Chapter 72 – Sabotage
"Kin’emon, why does fire erupt every time you swing your sword?"
One day, during a break in their training, Kanata, who had been observing Kin’emon's swordsmanship, voiced her curiosity.
Kin’emon, enjoying a cup of tea with Kawamatsu, answered without hesitation, “Hmm? My Kitsunebi-ryu style utilizes flames to burn and cleave, and its ultimate technique is to cut through flames. Isn’t it natural for fire to appear when I swing my sword?"
Kanata suppressed the urge to retort, “That’s absurd,” and instead asked him to demonstrate his ability to cut through flames.
However, without a fire-breathing ability or a ready source of flames, it would be difficult to test his claim.
Kanata thought for a moment, then summoned David.
“What is it, Captain?” David asked.
“Kin’emon claims he can cut through flames. I want to see it for myself. Can you create flames with your explosions?”
“You want me to make a fiery explosion? Easy peasy!”
“Good. Kin’emon, give it a try when I give you the signal.”
“Hmm? I’m not sure what you’re planning, but alright! Leave it to me!”
David and Kin’emon faced each other at a distance.
The other crew members gathered around, curious to see what would happen, but Kanata warned them to stay back. She didn’t want anyone getting injured, especially since Sukura would scold her for creating more work for him.
Kanata moved behind Kin’emon and gave David a nod.
Taking the signal, David detonated his entire body.
A wave of explosive force and flames erupted, threatening to engulf Kin’emon – but he effortlessly cleaved through the inferno.
Slash!
The scorch marks on the ground, where Kin’emon had bisected the explosion, formed a bizarre pattern.
“Hmm… ‘Cutting through flames’, you say? Indeed… Seeing it in person is quite impressive…”
“I instinctively just cut it… but is that man alright? He suddenly exploded…” Kin’emon asked, concerned.
“Don’t worry about him. That’s his Devil Fruit ability.”
“Devil Fruit ability?”
“Do we need to start from the basics…?”
Perhaps, like they called Armament Haki ‘Ryuo’, they had a different term for Devil Fruit users and their abilities.
She asked Kin’emon if he knew of any strange fruits that granted unique powers, or anyone who possessed abilities that defied common sense – and he replied that he himself had eaten such a fruit.
He called his ability “Fuku Fuku no Jutsu”, a mystical technique that allowed him to create clothing at will.
“Hmm… Is that useful? So you don’t have to buy new clothes?”
“The clothing created by my Fuku Fuku no Jutsu disappears after taking a certain amount of damage, so while it’s useful for everyday wear, it’s not very practical in battle,” Kin’emon explained.
“…That’s a rather inconvenient ability.”
While it might be useful in situations like infiltrating a secret organization by mimicking their attire, or for blending into a crowd, the ability’s limitations were quite restrictive.
However, Devil Fruit abilities could be utilized in countless ways depending on the user’s creativity. While Kanata couldn’t think of many uses for it, perhaps Kin’emon had found a way to make it work for him.
“Well, as long as you know your own abilities. We call those fruits ‘Devil Fruits’, and those who eat them are called ‘Devil Fruit users’.”
“Are you a Devil Fruit user as well, Kanata?”
“Yes. David’s ability is to create explosions. That’s why you don’t have to worry.”
She decided to explain the different Devil Fruit categories later.
For now, she was more interested in Kin’emon’s Kitsunebi-ryu style.
“That’s quite a useful technique. David, I want to try it too. Explode again.”
Kanata could nullify flames with her own ability, but the others couldn’t.
Besides, if flames could be cut, it might be effective against Prometheus, who had been immune to even Armament Haki-enhanced attacks.
They might encounter Big Mom again in the future. This was a valuable technique to learn.
“Wait, Kanata. It took me years to master this technique. You can’t just learn it overnight–”
“Like this?”
Slash!
“Whaaat?! You… You copied it after seeing it once?!”
Kin’emon’s jaw dropped as he watched Kanata effortlessly cleave through David’s explosion.
Scotch, who had been observing, approached Kin’emon and patted him on the shoulder consolingly.
“Don’t try to apply logic to her. It’ll only drive you crazy.”
“B-But… it took me years to…”
Kin’emon slumped to his knees, dejected.
Kawamatsu, taking pity on him, patted him on the back consolingly.
Meanwhile, Kanata, who had successfully cut through the explosion, swung her spear, muttering, “This is useful,” as flames erupted from the blade.
The more options they had, the better prepared they would be.
