Capítulo 98: Chapter 098: Nick Fury's Concern
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"Director Fury!"
Natasha greeted Nick Fury as she stepped into his office, approaching his desk. Sitting behind a pile of documents, Fury set aside the file he was reading and turned his single, piercing eye to her.
"So, Natasha, what have you brought back for me?"
"Director, the Devil Fruits are real. They truly grant the users superhuman abilities," Natasha reported with unwavering seriousness.
"They're real?" Fury's brow furrowed slightly, surprised.
Although their initial investigation had revealed that many of the so-called "rogue mutants" were connected to consuming these fruits, the concept itself still seemed far-fetched. And the act of selling something so extraordinary defied all rational behavior. Fury's skeptical nature demanded solid evidence before he could fully believe it.
"Natasha, since you've come to this conclusion, I assume you've uncovered proof strong enough to support it, haven't you?" He leaned back, speaking in a calm but confident tone. "So, what exactly is this proof?"
"Well…" Natasha didn't elaborate immediately. Instead, she gave him a sly smile and raised her right hand, pressing it against her face. A moment later, Natasha vanished, replaced by a completely unfamiliar man standing in her place.
"Director Fury, I think this evidence speaks for itself," the "male Natasha" said, his voice completely transformed to match his new identity.
"Incredible." Even someone as composed as Nick Fury was momentarily stunned. He stared at the "male Natasha" in disbelief for a few seconds before murmuring, "Unbelievable."
Such an astounding transformation defied everything he knew—he wouldn't have believed it without seeing it with his own eye.
"Alright, Natasha, change back. This is unsettling," Fury said with a wave of his hand.
With a slight smirk, the "male Natasha" pressed his left hand to his face, instantly reverting to her original form.
"So, Natasha, you ate one of these Devil Fruits yourself?" Fury asked, his tone turning serious once more.
"Yes, Director. I consumed a fruit called the Mimic-Mimic Fruit, which allows me to replicate someone's appearance with absolute accuracy." Natasha nodded and briefly explained the ability.
"Mimic-Mimic Fruit, huh?" Fury muttered to himself. The name sounded simple enough, but its potential was astonishing. "Mimic" didn't quite do justice to its transformative capability—it was more akin to full-blown shapeshifting.
"Director, based on what I've seen in the Devil Fruit catalog, I believe I can identify which fruits were consumed by some of the powered individuals like Kingpin and Bullseye," Natasha continued.
"Kingpin's invulnerable body and ability to turn his fists into red-hot iron rods likely come from the Steel-Steel Fruit, which lets him transform his body into steel.
"Bullseye's abilities undoubtedly come from the Slash-Slash Fruit, which can transform a person's body into blades."
"As for Stick, his extraordinary energy wave power likely comes from the Slow-Slow Fruit.
"And Elektra's ability to sprout thorns from her body clearly comes from the Thorn-Thorn Fruit."
"In other words," Natasha concluded, "we can now be certain that those so-called rogue mutants were, in fact, Devil Fruit users."
"So, it all ties back to that Home of the Devil Fruits…" Fury murmured, his expression growing contemplative. He no longer doubted Natasha's findings, but the confirmation only raised more questions.
"Why would a place like the Home of the Devil Fruits sell something so extraordinary?" Fury's gaze turned sharp and pensive as he muttered to himself.
Natasha shared his confusion. 'Could the store owner genuinely have an overabundance of Devil Fruits to the point of selling them?' That didn't make sense. It was hard to believe that someone in possession of such miraculous items could be in need of money.
'What is the true purpose behind the Devil Fruit Shop?' Both Fury and Natasha found themselves at a loss.
"What else did you find out?" Fury asked after a brief silence, his gaze steady on Natasha.
"To be honest, Director, this mission can only be described as a failure—or at least far from a success," Natasha admitted, her tone tinged with frustration. "Aside from general information about Devil Fruits, which the owner didn't bother hiding, I couldn't extract any significant intel. Worse, the Shopkeeper saw through my cover." As far as she was concerned, having her cover blown made the mission a clear failure.
"He discovered your identity?" Fury asked, visibly surprised. "Natasha, you're one of our best operatives. A simple mission like this shouldn't have exposed you."
"That's the problem, Director," Natasha replied firmly. "I didn't make any mistakes. That Shopkeeper knew who I was from the very beginning."
"Oh?" Fury's brow furrowed slightly. Natasha Romanoff's identity was one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best-kept secrets, known to only a select few within the agency. Yet the Shopkeeper not only recognized her but seemed completely unfazed by it.
"And it's not just me, Director. He knows about you, too. In fact, he specifically asked me to deliver a message to you." Natasha's voice turned serious.
That piqued Fury's interest. "Wait a moment, Natasha. He knows about me? Let me clarify—does he simply know that S.H.I.E.L.D. has a director, or does he know that I, Nick Fury, am the Director?"
Natasha's gaze didn't waver as she answered, "He knows you by name, Director. He even described your appearance."
Fury's expression darkened. 'This changes everything.'
The Devil Fruit store owner seemed to know far more about S.H.I.E.L.D. than S.H.I.E.L.D. knew about him. The scales of information were heavily tilted in his favor.
"That shop… is anything but ordinary," Fury said, his voice low and deliberate.
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Next Chapter: A Full Investigation of the Home of the Devil Fruits
Next Next Chapter: Introduction of Logia and Ancient Zoan Fruits
Next Next Next Chapter: Can Immortality Bypass the One-Fruit Rule?
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