"Magnificent!" Bullet's pupils contracted, battle intent surging in his eyes.
He could already envision himself standing on a massive battlefield constructed entirely from magma, the ground beneath his feet constantly reshaping and restructuring according to his will.
This vision made his blood boil with excitement.
His Bullet Form would evolve into the Magma Colossus!
Enel impatiently swung his golden staff, electricity crackling along its surface as he vented his displeasure.
"Alright, alright, we get how awesome you are," he said with a curled lip, his eyes filled with impatience.
"Just eat the damn fruit already. Stop dawdling."
Bullet grinned widely, revealing a set of pale white teeth.
In his excellent mood, he couldn't be bothered to argue, but he still cautiously asked one more time:
"Are you absolutely sure eating this won't make me go 'boom' and scatter my pieces across the sea?"
Enel rolled his eyes, veins bulging at his temples. "How many times are you going to ask?" he gritted out, electricity spiking around him.
"No explosion means no explosion!"
Bullet chuckled indifferently.
He picked up the first dark red Devil Fruit and swallowed it in one gulp.
The scene immediately fell silent.
Everyone held their breath, watching him, time itself seeming to freeze.
After a moment, Bullet frowned and flexed his shoulders. Aside from the terrible taste, nothing had changed.
"Failed?" Crocodile raised an eyebrow, feeling somewhat uneasy.
"Another one. I don't believe my luck could be that bad." Bullet remained unfazed as he picked up the second fruit.
This time he examined it carefully—the magma-like patterns swirling across the fruit's surface appeared particularly eerie under the laboratory lights.
He took a deep breath and forced the fruit into his mouth.
"Bleh! Disgusting!" He scowled but swallowed it all, closing his eyes as he waited for the effects to manifest.
Everyone's hearts were in their throats.
Time seemed to stretch on endlessly.
Ron stood with his arms crossed, a confident smile playing on his lips.
Since his success rate had improved, his refined Enchantment Technique now required only two Devil Fruits to guarantee success.
His gaze never left Bullet, and after seeing the man swallow the second fruit, he gave a slight nod, a glint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.
Suddenly, Bullet's expression changed.
His eyes widened.
Beneath his bronze skin, it seemed as though magma was flowing through his veins.
His body glowed with a dark red light and trembled slightly, clearly sensing the unprecedented power rising within him.
"I can feel it!" He clenched his fist abruptly, his knuckles cracking like popping beans. "I can really feel it!"
The surrounding temperature soared.
The entire laboratory was enveloped by an invisible wave of searing heat.
Thick black smoke suddenly billowed from Bullet's right arm, followed by a violent BOOM!
His entire arm transformed into scorching magma, dripping onto the floor and melting charred holes into the reinforced concrete.
He stared at his arm in ecstasy, throwing his head back and letting out an ear-splitting roar.
"Hahaha! I fucking succeeded!"
His voice was filled with fervor and excitement.
In an instant, Bullet's muscles began to writhe violently.
His right arm was the first to completely melt, turning into surging, boiling lava.
Dark red fluid dripped from his fingertips, scorching the ground and leaving smoking craters.
"This feeling... it's incredible!"
Bullet laughed maniacally as his chest, abdomen, and legs began to visibly transform into lava at a rapid pace.
Scorching magma churned across his body, thick black smoke billowing from all around him.
The temperature in the entire space skyrocketed, distorting the air with heat haze.
Everyone stepped back, their faces showing shock and awe.
Suddenly, Bullet's movements paused, and a trace of confusion appeared on his ferocious face.
"Huh?"
His magma-formed fingers pressed against his temple as if searching for something.
"Why are there... Akainu's techniques in my head?"
His magma arm swung forward abruptly, instinct taking over.
"Great Eruption!"
A massive magma fist several meters in diameter erupted violently, instantly melting a large hole in the nearby rock wall.
Before anyone could react, he threw another punch!
"Hell Hound!"
The magma condensed into the form of a ferocious dog, roaring as it lunged into the distance, devouring a row of test dummies in its path.
"Hahaha!" Bullet continued to experiment with various techniques, his face filled with excitement.
He was completely immersed in his newly acquired power, unable to extricate himself.
Izo leaned against the wall, using his kimono sleeve to cover his nose and mouth from the thick smoke. His tone carried a hint of nonchalance.
"That was a Perfect-Grade Enchanted Fruit specially prepared for you by Ron."
He narrowed his eyes as he explained, "Not only does it inherit the ability, but it also grants the original user's muscle memory and combat insights."
Enel floated in mid-air, lightning crackling around him to block the approaching magma steam.
His tone carried a trace of disdain, though mostly jealousy.
"You're really lucky, brute." He snorted coldly. "Ordinary customers only get defective products that possess raw power but none of the skill."
Bullet froze upon hearing this, the magma surrounding him momentarily stilling.
He turned to look at Ron, who maintained a faint smile throughout.
A flicker of genuine gratitude and awe flashed in Bullet's eyes.
He strode forward, his magma-formed arm reverting to flesh, and clapped Ron heavily on the shoulder.
"My brother! From now on, I, Bullet, will have your back! Anyone who dares lay a finger on you, I'll melt them into slag!"
Bullet's words came from the heart.
Previously, he had never heard of anyone in these seas obtaining a second ability, but now, he held that power in his hands.
As he spoke, he suddenly remembered something, and his arm erupted into flames once more.
"That's right! Once I've mastered this ability, I'm definitely going to find that bastard Akainu for a rematch! Let him taste what it's like to be beaten by his own moves! Hahaha!"
...
While Bullet was still revelling in his new power, Crocodile began to stir.
Having taken just one bite of the Devil Fruit in his hand, he felt the changes in his body and his eyes widened instantly.
"ROAAAR——!"
Accompanied by an ear-splitting dragon's roar, Crocodile's body began to violently expand.
Dragon scales the color of desert sand emerged on his skin, glistening like grains of gold under the sunlight.
In an instant, a hundred-meter-long dragon coiled upward, filling the cavernous space.
Its claws were sharp as blades, its horns menacingly curved, and each scale looked as if it were carved from the finest topaz.
Most terrifying of all was the synergy: his form could freely shift between a solid Dragon and a fluid Sand Dragon.
Sometimes he was a tangible giant beast; other times, he became an illusory dragon silhouette composed of flowing sand, seamlessly switching between physical might and Logia intangibility.
The Desert Dragon had been born!
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