[Notice: World information updated. System reboot complete.]
[Achievement Task Completed: Defeat Young Marine Kuzan, Marco, Buggy, Shanks]
[Survival Task: One year and three months completed]
[Now distributing Achievement Points: 310 points. Current Achievement Point balance: 350]
Deep within the ruins, Sakura, blocked by a massive stone gate, suddenly heard a cold system prompt in her ear.
'System? You've been gone so long I thought you'd uninstalled yourself.'
While Jabba, standing beside her, was engrossed in studying the strange symbols on the gate, Sakura quietly teased the system.
[Notice: The system will uninstall upon the host's death. Would you like to initiate the uninstall process: Yes/No?]
Oh, you cheeky system. Since I, Sakura Haruno, transmigrated here, I've worked tirelessly, day and night, throwing myself into this pirate life, risking everything just to survive. Now that I'm on this ship and my Haki's starting to take shape, you, a dusty old system, dare to yap about uninstalling instead of handing out more points?
I, Sakura Haruno, am about to—
'No!'
[Heh]
Pretending nothing happened, Sakura ignored the system's jab and focused on examining the symbols on the gate.
But the system didn't vanish. Instead, a new line of text appeared in her vision.
[Notice: Ancient Giant Clan text detected. Would you like to record it?]
'Oh! You've got that kind of feature?!'
Sakura's eyes lit up, and she immediately chose to record it.
[Notice: 150 Achievement Points deducted. Ancient Giant Clan text recording complete.]
'Tch, it costs points?'
Sakura clicked her tongue in annoyance.
But the system was efficient after taking her points. In less than a second, it transmitted the meanings of the symbols directly into her mind.
Suddenly understanding the text, Sakura couldn't help but read the inscription on the gate aloud.
"We got too close to the sun. Sorry, children who came after us!"
Hearing her voice, Jabba's eyes widened, and he whipped around in shock.
"You can read that?"
"Yeah, it's Ancient Giant Clan text," Sakura replied, not bothering to hide it.
At her response, Jabba stroked his chin, pacing back and forth in front of her.
After sizing her up until she bristled, he finally spoke. "You can read Giant text, and you've got that freakish strength. Don't tell me you're actually a lost child of Elbaf?"
"Have you ever seen a Giant Clan kid my size?"
Sakura rolled her eyes, waving a hand over her 3'11" frame.
"Hm, fair point…"
Jabba scratched his head, still puzzled.
But there was no time for him to dwell on it. After Sakura read the text, the stone gate began to rumble.
Blue energy surged through the intricate network of conduits on the gate's surface, emitting a low hum.
With the sound of gears grinding and hydraulic systems releasing, the gate swiftly rose.
"It's open!"
Jabba, on high alert, reached to pull Sakura behind him for protection, but his hand grasped nothing.
Sakura, who'd been beside him, had already stepped through the gate.
"Hey, don't do that—it's dangerous!"
Jabba grabbed his twin axes and chased after her through the mist spilling from the doorway.
Inside, orderly lights flickered on, giving the two an eerie sense of stepping into a dream.
The walls around them were smooth and pristine, with small autonomous robots diligently cleaning the interior.
Even though their creators had been gone for centuries, the lab remained spotless, as if brand new.
But what truly stunned Sakura and Jabba wasn't the robots.
It was the massive humanoid skeletons preserved in giant culture tanks.
"These are… Giants…"
Jabba's voice faltered, his sunglasses slipping to reveal trembling eyes.
Sakura stepped forward, gently placing a hand on the surface of a culture tank.
A profound sadness, as if echoing across time, seemed to call her deeper into the ruins.
Without hesitation, she broke into a run.
"Hey, Sakura!"
Jabba sighed, chasing after her again.
The sound of their footsteps echoed off the metal floor in the vast laboratory.
Sakura sprinted to the innermost part of the lab, where a breathtaking blend of azure and crimson light greeted them.
At the center of the glow was a mysterious plant, its roots embedded in a crevice where ice and fire met.
Its leaves were half flame-like, half crystalline ice.
At the plant's top grew a fruit adorned with strange patterns.
"A Devil Fruit! The one from the mural outside!!!"
Jabba softened his breathing, afraid even a heavy breath might disturb the treasure.
Sakura stepped closer, reaching for the fruit.
As if drawn to her, the Devil Fruit fell into her hand.
"A Devil Fruit, the power cursed by the sea," Sakura said softly, her voice clear in the silent lab.
"Looks like this fruit chose you," Jabba remarked.
Having ventured into the Valley of the Gods with Roger and faced the Knights of God, Jabba knew many secrets about Devil Fruits, including their will.
Many Devil Fruits on the seas housed a will of their own, choosing their masters and guiding them to be eaten.
Rumors said this trait was especially strong in Zoan-type fruits.
"Well, you found it, so it's yours to keep," Jabba said. "Up to you whether you want to—"
His words were cut off by a loud crunch!!!
"So gross! Seriously, this is disgusting!"
Sakura gagged, forcing herself to swallow the fruit as a revolting flavor exploded on her taste buds.
It was like eating a boiled durian mixed with canned herring—a ranc rezid stench and an unbearable taste swirling in her mouth.
"Jabba, ugh~"
Sakura looked at the burly man beside her with pitiful eyes.
"Listen to people when they're talking!"
Fuming, Jabba bared his shark-like teeth and bonked her on the head with a clenched fist.
Icy blue mist crept up his arm, instantly freezing half his body.
"Oh? So that's your power?"
Jabba's lips curled into a wild grin.
"Alright, kid, today your uncle's gonna teach you something: only Haki can reign supreme!"
Armament Haki surged, shattering the ice on his arm.
Jabba's bold laughter collided with the blazing light in Sakura's hands.
BOOM!!!!
The entire island trembled. Roger's group, Rayleigh's group, and Oden's group, exploring other parts of the ruins, all looked up toward the source of the erupting Haki.
…
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the scattered Roger Pirates regrouped on the Oro Jackson.
Roger, thrilled, huddled in a corner of the deck with Oden, poring over a rubbing of a Poneglyph.
Rayleigh, the vice-captain, stood with arms crossed, eyeing Jabba and Sakura.
"So, what's the deal with you two looking like that?"
Jabba was battered, his upper clothes burned away, half his eyebrows singed, and ice shards clinging to his hair.
Sakura, standing beside him, was covered in dirt, her clothes tattered, and sporting several bumps on her head.
"Sorry, I got a bit carried away after getting the Devil Fruit powers," Sakura admitted, taking the blame since she'd thrown the first punch.
"What?!"
Her words drew the attention of the idle crew members, who swarmed around them in layers.
Sunbell, the fish-man who often bickered with Sakura, spoke up for the crew. "So, what's the power?"