They might encounter other entities like Prometheus, who were immune to even Armament Haki-enhanced attacks.
They also needed to find a way to deal with Zeus… but apparently, there was no technique that could cut through lightning.
“Well, this alone makes our trip to Wano Country worthwhile.”
“At the expense of Kin’emon’s morale,” Scotch commented.
“Learning a technique starts with imitation. What’s there to be dejected about?”
“The speed at which you learned it is absurd!”
It was impossible for an ordinary person to learn a technique after seeing it once. It was just Kanata being Kanata.
She, however, seemed unconcerned. She swung her spear again, muttering, “I can cut flames now.”
“Next, we’ll practice cutting through lightning,” she declared.
“For Zeus? But you can’t cut lightning, can you?”
“For Zeus, but also for Octavia.”
They might encounter Octavia again, and she might become their enemy. Though, Octavia’s abilities were likely enhanced by her Devil Fruit, meaning they could probably be blocked or countered with Haki.
Even if they could defend against her attacks, they would likely suffer serious injuries. She was on another level.
Kanata lacked that level of power. If they clashed, she would lose.
That’s why she wanted to find a way to counter her abilities… but it wasn’t something they could figure out overnight.
“We need to deal with Shiki and Big Mom first, but we’ll likely encounter Octavia eventually.”
“She’s your mother, right? Is she going to attack you?”
“I don’t know, but we need to be prepared. We’ll have to fight with whatever we have, so it’s best to increase our options.”
She understood the principles behind Kin’emon’s Kitsunebi-ryu style. With enough training, she might be able to cut through things other than flames as well.
This was a matter for future practice.
While the others were training, Sukura often secluded himself in his room, developing new medicines.
He had joined the crew as a ship doctor, but his true goal was to find a way to treat Devil Fruit users. He was currently experimenting with creating a “medicine that only affects Devil Fruit users” as a stepping stone towards that goal.
He had previously given Samuel a medicine that caused him to go berserk in Little Garden. He was now working on a new formula, learning from his mistakes.
He handed Samuel a flask containing a small amount of liquid and observed him, a medical chart in hand.
“Drink this,” he instructed.
“…I have a really bad feeling about this. This liquid… this poisonous-looking liquid… Is it really safe to drink?”
“It has no effect on ordinary humans. I can guarantee that. I tested it on myself.”
“…‘Ordinary’?”
“It should affect Devil Fruit users. There are no side effects… I think.”
Samuel eyed the purplish liquid with trepidation.
Perhaps his previous experience had left him traumatized.
Gloriosa and Kaie, who were also in the room, stared at the liquid with disgust. Kaie had been summoned because she was a Zoan Devil Fruit user, but Gloriosa was hesitant to let her drink it.
“Are you sure it’s safe?” she asked.
“Theoretically, it should affect all Devil Fruit users, but the exact effects are unknown,” Sukura admitted.
“You’re going to make her drink that?!”
“At least, it had no effect on me. I need a Devil Fruit user as a test subject, but it’s difficult to find volunteers, so my research is stalling.”
Kanata had said she would capture enemy Devil Fruit users alive whenever possible to use as test subjects, but they hadn’t encountered anyone suitable recently.
He couldn’t just wait around for a volunteer. He had to continue his research, taking precautions to minimize risks.
He hadn’t used any dangerous ingredients in this formula. He had analyzed the blood of Devil Fruit users and was starting with the safest options.
“I believe it will affect the Devil Fruit ability in some way. Zoan Devil Fruit users are the easiest to observe.”
“Well, I understand why you can’t experiment on David…”
They had to be careful. If David’s ability went out of control, the ship might explode.
Zoan Devil Fruit users, on the other hand, would only experience changes in their transformations. There was a chance they might lose consciousness, but that was something they could only determine through experimentation.
As a precaution, they had asked Junshi to wait in the next room, just in case.
“It’ll be fine. It won’t be like last time. Trust me,” Sukura insisted.
“Alright… Damn it, I’m going for it! Bottoms up!”
Samuel gulped down the liquid, grimacing at the taste.
It was awful, but it didn’t cause the burning sensation in his stomach like the previous medicine had. His heart was racing, but that was probably just nerves.
He answered Sukura’s questions while observing himself, searching for any changes.
The most noticeable effect was related to his ability.
“…What… What’s this? My claws are longer than usual.”
“You might not notice, but your fangs are longer as well. Your physique is slimmer than your usual hybrid form. Can you transform into another form?”
