Dragon was gone as quickly as he had arrived. The enigmatic man departed with a flourish, his exit as stylish as his presence. He simply tugged at his coat, and his form vanished like a gust of wind sweeping gently across the deck. Just as with his arrival, he left no trace. By the time Ryuuto looked again, Dragon had completely disappeared.
What kind of power was that?
"The Wind-Wind Fruit?" Ryuuto murmured to himself, holding the Devil Fruit that resembled a sugar apple.
He leaped onto the head of Mohmoo, who was still floating unconscious in the sea, and slapped him awake. Just as Ryuuto was about to head into the cabin to wake Nami, the sea cow stirred.
"Moo?" Mohmoo jolted awake, thrashing wildly in the water as it tried to figure out what had just happened. "Moo! Moo!"
The terrifying memory suddenly came rushing back. Mohmoo remembered everything. Instantly, huge beads of sweat dripped down its massive head. It had been deep beneath the waves when an overwhelmingly powerful spirit had crushed its own, filling it with an infinite, paralyzing fear. It had wanted to resist, but unconsciousness had claimed it first.
Seeing Ryuuto nearby, however, eased its terror. Mohmoo waved its front flippers and swung its enormous head around, scanning the area around the Soaring Dragon.
"Moo? Moo?" Confusion filled its simple mind.
"Don't bother looking! He's already gone," Ryuuto said, knowing Mohmoo was searching for Dragon.
"Mooo," Mohmoo moaned, seeming to lose all its energy as it slumped into a listless state.
That guy! Does it actually want to try its luck against Dragon? Ryuuto couldn't help but wonder.
Seeing that Mohmoo was otherwise fine and in good spirits, Ryuuto went into the cabin to wake Nami.
"Captain?" Nami slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Ryuuto, she immediately sat up. "What just happened?"
Ryuuto explained the recent events. After learning the reason for her sudden blackout, Nami finally let out a sigh of relief.
"So it was Luffy's father!" she exclaimed in awe. As the leader of the Revolutionary Army, a man capable of standing against the World Government, Dragon was truly a powerful figure.
But the realization that she had been knocked unconscious by a mere burst of his Conqueror's Haki left Nami with a profound sense of powerlessness. Her own strength was still far too weak. She was on her captain's ship, yet she couldn't help with anything.
Captain, starting today, I'm going to train as hard as I can! Nami made a firm resolve, vowing to improve her strength as quickly as possible. She pursed her lips, nodding with determination as she clenched her fists.
Nami looks kind of cute like this. Seeing her so full of fighting spirit solidified Ryuuto's decision.
"Nami, I have a Devil Fruit here. It's yours if you want it." With that, Ryuuto presented the sugar apple-shaped fruit.
"Ah! Is that really a Devil Fruit? Is it really for me?" It was the first time Nami had ever seen one. Her eyes sparkled, her expression turning into that of her usual money-grubbing self.
Ryuuto figured that in Nami's mind, the fruit had already been automatically converted into a sum of Berries. It was no wonder she reacted this way, seeing an item worth over one hundred million Berries for the first time.
"Oh, Nami," Ryuuto said with a helpless but amused smile. She was still the same little miser. "It's yours."
Having made up his mind, Ryuuto casually tossed the Devil Fruit to her.
"Thank you, Captain! You're the best!" Nami caught the fruit and cradled it carefully in her arms, thanking him with unbridled excitement. Ryuuto suspected that if she weren't afraid of damaging it, she would have launched herself at him in a full-body hug to express her gratitude.
"Don't you want to know what kind of power it grants?" Ryuuto quickly interjected, cutting through her excitement with a pointed question.
Nami glanced down at the fruit in her arms. Mysterious spiral patterns swirled across its surface, giving off a bewitching aura.
"Captain, please tell me!" she pleaded, immediately turning on the charm.
And so, Ryuuto described the Devil Fruit's ability.
"The Luck-Luck Fruit, huh? It can increase my own luck and the luck of those around me. Sounds like a pretty good fruit!" Nami listened to his explanation, her expression thoughtful.
Luck? Does that mean I can just walk outside and find money? As she pondered the possibilities, a state of near-manic excitement took over her. "I can't wait to eat it!" she declared, looking up at Ryuuto.
"Alright, alright, go ahead and eat it! I want to see your new ability," Ryuuto said with a wave of his hand.
No sooner had he spoken than Nami was pinching the fruit, ready to shove it into her mouth. But then she paused, wondering if she should peel it first. With surprising ease, she broke through the fruit's hard outer shell, revealing the blue flesh within.
Crunch!
Without hesitation, Nami took a large bite.
"Ugh! It's disgusting!" An indescribable flavor instantly assaulted her entire mouth. "This is the worst thing I've ever tasted!" she gagged, struggling to swallow the single bite. The experience had nearly shattered her soul.
"Hahahahahaha! Nami, have you never heard the rumors about Devil Fruits?" Ryuuto burst out laughing at her pained expression. "To gain the power of a devil, you must first endure its devilish taste," he said, deepening his voice for dramatic effect.
"Captain!" Nami shot him a furious glare, incensed by his gloating. He was a monster! He knew how awful it would taste and didn't even warn her. That one bite had nearly sent her to the afterlife!
"Okay, okay, calm down and try to feel your new power," Ryuuto said, rubbing his nose and quickly changing the subject.
His words brought Nami back to her senses. She immediately calmed herself and focused inward, sensing the changes within her body.
Time passed. Two minutes later, Nami opened her eyes, a strange new sensation flowing through her. Looking at Ryuuto, she could see faint white points of light shimmering around him. That must be his luck.
A sudden understanding dawned on her.
"Captain, I think I can sense everyone's luck," she explained to Ryuuto. "And by touching them, I can steal those points of luck. The person whose luck I steal will have a day of misfortune, while I can use it to stay lucky indefinitely."
"I see," Ryuuto murmured, listening to her explanation. But this fruit must have more potential. It can surely be developed to do much more.