His violet eyes met Rocks' gaze directly.Reno looked straight at the legendary man before him without the slightest hint of fear.
"My name is Reno. I'm a devil."
Rocks stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly burst into laughter. He reached out and slapped Reno on the shoulder—so hard it almost knocked him off balance.
"Hahahahaha! Good! Very good!"
"Reno—what price do we have to pay to become devils as well?"
"If you want to become devils," Reno replied calmly, "you only need a single Devil Fruit."
"But whatever fruit you use determines what kind of devil you become. That's something you should consider carefully."
"As for the price…"
He paused.
"I only want one favor from each of you in the future."
"What?!"
Everyone froze.
Even Charlotte Linlin widened her eyes, clearly surprised by his answer.
Shiki was the first to react.
"Hey, kid! Are you serious?"
"That's it?!"
"This ability lets someone gain a second Devil Fruit power—and removes the weakness to seawater and Seastone!"
"And you're only asking for that?"
Whitebeard frowned slightly.
"Gurarara… kid, I don't like owng people. That price is too low."
Reno shook his head.
"Too low?"
He looked at them and said evenly:
"If I ask you all to attack Marine Headquarters with me one day… is that still low?"
"And besides—when you become devils, I also grow stronger."
"So for me, this is a win-win."
He paused again, his tone turning more serious.
"There's one more thing."
"I'd prefer you don't spread the fact that devils can consume a second Devil Fruit."
"If that gets out, people will start hoarding fruits. That reduces how many I can use—and limits my growth."
"It won't stay secret forever, but the longer it does, the better."
"Agreed?"
This time, understanding dawned on their faces.
So that was it.
His power didn't just benefit others—it fed back into his own strength.
And if the world learned the truth, Devil Fruits would become even scarcer.
Shiki let out a loud laugh.
"Jihahahaha! You've got brains, kid!"
"Stronger yourself, and make everyone owe you favors?"
"I'm in!"
Wang Zhi chuckled.
"No wonder you became Charlotte's man."
"Power and brains—a rare combination."
Stussy smiled faintly, studying Reno with interest.
"What an intriguing man…"
Whitebeard, however, remained serious.
"Gurarara… one more thing."
"Does this 'transformation' come with any irreversible risk?"
At that, everyone's expressions sharpened again.
Reno met their gazes calmly and smiled.
"Good question."
"Once the transformation is complete, the power is yours."
"I can't take it back. I can't control you."
"The only thing I gain is strength feedback."
"So this is true cooperation."
"And besides—Linlin already proved it."
Rocks nodded slightly, clearly convinced.
In that case… It might be time to start looking for more Devil Fruits.
As for risks—others could test it first.
"Then what are we waiting for?"
Rocks suddenly laughed.
"Reno—join my crew!"
"We're setting sail soon!"
"We'll seize the Heavenly Tribute first, then hunt for Devil Fruits!"
Linlin immediately frowned.
"What?! I just got here and we're leaving already?! No way!"
Reno quickly stepped in.
"We can join now—but let's depart tomorrow."
"We just arrived. We should at least rest."
Rocks fell silent for a moment—then laughed loudly.
"Hahahaha! Fine!"
"Since you're joining, we leave tomorrow morning!"
"Tonight—feast!"
"Celebrate Charlotte Linlin and Reno joining the Rocks Pirates!"
At that moment—
[Ding!]
[Host has joined the Rocks Pirates. Special reward triggered!]
[Succubus Skill III: Devil Contract—awakening…]
[Progress: 10%…30%…60%…100%!]
[Devil Contract: Unlocked!]
[Effect: The host may form contracts with designated individuals. Anyone who violates the contract will suffer the specified penalty.]
[Note: Contract terms and penalties are set by the host and cannot be changed once established.]
Reno froze slightly as he read the notification.
A third ability… and a rule-based one at that.
On a sea full of pirates who thrived on betrayal, this ability was invaluable.
If someone broke their word—or turned against him—
They would pay the price.
And the punishment… was entirely up to him.
Reno suppressed the excitement in his eyes as he followed the others into the massive skull-shaped fortress of Hachinosu.
Inside the Skull Castle – Main Hall
Long tables filled the hall, piled high with roasted meat, alcohol, and food.
Thousands of pirates gathered, cheering wildly.
Reno and Linlin sat near Rocks at a high table.
Rocks stood, raising his cup.
"Men!"
"Today, our crew gained two powerful new members!"
"Charlotte Linlin—the 'Born Destroyer'!"
"And Reno—the 'Devil Man' who can turn others into true devils with a single fruit!"
"With them—"
"The Rocks Pirates will rule this world!"
"Cheers!"
"CHEERS!!!"
The hall erupted.
Shiki threw an arm around Reno's shoulders.
"Jihahahaha! Reno!"
"After we grab the Heavenly Tribute, I'm going after the Rumble-Rumble Fruit!"
"Floating in the sky, raining down lightning—who could stop me then?!"
Whitebeard laughed, lifting a massive drink.
"Gurarara! That's nice—but I want the Tremor-Tremor Fruit!"
"One punch—and the world itself cracks!"
Reno listened, a faint smile on his face.
So that's how it is…
The fruit you want—you'll really get it someday.
Is this fate correcting itself?
Or…
Will his existence change everything?
As the commanders continued discussing their dream abilities, even the lower-ranked pirates began fantasizing wildly.
Reno quietly calculated.
Even if he didn't transform everyone…
Just transforming Rocks alone—
Might push him straight to Admiral level.
Just the thought of it was enough to make his pulse quicken.