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Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: New Functions of the Carrier

The evolution of the Demon Carrier had begun.

This time, the commotion was far greater than before. Twisted space-time rippled outward, expanding in a radius of more than three hundred meters around the ship.

Inside the cabin, Jin let out a steady breath. He already knew what awaited him. Having experienced one evolution before, he understood that he himself would also evolve along with the carrier.

This was unlike Haki awakening, where hidden potential was unleashed in a burst of willpower.

This evolution was something different.

This was a hero's rebirth, an upgrade on the very level of attributes and numbers.

He closed his eyes, sinking into meditation, listening closely.

Resonance filled him as his own body and spirit harmonized with the evolution of the carrier. From the engine came a torrent of energy, flowing through his veins, flooding every inch of him.

Once again, he beheld the forbidden domain of the Munch-Munch Fruit—an abyss of darkness, yet gleaming with a myriad of hidden colors.

In some profound sense, Jin's own will had now replaced the "demon" within, becoming the new devil of the Munch-Munch Fruit.

For this fruit was capable of swallowing everything, and everything it consumed became part of itself. That included other Devil Fruits… and the mutated aircraft carrier that had been twisted by temporal energies.

Countless factors intertwined, converging into a singular miracle.

They had created Jin and his Demon Carrier.

Rustle, rustle…

He felt them—other demons—lurking, prying, eager to invade. The clash of powers sent shudders through the forbidden domain.

The forbidden domain of the Candy-Candy Fruit was an endless ocean of sticky, elastic sweetness, able to turn everything it touched into soft, bouncy matter. A power akin to the String-String Fruit or the Gum-Gum Fruit.

The domain of the Infernal Crimson Serpent Fruit was a bleak, deathly world wrapped in silence, where a strange rattling bell echoed without end. The giant serpent's body coiled in an eternal loop, its tail producing that maddening sound. Above it hung a blood-red moon, a terrible eye staring down.

Though Jin had devoured most of its will, he had not yet digested it fully. Its resistance remained.

And then…

He sensed another.

A space of utter stillness.

No sound. No light. Nothing at all. The demon was invisible, transparent, and silent, so much so that it would have escaped his notice had it not been for his strange sense.

With a single thought, he understood.

The Paramecia-type: Silent-Silent Fruit.

Its previous wielder: Donquixote Rosinante.

"Seized by the Celestial Dragons, was it?" Jin mused.

The Silent-Silent Fruit… what could one say? In the wrong hands, it was a trinket, weaker than Chopper's "Human-Human Fruit." But in the right hands—it was divine.

Jin gazed calmly at the demons. The serpent hissed and roared, but the others were quiet.

He began to think, analyzing.

"Zoan-type fruits awaken more easily because their demons are more active. But that also makes it easier for them to overwhelm and dull the host."

"The jailer beasts in Impel Down are failures of such awakening. Their hosts' consciousness couldn't bear the demon's will."

"Of course… these so-called demons aren't truly demons."

"Devil Fruits when eaten, they absorb the eater's yearning, shaping themselves accordingly."

"When a host dies, remnants of their will merge with the fruit, carrying on into the next bearer."

"Over time, layers of will pile up inside, until the fruit contains a collective of countless past hosts. And the stronger those emotions, the more powerful the demon becomes."

"That's why a fruit can influence its eater's personality, magnifying traits tied to the fruit. Ace burned like fire, Luffy was dimwitted and carefree, Dalton steadfast and loyal…"

"Some even become unstable, no host required, their will alone spilling into the world—like Uta's fruit."

"But there are exceptions. When a single host's will is overwhelming, it erases all others within the fruit. Awakening then reshapes it entirely, granting new attributes and traits."

"Like how the Gum-Gum Fruit became the Nika Fruit. It was Nika's spirit, the Sun God, that transformed it."

"Nika's power was born of the faith and will of countless people. He and the fruit fused into one."

