Merlin didn't respond to his words. The look in his eyes remained unchanged. At this moment, he looked around, and at the same time...
Under the perception of Observation Haki.
No other living creatures existed within a radius of more than three hundred meters.
Perhaps because this was Ghost Hand's stronghold, there were no outsiders around.
At this moment, black flames ignited all over Merlin's body as he walked up to Ibuki. Simultaneously, the paralyzing electric current calamity poured into his body.
Triple insurance.
Meanwhile, Merlin grabbed one of the bull horns on the side of Ibuki's head and dragged him toward the main entrance of the building ten meters away.
Soon, entering the main gate, it was quiet and empty here, providing cover, but Merlin still added another layer of insurance.
The black flames rising from his body surface expanded with a whoosh, covering an area of ten meters in diameter. The pitch-black flames completely enveloped both Ibuki and Merlin.
At this time, he glanced at Ibuki in his hand, who was already near death and no longer moving.
The next moment, Ibuki disappeared in the blink of an eye.
[Detected a complete Origin Power. Extract?]
As Ibuki was equipped, this instinctive information emerged in Merlin's consciousness.
The look in Merlin's eyes remained unchanged. After all, this wasn't the first time. Accompanied by that instinctive feeling of being able to dominate, Merlin's consciousness moved.
[Extract]
An azure halo appeared in the second slot. At the same time, Ibuki's image became blurred. Soon, a mass of dense, humanoid mist energy with a pair of bull horns on its head appeared in the equipment slot.
At this moment, Merlin looked at this mist energy representing the Origin Power of the Devil Fruit with some surprise: "Human-Human Fruit?"
Suddenly recalling that Ibuki didn't seem to have entered a hybrid or beast form during the battle, looking at the mist energy, a word instinctively popped into Merlin's mind: "Oni Race?"
The next moment, Ibuki's miserable figure appeared in the outside world. But at this time: "Where are his bull horns?"
Merlin suddenly discovered that although Ibuki's body size hadn't changed, the pair of cold white curved horns on his head had disappeared.
But at this moment, seeing the brand-new equipment appearing in the Equipment Slot before his eyes, a look of surprise emerged in Merlin's gaze.
[Name: Human-Human Fruit, Ancient Zoan, Oni Form]
[Effect: After equipping, grants you the ability to transform into the ancient Oni form and acquire the biological characteristics possessed by ancient Oni creatures.
But at the same time, you will also possess a restriction from nature (PS: This restriction is integral to this origin power; it can be "weakened" but cannot be erased).]
[Synchro Value: 1%]
[Evaluation: A supernatural creation ingeniously combined by pure wish power and the world's origin.]
The information in the equipment fluctuated according to Merlin's own subconscious cognition.
Therefore, a look of surprise appeared in Merlin's eyes at this moment, and he made a self-deprecating remark in his heart: "Human-Human Fruit, Special Forces Soldier Form?"
Oni Race?
It was a rare and powerful race in this world.
People of this race were born with powerful physiques and could be called terrifying combat weapons.
Their physical characteristic was that a pair of upward-curved oni horns of various colors would generally grow on both sides of their heads.
Thinking about it this way, hadn't that Ibuki been activating his fruit ability around the clock?
At this moment, Merlin's gaze moved slightly, perceiving the physical strength surging out endlessly in his body.
In his consciousness, there was also a wild instinct that feared nothing in heaven or earth.
Even the strength of his muscles and bones had received comprehensive enhancement.
Was this the characteristic of the Oni Race?
At this time, Merlin used the transformation ability within the fruit's power. Amidst an itch on his scalp, the next moment, two upward-curved cold white oni horns grew out from positions slightly above the sides of his temples.
Perceiving himself, curiosity flashed in Merlin's eyes. Reaching out to touch his oni horns, the warm texture felt as if he was born with them.
And after entering the Oni state, Merlin's physical fitness also received some improvements again.
Examining his body, it didn't suddenly become thick or muscular, but changes were occurring internally.
Endless energy surged from his body, nourishing his limbs and bones. But at the same time, Merlin could also feel his physical and mental strength being constantly consumed.
As time passed slowly, a look of surprise gradually emerged in Merlin's eyes: "The consumption of using the ability is not even as fast as my current recovery. Is this the power of the special race, the Oni Race?"
No wonder Ibuki could maintain his physical transformation all the time.
At this time, Merlin looked at Ibuki, who was about to die. Black flames wrapped around his body, reclaiming the Platinum Lead Calamity.
Suddenly, Merlin's heart moved.
Wisps of black flame ignited in his eyes as he observed the calamities currently on Ibuki's body.
Mostly Red of Pain.
However, there was also a touch of grayish-white color in the Calamity Vision. Merlin could perceive that his aura was currently declining in a continuous state.
The next second, the black flames took away the injury calamities from his body.
The declining state of his aura paused, but then continued to decline.
Seeing this, a realization dawned on Merlin's heart, "Extracting the Devil Fruit Origin causes a fatal injury to the opponent that is difficult to heal."
Life force was draining continuously.
Like an hourglass.
However, looking at this Ibuki now, in the Calamity Vision, he could absorb this kind of calamity. But thinking of Dr. Trafalgar's state back then...
The consumption would definitely not be small.
So.
The next moment, Night Earl swung from his hand.
Squelch!
Ibuki's head slid from his neck.
