章 9: Chapter 9 : The Golden Crown Of The Rare Beast Island
Boom…"
Out at sea, without warning, a figure shot through the air like a massive human bomb.
With a deafening explosion, the body disintegrated into a crimson mist, leaving no bones behind.
"Whoooooooosh!"
The sea roared, waves crashing violently, and the wind howled with terrifying intensity.
The sudden, gruesome scene was bone-chilling, leaving anyone witnessing it frozen with fear.
"So, it really failed."
Wilhelm, reacting instantly to the danger, activated his Transfer Fruit powers. In a flash, he relocated "Pug" Dooley's body to the sea surface, narrowly avoiding being caught in the blast himself.
As Wilhelm observed the blood mist floating over the water, he shook his head slightly.
"When two completely different 'devils' clash, the user self-destructs…"
His voice was calm, almost detached. He didn't appear particularly disappointed.
After all, he hadn't placed much hope in the experiment.
"If gaining multiple Devil Fruit powers was that simple, someone like Marshall D. Teach wouldn't have waited so long for his moment."
Wilhelm's mind turned to Teach, still lying in wait within the Whitebeard Pirates, biding his time to become the first known wielder of two Devil Fruit abilities.
The same thought applied to others. If the concept had been possible, scholars of the Grand Line or even Vegapunk himself—arguably the greatest mind alive—would have already succeeded.
Dr. Vegapunk, the scientist said to be 500 years ahead of current technology, had achieved remarkable feats, including allowing inanimate objects to "eat" Devil Fruits. Yet, the technology to transfer multiple abilities to a single living user remained elusive.
"Still," Wilhelm muttered, "it was worth a try."
Mid-air, the snow mastiff, Finley—currently in its vulture form—let out a shrill cry.
The clash of two Devil Fruits and the resulting explosion had left it agitated. Its feathers bristled, and its movements were restless and erratic. Instinctively, it shifted back into its massive hawk form, flapping its wings to ascend higher into the sky.
"Swish!"
A flash of silver as Wilhelm landed gracefully on Finley's back.
"Let's go." His voice was calm as he adjusted his position.
Wilhelm's earlier search of the pirate ship had yielded disappointing results. No Devil Fruit was found, only a small stash of treasure and an old nautical chart.
"Zunesha Island, huh? The rumored secret to becoming a king... Interesting."
Crown Island
Located in the first half of the Grand Line, Crown Island—also known as Rare Beast Island—is famous for its unique wildlife. Legends tell of a mysterious power hidden there, a secret said to grant the ability to become a "king."
Wilhelm, however, knew better.
"The so-called 'secret' is nothing more than the golden horns of the Kirin—the king of rare beasts," he mused. "Its power is rumored to be stored entirely in its horns."
Even so, the idea of encountering such a mythical creature piqued his interest.
"Roar!"
The distant sound of wild beasts echoed through the air, growing louder as Wilhelm and Finley closed in on their destination.
Guided by the nautical chart, Wilhelm spent several relentless days navigating the seas before finally arriving at his destination—Crown Island, the legendary home of rare beasts.
Docking along the coast, Wilhelm stepped ashore, his silver hair catching the sunlight.
Almost immediately, he was surrounded by ferocious birds and beasts of all shapes and sizes.
"So, this is the legendary Crown Island?" Wilhelm murmured, his expression calm as his sharp eyes scanned the chaos around him.
Without hesitation, Wilhelm's figure blurred, moving like a bolt of lightning.
With a powerful strike, he aimed a crushing punch at the massive elephant leading the charge.
"Bang!"
The elephant swung its enormous trunk to counter the attack, but the collision ended with a resounding crack. Blood dripped from its injured trunk, and the beast howled in pain.
Wilhelm darted forward, seizing the elephant's leg with terrifying ease. With one swift motion, he hurled the giant creature into the distance.
The colossal beast crashed to the ground with a thundering impact, unable to rise.
Smoke and dust billowed into the air as Wilhelm turned his attention to the other beasts.
In a flash, he appeared next to a towering giraffe.
"Shing!"
With a quick thrust of his sharp, claw-like finger, he pierced the giraffe's skull. Blood sprayed, and the creature collapsed lifelessly.
