If he ever reached an awakened state, could he turn an entire island into a land of blades? It was possible. Judging by his development, Bones seemed to be moving toward a liquid metal transformation—perhaps "Iron Man" was no longer the right term. Maybe "Metal Man" was more fitting. A Terminator, perhaps? It was an intriguing direction, but he was still far from that level. Right now, this ability only worked on weapons made of metal with blade properties, and it clearly drained his stamina significantly. After all, manipulating objects outside of his body was far more taxing. To put it simply, before, Bones was a purely close-range swordsman. Now, with this technique, he had become a blade-wielding warrior capable of ranged slashes—though not traditional sword energy, the effect was just as deadly. Rosen turned his attention back to the arena. Bones had just eliminated two of the strongest contestants. The only one left was the fighter from Médoc Winery. If Bones won this final match, he would be crowned champion. Dory, the remaining competitor, was already sweating before the fight even began. His strength surpassed Krit's. He didn't believe he would lose to Krit in a fair fight. But the issue was—he hadn't even seen Bones' last attack. If that same attack was used on him, would this be the end of his life? "Just surrender. "You can't win. "No need to throw your life away. "If you die, you won't be able to enjoy any more fine wine. "How boring would that be?" Moris didn't seem to care about the competition at all. He casually urged Dory to give up. Dory hesitated. He was unwilling, but considering his life—and with his boss giving him an out—he quickly conceded. "So, the winner isn't from the Three Great Wineries, but rather the subordinate of a Warlord? That's rare." "He's too strong. "If even his subordinates are this powerful, then just how strong is the Warlord himself?" Some pirates even began considering switching allegiances—especially those without a strong backer. "Dory has forfeited! "I now officially announce that tonight's arena champion is Daz Bones, the trusted officer of the Warlord of the Sea! "Congratulations! "He has won a Devil Fruit as tonight's grand prize!" The host's passionate voice echoed through the hall. The audience erupted. Some cheered, some cursed over lost bets, while others clapped politely, maintaining their composure. "And now, we move on to the main event. "Eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves! "For those looking to place orders, please speak with your designated representatives." With that, the evening transitioned into the business segment. None of it concerned Rosen. He wasn't particularly fond of drinking—occasionally, he would sip some, but only when the mood struck. He also couldn't tell the difference between good and bad wine, so he had no intention of making any large purchases. Still, buying a small supply for the ship was reasonable. Since many of his crew enjoyed drinking, he left the task to Robin. For now, he simply waited for Bones to bring back the Devil Fruit. "Well done." This was the first time Rosen had genuinely praised Bones. He had truly exceeded expectations. "I only did what I was supposed to. "But this technique drains my stamina and energy too much. "I'm still not strong enough." Bones shook his head. To him, a move that could only be used once or twice in a fight wasn't reliable enough for high-intensity battles. "You worked hard." Rosen didn't say much more. He was glad to see Bones had the right mindset. The worst kind of fighter was one who got complacent after a slight improvement. Bones handed Rosen the box containing the Devil Fruit. Rosen already knew it was the Pig-Pig Fruit, though he wasn't sure what specific form it took. But pigs were pigs—no matter the variety. They weren't exactly appealing. A woman would probably ignore this fruit at first glance. As for men... well, there were always some desperate enough to seek any power boost. Rosen himself had no intention of eating it. But it might come in handy later. After all, no matter what, a Devil Fruit was still one of the ocean's rare treasures. "Devil Fruit Capacity Slot +1 Task Triggered. "Progress: 1/5 (Pig-Pig Fruit). "Recommendation: Ensure Body Defense is at least X8 before activation. "Option to Transfer Available." Rosen, familiar with the enhancement system in his mind, saw the new data appear and smirked. So this was how it worked. He should've expected it. Even without opening the box, he could already feel its weight lessen. The fruit had been automatically absorbed into the task. Otherwise, the progress wouldn't show as 1/5. But requiring five Devil Fruits just to gain one extra capacity slot... Wasn't that a bit too expensive? It essentially meant sacrificing five Devil Fruits to make room for another. Even this seemingly useless Pig-Pig Fruit was worth 300 million Berries. Five would total 1.5 billion. And if he wanted better-quality fruits, the price could go even higher. Easily 2 billion. "Blackbeard's freakish body saved him 2 billion for free. "Lucky bastard." For once, Rosen felt a twinge of envy. Then there was the defense requirement—was it to prevent his body from being overwhelmed? And would there be future tasks to increase defense by X2 or X4? He could already make some guesses about upcoming rewards. But what did "option to transfer" mean? Could someone else use it instead? Rosen set the now-empty box beside him. It was best to keep up appearances. If the fruit had mysteriously disappeared, explaining it would be a hassle. They ate and drank a little while Rosen explained the situation with Captain Luca and Balm. Given Balm's attitude, he likely wouldn't let them leave so easily. "Boss, should we strike first? "Better to be proactive than wait for them to move." Bones suggested. Now that their enemy was confirmed, there was no need to wait. (End of Chapter)