[~1000 Words]
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The Artificial Azure Dragon Fruit was far too important to allow even the slightest mistake.
With that realization, James no longer hesitated.
"Remain here," he ordered calmly. "Do not act without my command. Wait for my signal."
"Yes!" Shura replied instantly, bowing his head.
By the time he raised it again, James was already gone.
The outer structure of the laboratory was composed entirely of metal. James didn't even need to rely on his Door-Door ability—his body dissolved into lightning, slipping effortlessly through walls and corridors.
As he moved, he absorbed the laboratory's electrical systems, plunging sections into darkness. Along the way, he casually "asked" a few unfortunate souls for directions, quickly pinpointing the location of the artificial Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon.
Moments later, he arrived at a hidden chamber.
The PH guards stationed there were eliminated in flashes of blue-white lightning, their bodies collapsing before they even understood what had happened.
And then,
He saw it.
The artificial Devil Fruit rested inside a reinforced glass casing.
Its apple-like body was marked with coin-shaped circular patterns, and from its stem extended a playful, twisting branch.
James's expression grew serious.
Among all Devil Fruits, Zoan-types were the most dangerous.
In this world, Zoan Devil Fruits could be consumed not only by people—but by objects.
He knew this all too well.
1. Mr. 4's gun, Lassoo, which ate the Dog-Dog Fruit
2. Spandam's sword, Funkfreed, which ate the Elephant-Elephant Fruit
3. Caesar's pet, a toxic slime that consumed the Salamander-Salamander Fruit,
4. Axolotl Model O-Tama's teapot in Wano, which ate the Tanuki Dog-Dog Fruit
5. Even a cannon that consumed the Alpaca-Alpaca Fruit
Without exception, every inanimate object that consumed a Zoan Fruit gained consciousness.
Which meant one thing—
Zoan Fruits possess a will.
James's thoughts spiraled.
When Luffy awakened Nika…
Was that frenzy his own will—or was he being influenced by something else?
If so… was he still truly Luffy?
James forced himself to steady his breathing.
Let's not speculate for now.
What mattered now was confirmation.
He clenched White Lightning in his hand.
If I can plunder it, everything else becomes irrelevant.
The glass casing shattered outward without resistance.
White Lightning wrapped around the Artificial Azure Dragon Fruit in an instant.
For a brief heartbeat—
James felt resistance.
Then—
Success.
"Yes…" he murmured.
After only a moment's hesitation, he made his decision and plundered the Fruit's power outright.
Gaining that much power so effortlessly made the risk acceptable.
He would trust White Lightning to treat the so-called "will" within the Fruit as nothing more than a flaw… and erase it.
The transformation was immediate.
A vast, violent surge of power erupted inside his body.
"This power…"
"Hehehehehe…"
"Hahahahaha—!!!"
James burst into wild laughter as his Conqueror's Haki exploded outward, resonating with the Dragon's might.
The secret chamber trembled violently.
Then it started to disintegrate.
Chunks of stone crashed down as James's laughter echoed like thunder.
His body twisted—
And in the next instant, a colossal Eastern Divine Dragon burst forth.
Its sheer mass obliterated more than half the laboratory on emergence.
Its length was monstrous—thousands of meters at least, perhaps far more.
(There's no need to fixate on the exact number. Just know this: James's dragon form is obscenely large.)
The sounds of screaming came from downstairs.
Those struck by his Haoshoku lost consciousness instantly.
Others were crushed beneath his titanic form.
The most unfortunate souls reportedly glimpsed the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, before losing their lives.
Even the Divine Soldiers and Enforcers outside were thrown aside by the violent winds, tumbling across the ground.
"Is that… Kaido?"
"No… Kaido's dragon is blue!"
A few, like "Rope Master" Chappe, were lucky enough to survive—though their lower bodies were shattered beyond repair.
James paid none of this any attention.
He only had one thought:
What can this Divine Dragon do?
James's massive dragon eyes locked onto a distant presence—
The Fire Dragon roaming Punk Hazard.
He opened his jaws.
"Divine Dragon: Explosive Breath!"
BZZZZ—!!
The afternoon sky flared blindingly bright.
A scorching, laser-like pillar of fire erupted from his mouth, tearing through the air with unstoppable force.
The Fire Dragon never stood a chance.
The beam engulfed its massive body, incinerating it completely—flesh, bone, everything erased in an instant.
Only its bewildered eyes lingered for a fleeting moment, as if asking:
What just hit me? Is this still Punk Hazard?
The beam didn't stop.
It continued onward, finally detonating above the sea—
BOOM!!!
An enormous expanse of seawater was instantly evaporated.
The resulting shockwave hurled scalding steam and tidal waves back toward Punk Hazard.
Even the God Officers and Enforcers at a distance felt the blistering heat wash over them.
Mera Mera no Mi…?
No.
This is far worse.
James smirked faintly.
Ace wasn't his target. That young man had little time left anyway.
James shifted his gaze again—this time toward a distant mountain range.
There.
The Yeti Cool Brothers—Rock and Scotch—were hiding.
James raised a claw.
"Divine Dragon: Rending Wind!"
Razor-sharp wind blades condensed instantly, tearing through the sky with screaming force.
"WAAAH—!!" ×2
The blades sliced clean through mountains and boulders before carving deep, devastating wounds across the brothers' waists.
Blood sprayed violently as their howls echoed across Punk Hazard.
Rock and Scotch were no ordinary creatures—
Yeti Beastmen from the Land of Snow, covered in dense fur with astonishing durability.
Each stood over forty meters tall—taller than many giants.
But before James—
Such differences no longer mattered.
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