Jin narrowed his eyes.
The moment that ancient Haki surged forth, he felt it clearly—something was suppressing the Infernal Crimson Serpent. Yet it wasn't the barrier nor the three jewels themselves that had done the work. No, their energy was being injected directly into the serpent's very core.
Another will had awakened.
It was as though…
Like how Luffy had been possessed, taken over by the will of Nika.
"The Infernal Crimson Serpent… it holds a second soul. Could it be the shrine maiden who once sealed the sword with her very life?"
"Hey now, don't ruin my plan!" Jin growled inwardly. "I need the serpent's demon will to fully manifest. Only then can I swallow it whole and erase it completely."
For a man, consuming two Devil Fruits was impossible. Two different wills, two different laws, they would clash within the same body and tear it apart. No matter how strong one's Haki was, could it really coat and protect the heart, the lungs, every vital organ against that kind of internal war?
But Jin's plan was entirely different. He would harness that conflict itself. Using the rules of the Munch-Munch Fruit, he would devour and suppress the serpent's demonic will.
He had done it once before. When his fruit first evolved, he had forced the Mushroom-Mushroom Fruit's demon spirit into submission.
And now, it seemed his intent was heard. The second will within the serpent began to retreat, slowly fading away.
Boom!
A torrent of monstrous, violent energy erupted upward. The barrier shattered like glass as the aura roared into the sky, ripping through clouds until the heavens themselves seemed torn apart.
Crash—!
The seas heaved in chaos.
The island trembled.
Winds shrieked like banshees.
Dark clouds rolled in thick waves, lightning flashing, thunder booming.
The entire world darkened, wrapped in suffocating shadow, as though the end of days had descended.
Terrifying. This… this was what an "Awakened Demon" should look like. Until now, it had been kept under wraps, sealed by that other will.
Jin's eyes slitted against the gale. The hurricane winds whipped his hair wildly. The crushing pressure bore down upon him like mountains, heavy enough to stir even his tempered heart.
"Shhhhhh—!"
The emerald-flamed serpent twisted upon itself, its form shifting like a phoenix taking elemental shape. With a hiss that split the heavens, it ascended high into the storm, then dropped in a thunderous dive.
Its massive head, like an entire cloudbank falling from the sky, split open its jaws and spat lightning as it came crashing down upon Jin.
The sight was breathtaking, monstrous.
Ilensa's eyes went wide with horror. This… this was the curse their people had carried for generations. Once awakened, who could ever hope to escape it?
The tribesfolk quaked in dread, legs trembling, hearts nearly collapsing under sheer terror.
"Jin, watch out!" Maya cried, her voice breaking.
The storm howled.
Jin lifted his gaze. His eyes blazed with resolve as he spread his arms wide, unyielding before the infernal serpent.
When the emerald flames struck, he withstood the first mental assault, his will firm.
Then his body… split open.
A black void yawned wide.
The serpent plunged straight into it.
One wave, then another, endlessly pouring in.
Blinding radiance burst from the rift, so bright that Ilensa and Maya, and all the rest, could no longer see what was happening.
The struggle raged for a long while before, at last, the searing brilliance faded.
The winds stilled.
The waves calmed.
"King Jin!!!"
Maya's pupils shrank, her hands flew to her mouth. Terror welled in her eyes. There, before them, the Seven Star Sword was buried deep in Jin's chest.
"D-did he… fail?"
Ilensa's voice quivered with unease.
"Is he… dead?" the tribesfolk muttered, fear breaking their voices.
Then—
Crack.
The gemstone in the sword's pommel splintered with a crisp snap. A single crack, then another, spreading like a spider's web.
Crack, crack, crack—
More fractures appeared.
Jin's eyes snapped open. The wound in his chest sealed shut as the Seven Star Sword shattered entirely, dissolving into dust that scattered with the wind.
The demon's power was gone. Without it, the blade had no reason to exist. It rotted into nothing.
But Jin saw her.
A woman's figure appeared, bearing a resemblance to Maya. Her face was serene as she bowed deeply to him in gratitude before dissolving into motes of light and flowing gently into Maya's body.
