Chapter 36 Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Arctic Fox
Kuri's terrain was long and narrow. Traveling from the Daimyo's Mansion on Mt. Kagehinata to the southern coast was almost the same as crossing the entirety of Kuri, making it a very long journey.
Precisely because of this, Ren had ample time for an aerial journey.
By evening, Yuriko lay sprawled atop the clouds, her body completely devoid of strength, feeling even softer than the clouds beneath her.
Jasmine had already been waiting by the sea for a long time.
Although the distance was far, with Jasmine's current strength, she could reach the coast quickly if she ran at full speed.
Thus, she trained alone by the sea until dusk, when she spotted a white cloud drifting down from the sky, bathed in the glow of the setting sun.
As the cloud descended, she immediately recognized the figures upon it.
"Lord Ren, Mama, over here!"
Yuriko's face flushed even redder upon hearing Jasmine's voice.
Ignoring her sore and weak body, she lowered her head to straighten her slightly disheveled clothes, then forced herself to sit upright.
When the cloud came to a stop in front of Jasmine, the innocent girl noticed nothing out of the ordinary.
She jumped onto the cloud and leaned close to Yuriko.
"Lord Ren, Mama, you're so slow. I've been waiting forever… hm?" Jasmine wrinkled her nose. "What's that strange smell?"
She leaned closer, sniffing curiously.
Yuriko hurriedly pushed her away, flustered. "What are you doing? Are you a dog? You're all sweaty—don't cling to me."
"Hmph. Mama, don't you have sweat too?" Jasmine retorted. "As Lord Ren said, Mama, your physique is too weak. You're tired just sitting on a cloud."
Yuriko: …
"Let's go to Onigashima and take a bath," Ren said with a faint smile.
Originally, Onigashima had not been part of their route.
However, Orochi had stockpiled a large quantity of supplies there.
At the time, excess Devil Fruits had been transported away, yet many still ended up stored on Onigashima.
Orochi lacked sufficient storage space of his own. Some of the manpower he recruited remained in Kuri as helpers, while another group stayed behind on Onigashima to guard these supplies.
Ren had come this time to choose a Devil Fruit for Yuriko.
As for Jasmine, there was no need yet. Most of the fruits stored here were ordinary Zoan types, intended to strengthen lower-ranking personnel.
If Jasmine or Yukiko were to eat a Devil Fruit, it would have to be something far stronger.
At the very least, a Logia such as the Yuki Yuki no Mi would meet the minimum standard.
Paramecia-type fruits, on the other hand, often possessed even greater potential depending on how they were developed.
Ren already had several backup plans in mind, but finding a specific Devil Fruit was never easy.
Blackbeard had been willing to risk his entire life aboard Whitebeard's ship just to obtain the Yami Yami no Mi. That alone was proof of how difficult it was to find a desired Devil Fruit in the vast sea.
Fortunately, Ren was not particularly picky. As long as he encountered one, he would accept it.
Soon, the three arrived at Onigashima atop the cloud.
The number of samurai stationed there was not large.
Onigashima lay within Wano Country's inland sea, and in a nation as isolated as Wano, almost no one ventured out to sea—let alone stumbled upon this island.
Every samurai guarding Onigashima bore the Serpent's Seal placed by Ren.
The island's surface consisted of scorched black rock, deliberately left undeveloped to avoid prying eyes.
All bases and supplies were constructed underground.
Only a handful of guards remained aboveground. If anything unusual occurred, they would immediately contact Orochi and Ren via Den Den Mushi.
When Ren decided to come to Onigashima, he had sent word in advance.
Thus, when they arrived near the shore, someone was already waiting.
"Lord Ren!" The samurai, the Serpent's Seal visible on the back of his neck, immediately performed a deep dogeza.
"Mm. You've worked hard staying here," Ren said calmly. "Have Orochi send you additional supplies."
"These are our duties!" the samurai replied without hesitation, though he did not refuse the offer. No one would reject better provisions.
Ren followed him into the island's interior.
Along the way, every samurai they encountered knelt to greet him.
Yuriko and Jasmine went to bathe, while Ren headed toward the warehouse.
The warehouse stored Devil Fruits, firearms, and various swords and weapons.
Truly precious items, however, were not kept here.
If Orochi later allied with Kaido, Onigashima would temporarily serve as a base, and these supplies would have to be relocated.
There was no need to rush. By then, Orochi would likely already be acting Shogun, and storage would not be an issue.
"Are all the Devil Fruits here?" Ren asked.
"Yes, all of them," the guard replied.
Displayed before Ren were nearly 100 Zoan-type Devil Fruits, including 5 Ancient types, each with its name marked beneath it.
Ren examined them one by one.
Some of these fruits were unfamiliar.
Normally, if a Zoan Devil Fruit had already been identified, Orochi would not bother sending it to Kuri.
Only unidentified fruits were transported.
At first, Ren would directly receive unknown fruits. Later, he discovered that he could use his reception ability to enter a fruit's consciousness beforehand, allowing him to identify its nature before fully accepting it.
After careful consideration, Ren hesitated between 2 fruits.
One was the Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard.
It resembled the fruit once used by Rob Lucci, though the soul within it was that of a black panther.
The other was the Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Arctic Fox.
"I'll choose the Arctic Fox," Ren decided.
Compared to a black panther, an arctic fox was weaker, but it was also more aesthetically pleasing.
"Then I'll take this one."
Naturally, the guards raised no objections.
Taking the fruit, Ren went to find Yuriko.
At that moment, Yuriko and Jasmine were playing in the hot spring. Onigashima also possessed natural springs.
Both were wrapped in bath towels.
Mother and daughter were both well-endowed, but Jasmine was still young, her figure not yet as mature or full as Yuriko's.
Soaking in the spring water, Jasmine secretly glanced at her mother.
The weight on her own chest already troubled her, yet her mother's burden was far heavier.
"Mama really works hard…"
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