Jin's eyes lingered on the shifting demons, their forms twisting and mutating like Lovecraftian horrors that could strip a man of sanity.

But to the demons themselves, it was Jin who was the true abomination. A human whose existence eclipsed even their madness.

Two days passed.

Upon the sea, the layers of warped substance—half steam, half burning clouds—finally began to collapse inward.

The wrinkled folds of space smoothed out like paper being pressed flat.

And then all was calm.

Only one ship remained, floating proudly upon the waves—a warship clad in silver-white steel, streamlined and elegant, its hull nearly perfect in design.

Jin's eyes opened. His body surged with clarity and vitality. His mind was sharper, his reflexes faster, his thoughts more agile.

He clenched his fist.

It felt as if everything in the world was now within his grasp.

Confidence bloomed within him.

Exhaling once more, he opened the ship's interface.

[Primary Authority Holder: Captain Jin]

[Hull Specs: Length 48m, Width 22m, Height 12.6m, Weight 150 tons, Internal Capacity: 420×108×42 cubic meters]

[Abilities: Munch-Munch Fruit, Mushroom-Mushroom Fruit, Candy-Candy Fruit, Infernal Crimson Serpent Fruit, Silent-Silent Fruit]

[Weaponry: 3 Heavy Cannons, 5 Large Guns, 1239 Firearms, 1564 Blades]

[Next Evolution Requirements: Soul Crystals 235/2000, Refined Steel 3/2000 tons, Gold 0/10 tons, Silver 0/30 tons, Rare Earths 0/300 tons, Active Matter 0/10!]

The data had grown.

"Hss… the requirements for the next evolution increased this much?"

"Two thousand tons of refined steel?!"

"And that's not all…"

Currently, Little Ai had already surveyed Drum Island, Hannabal, and Ascar Island. Not a single one held a rich mine.

Jin scratched his head. Pirates had advanced their technology tree toward warfare and weapons, but heavy industry like steel processing remained pitifully weak.

Two thousand tons of refined steel wasn't just a number—it was a mountain. Even with the Munch-Munch Fruit, it meant vast amounts of raw iron ore had to be found and refined.

Gold and silver were even more difficult. In many nations, they weren't just wealth but legal tender alongside Berries. Measuring them by the ton? Astronomical.

"Well… I'll find a way out," Jin muttered, casting aside the headache for now. He summoned Little Ai. It was time to test the carrier's new abilities.

First—its newly absorbed fruit powers.

At present, there were candy projectiles, the Silent Space, and the Infernal Crimson Serpent beast transformation. Others would have to be developed.

Second—the control of Haki.

The carrier could now absorb and channel Haki, reinforcing its hull, unleashing attacks, and striking with terrifying force.

Third—the granting of authority.

The one with first authority, Jin, could assign ship positions to his crew. Those given roles would gain permissions and access to a corresponding Devil Fruit ability.

Currently available roles: Boatswain, Cook, Gunner.

"Too strong," Jin breathed in delight. Each of these three new functions represented a monumental leap in power.

"Master," Little Ai chimed happily, "as long as we don't run into a Yonko or an Admiral, we can swagger across these seas however we please!"

Her processing and intellect had grown with the upgrade, her tone far livelier, almost playful.

"Ahem. Keep it low-key," Jin chuckled. "At least now, I finally feel a measure of safety. But arrogance is death at sea. We keep our heads down."

"You're right, Master!" Little Ai replied eagerly. "For instance, Conqueror's Haki—that kind of spiritual assault is still dangerous. It could tear us apart from the inside. Only once you've awakened further and evolved again will we gain resistance to it."

Jin's brows rose. He realized at once—the carrier's new Haki functions were possible only because his own Haki had awakened.

The bond between them.

"First things first—let's return to Aska Island and settle the mushroom plantation."

"Aye, Captain!"

Little Ai's voice rang bright and chipper. "GO, GO, GO! Setting sail!"

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