A breeze swept through the ruins.
Maya suddenly collapsed, unconscious.
"Maya!"
Ilensa's reflexes saved her, rushing forward to catch the girl in her arms, her voice urgent.
"She's fine," Jin assured them, his tone steady. "The shrine maiden's soul, the one bound to the sword, gave the last of her strength to Maya."
"When she wakes… she will not be the same."
Ilensa gasped, struggling to believe. "Then… the Seven Star Sword…?"
"As you can see, it no longer exists."
"The curse upon your people is broken."
The tribesfolk froze. Then, trembling, joy broke through their fear.
"Truly? Is it true?"
"Thank the heavens!"
"We are free! At last… it's over!"
"Long live King Jin!"
"Long live the King!"
Cheers rose, tears flowed down weathered faces. Centuries of burden lifted in a single moment.
Jin waved a hand dismissively. "Enough. I've taken wounds. I need to return to my ship to recover for a time. And listen well—outsiders may come probing here. Be cautious."
The third fruit was his.
His heart burned with impatience—time to return to the carrier, to evolve again.
"Do not worry, Your Majesty," Ilensa said respectfully, her words now laced with honorifics. "We have dwelled here for generations. We have our ways of handling intruders."
To her, this man was no less than a savior. He had severed their ancestral curse. He had promised them the mushroom plantation that would grant their tribe prosperity. He was their future itself.
A pillar they must cling to.
If she were forty years younger, Ilensa would have thrown herself at him, begged for marriage.
But her eyes slid to Maya.
She herself could not… but Maya?
At sixteen, in a few short years, she would be ready.
Jin wasted no time. He returned swiftly to the settlement, ordering his crew to safeguard their new "farmers." Then he made straight for his aircraft carrier.
On the way, he encountered Marines from the nearby training base, drawn by the disturbance. There were also outsiders: merchants, adventurers, bounty hunters.
To men like these, an island hiding ancient ruins was irresistible. There could be treasures, golden hoards, forgotten relics.
And it was inevitable.
With the Great Pirate Era in full swing, more and more foreigners would descend upon Aska Island, seeking fortune and glory.
In the original tale, it had been just such pirates who had attacked Maya's tribe in search of treasure, leading Saka to his cursed fate.
The tides of a new age crashed upon all shores. None could remain untouched.
And if one wished to ride those tides, to become its master—then absolute strength was the only path.
The carrier sailed from Aska Island, anchoring near a jagged reef. There, safe from eyes and danger, Jin prepared.
Inside the carrier's inner space, he took a long, steadying breath. The echoes of battle quieted in his mind. Calm replaced storm.
[Note: Conditions met. Evolution available. Proceed?]
"At last," Jin whispered, eyes alight. "It's time."
Three Devil Fruits gathered. Among them, a Mythical Zoan even rarer than a Logia.
His second evolution with the aircraft carrier was at hand. The thought filled him with unshakable anticipation.
No hesitation.
"Evolve!"
[Note 1: Evolution initializing. Please evacuate all living beings from the vessel within 1 minute.]
[Note 2: During evolution, all carrier functions will be suspended. Please await completion.]
[Note 3: Damage to the hull during evolution will consume energy, or even cause catastrophic failure. Avoid external impact.]
Jin had already scouted this place. It was far off the usual sea lanes, with only shallow waters nearby. No Sea Kings. Stable weather.
"Next time… I'll need someone I trust to stand guard."
Vrrmmm—
In the engine room, the furnaces devoured soul crystals by the dozens. Golden flames erupted, stoking the boilers, feeding the steam engines.
A deep, rumbling moan filled the air.
The ship… was alive.
Its parts twisted and writhed. Rails groaned. Iron plates warped like flesh. Steam burst forth in geysers as black-red flames rose into the sky, a burning cloud engulfing the entire carrier.
The very space warped.
Birds that flew too close crumbled instantly to ash.
Blinding light shimmered. Shadows flickered.
[Upgrade countdown: 47:59:55!]