"Of course, you don't have to eat it. After all, it's a Paracia-type fruit, you know how it is. If you end up with a useless ability, it might be worse than nothing."
"Not to ntion, once you eat a Devil Fruit, you beco a landlubber."
"The choice is yours. It's up to you."
Lance and Shirley fell silent. Eating a Devil Fruit indeed carries great risk, especially when you don't know what ability it grants.
But they also understood the saying: Wealth cos from danger.
"I'll pass. My goal is to beco a Gun King. Firearms are my path. I don't need any Devil Fruit powers. There's nothing a seastone bullet can't handle, and if one doesn't work, two will!"
Lance suddenly spoke up, his tone brimming with conviction.
Hearing this, both Hamr and Shirley were stunned, as if they were seeing Lance for the first ti.
"Well, well. Lance, I didn't know you had such high resolve. Guess I'll have to give you special training personally."
"For your so-called 'Gun King' dream."
"Ah… hmm, let think what training that would need…"
"First, a Gun King needs speed and stamina. So, tying you to a rope and tossing you into the sea sounds about right. That'll do!"
Hearing Hamr casually planning out his training, Lance felt a chill run up from his toes to the top of his head.
"Well then, Shirley, what about you? Are you going to eat it?"
Ignoring Lance's look of despair, Hamr turned to Shirley and asked.
Shirley bit her lip, then made her decision.
"I'll eat it. I want greater strength, to help the Navy bring order to the seas."
"Oh? You actually have such lofty ambitions, Shirley?"
Hamr was taken aback again by her words. He wondered if she had been brainwashed by Gion… or perhaps misled by Instructor Zephyr?
But seeing the resolve in her eyes, he thought, 'Maybe this really was her own wish.'
"Alright then, eat the fruit. Hmm… better cut it open with a knife, too many spikes to bite into."
With that, Hamr handed her a small knife.
Shirley nodded heavily and, under their watchful eyes, cut open the durian-shaped Devil Fruit and took a bite.
The mont she did, her expression froze, but she forced herself to swallow it.
Then ca the violent gagging.
Hamr couldn't help but chuckle. Deep down, he was a little grateful. Grateful that when he had transmigrated here, his body had already eaten a fruit; otherwise, he would've had to experience that awful taste too.
"Well? Shirley, what's the fruit's power?"
With both Hamr and Lance watching curiously, Shirley took a mont to calm herself, closed her eyes, and began sensing the changes in her body. When she opened her eyes again, they were full of shock.
"This ability… I can't believe it's this one…"
"Shield-Shield: Defense Shield."
The mont Hamr heard the words Shield-Shield, he froze in shock.
That ability? He knew it all too well!
It was the power of the first Devil Fruit user he had encountered on his first pirate-hunting voyage.
The sa Paracia-type Shield-Shield Fruit possessed by the notorious and brutal pirate Batu.
'Who would've thought… Shirley ended up with that fruit. Looks like Batu must've died in Impel Down already.'
'That's why the fruit was able to reincarnate.'
'If developed well, the Shield-Shield Fruit is a solid combat power.'
Shirley was very aware of the fruit's potential; she had seen it with her own eyes.
"Alright, Lance, stay on course. Shirley, go get familiar with your new powers."
"I'm going back to forging. Don't call unless we've arrived at our destination."
With that, Hamr pushed them out of the forge room and shut himself in.
"Shield-Shield… Shield-Shield… Ugh, what kinds of shields even exist? Besides the Defense Shield, I can't think of anything else!"
Even though Shirley had seen Batu use the fruit, she had been too out of it to rember the details.
Lance and the other marines nearby tried to help.
"Shields? Iron shield? Bronze shield? Steel shield?"
One soldier blurted out, earning a round of eye-rolls.
"You've been hanging around Vice Admiral Hamr too long? All you think about is materials?"
"Didn't know we had an Iron Shield now!"
Everyone roasted the poor guy so thoroughly that he probably needed a towel.
"Ugh, so annoying, Shield-Shield: ALL the Shields!"
Shirley shouted angrily, stretching her arms wide.
Suddenly, countless small round shields appeared out of thin air and landed all over the deck.
The crew burst into laughter, bending down to pick them up.
"Hey, not bad! These shields are kinda small, but super sturdy!"
"Yeah, once Vice Admiral forges us so quality swords, oof, what a combo that'll be!"
Amid the crew's joyful chatter, the Warhamr ship sailed straight into the New World.
New World, Risky Red Island
On a beach.
"Hmph, you dogs of the governnt, trying to stop , are you looking to die?"
Facing a squad of Marines was the pirate rookie Crocodile, who had once fought Bullet to a draw. Standing before him were two people, one wielding a gun, the other a white-haired Mink.
They were Lance and Shirley. As for Hamr, don't ask. He was, of course, still forging.
Hamr had sent the two ahead for "talks".
Crocodile looked like he was in his early 20s, slicked-back hair, a flowing cape, quite the imposing figure.
"Crocodile. We're here on behalf of Marine Headquarters to discuss the World Governnt's Warlord Program, to recruit you as its first mber."
Lance's tone was flat, betraying no emotion.
"Ha… Ha… Ha… Don't waste my ti, Marines. Why would I join so 'Warlord' system? My goal is to be King of the World!"
"Sables!"
Young and hot-blooded, Crocodile struck without hesitation.
A storm of sand erupted, engulfing the Marines.
His underlings cheered and raised their weapons, ready to charge.
"You sure you want to fight us?"
"Hmph! As if a few Marines scare !"
Crocodile sneered, the sand beginning to swirl into a tornado.
"Sand… a Logia-type fruit. No wonder he could match soone like Bullet."
Every Logia user was a major threat. Lance nodded in recognition, then shook his head.
Crocodile frowned. 'Is this guy nuts?'
Then ca a loud and irritated voice:
"Who the hell plays with sand?! Ptui! Got a mouthful of dirt!"
"Lance, I told you, forget the talking. Just beat the guy up already!"
"Crocodile, huh? Slicked-back hair, big cape, interesting."
"I brought sothing special just for you!"
The sudden voice and presence startled Crocodile.
"Who!?"
"? Heh. I'm Vice Admiral Hamr of Marine HQ. I ca here just to run a little experint with you!"
...
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu
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