Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Gift, Bat-Bat Fruit, Mythical Zoan-type, Vampire Model
"Is that so?"
By the coast, after listening to El's explanation, Gerd finally understood what a Devil Fruit was and comprehended the full extent of the Soul-Soul Fruit's abilities. She was utterly stunned, never imagining that she had stumbled upon such a great fortune by accident.
"Linlin, thank you so much!" She threw herself at Linlin and hugged her tightly.
Although she had become a "landlubber" and was now cursed by the sea, unable to swim, she had gained an incredible and powerful Devil Fruit ability in return. According to El, once she mastered the Soul-Soul Fruit's powers, she could try infusing parts of her own soul into flames or clouds to create powerful "Homies," allowing her to indirectly control elements like fire and lightning. Eventually, she could even fly and manipulate the weather.
"Hehe, no need to thank me!" Linlin, who had missed out on acquiring the Soul-Soul Fruit's powers, didn't show any jealousy or regret. Hugging Gerd back, she happily said, "We're best friends, after all!"
"Yes, we're best friends!" Gerd grinned, her joy evident.
"Haha…"
Seeing this, El smiled softly. He then reached into the sack he was carrying and pulled out a gray wooden box. Smiling, he said to the two girls, "I actually had a gift prepared for both of you, Gerd and Linlin… But now that Gerd is already a Devil Fruit user, we'll have to reconsider that!"
Initially, El had planned to give the Paramecia-type Dice-Dice Fruit to Gerd. This fruit not only allowed the user's body to become as tough as steel, impervious to weapons, but also let them turn any part of their body into sharp blades capable of slicing through anything. It was a fitting ability for someone from the giant race, known for their immense size and strength. However, now that Gerd had the Soul-Soul Fruit, it was no longer necessary.
"A gift? Really?" Linlin looked at El with wide eyes, filled with anticipation. Gerd, however, was curious, staring at the mysterious box and asking, "Is it a Devil Fruit?"
"That's right. Remember this—"
"A person can only have one ability. Eating two Devil Fruits will cause the body to explode. This is common knowledge on the seas!" El explained with a smile, not keeping them in suspense any longer.
Opening the box, he revealed a deep purple, apple-shaped Devil Fruit. It wasn't the Dice-Dice Fruit he had taken from the World Government; rather, it was a rare fruit he had found on Forgotten Island during his travels through the first half of the Grand Line.
Yes, it was the Bat-Bat Fruit, Mythical Zoan-type, Vampire model.
By eating this fruit, the user could transform into a legendary vampire, gaining the ability to steal youth and life from others to keep themselves eternally young. Additionally, it granted several other extraordinary abilities. Although it was unclear whether the Vampire form could grant true immortality, it undoubtedly allowed the user to retain a youthful appearance for an exceptionally long time.
Giving this fruit to Linlin seemed perfect, as El didn't want his "queen" to eventually turn into a haggard old woman. He had retrieved the fruit from the village earlier.
"Huh? Is this for me?" Linlin accepted the fruit, surprised.
El patted her head, smiling as he explained, "Although it doesn't taste good, it will give you great power, including the ability to fly in the sky!"
"Flying in the sky? Really?" Linlin's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Yes, if you swallow it all at once, it won't taste as bad!" El nodded with a grin.
Given Linlin's size, the Mythical Zoan Bat-Bat Fruit, Vampire model, was only about the size of her thumb.
"Hehe, okay!"
Without hesitation, Linlin tossed the fruit into her mouth.
'Gulp!' She swallowed it in one go.
"Big Brother El, can I fly now?" Linlin eagerly looked at herself, impatient to see her new abilities.
"Not so fast, don't be in such a hurry!" El chuckled.
"El, what power does Linlin's fruit have?" Gerd asked curiously.
"It's the Bat-Bat Fruit, Mythical Zoan-type, Vampire model," El replied.
"Huh? A bat fruit?" Gerd's eyes widened.
"A Vampire form? Does that mean I'll turn into a vampire?" Linlin was startled.
"Don't be scared. A power isn't inherently good or bad; it depends on how you use it..." El reassured Linlin with a smile as he patted her head. "The Vampire form not only lets you fly, but it also allows you to stay young forever!"
"Linlin, you wouldn't want to end up looking like Sister Carmel, would you?"
El wasn't envious of the Vampire model at all. After all, the Mythical Zoan Snake-Snake Fruit, Quetzalcoatl model, that he had acquired was on par with the legendary Fish-Fish Fruit, Azure Dragon model. It was undoubtedly one of the most powerful abilities on the seas.
