บท 121: Chapter 121: Gum-Gum Fruit? Or Stretch-Stretch Fruit?
"Huh?"
"Did his face just… stretch?" Everyone—Moss, the CP0 officer, and even Steel Bone Kong—stared in surprise. But it was Saint Mars, typically impatient, whose expression shifted the most. His eyes narrowed as he glared intently at Rufe, barely able to conceal his shock. "Impossible…"
"I… I think my body's turned to rubber…" Rufe stammered, astonished. He tugged at the skin on his shoulder, watching it stretch like rubber. When he released it, it snapped back with a 'pop'.
Driven by curiosity, he swung his right arm, which extended several meters before retracting like a spring. The unexpected force caused him to stumble slightly. Moss, equally taken aback, murmured, "This… is the Gum-Gum Fruit?"
"According to the Devil Fruit guide, the shape doesn't match…" Mars muttered, forehead slick with sweat. After a brief cough, he forced himself to appear calm, masking his concern. "This must be the Paramecia-type Stretch-Stretch Fruit, an unrecorded fruit."
He insisted on this because no documented "Gum-Gum Fruit" existed. The World Government had purposefully reclassified the powerful, mythical 'Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika' as a "Gum-Gum Fruit" to conceal its true nature, hiding its infamous legacy as "the most absurd power in the world." They aimed to keep its mythological properties under wraps. But if Rufe had eaten a genuine Paramecia Nika-Nika Fruit, it was an alarming coincidence for Saint Mars.
"Stretch-Stretch Fruit?" Rufe scratched his head, visibly disappointed. The ability didn't seem particularly useful—certainly not compared to rare Logia or Mythical Zoan fruits. Even some Paramecia types, like the Spike-Spike Fruit or Spin-Spin Fruit, seemed superior. Perhaps it was just bad luck; after all, he was only a fisherman who'd nearly drowned in a storm, only to be captured by slave traders.
Moss, however, appeared unconcerned. "The power of a Devil Fruit depends on the skill of its user." He handed Rufe a small piece of Seastone wrapped securely in cloth.
Rufe took it and quickly noticed its effect. "Moss-sama, I feel weak…" Moss smiled—proof that the fruit was genuine, though its full potential remained uncertain. Steel Bone Kong and the CP0 agents kept stoic expressions, hoping pirates would gain nothing powerful.
"It's just a simple Paramecia power…" Mars said, his tone betraying his desire to avoid further mention of the "Gum-Gum Fruit." Feigning irritation, he added, "Now, have El bring the Celestial Dragon already. My time is precious."
"Understood, boss." Moss quickly contacted El through a transponder snail. "The Devil Fruits are genuine, including the extra Logia Woods-Woods Fruit they provided."
"Good. Then you and Rufe return," came El's prompt response.
Steel Bone Kong's eye twitched as he gritted his teeth. "What's the meaning of this, El? Are you playing games with us?"
El's voice responded, laden with sarcasm. "I wouldn't dare, though encountering a figure as significant as a Five Elder did give me quite a scare." His words dripped with mockery. "Facing someone of such high rank is… intimidating."
Both El and the World Government knew each other's true intentions. El, ever eager to weaken the government's elite forces, had anticipated the ambush, while the government aimed to eliminate him as a significant threat. In this high-stakes game of cat and mouse, they'd soon discover who held the upper hand.
"What?!"
"F-Five Elders?!"
Moss already knew who stood before them, but Rufe, the new recruit, gasped, his pupils shrinking as he looked at Saint Mars. Though once a simple fisherman, Rufe had learned about the World Government's hierarchy from Moss and Rock. Now, seeing the truth, sweat beaded on his forehead. Was this unassuming old man truly someone so powerful?
"What are you trying to pull? I don't have time for games," Saint Mars growled, his eyes blazing with cold fury. "This is the World Government's final offer. Don't push further…"
He continued icily, "No matter how much you humiliate the Celestial Dragons, the World Government can always tell the public they weren't real Celestial Dragons." With a steely sneer, he added, "Tell me—who do you think the people will believe? The World Government or some notorious pirates?"
"That may be so; you control the ocean's narrative…"
El's voice came from the transponder snail, undeterred by the threat. "But some people would still want to know, especially considering how 'untouchable' you claim the Celestial Dragons are. What's done is done, and the world has seen it." His tone dripped with scorn. "Rumor or truth, most people don't care—they just want a good story."
He laughed coldly. "Especially when it involves the Celestial Dragons—the greatest scourge of the seas. Isn't that right, Five Elder?"
"How dare you!"
Saint Mars's face darkened, his expression contorted with rage. "You insolent Lunarian! You're courting death!" His aura turned menacing, chilling Moss and Rufe as if the very air had turned icy.
"That damned El! How dare he speak to Saint Mars like that?"
"Arrogant fool!" CP0 agents and Steel Bone Kong bristled with anger, their expressions dark. They couldn't believe El had the audacity to insult a member of the Five Elders, one of the most powerful figures in the World Government.
"Don't act like your title means anything to me…" El's tone was equally defiant. "You think I don't know that you can summon the other Elders from afar?" He sneered. "I'm not foolish enough to risk myself for a few Devil Fruits."
"What?!"
Saint Mars's pupils contracted, astonished that El knew of this capability. Even Steel Bone Kong and the CP0 agents were taken aback.
"Summon the other Elders…from afar?"
This revelation was staggering.
"What do you know?" Saint Mars's voice dropped, thick with threat. Somehow, El seemed to know far more than he should about their powers, powers that hadn't been deployed in decades.
"One thing: send someone else," El's voice was firm, cold. "If there are any more tricks, the deal's off. I'll gladly let the world see the 'unique tastes' of the Celestial Dragons behind closed doors."
"You wretched brat!"
"That insolent piece—!"
~~~
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