Caelan had completely transformed Blackbeard into a Heroic Spirit.
However, during the transformation, Caelan noticed something strange, he had consumed three times the usual amount of mana on Blackbeard alone.
"Interesting. So this is the unique body Blackbeard was born with?"
Caelan looked at Blackbeard's spirit form, a faint smile appearing on his face.
Within the spirit, he could sense two other distinct wills. Counting Blackbeard's own, there were three in total.
Blackbeard also had three hearts in his body.
One was filled with darkness, radiating the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit. The other two pulsed with normal, healthy red light, just like those of an ordinary human.
Perhaps it was this unique structure of body and soul that allowed Blackbeard to possess both the Tremor-Tremor Fruit and the Dark-Dark Fruit simultaneously, and even covet a third Mythical Zoan-type Fruit.
Recalling what Buggy once said about Blackbeard not sleeping for three days and nights, Caelan realized it was likely because his three wills rested in turns, making sleep unnecessary.
But that no longer mattered now.
Blackbeard's only value to Caelan was as a Devil Fruit Extractor, a tool to collect the Devil Fruits from the defeated.
After placing a Command Spell on him, Blackbeard's Heroic Spirit form fell completely under Caelan's control.
"Now you'll be easier to use." Caelan smiled faintly and asked, "Tell me, how do you extract other people's Devil Fruits?"
Bound by the Command Spell, Blackbeard spoke honestly, "By relying on the special gravity of the Dark-Dark Fruit, the power of a Devil Fruit can be bound after the ability user dies. The bound ability can then either be transferred directly to another person or infused into a normal fruit to become a new Devil Fruit."
Blackbeard answered sincerely, though he trembled inside.
Everything he said was true, but he hadn't meant to say it.
He wanted to beg for mercy, to curse, to resist, but he couldn't make a sound.
Move! Move!
Blackbeard focused all his will to regain control of his body, but it was useless.
Without Caelan's permission, he couldn't even twitch a finger.
He was like a puppet, forced to act according to Caelan's will.
Blackbeard looked at Caelan as if staring at a devil.
This man had turned him into something unrecognizable and could manipulate him completely.
Terrifying didn't even begin to describe it.
Caelan ignored Blackbeard's thoughts. He was quite satisfied with his method of extracting abilities. "Just as I thought," he said calmly.
"With this ability, I can recycle all the Devil Fruits within Impel Down."
Impel Down was one of the three major institutions under the World Government, imprisoning more than 100,000 criminals.
Among them, anyone below the fifth level of the Extreme Cold Hell was already considered a powerful fighter, at least on par with a mid-ranking Warlord officer.
Most of them were Devil Fruit users.
Altogether, there were about two to three hundred capable individuals within Impel Down.
If Caelan could extract all their Devil Fruits, he would gain two to three hundred fruits in one go. His power would skyrocket.
Two to three hundred Devil Fruits. Other than the World Government, no other force had ever possessed such might.
He could easily train an entire army of vice admirals, giving the Neo Navy an abundance of mid-level combat power.
Any excess could be distributed as rewards or used to recruit new talent. The benefits were endless.
He could even host a large-scale event, like Doflamingo once did, offering Devil Fruits as prizes.
"Blackbeard, how long would it take to extract all the Devil Fruits from these people?" Caelan asked, pointing to the 100,000 unconscious prisoners.
"If I go one by one, it'll take about a week," Blackbeard replied honestly.
There were over 100,000 people, and even just touching each of them would take a long time. Using the Dark-Dark Fruit would take even longer.
"A week? That's too long," Caelan said, frowning. "Is there a faster way?"
He had no intention of staying in Impel Down for a full week. He wanted to join the Battle of Marineford soon.
"One week is the limit," Blackbeard said seriously. "Even if I burn my life force to its limit, I can only draw the powers of about five thousand people in one minute. After that, I'll die."
"Five thousand at a time?"
Caelan was surprised.
If he could draw five thousand at once, then collecting from one hundred thousand would only take twenty rounds.
One minute per round meant only twenty minutes in total. That was acceptable.
As for dying after each round, it didn't matter. Caelan could infinitely revive Heroic Spirit bodies, bringing Blackbeard back each time.
Now, all that was needed were the fruits to hold the extracted powers.
Caelan waved toward Magellan in the distance.
Soon, Magellan ran over and stood respectfully before him.
"Caelan-sama, what do you require?" Magellan asked.
"Is there any fruit in Impel Down?" Caelan asked.
Although Magellan didn't know why he asked, he replied quickly, "Yes! Impel Down provides us with all kinds of fruit. Whatever you want, we have it!"
"Good. Bring me two baskets of each kind."
Caelan didn't explain further and simply gave the order.
He then casually opened a door that led directly outside the Reality Marble and into Impel Down proper.
"No problem, Caelan-sama!"
Magellan agreed immediately.
After what had just happened, his respect for Caelan had grown immensely.
He would never question an order, even one as strange as this.
But just as he was about to step out, his face twisted in discomfort and his legs clenched together. "Sorry, I'm… feeling it."
He looked mortified. Of all times for the Poison-Poison Fruit's side effects to hit, it had to be now.
"…Don't fight it," Caelan said, expressionless. "I'll cure the side effects of your Devil Fruit."
This man spent ten hours a day in the toilet. It was a miracle he hadn't already died of exhaustion.
If Magellan handled the fruits in this state, they might be contaminated with poison.
Those who ate the new Devil Fruits afterward would surely suffer.
It was better to cure him first.
"Yes, Caelan-sama," Magellan said awkwardly.
He was genuinely curious how Caelan planned to solve his problem.
"Heroic Spirit: Transformation."
Mana surged within Caelan as he directly transformed Magellan into a Heroic Spirit.
With the nature of a Heroic Spirit body, Magellan became immune to physical toxins. The side effects of the Poison-Poison Fruit no longer affected him.
Moments later, the transformation was complete.
"That's it?!" Magellan exclaimed in disbelief.
He felt a strange sensation inside him, his body was lighter, his stomach calm.
He had long suffered from severe diarrhea due to his inability to handle his own poison. Could it really be cured this easily?
Caelan replied calmly, "You're fine now. If you don't believe me, try inhaling some poison."
Magellan hesitated, then cautiously drew a small pool of venom and sniffed it.
He waited, hand on his stomach, expecting the familiar pain.
But there was nothing.
Aside from the faintly sweet and fishy smell, there was no reaction at all.
Magellan's eyes widened. "I'm cured!?"
He rubbed his calm stomach, tears nearly falling.
After spending ten hours a day in the toilet, his suffering had finally ended.
"Thank you for curing me, Caelan-sama!" Magellan said gratefully.
After years of torment, he was finally free.
"No need for thanks. Just bring me the fruit," Caelan said indifferently.
"Yes!"
Magellan wasted no time, leaving through the door Caelan had opened and heading to Impel Down's kitchen.
A short while later, ten large baskets of fruit were placed before Caelan.
He glanced over them, satisfied.
Apples, bananas, pears, grapes, pineapples, over a hundred of each.
More than enough for Blackbeard to use.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)