This thing was nothing short of a deadly poison to a conqueror's ambition!
Although, in the short term, consuming it would grant the user immensely powerful Armament Haki—a force capable of shaking the world, making one feel unprecedentedly strong—it came with a terrifying price: the complete loss of any potential for further growth.
For someone like Douglas Bullet, who pursued power without limits, this was undoubtedly a fatal flaw.
He knew deeply that the enhancement of power should be endless—a continuous process of exploration, training, and breakthroughs.
His Armament Haki was something he had cultivated bit by bit through countless trials and bloody battles. It was a power that truly belonged to him alone.
This power was like a seed buried deep within the earth, brimming with boundless vitality and potential, with infinite room for growth in the future.
He would not trade his infinite ceiling for a static, albeit high, plateau.
At this thought, Bullet couldn't help but take a deep breath, then slowly exhale.
He reaffirmed his own convictions, reminding himself to see the essence of things and not be blinded by temporary gains.
His gaze gradually grew resolute, revealing his unshakable determination.
After this internal rationalization, Bullet instantly felt his thoughts clear up.
It was as though a tangled knot in his heart had been unraveled, leaving him feeling light and at ease.
When he looked at his surroundings again, his usual arrogant confidence had returned.
'Let them have their shortcuts,' he thought, crossing his arms.
'I will crush them with my own power anyway.'
Just then, a subtle movement shattered the tranquility.
Ron slowly reached out and gently picked up the final pitch-black fruit from the tray.
Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, their eyes wide and mouths slightly agape, Ron stepped forward, walking past the Division Commanders until he stood directly in front of Crocodile.
"This is…"
Ron paused slightly, looking firmly at the former Warlord, and said clearly.
"This one is for you."
Though his voice was not loud, it echoed in everyone's ears like a muffled thunderclap.
Hearing these words, Crocodile's pupils contracted violently, as if he had encountered something utterly incomprehensible.
The hand that had been tightly gripping his golden hook now trembled uncontrollably.
Sizzle.
The sharp tip of the hook pierced straight into the stone ground as his legs momentarily felt weak.
As a veteran who had navigated the New World and witnessed the top-tier Haki of monsters like Whitebeard and Bullet, Crocodile possessed a far deeper understanding of the gap in power than ordinary rookies.
He understood better than anyone the value contained within this fruit—it was a supreme state of Haki he might never achieve through his own training in this lifetime!
For someone who had always pursued immense power, who had tasted the bitter despair of weakness, this temptation was absolutely irresistible.
"I…"
A hoarse voice struggled out of Crocodile's throat, unusually tinged with a tremor.
His eyes were fixed intently on the fruit in Ron's hand, shimmering with complex emotions—shock, raw desire, and a hint of indescribable excitement.
Then, he slowly reached out, carefully taking the fruit as if afraid it might vanish like a mirage.
"I… won't let you down."
Just like the Commanders present, Crocodile did not hesitate in the slightest.
He directly stuffed the fruit into his mouth and began chewing it voraciously.
The fruit's bitter juices overflowed in his mouth, carrying a mysterious, heavy power as it flowed down his throat.
Immediately after—
A strange transformation rapidly unfolded within Crocodile.
His eyes widened instantly, gleaming with an incredulous light.
As supreme-grade Armament Haki surged through his body like raging tides, the fundamental quality of his Haki rose exponentially!
The powerful aura radiated outward from him as the epicenter, making everyone nearby feel an unprecedented sense of oppression.
Simultaneously, the others successively consumed their replacement Devil Fruits containing the boundless Haki.
As the fruits took effect, waves of supreme-grade Armament Haki erupted from the Commanders like slumbering dragons abruptly awakened!
The momentum resembled a raging tsunami, spreading outward with overwhelming force.
The newly awakened Haki, like wild horses freed from their reins, temporarily escaped their complete control.
Purplish-black Haki instantly enveloped each of them like a mysterious, suffocating veil, its ominous glow inspiring awe and fear.
FWOOSH! FWOOSH! FWOOSH!
Then, sixteen massive pillars of purplish-black Haki shot skyward like arrows piercing through the clouds!
This powerful energy fluctuation resembled a roar from the earth's depths, causing the entire Eternal Divine Kingdom to tremble violently.
The ground quivered, while the clouds in the sky churned restlessly, split apart by the sheer pressure of sixteen Emperor-tier haki.
Bullet stood silently nearby, his gaze fixed intently on this breathtaking scene.
His fists clenched involuntarily, knuckles turning pale from the strain.
He knew deeply that from this day onward, the landscape of the New World would be completely reshuffled like a shattered chessboard.
The old order was dead.
Future battles and conflicts would grow infinitely more intense and brutal because of this formidable, mass-produced power.
"GURARARARA!"
Whitebeard laughed heartily as he downed a massive cup of fine wine, his booming laughter seeming to tear through the heavens, entirely unaffected by the crushing Haki pressure surrounding him.
"What are you brats waiting for? Let this old man see what you've got!"
With that, he raised Murakumogiri high.
Gleaming coldly under the sunlight, he casually plunged the supreme blade deep into the ground beside him.
The deep penetration served as his declaration for this trial.
In this test, he would use his bare hands to gauge his sons' growth, employing pure strength, Haki, and combat skills to assess their progress and shortcomings.
"Come on! Why are you standing around like cowards!"
CLASH!
Whitebeard slammed his massive fists together.
Purplish-black Armament Haki instantly coated his arms like a volcanic eruption.
Every wisp of his Haki resembled burning flames, radiating a scorching, absolute power that made it difficult to even look directly at him.
"Supreme Haki isn't just for display! Show me you can use it!"
Hearing Whitebeard's words, the Division Commanders exchanged excited smiles.
Their blood boiled with competitive spirit—especially Jozu, who was now a dual Supreme Haki user, shimmering with Diamond, Light, and Quake energy!
'Since Pops demanded it so vehemently... let the battle begin!'
They simultaneously unleashed their newly acquired supreme Armament Haki, stepping forward as one.
In that instant, the entire training ground transformed into a dazzling battlefield, with purplish-black Haki lightning weaving through the air in mesmerizing, destructive patterns.
But aside from Jozu, the others' control over this new, overwhelming power remained terribly unrefined.
They needed a whetstone to sharpen their new blades.
And they had the greatest whetstone in the world standing right in front of them.
"Pops! Here we come!"