Its many accompanying abilities, such as controlling wind, lightning, and fire, manipulating plants, and regenerating through shedding skin, made it akin to possessing multiple Paramecia-type powers in one.
On top of that, the Lunarian race's natural ability to control fire combined with the fruit's powers in a synergistic way, amplifying the effects far beyond what one could imagine.
These enhancements not only strengthened his already formidable body but also significantly increased his power, speed, defense, endurance, and healing ability.
With his already durable, nearly invincible defense and the Lunarian's racial trait of ignoring most damage, El was practically unkillable, making him a terrifying force to reckon with.
"Turn into an old lady like Sister Carmel?" Linlin recalled the wrinkled and unattractive face of Sister Carmel, shuddering with disdain. "No way! I don't want to become an old hag!"
Gerd, on the other hand, wasn't too concerned. Giants had a naturally long lifespan. For instance, the two giant elders, Mountain Beard and Waterfall Beard, were over 300 years old. Even if she didn't live that long, living to 200 or 300 years wasn't an issue for her, and she was still only 12.
"That's why I'm giving this power to you, Linlin!" El placed his hands on her shoulders, smiling as he said, "Look, Gerd is a giant and will live three times longer than a human. I'm also half-giant and a Lunarian, so I might live just as long as a giant!"
"But you, Linlin, even though you're large, are still just a human."
"By becoming the user of the Vampire model, you'll not only remain forever young, but you might also gain a longer lifespan. That way, we can be together forever!"
Unlike Linlin, a mutated human, El's mixed heritage as a half-giant left the length of his lifespan uncertain. He had asked Mountain Beard and Waterfall Beard about other half-giants in the past, and they mentioned that if not cut short by accidents, most half-giants lived at least 150 to 180 years.
However, El was a unique case, being both Lunarian and half-giant, as well as a naturally powerful being. If he inherited the best of both bloodlines, he might live as long as, or even longer than, pure giants.
If given the chance, El wouldn't mind living for a long time. And as far as he knew, there were several ways to achieve immortality.
For now, though, he was confident he could easily live up to 200 years. Even if his lifespan didn't match that of a giant, it would far surpass that of an ordinary human.
And in a century's time, when he was still in his prime, there would be plenty of time to explore ways to extend his life.
"Be together forever?" Linlin's eyes gleamed as she exclaimed excitedly, "Then I want to be a vampire!"
"That way, we can stay together forever, Linlin!" Gerd hugged her happily.
"Hehe…"
~~~
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Chapter 17: [Sponsored] Chapter 17: Totto Land? Dreamland
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The next morning, bright and early, El led Linlin and the promising children from the Sheep's House, who came from various parts of the world and different races, to board a large ship provided by the giants.
They said their goodbyes to the two giant elders, Mountain Beard Jarul and Waterfall Beard Jorul, before departing from Elbaf. Their destination was the island where El had killed Carmel the day before—a place with fertile land and beautiful scenery, ideal for establishing a future base.
As for the bodies of the World Government agents, El had long disposed of them by commanding plants to toss the corpses into the sea, where they were devoured by sea beasts and Sea Kings. Thus, the scene wasn't particularly gruesome, certainly not enough to scare the children from the Sheep's House, who were still anxious and uncertain about their future.
"Tsk, tsk..."
"El, is this mess all from your battle with those World Government dogs? The aftermath is truly chaotic..."
Despite the clean-up, the disorderly and overgrown trees and vines left the giants who accompanied them—like Kashii, Raideen, and Oimo—slightly surprised.
"Big Brother El, are we going to live here now?" Linlin tugged on El's sleeve, curiously surveying the surroundings.
In fact, she had slowly realized that she might have been abandoned by her parents. But, being naturally carefree and open-hearted, she didn't stay on Elbaf's coast foolishly waiting for them to return. Instead, feeling a little lost, she clung to El even more.
"Yes, this will be where our dreams begin," El said confidently as he patted her head. "From today onward, we'll live here and build our own home from nothing."
As for the future Totto Land, it wasn't yet known by that name. But there was no rush—they would use this place as a base for the time being. Once they gained enough strength and manpower, they could occupy it formally.
"The place where dreams begin?"
"Our own home?"
The children from the Sheep's House, eyes teary, looked up in awe at El, who appeared as tall and grand as a small giant. Their once lost and confused expressions began to brighten.
"That's right! We will build our own dreamland here!" El spread his arms wide, smiling as he declared loudly.
"Yay!"
"That's amazing!"
"Big Brother El, we'll follow you!"
