Arceus's Pirate Journey

Chapter 779: Chapter 778: Rounding Up, I, Queen = Admiral

”Meigo!”

Sakazuki’s entire body was enveloped in magma, his fist transforming into the shape of a vicious dog as he struck at the massive scorpion ahead. The scorpion’s armor didn’t offer much protection; in an instant, its shell was pierced by the magma.

A charred smell followed, and the giant scorpion roared as it swung its pincers at Sakazuki. Having suffered a setback once, he chose to dodge, and the pincers smashed a large pit into the ground. The wound Sakazuki inflicted did not strip the scorpion of its fighting strength.

Thanks to Queen’s release, it had gained the effects of a Zoan-type ability user’s Awakening—an unparalleled regenerative ability.

Especially since it didn’t reside in any particular human body; strictly speaking, it was a being without a ”physical form,” temporarily possessing this body thanks to the energy provided by Queen, its recovery power was even stronger than that of typical ability users.

”Has that guy’s research on Devil Fruits... really reached this level?”

Sakazuki saw with his own eyes how Queen summoned the scorpion. He clearly witnessed a Devil Fruit transforming into this creature under Queen’s manipulation, and peculiar enough, it could harm a Logia-type body.

Such things didn’t intimidate him. Since ordinary attacks were ineffective, he’d prepare a move of greater potency.

Sakazuki stomped heavily on the ground, and copious amounts of magma spewed forth from his body, then vanished into the island.

Meanwhile, Queen was also admiring the results of his handiwork.

He didn’t know what effects this move could achieve, nor if the special characteristics gained would enable the rebirth of the expended Devil Fruit in other fruits on his person, because the cost of experimentation was too high.

The last experiment directly consumed a Devil Fruit. Though ordinary Zoan-type Fruits are somewhat cheaper, they are still treasures of the Sea, not always easily available even with money.

Research burns through money even more than war. Victorious war yields spoils, but research does not guarantee returns, no matter the investment. One must be prepared for setbacks, as the experiment’s results aren’t clear until the end.

Each experiment costs a minimum of one hundred million Belly, and that’s just a conversion estimate. The effects a single fruit can exert are often immeasurable by monetary value; even with the Hundred Beasts’ vast resources, they temporarily can’t bear such experimental consumption.

”You’ve really discovered something incredible, what about Paramecia-type and Logia-type?”

”I don’t know. Remember, I told you that Zoan-type Fruits are the most unique; they inherently contain special wills, which is why I attempted something similar.

Paramecia-type Fruits are even rarer, and their effects are unclear. I haven’t conducted experiments with them, and as for Logia-type... over the years, we’ve collected none of that sort.”

Queen spoke freely of his experiment results, with no need to hide anything from Zeraora, only lamenting the rarity of Logia-type Fruits. After all these years, no traces of similar fruits had been found through any channels.

”It’s about time, Zeraora. Get a bit further from here; soon you’ll witness the third stage. Give me a hand while you’re at it; I’m having some difficulty flying right now.”

With Zeraora’s assistance, Queen and he began to distance themselves from the island. Logically, Sakazuki should have ignored that monstrous scorpion and gone after Queen or Zeraora first, but for some reason, something made him particularly loathe the scorpion before him.

It even slightly clouded his judgment, compelling him to decide to kill the scorpion first.

”Hellfire Surge!”

The ground cracked inch by inch, wide fissures surrounding the monstrous scorpion. Magma surged like fountains from below, instantly engulfing the giant scorpion.

Sakazuki discovered a space beneath the island akin to an underground river.

He had just injected a massive amount of magma into the underground space, and as he continued to do so, the pressure below increased. At its limit, Sakazuki broke open a fissure to guide the magma forth.

Such is a Logia-type ability user’s advantage: most elements can effortlessly alter landscapes and conduct widespread, indiscriminate attacks.

The scorpion’s shell reddened under the magma’s heat, while within the magma, Sakazuki’s body gradually coalesced. He was magma; magma could not harm him. Rather, it allowed him to move freely within it.

”Inugami Guren!”

His right arm pierced into the giant scorpion’s abdomen, with vast quantities of magma continuously injected into its body. Under this barrage, the scorpion’s physique began to sag, ultimately collapsing into the lava.

But unlike ordinary creatures that would be charred to ashes by scorching magma, it instead emitted an eerie white glow.

BOOM!

The third stage, explosion.

A massive mushroom cloud ascended skyward, and the powerful shockwave swept over every inch of the island, obliterating any remaining structures. This explosion embodied the true nature of the Gift of Nature’s attack.

A high-powered skill triggered by a Devil Fruit had reached its pinnacle of might. This Gift of Nature, one could say, brought explosive power to a new 2.0 era.

.....

Out at sea, the winds from the explosion ruffled Zeraora’s fur, and Queen beheld his masterpiece. His insistence on leaving with Zeraora was precisely for this reason; the explosion knew no friend from foe, and getting caught in it would be equally detrimental to them.

In his last experiment, without even using his full strength, he demolished an entire facility. Witnessing the full power of the Gift of Nature, Queen wore a maniacal grin.

”Muhahaha, as expected of yours truly. With a blast such as this, there shouldn’t be anything left on that island... hmm... nothing left at all...”Some people laugh until they cry, and recalling those nearly-ripe bananas on the island, an inner pang of regret stirred. The joy from the explosion was gone.

As for returning to check the outcome, he had no inclination for that right now. They had successfully escaped, after all. Sakazuki was the Navy’s top-tier fighter, and Queen doubted such a person would die just from an explosion. Not everyone was named Ashura Doji.

The sadness did not linger long as he remembered how joined forces with Zeraora could contend with an Admiral, reigniting hope for the future. It seemed he had been overly cautious before; he was still very powerful.

This inner narrative of Queen’s, from Zeraora’s perspective, seemed like the rambling of a madman, alternating between laughter and tears, thoughts completely unreadable.

”How about I give you some news to calm you down?”

”What is it?”

”You helped take a lot of heat off the boss earlier, but with what you just did, it seems you’re not exactly ’taking the fall’ anymore.”