“Yeah, but it feels… different somehow.”
The medicine had apparently granted Samuel the ability to transform into two new forms – a form that was halfway between his human and hybrid forms, and a form that was halfway between his hybrid and beast forms.
The effect lasted for about one to two minutes, and there were no signs of him going berserk.
It was a success, as far as “medicines that affect Devil Fruit users” were concerned.
“It might be possible to create a medicine that increases the number of transformation forms for Zoan Devil Fruit users. That would be quite valuable,” Sukura thought.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind using it if it’s safe,” Samuel agreed.
While he felt a twinge of resentment at having to rely on medicine, it was a viable option if it made him stronger.
Especially in this sea, where incredibly powerful individuals were commonplace. The pirates they had encountered in the New World were all formidable, and the Big Mom Pirates and the Golden Lion Pirates were based in the New World as well.
If he didn't want to hold them back, he might have to resort to using medicine.
He wasn't planning on relying on it entirely, though.
“It still needs some improvements. Increasing the dosage might make it too potent… This is tricky.”
“Wahahaha, well, let me know when you’re done.”
“Sure. Kaie, would you like to try it?”
Kaie, however, shook her head, hiding behind Gloriosa.
“It tastes awful. It’s too much for a child,” Samuel added, making her even more reluctant.
Sukura sighed and gave up. He couldn’t force anyone to be a test subject.
Kaie was still young. Drawing blood from her would be difficult, and Gloriosa wouldn't allow it.
He finished reviewing his notes, making sure there were no errors, then declared, “That’s all for today.”
“It’ll take some time to improve the formula. I’ll call you again when I’m ready.”
They were dismissed.
Kaie, who seemed to have developed a dislike for Sukura, avoided him from that day forward.
***
New World – a certain winter island.
Having slaughtered the pirate crew that had been anchored there previously, Kaido and his crew feasted on the stolen food and alcohol. Suddenly, a giant dragon appeared in the sky.
The crew members, covered in wounds, gathered the remaining food and alcohol, placing it before the dragon, and shouted, “Welcome back!”
“You’re late, Kaido.”
“Ugh… Damn it, I’m so frustrated! Bring me sake! More sake!!”
The dragon transformed back into its human form – Kaido, who sat down heavily and began devouring the food and alcohol before him.
His executives, King and Queen, weren't seriously injured, but they had bandages wrapped around various parts of their bodies. Their wounds from the battle against the Witch Pirates hadn't healed yet.
Kaido, of course, was in even worse shape. His broken horn and shattered ribs hadn’t healed yet.
He wasn’t even sure if his horn would ever heal properly.
He had been unconscious after his fight with Kanata, only waking up while being transported to Impel Down. Despite his incredible durability, he had been so severely injured that he couldn't move. He had escaped by sinking the transport ship, relying on King's Vivre Card to guide him back to his crew.
“They were stronger than we expected,” King commented.
“Yeah. Their bounties aren’t that high, but they’re skilled fighters,” Queen agreed.
Gloriosa, who had fought Queen.
Zen, who had fought King.
Both were powerful Haki users.
Gloriosa, despite her bounty being less than 100 million, was incredibly strong. Her bounty didn't reflect her true strength. She deserved a higher bounty.
Kaido ripped into a piece of meat, joining their conversation.
“It wasn’t… Octavia. She looked similar, but she wasn’t wearing that ridiculous mask.”
“You mean the ‘Witch of the Dragon Slayer’, Kanata? If they look that similar, maybe she’s her daughter or something,” Queen suggested.
“Daughter… Daughter, huh?”
Kaido took a swig of sake, recalling the woman who had beaten him to a pulp.
Now that he thought about it, she had a different aura from Octavia. He had initially assumed she was using a fake name, but Octavia wouldn't have been concerned about collateral damage. She was probably a different person.
Daughter… that made sense.
Their abilities were different too.
“I’d like to have her as one of my subordinates… but no, that’s impossible. I can’t look at her face without wanting to kill her.”
She was strong. Having her as a subordinate would make his crew significantly stronger, but he couldn't control himself around her. He knew he would attack her on sight.
He had that much self-awareness.
His grudge against Octavia ran deep. He would take it out on her daughter if he had to.
“We lost a lot of men in that fight. We’ll have to recruit more somewhere,” King said.
“Should we just force some random pirates to join us?”
“And we need to restock on food and alcohol…”
“We’re short on everything. There’s a Shiki territory nearby, right? Let’s go raid it.”