"Building a dreamland... is that real?"
The children from the Sheep's House, being just kids, couldn't hide their excitement. They waved their hands enthusiastically, their faces lighting up with smiles as they echoed El's words. The gloom that had weighed on them began to lift, and they started returning to their usual lively selves.
"El, you can definitely do it!" Gerd and Hajrudin, two of the giant children who had come along, smiled as they spoke in support.
Seeing the children from the Sheep's House stop crying, the giant warriors smiled as well.
"Alright, everyone, let's get to work. Before dark, we'll help El and the others build some houses!"
"Okay!"
After arriving on the island, Kashii and Oimo started giving orders to gather tools and begin cutting wood for construction.
"There's no need for that," El waved them off, stopping them before they could get started. "Leave it all to me."
"Roar—"
To everyone's astonishment, El let out a low roar, and his body rapidly expanded before their eyes, transforming into a majestic, towering Quetzalcoatl, covered in gleaming scales and radiant feathers. He hovered in the air, imposing and awe-inspiring.
"Crack crack~ Is this the legendary Mythical Zoan-type ability, rarer than even the Logia-types?"
"Even though I've seen it before, every time El transforms, it's still breathtaking!"
"Indeed..."
The sight of the enormous and powerful Quetzalcoatl left Kashii, Oimo, and the other giant warriors in awe.
"Wow! So cool!" Linlin's eyes sparkled with admiration. "Big Brother El has transformed!"
Through her own practice the previous day, Linlin had begun to grasp the powers of her Vampire form, allowing her to transform into a giant bat and fly freely. But compared to El's majestic Quetzalcoatl form, her abilities seemed insignificant.
"How did Big Brother El turn into a giant bird?" one of the children from the Sheep's House asked, wide-eyed.
"Don't be stupid! That's clearly a giant snake!" Hajrudin retorted, correcting him.
"But snakes don't have wings or feathers!" another child pointed out innocently.
"Uh..." Hajrudin was stumped.
Well, he had never seen a snake like this either. Not only did it have feathers, but it also had two pairs of wings completely different from each other.
"Idiot, Hajrudin! This is the mythical Quetzalcoatl," Gerd knocked on Hajrudin's head, putting her hands on her hips as she scolded him. "It's the legendary sky god, the god of agriculture, and the sun god!"
Actually, Hajrudin was twice El's age, already eighteen, but outwardly he looked like a boy no older than ten because giants developed more slowly due to their long lifespans.
"Huh? Sun god?"
"Big Brother El is the sun god?"
Hajrudin and the other children from the Sheep's House were filled with disbelief.
"Crack crack crack, Hajrudin, don't be so surprised. This is a different sun god from the one we worship in Elbaf!" Raideen, a member of the Giant Pirate Warriors and Hajrudin's mentor, laughed as he explained.
"Ah, I see!" Hajrudin scratched his head, suddenly understanding.
Just then, under everyone's shocked eyes, the massive Quetzalcoatl's fearsome eyes gleamed with a red light as El shouted, "Rise! Dreamland!!"
"Boom... boom..."
The earth rumbled, and countless plants began to move as if they had a life of their own.
"Whoosh... whoosh..."
Massive trees and vines shot up from the ground, weaving and intertwining. Flowers of every color bloomed, and before their eyes, multi-level wooden houses rapidly took shape, firmly rooted in the ground.
Around the trunk of an enormous tree, which had grown to a height of hundreds of meters—so large that even six giants couldn't wrap their arms around it—spiral staircases made of vines twisted upward. At the top stood a large observation tower, complete with a giant windmill spinning in the breeze.
There were even playgrounds with slides, see-saws, pirate ships, Ferris wheels, swings, and merry-go-rounds—all designed for giants, incredibly large and intricate.
In the blink of an eye, a large part of the island, which was about ten kilometers in diameter, had been transformed into a dreamlike children's amusement park.
The rest of the island, aside from necessary living and activity spaces, was reserved for growing crops or medicinal herbs. Both food and medicinal herbs were highly profitable industries, and the Quetzalcoatl was associated with rain, sowing, harvest, and abundant crops. With his power to control the growth of plants, El planned to use this ability to its fullest potential.
In the future, El intended to monopolize the export of food and precious medicinal herbs in the New World. After establishing large-scale cultivation and obtaining numerous seeds, he planned to occupy and develop uninhabited islands in the Calm Belt, planting valuable crops and gradually expanding his influence, reaching even the first half of the Grand Line and the Four Blues.
After all, pillaging was a one-time business, but this would be an endless source of wealth.
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