Within just a few days, Kael's groundbreaking creation—the "Mobile Phone" also known as a "Phone"—swept through Alubarna, the bustling capital of Alabasta.
This mechanical marvel, designed as a replacement for the traditional Den Den Mushi, quickly became a sensation among the populace.
The Den Den Mushi, despite its versatility, came with significant drawbacks: it was prohibitively expensive, relied on complex bioengineering for production, and was inconvenient to maintain due to its biological nature.
Owners had to feed and care for these creatures daily, making them a luxury only affordable to nobles and government agencies. Kael's phone solved all these issues in one elegant stroke. As a mechanical creation born from his Devil Fruit powers, it required no feeding, maintenance, or even recharging. The device was durable, efficient, and, most importantly, affordable—even for commoners.
The phones' self-sustaining power was thanks to Kael's Devil Fruit. Anything created through his ability was imbued with a constant, supernatural energy source, allowing the phones to function indefinitely without external power.
This innovation made Kael's invention not only a technological marvel but also an economic game-changer. Kael applied pricing strategies from his previous life, setting the phone's price at a modest 5,000 Beli with a monthly communication fee of 300 Beli.
By comparison, a basic Den Den Mushi cost at least 100,000 Beli, while larger, cross-national models ranged from 500,000 to over 1,000,000 Beli.
Using his Devil Fruit, Kael could produce around 3,000 phones daily. As he pushed himself to his limits, this production capacity continued to grow.
Within a few days, about a thousand phones had already been sold, sparking a technological revolution in Alubarna.
However, Kael's true objective wasn't just to sell phones; it was to download powerful abilities through his Devil Fruit.
Unfortunately, this goal remained frustratingly out of reach. While the royal capital was bustling with activity, the palace's wide perimeter and security measures meant that few phone users ventured close enough for Kael to connect to them with his powers.
Kael sighed as he looked at the ceiling: "Ahh! If only someone like Momonga used one of my phones. Downloading a Vice Admiral's abilities would make dealing with Crocodile so much easier."
Despite his efforts, Momonga had proven resistant. Pell had personally delivered a phone to him, but Momonga was cautious about potential information leaks, so he dismissed it as unnecessary and left it untouched.
Kael studied the list of abilities available for download, his gaze was lingering on the options with a mixture of temptation and excitement:
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[Basic Fighting Techniques: 9MB
Intermediate Fighting Techniques: 50MB
Zoan-Type Mole-Mole Fruit (Basic Mastery): 1GB
Reinforced Muscle Weave (Basic): 500MB
Enhanced Sensory Matrix (Basic): 500MB]
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Kael's fingers hovered over the interface. He had only 1GB of memory available—a severe limitation that forced him to weigh every decision with meticulous care.
Until he could unlock the ability to delete or overwrite downloads, each choice was permanent.
His eyes narrowed as he evaluated his options. The Zoan-Type Mole-Mole Fruit, with its entire 1GB requirement, could be useful in the early stages, granting raw power and utility. But it would consume his entire memory capacity in one go.
On the other hand, the Reinforced Muscle Weave, which would enhance his physical durability and striking power, and the Enhanced Sensory Matrix, which heightened reflexes, awareness, and danger perception, each cost 500MB. Together, they offered a balance of offense and survivability—but would also max out his memory.
The smaller downloads, like Basic Fighting Techniques and Intermediate Fighting Techniques, seemed less impactful at first glance, but Kael recognized their potential. A strong foundation in close combat could multiply the effectiveness of whatever power he acquired.
Kael muttered under his breath: "I need to think long-term. I can't afford to be impulsive. The right choice now could mean the difference between life and death later."
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Meanwhile, in Alubarna
On the bustling streets of Alubarna, the lively chatter of citizens mixed with the occasional chime of strange sounds.
Ding-Ding!
Ding-Ding!
A tall figure cloaked in black watched from the shadows, his keen eyes were observing the source of the noise. Citizens clutched small black devices that emitted odd chimes, prompting the users to press buttons. Moments later, clear, distinct voices echoed from the devices.
"Strange yet fascinating." The cloaked man murmured in an amazed and curious voice.
He had come to Alabasta on a mission: to investigate the Warlord Crocodile, whose recent activities had drawn the attention of the higher-ups. Yet, these mysterious devices, which had seemingly appeared overnight and captured the city's fascination, were an unexpected enigma.
Approaching a young passerby, the cloaked man stepped forward, and asked in a deep, resonant voice: "Excuse me, where can I buy one of those?"
The young man turned, startled for a moment by the towering figure shrouded in black. Quickly recovering, he pointed down the street: "In the alley up ahead. It's a great deal—you don't want to miss it!"
The cloaked man nodded, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips as he moved in the direction indicated. These devices, with their strange yet captivating capabilities, has attract his attention.
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Back in the Royal Palace
Kael sat cross-legged in his room within the royal palace, meticulously creating a new batch of phones.
His focus was absolute—until a sudden, inexplicable chill ran down his spine. He froze mid-motion, his Devil Fruit's ability suddenly activating with an intensity he had never felt before.
In the vast web of faint signals created by his fruit's connection to every phone, one presence stood out. Among the myriad signals, each represented by a flickering firefly-like light, one flared up like a blazing fire—overwhelming and brilliant.
Kael's heart raced as he brought up his ability's interface, immediately identifying the source of this extraordinary power.
