"A Nature-type Devil Fruit user!?"
Hearing Luffy's warning, Zoro exclaimed in surprise.
In the earlier fight, Zoro and the others had only observed the mysterious figure's physical strength—they hadn't noticed any fruit powers being used.
Especially Nature-type abilities—whether elemental transformations or radioactive attacks—the figure had shown no sign of wielding them at all!
Luffy stepped forward, positioning himself in front of the group, gazing over the ice-frozen desert.
A faint smile tugged at his lips as he muttered softly to himself, answering everyone's unspoken questions.
He didn't speak further.
During those brief clashes, Luffy had indeed witnessed phenomena that only a Nature-type Devil Fruit user could produce.
And…
If the mysterious figure's Devil Fruit really was what Luffy suspected, today's battle would become far more challenging than anyone could imagine.
As for the figure's identity, Luffy pieced together the anomalies he'd felt in his own body, the state of the mysterious figure, and the godlike perspective he held over the pirate world…
He began forming his own hypothesis in his mind.
Yet the specifics, he still could not know.
Regarding why the figure had not used any Devil Fruit powers so far, Luffy's guess was:
He…
forgot.
He had forgotten the abilities of his Devil Fruit, forgotten how to use it.
Of course, this forgetting was only temporary.
From the earlier skirmish, Luffy had also noticed that the figure seemed to be gradually awakening, regaining his combat potential.
In other words, this level—already far surpassing a Yonko—isn't even his full strength yet!
...
Rumble… Rumble…
From the land the crew had just sealed, a low buzzing erupted, like thunder resonating deep within the earth.
Crocodile's eyes widened in disbelief. Even after the terrifying joint assault, the monstrous figure was still struggling.
Seizing this moment, Zoro unexpectedly sheathed his sword and turned a serious gaze to Luffy:
"Luffy… do you know what he is!?"
Though Zoro's observations were limited, he had begun forming his own thoughts.
Likewise, every member of the Starry Sky Pirates present had their own reflections.
The same hair color, the same eyes, the same face…
To claim this monster had nothing to do with Luffy—even Luffy himself wouldn't believe that.
Especially since, from the moment the figure appeared, Luffy's own restless blood constantly reminded him…
When asked, Luffy decided to speak his speculation aloud:
"If…
no one has touched the Pluton in eight hundred years…
then this person… could very well be my ancestor from eight hundred years ago!"
"I see…"
Complex light flickered in Zoro's eyes.
On one side was the monster who had nearly killed Koby. On the other, a relative sharing the same blood as Luffy.
For a moment, Zoro felt trapped, unsure whether to act or hesitate.
And the striking resemblance, along with all the signs, suggested this could very well be Luffy's direct ancestor.
Since Luffy confirmed Koby wasn't dead, then Koby was surely safe.
But…
The power that had struck Koby, capable of killing him outright, was no lie!
That was the monster's true strength.
This grudge had been born—they would never forget it.
"Wait!"
Crocodile suddenly looked confused, interrupting Zoro and Luffy:
"What… what are you saying!?
That monster has existed for eight hundred years!?
Eight hundred years!? How could anyone live that long!?"
"It's possible…"
Crocodile's disbelief was interrupted by Sanji, back in human form, speaking to explain:
"Long life… in theory, can be achieved!"
"What… what!?"
Crocodile stared at Sanji, wide-eyed, skeptical yet anxiously waiting for more.
Sanji pulled a cigarette from his perfectly intact pants, and a faint flame leapt from his finger to light it.
Exhaling a smoke ring, he continued:
"There's a Devil Fruit called the Surgery Fruit…
Legend says it can grant immortality to others by sacrificing the user's own life.
It's extremely rare.
In Devil Fruit records, it's only documented three times.
But in all three cases, the users died before they could complete this miraculous surgery."
"I see… there really is such a fruit!"
Zoro looked at the shaking ground in awe.
Brook suddenly spoke up:
"So that means… Luffy…
he's one of the lost twenty royal families Crocodile mentioned!?"
"That seems likely…"
Robin's face grew serious. History was her domain.
Combining what she knew of historical records and the intelligence her mother had collected from Crocodile, she speculated:
"In other words…
Eight hundred years ago, Luffy's ancestor underwent the immortality surgery, gaining eternal life.
At the same time, that family commanded the massive ship.
But during an unrecorded mysterious war, the Nefertari betrayed Luffy's ancestor's family.
Luffy's ancestor—the one with terrifying power—was tricked into the Pluton ship and imprisoned.
Even eight hundred years ago, their power wasn't drastically weaker than ours.
That person was undoubtedly the pillar of their family—likely the leader!
Without their support, Luffy's family was swiftly crushed by a fearsome enemy, disappearing from history."
Zoro interjected:
"So the lost family's name was… Monkey!?"
"No."
Luffy's eyes revealed a calm, deathly certainty:
"It was one of the D. clan!"
"D!?"
Everyone's curiosity flared.
Zoro asked directly:
"I've always wondered… why does Luffy's name have a letter…?"
"So this is actually a secret code!?"
"Exactly…"
Luffy's deep voice explained:
"There are many people in this world with the letter D. in their name, like me…"
At that moment, a fragment of history finally revealed itself.
The D. was not a clan destroyed by the Celestial Dragons' first twenty families.
The D. was the first twenty families themselves!
Coupled with the mysterious figure emerging from the Pluton, resembling him and likely a blood relative…
He bore no hostility toward the Starry Sky Pirates initially…
But toward Vivi, he seethed with the kind of hatred that seemed to want to strip her flesh and drink her blood!
It appeared this ancestor already knew of the Nefertari betrayal!
Eight hundred years alone aboard the silent Pluton.
No sound. No light.
Only himself.
In the endless darkness, he lived through eight centuries.
Time had long made him forget who he was, how to speak, how to think…
But he had never forgotten…
The clan that ruined him, destroyed his lineage, and brought him to this desolation:
The Nefertari!!!
=============
100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
150+ Advance Chapters on P@treon(.)com/Veltoria