Merlin slowly exhaled the stale air from his mouth. The oni horns on his head disappeared, exiting the physical transformation. Then he bent down, grabbed the hair of the head on the ground, lifted it, and walked out.
Arriving beside the suitcase Ibuki threw away just now, Merlin opened it to look, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Flicking through casually, it was all bundles of 10,000-Berry notes filled with the scent of ink. Before long, Merlin finished counting.
"150 million Berries. Is this Demon Man Ibuki's entire fortune?"
Looking at the head worth 36 million Berries placed on the ground again, and thinking of the remaining first mate of the Demon Pirates, Ilash, with a bounty of 20 million Berries.
"Totaling just over 200 million?"
Merlin closed the suitcase, then took the things in his hands into the building, found a small suitcase, packed the head, and then walked toward the port.
Merlin's speed wasn't slow. Before the sky turned completely dark, he arrived in front of Ibuki's pirate ship.
At this moment, the dark red setting sun dyed the sea red, as if foreshadowing something.
Merlin jumped onto the railing of the pirate ship, threw the suitcase in his hand onto the deck, and looked calmly at these pirates on the deck who had already discovered him.
"Who the hell are you, bastard?"
The next second, Merlin rushed out at extreme speed. With Night Earl in hand, heads fell as he raised his sword. shrill screams, angry roars, and gunshots rose and fell.
A rich smell of blood dyed the deck.
Merlin killed his way from the deck into the cabin.
Ten minutes later.
Merlin cut off the head of the sturdy man in front of him who looked 70% like Ibuki.
Until this moment, the Demon Pirates... were completely wiped out.
Orange-red firelight ignited from the pirate ship behind him, complementing the dark red sun that had almost disappeared in the distance.
leaving this place with a calm gaze, ignoring the sights cast from the surrounding buildings.
Carrying two suitcases in his left hand and holding a bottle of rum in his right, Merlin took a swig of alcohol and casually threw the bottle away.
Crash! The sound spread to the surroundings. His figure glanced at the direction of the pirate ship at the end, leaving only one sentence, then disappeared into the alleys.
"So poor. A ship actually has less than seven million Berries."
West coast of the island.
Under the night sky.
—
A well-proportioned figure walked out from a dimly lit alley.
By the coast, on the deck of a two-masted sailing ship.
A graceful figure leaned against the railing. At this moment, when Teresa saw someone coming, her gaze instantly condensed: "Who?"
"Me!"
A cool yet slightly husky voice, characteristic of the voice-changing period, came out. Hearing the voice, Teresa breathed a sigh of relief and said helplessly: "Why are you alone? Where's Ful? Didn't my brother go with you?"
Arriving in front of the ship, Merlin leaped up and landed lightly at the ship's railing.
At this time, Teresa's expression suddenly changed. She stepped forward and looked at Merlin nervously: "Were you attacked? Why is the smell of blood so heavy?"
Her words were full of concern but also carried some annoyance: "How does Ful do things?"
Cursing Fulvio, she looked at Merlin with eyes full of worry, "You aren't injured, are you?"
They brought him out. If anything happened to Merlin, she wouldn't be able to answer to Yol when she went back.
Merlin shook his head with a light smile: "Encountered a group of pirates, fought a round with them. luckily, but I won."
Saying this, Merlin asked her: "I brought back their heads. Do you know where there is a Marine base nearby to exchange them?"
Hearing this, Teresa rolled her eyes and said speechlessly: "Where would there be a Marine base nearby? The nearest Marine base takes three days of sailing to reach."
Speaking of this, Teresa shook her head helplessly: "But don't worry. In the town's Safe Zone, there is a Gold Exchange specifically responsible for exchanging bounties.
"But they are black-hearted and will take twenty percent of the pirate's bounty amount as a fee.
"Which pirate crew did you encounter?"
"Demon!"
"Demon? Demon Man Ibuki?"
Teresa's eyes suddenly widened, looking at the two suitcases in Merlin's hand with some disbelief: "Really?"
Merlin glanced at her, then threw the two suitcases to her. Teresa reached out to catch them in a panic.
Merlin said at this time: "I'm going back to take a shower and change clothes. Help me deal with the heads."
Saying this, he had already turned to go toward the cabin.
The corner of Teresa's mouth twitched, and she couldn't help grinding her teeth: "I'm not your little sister! No respect for elders."
But seeing Merlin had already entered the cabin, helpless, she had to obediently do as told.
A moment later, Merlin finished showering, changed into brown shorts, a blue short-sleeved shirt, and flip-flops, and came to the door of a utility room on the lower deck of the ship.
Looking at Teresa squatting on the ground inside, wearing a tube top and revealing her smooth, exquisite waist, Merlin smiled: "Why are you handling it personally?"
Hearing the sound, Teresa stood up and looked at Merlin with a subtle gaze, "You just threw all those Berries directly to me like that?
"Is your heart that big?"
Merlin shrugged and smiled: "Just some worldly possessions. As long as I am strong enough, I won't lack them."
However, speaking of this, Merlin's gaze moved, and he said to her: "After exchanging the bounty tomorrow, I'll have nearly two hundred million Berries. And together, we'll have almost five hundred million Berries.
"Later at the auction, if your money isn't enough, feel free to use my money.
"Don't look at me like that."
Teresa looked at Merlin with disbelief in her eyes, both moved and somewhat puzzled: "Don't you want the Devil Fruit? As of now, the Berries on you are sufficient.
"If you want it, Ful and I can withdraw."