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[Detected Abilities for Download
Natural-Type: Ice-Ice Fruit (Awakened): 100GB
Advanced Armament Haki: 20GB
Advanced Observation Haki: 20GB
Advanced Navy Six Styles: 20GB]
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"Hiss! Why is he here?!" Kael inhaled sharply, his heart started pounding in his chest at extremely fast speed.
The Ice-Ice Fruit user? Kuzan is in Alabsta?!
The realization hit Kael like a tidal wave.
Kael's mind raced as he analyzed the data in his mind. The staggering requirements for downloading even a single one of Aokiji's abilities were far beyond his current capacity. The Ice-Ice Fruit (Awakened) alone required an astronomical 100GB, an amount Kael could only dream of at this stage.
Despite the overwhelming disparity, Kael wasn't discouraged. His Devil Fruit, the Phone-Phone Fruit, was limitless in its potential.
With time and effort, it could achieve what seemed impossible. Just one download could grant him mastery of the Ice-Ice Fruit at Kuzan's level—years of training condensed into an instant.
In fact, even if Kael had known the full extent of the Wish-Wish Fruit's powers before getting the Phone-Phone Fruit, he likely wouldn't have been able to wish for an ability more perfectly suited to him than the one he now possessed.
The Phone-Phone Fruit wasn't just a tool for personal empowerment; it was a gateway to collective growth, innovation, and sustained development—something no single wish could ever match in scope and potential.
The Wish-Wish Fruit, while granting incredible abilities like immortality, immense strength comparable to Garp's, or world-shaking powers like Whitebeard's Earthquake ability, would have only made Kael himself stronger.
Sure, such powers would have allowed him to effortlessly crush Crocodile and his grip on Alabasta. But then what?
The problem wasn't just Crocodile; it was Alabasta's long-term vulnerability. A single strong individual couldn't elevate a kingdom to greatness.
The lack of powerful generals and high-ranking individuals would leave Alabasta forever dependent on him, unable to stand against greater threats like the World Government or the Navy. The Phone-Phone Fruit, on the other hand, was an investment—not just in himself but in Alabasta. It allowed him to create and strengthen others, building a foundation that would endure long after his time.
With his Devil Fruit, he could transform his loyal subordinates into formidable warriors and create innovations like the phones, which brought both technological advancement and a steady, sustainable source of income for the kingdom.
The only drawback of the Phone-Phone Fruit was that its growth was slow. Its potential depended on the number of phones Kael could produce and the users connected to them. But Kael saw this not as a weakness, but as an opportunity. Time was his greatest ally.
Given enough time, Kael believed he could turn Alabasta into a behemoth—on par with the Navy or even the Yonko forces.
He envisioned a future where his kingdom would no longer fear pirates, corrupt Warlords, or the oppressive reach of the World Government. Instead, it would be a bastion of power and innovation, its strength born not from a single individual but from a united and empowered people.
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Back to the Alley
Kuzan, examined the sleek black phone in his hand. Its functionality and simplicity were remarkable, far beyond the Den Den Mushi's capabilities.
"This is quite impressive." He muttered, turning the device over in his hands. The clean, efficient design and intuitive operation were a stark contrast to the cumbersome, bioengineered Den Den Mushi.
Despite lingering questions about its security, Kuzan could already see the device's potential.
For casual, non-sensitive communications, it could revolutionize Navy operations, especially among lower-ranking officers. The practicality and affordability of the phone were very attractive.
"Who made this device?" After fiddling with the device for a few minutes, he looked at the vendor and asked in wonder.
The source of the phones was no secret among the citizens, and with no reason to withhold the information, the vendor gave Kuzan a friendly smile: "You must be new here."
Kuzan nodded casually, masking his true identity, he said smoothly: "Yes, I'm visiting some relatives." Drawing unnecessary attention was the last thing he wanted.
The vendor nodded and answered after a brief pause: "I don't know who exactly created these amazing phones, but I do know they came from the Royal Palace."
"The Royal Palace? Which means it's linked to the Royal Family of Alabasta." Kuzan frowned deeply.
"I think it must be connected to King Cobra somehow. That would make sense; only someone of King Cobra's stature could afford to distribute such advanced devices at such remarkably low prices." Kuzan said to himself as he glanced toward the Royal Palace.
Satisfying his curiosity, Kuzan bought a few more phones to take back as gifts for his friends. If nothing else, they would serve as intriguing souvenirs.
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In the Royal Palace, Kael sat quietly in his room.
Kuzan's presence was both a challenge and an opportunity. On one hand, the Admiral's use of a phone had validated Kael's ability to track powerful individuals through his network. On the other hand, it underscored his glaring limitations.
"I need to expand my memory capacity." Kael muttered in a serious, resolved voice.
His eyes shifted to the growing pile of phones stacked neatly in the corner of the room. Each phone in use contributed to his fruit's memory capacity. The more users he had, the faster his abilities would grow. It was a race against time, and Kael needed every advantage he could muster.
"For now, I'll keep things quiet." He thought, leaning back in his chair. A bitter smile appeared on his face: "If Kuzan starts digging, he might uncover too much."
With Crocodile lurking in the shadows and Kuzan's sudden arrival in the capital, Kael's path had become increasingly dangerous. Moving forward, he would need to act more carefully.