The remaining beasts—lions, tigers, monkeys, and more—roared in fury.
Snarling and growling, they surged forward, claws slashing and fangs snapping as they charged Wilhelm.
"Annoying pests!" Wilhelm growled, his eyes narrowing.
"Om... Om..."
A powerful wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from him, sweeping over the beasts like a storm.
One by one, their eyes rolled back, and they collapsed unconscious, littering the ground around him.
At that moment, a deafening roar echoed across the island, shaking the air.
A massive, golden-horned lion with huge, majestic wings came thundering toward Wilhelm.
Its presence was overwhelming, its aura filled with raw power.
"Interesting…" Wilhelm muttered, his gaze fixed on the magnificent beast.
"The King of Crown Island, I presume?"
"ROAR!!!"
The lion-like beast, resembling a mythical Kirin, bellowed in rage, its golden horns glinting in the sunlight.
With a powerful flap of its wings, it unleashed a hurricane-like gust, sending Wilhelm's companion, the griffon Finley, hurtling into a nearby mountain wall.
The beast's piercing eyes locked onto Wilhelm.
"Human!" it growled, its deep voice reverberating through the air. "Why have you harmed my people?"
Wilhelm raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.
"Oh, you can talk?" he said nonchalantly, before his tone turned cold.
"Listen, I just need the golden horn on your head. Why don't you save us both the trouble and hand it over?"
The golden beast king snarled, its mane bristling.
"So, it's the crown you're after? Foolish human! I'll never give it to you!"
With a furious roar, the beast charged at Wilhelm, its golden horns glowing with an intense light.
With a thunderous stomp, the golden beast king charged forward, its powerful hooves shaking the ground.
Its golden horns gleamed brilliantly, radiating an overwhelming force that caused the earth to crack beneath it.
"ROAR!"
From the side, Finley leaped back into the fray, his massive jaws snapping open. Blood dripped from his muzzle, and his fierce, scarlet eyes glinted with raw aggression.
With a chilling snarl, the griffin lunged at the golden beast king, aiming for its throat with razor-sharp teeth.
"BOOM!!"
The collision of the two titanic beasts sent shockwaves rippling through the area.
The ground beneath them crumbled, rocks flying in every direction.
The sheer power of their clash was astonishing, the ferocity of their attacks shaking the battlefield.
One was Finley, Wilhelm's loyal snow mastiff, empowered by the Vulture Zoan Fruit.
The other was the golden beast king, the ruler of Crown Island, whose strength was enhanced by the mystical golden crown atop its head.
For a moment, their battle seemed evenly matched.
Wilhelm stood calmly in the distance, observing the chaos with narrowed eyes.
"Finley's strength is impressive, yet he's being held at bay..." Wilhelm muttered, his gaze sharpening.
"The power in that golden crown must be extraordinary."
The fight raged on.
The two massive beasts clawed, bit, and slammed into each other, their roars echoing across the island.
Their wings beat furiously, carrying the battle from the shattered ground into the skies above.
"Bang!"
"Boom!"
The sounds of their fierce combat rang out, accompanied by gusts of wind and flying debris.
Finley, now in full griffin form, soared and struck with brutal precision, while the golden beast king met every blow with raw, unrelenting power.
But then, the golden beast king let out a deafening roar, its eyes blazing with fury.
Its golden horns began to glow, shining brighter and brighter until they were almost blinding.
"That light..." Wilhelm's eyes widened slightly as he noticed the horns pulsating with power.
A brilliant golden orb of energy began to form between the horns, radiating an intense heat that made the air tremble.
"Om—!"
The golden energy surged and shot forward like a blazing comet, heading straight for Finley.
"Boom!!"
The attack hit Finley head-on.
The griffin let out a pained roar as the explosive impact sent him hurtling backward.
He smashed into a nearby mountain with incredible force, shattering the rocky peak into rubble.
The explosion left Finley covered in blood, his feathers singed and his body scorched. Smoke rose from his battered form as he lay amidst the wreckage, struggling to move.
Wilhelm watched, unfazed by the destruction, though his silver eyes gleamed with interest.
"Impressive..." he murmured. "The crown's power is more formidable than I expected."
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