Kaido declared his intention to attack the Golden Lion Pirates as if it was the most natural thing in the world. King and Queen didn’t object, and the rest of the crew cheered at the prospect of plunder.
But they couldn’t increase their numbers through raids.
There had to be strong pirates amongst those who had reached the New World. They could recruit from there.
For pirates, strength was paramount.
Without strength, they couldn’t obtain anything.
“This is so frustrating…!! That woman… I’ll kill her next time we meet!!!”
Kaido was a violent drunk. Perhaps his defeat at the hands of Kanata was still weighing on him. He seemed unusually irritable.
King and Queen knew they couldn’t control him once he started rampaging. They kept him pacified by constantly refilling his sake cup.
Perhaps they had the most difficult job in this pirate crew.
***
“Huh? I thought it was cotton candy,” Shiki said, staring at the sky.
“That’s clearly a cumulonimbus cloud! There’s a storm brewing. Change course!” Indigo retorted.
Shiki and Indigo were inspecting their territory, sailing from island to island.
After the news of Shiki’s defeat at the hands of Kanata spread, several pirate crews, who had underestimated him, began attacking his territories.
He had been personally crushing them, one by one, along with his subordinates. They were currently on their way back to their base after dealing with the last of them.
The fact that they had mobilized all their executives to handle this situation spoke volumes about Shiki’s frustration.
“They’re so annoying… I hate those cowardly guerilla tactics,” he grumbled.
“Byrnndi World, the ‘World Destroyer’… His name has been popping up frequently lately, but his bounty is only 200 million. Not very high,” Indigo commented.
“He’s just causing trouble. He’s not strong enough to fight me head-on. I guess to ordinary civilians, I’m not much different, but… He lacks the scale and power of a true pirate.”
Shiki lit a cigar, savoring the aroma as he chuckled.
Byrnndi World was strong, but not strong enough to defeat him. He was just a nuisance, using guerilla tactics to annoy him.
He was relatively strong compared to the other pirates who had challenged him, but they had already dealt with him.
“Any news from Cipher Pol?” Shiki asked.
“They just contacted us. They’re ready.”
“Good. The rest are just small fry.”
He read the reports Indigo handed him, frowning at the confirmed damages. The destruction of the Human Shops in Sabaody Archipelago was a significant loss.
It was a lucrative business, especially with the Celestial Dragons as their primary customers. The financial damage was immense.
They would have to compensate through plunder and territorial expansion, but… they would be busy for a while. It would have to wait.
“Those bastards… causing me more trouble,” he grumbled, tossing the reports back to Indigo.
“Kanata… she’s really good at targeting my weaknesses.”
“The Human Shops were a significant source of income. Are we going to rebuild them?”
“Not now. We’re short on manpower…”
He hadn’t established the Human Shops to appease the World Government. It was purely for profit – to sell the humans he had captured during his raids.
The World Government – or rather, the Celestial Dragons – had simply taken the bait. He had no reason to compromise.
Cipher Pol had contacted him several times, asking him to reopen the Human Shops, but he had refused.
He knew the World Government wasn’t a unified entity, but he was astonished by their audacity. They had spread the news of his defeat, causing chaos in his territories, and now they were asking him to resume business as if nothing had happened.
“It was good that the slave trade gave us a connection to the World Government, but dealing with them is a hassle.”
“But we can now control Cipher Pol through backdoor deals… That’s a significant advantage, isn’t it?”
“True… Perhaps we should ask them to infiltrate Kanata’s crew. They can’t just ignore the woman who killed a Celestial Dragon.”
The Marines had been actively pursuing Kanata for a while, but they seemed to have slowed down recently. He wasn’t sure why, but he could force them to act through Cipher Pol.
He still wanted Kanata as a subordinate, but his rational side was telling him, “We need to eliminate her before it’s too late.”
He felt like she was starting to become a threat he couldn’t control.
Her bounty hadn't increased, but the news of her defeating Kaido had been reported in the newspapers. She was undoubtedly stronger than she was when they fought in Water Seven.
“…Dr. Indigo, once we’re done cleaning up this mess, summon the executives.”
“Yes. Our target… is her, then?”
“Yes. It’s a shame, but… leaving her unchecked will only lead to trouble.”
Her crew was growing. If she continued to expand her influence and territory, he couldn't ignore her.
She wasn't someone he desperately wanted as a subordinate, like Roger.
It was best to eliminate her, he decided.
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