Hearing Yamato's explanation, King was momentarily taken aback, but a sense of understanding soon followed.
"Indeed, Vegapunk is a notorious perfectionist. If the manifestation of this fruit's power doesn't perfectly mirror the ability Big Brother ate, it isn't surprising he would label it a failure," King said, nodding slowly.
What he hadn't expected was that Yamato possessed such a deep understanding of Vegapunk without ever having met the man; it was truly remarkable. However, King had no intention of interrogating her further on how she knew these things.
"Then, Yamato, do you really intend to eat this? It is an artificial creation, after all. There might be unforeseen risks. While I respect Vegapunk's genius, this feels incredibly dangerous," King said, his voice dropping to a solemn tone.
Normal Devil Fruits already make a person hated by the sea, turning them into a "sea prune" with the permanent side effect of never being able to swim again. An artificial one could be even worse. If there were any toxic side effects, King wouldn't let Yamato touch it, no matter how much she insisted. To King, Yamato was like a niece—or even his own child.
"Don't worry, Second Uncle. There's no need to doubt Vegapunk's skill. This is a successful creation. In fact, it might even be called a perfect Devil Fruit. Even after I eat it, I won't become a sea prune," Yamato said with absolute certainty.
"You won't lose the ability to swim? Is that really true? Yamato, you're not playing a prank on me, are you?" King's pupils shrank in disbelief.
Could an artificial fruit truly bypass the greatest weakness of the sea? If that were the case, the implications were staggering. As Yamato said, it would be a perfect Devil Fruit. If it lacked that one devastating side effect, any other minor issues would seem trivial by comparison.
"I'm certain. As you know, no two identical natural fruits can exist at once, but identical abilities can. Vegapunk's research into Lineage Factors achieved exactly that. That's why I asked you to find it, Second Uncle. I didn't want to become a sea prune so easily, but I wanted the power. This fruit allows me to obtain the same ability as Pops without being rejected by the ocean," Yamato explained with a serious expression.
King was floored. So that was her plan all along. No wonder she had been so insistent on retrieving this specific fruit. She had thought through every detail.
Without waiting for King to process his shock, Yamato reached into the box and grabbed the fruit.
Crunch! Crunch!
Without a second of hesitation, she finished the entire thing in a few large bites.
"Young Master, wait—!" By the time King snapped out of his daze, it was too late to stop her.
He looked at Yamato, feeling a surge of worry and self-reproach. If something went wrong, how could he ever face Kaido? Even if Yamato claimed it was safe, this was the world's first artificial fruit. Who would be brave enough to eat it without a single test? Yet, Yamato had swallowed it down as if it were a common apple.
"Don't worry, Second Uncle. Trust me, nothing is going to go wrong," Yamato comforted him, though she was busy enduring the incredibly foul, strange taste of the fruit.
King sighed, feeling helpless. Now that the deed was done, he could only pray that Yamato was right.
After consuming the fruit, Yamato felt a warm, powerful current spread through her chest, sweeping through her entire being. She could feel her biology shifting, her very DNA rearranging itself. King stared intently at her, watching for any sign of a seizure or a negative reaction.
As the minutes passed, nothing happened. Yamato remained perfectly still.
"Yamato, how do you feel?" King asked, his voice laced with concern.
Yamato shook her head and smiled. "I'm fine. I feel great, actually. I can feel the power inside me now. Come on, Second Uncle, let's go test the seawater theory and see if I was right."
King didn't object. Since she wasn't showing any adverse reactions, it meant there were no immediate side effects. If she hadn't lost her ability to swim either, it would be a miracle. Driven by a mix of anxiety and curiosity, King led Yamato outside.
Soon, King had his subordinates prepare a large barrel filled to the brim with seawater. After dismissing the attendants to ensure privacy, King turned to Yamato. "Give it a try."
Yamato nodded and stepped into the barrel. As her legs were submerged in the seawater, she remained perfectly upright. She didn't feel the sudden drain of energy or the paralyzing weakness that usually strikes a Devil Fruit user.
"See? It worked," Yamato said, looking at King with a triumphant nod.
King was both shocked and ecstatic. She really hadn't lost her strength! "Can you actually use your powers while in the water? You shouldn't be able to, right?"
Yamato shook her head. Even though Vegapunk's technology bypassed the physical paralysis of the sea, the seawater still acted as a natural dampener for the ability itself, much like Sea Stone. However, simply being able to move and breathe in the water was already an extraordinary advantage.
"It's just like you said. You aren't a sea prune. Without that weakness, this fruit is truly perfect," King marveled. He couldn't help but admire Vegapunk's genius; the man truly was the greatest scientist in the world.
"Now for the final test: the ability itself. We need to confirm if it's truly the same power as Big Brother's. Only then can we call this a total success," King said, his eyes filled with anticipation.
If Yamato possessed the power of the Azure Dragon, it would be world-shaking. The Beasts Pirates would have two Mythical Zoan users—a father and daughter duo. Their combined strength would eventually make the world tremble.
"Second Uncle, watch closely," Yamato said. She closed her eyes and focused on the new spark of power resting in her soul.
Suddenly, Yamato's body began to shift and grow. In a flash of light, a Pink Dragon appeared in the courtyard, floating right in front of King.
"This... this is it! It's Big Brother's ability! There's no mistake," King shouted, shocked beyond words.
He looked at the ten-meter-long Pink Dragon before him. Although it was much smaller than Kaido's transformation and the scales were a different color, the majestic form and the aura of dignity were identical.
"Second Uncle, what do you think?" The Pink Dragon looked down at King, speaking with Yamato's voice.
King threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Good! This is incredible! Vegapunk really did give us a massive gift!"
With this power, Yamato knew her path to becoming a legendary pirate was set. She wouldn't just be an apprentice; she would be a force that could eventually command a bounty of 3,000,000,000.