"Flame-Flame Fruit?!"
"That's a Logia-type Devil Fruit?!"
"Ohhh! One of the legendary treasures of the sea, a rare Logia Devil Fruit?!"
The surrounding Marines all gasped in shock at Yoriichi Tsugikuni's words. Even Dracule Mihawk walked over to Kyros out of curiosity, carefully inspecting the Devil Fruit in his hand.
After examining it for a while, Mihawk lost interest, stepped aside, and pulled out a stack of Berries from his coat, stuffing them into Issho's hand with a disgruntled mutter.
"You lucky bastard really hit the jackpot."
Clearly, the fact that it was a Logia-type Devil Fruit didn't stir much emotion in Mihawk. What bothered him more was losing the bet to Issho.
Still staring in surprise at the fruit in his hand, Kyros walked up to Yoriichi and handed him the chest.
"I really didn't expect it. For this Devil Fruit to end up in my hands..."
"If this is fate's arrangement, then what does it mean, sending it to me?"
Yoriichi didn't take the chest. Instead, he reached in and picked up the Flame-Flame Fruit directly, weighing it slightly in his hand as his gaze deepened. He murmured quietly to himself.
The Flame-Flame Fruit, a Devil Fruit intertwined with Luffy's destiny. His two sworn brothers had both eaten it, one after the other.
If Luffy is the fated savior, the wielder of the Nika Fruit, the Sun God...
Then what is the role of the Flame-Flame Fruit? The Sun God's guardian? Was Ace's death merely a sacrificial fate meant to shield the Sun God?
Having already lived through two lifetimes, Yoriichi Tsugikuni was no longer a staunch atheist. In truth, ever since his second life in the Demon Slayer world, he had started leaning toward fatalism.
Now that the Flame-Flame Fruit had landed in his hands, was this destiny's way of telling him to eat it?
"Aside from climbing the swordsmanship peak, there really are many interesting things in this world," Yoriichi mused. "Fate, huh..."
"Interesting indeed, but if it's just the Flame-Flame Fruit, then the temptation is a bit cheap."
He turned the fruit over in his hand, lost in thought. To the Marines watching, it looked like Yoriichi was deeply fascinated by the Logia fruit.
"Oi, you're not thinking of eating it, are you?"
"As a swordsman, don't disappoint me!"
Mihawk frowned. Seeing Yoriichi hesitate while gazing at the fruit, he assumed Yoriichi was considering eating it.
Indeed, Devil Fruits offered tremendous power, helping humans break through their physical limits. And this was a Logia, specifically the Flame-Flame Fruit.
Even Mihawk, without ever encountering a Flame-Flame user before, could easily imagine how powerful the ability would be. It had appeal, even to him.
He'd resisted the temptation, but he wasn't naïve enough to believe everyone could. Not even the man who had just defeated him, Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
"A Logia-type... the Flame-Flame Fruit!"
"If Vice Admiral Tsugikuni eats it, he'll become even stronger!"
"I think it's not a bad idea..."
Issho, on the other hand, held a completely different opinion. As a Devil Fruit user himself, he was well aware of the advantages such powers brought. He didn't see anything wrong with eating a Devil Fruit.
In fact, he wanted Yoriichi to grow even stronger. To him, Yoriichi was a gear capable of moving the world, so of course the stronger, the better.
Kyros and Kōshirō simply watched Yoriichi in anticipation. Their thoughts were much simpler, whether Yoriichi ate it or not didn't matter to them. But deep down, they hoped he would, just so they could see firsthand the wonder of a Logia-type Devil Fruit.
As for the ordinary Marines, they were just enjoying the spectacle. Treasures like this had nothing to do with people at the bottom. Everyone thought the same.
"Heh... I don't plan on eating it."
"The Flame-Flame Fruit, whoever wants it, let them take it."
Under the watchful gaze of the crowd, Yoriichi placed the Flame-Flame Fruit back in the chest and closed the lid.
Seeing the surprised expressions around him, Yoriichi gave it a moment of thought, then suddenly smiled and turned to his subordinates.
"This Devil Fruit... I plan to use it as a reward."
"Everyone aboard my ship will have a chance to win it!"
"Of course, don't expect to get it so easily. This is a treasure of the sea, a rare Logia. To earn it, there's a condition."
"See those two behind me?"
"Anyone on my ship who can last fifteen minutes against either of them without being defeated..."
"...will have a chance to obtain the Devil Fruit!"
"Oh, and come to think of it, Teacher Zephyr gave me a Smoke-Smoke Fruit too. That's another Logia. I'll make that a reward as well!"
"Same condition applies."
As Yoriichi spoke, he pointed toward Issho and Mihawk behind him, addressing all the Marines on the deck.
The entire deck fell into a stunned silence, and then, like a tidal wave, erupted in thunderous cheers.
Kyros and Kōshirō exchanged glances, then shook their heads with a smile.
"These guys... what are they so happy about?"
"Holding out for fifteen minutes against Issho or Mihawk... that's no easy feat."
Kyros chuckled quietly. Only someone like him, who regularly trained with Yoriichi and the others, understood just how terrifying Issho and Mihawk's strength was.
Forget these Marines, neither he nor Kōshirō could accomplish such a feat.
But what Kyros didn't understand was that for the ordinary Marine, success wasn't the point. What mattered was the opportunity to change their fate.
As long as people have hope, they will throw themselves into anything with passion.
Soon, the Dawn warship completed its salvage operation and resumed course toward Dressrosa.
Time passed.
Suddenly, a deep-blue "sphere" floated up from the depths of the ocean, surfacing silently on the waves.
Click, A soft sound echoed as a hatch on the sphere popped open, revealing a cockpit.
It was a submarine.
"Those Marines... just who the hell are they? That kind of power, monsters!"
"Damn it! They even took the Flame-Flame Fruit. I have to get this news to Captain Moria, fast!"
Inside the cockpit, a middle-aged man scowled as he stared at the direction the warship had vanished toward. With a snarl, he slammed himself back into the pilot's seat.
After sealing the hatch, the blue submarine slowly submerged once more and swiftly disappeared beneath the waves.
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
100 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter
For Advance Chapters, please visit and consider joining me on P(a)treon!
p(a)treon.com/Lnee
You can also access my other translated fics on P(a)treon!