Chapter 307: The Vampire and the Pure Gold
"The Vampire Fruit..."
As the others watched, Louis picked up the chest and opened it.
Inside was a Devil Fruit, slightly larger than a human hand. It looked like a tomato, deep purple-red, its surface covered in a dense pattern of swirls.
Bat-Bat Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Vampire.
The person who eats this can transform into a vampire from legend, gaining the ability to create a zone of darkness at night to hide. They can also drain an enemy's blood to restore their own condition. Those who have their blood drained either fall asleep or age rapidly, their strength and stamina plummeting.
If necessary, the user can even use this ability to restore their own youth, maintaining their peak state. Of course, that's the limit; it's impossible to achieve true immortality with this fruit.
Right now, Louis needed it to restore the old muscle-man, Amit, who was living out his retirement on Baal. As soon as he was back in his prime, Louis's faction would gain another top-tier fighter.
Once Yelena and the others returned with the Pure Gold, Louis would send both items to Baal.
After a long look, Louis closed the chest and placed it on the table. He looked up at his kinsmen sitting opposite him.
"It's impressive you managed to find it. Was the journey smooth?"
Artemis, leaning back on the sofa, propped her long, slender legs up on the table, her expression casual. "It was fine, aside from wasting some time blasting our way out of the ruins at the end. Finding the 'Sleeping Town' and the ruin itself was easy."
On another sofa, a tall, middle-aged Lunarian, who had seen the newspapers on his way back, frowned. "Our trip isn't what's important. You... your attack on Mary Geoise was too dangerous, too reckless!"
The other men nodded in agreement. When they heard that Louis had attacked the Celestial Dragons in their stronghold without his officers, they'd been terrified. They were only relieved when they learned he had returned safely after leveling the place.
"It was necessary," Louis said, his voice calm. "It's better to find out the World Government's true strength and abilities now, rather than paying in blood and death to learn about them in the future."
For instance, the fact that Imu's fruit was a Demon and could forcibly convert living beings into demons under his control... that was something Louis had never known. If, in the final battle, his subordinates were turned against him, it would be a catastrophe.
Why not expose that weakness now, with a single probe?
Louis looked at them, seeing the lingering fear in their eyes. They weren't just his subordinates; they were his elders, his family. He felt he owed them an explanation.
"We're not against you probing the World Government's strength," Artemis sighed. "We just think you shouldn't have done it alone, in their fortress. Even if you didn't bring your officers, you should have at least brought us. If something had gone wrong, we could have covered your escape."
In her eyes, Louis's safety was paramount. All of them would sacrifice themselves for him.
"Perhaps," Louis said, not arguing. He pushed the wooden box toward her. "Yelena and the others will be back soon. I want you to take this Vampire Fruit and the Pure Gold back to Baal."
"No problem." Artemis nodded, giving him a reassuring look.
"Oh, and take Judge with you," Louis added. "See if he can help with the construction of the Ark."
"Got it."
Artemis wasn't concerned about Judge's trustworthiness. In her eyes, he wasn't strong enough to be a threat. She pulled out a Den Den Mushi and called him.
The middle-aged Lunarian stood up. "I'll go prepare the other supplies for Baal." As he opened the main door, he was met by several figures, their giant shadows falling over him. It was Yelena's group, back from their mission.
He nodded in greeting and slipped past them. As he did, he noticed a medium-sized object on a wooden cart, covered by a heavy tarp. Is that... the Pure Gold? He shook the thought away and headed for the First Branch.
Uta entered the hall, her purple, jewel-like eyes instantly locking onto Louis. A bright smile spread across her face as she waved.
"Long time no see, Louis!"
"Mm, long time no see," Louis replied, meeting her gaze.
Beside her, Shirahoshi looked down at Uta, her lovely face puzzled. "But... we weren't gone that long, were we?"
"For me," Uta said, her smile widening, "every day away from Louis is an eternity!"
She skipped over and plopped onto the sofa next to him, leaning her entire body against his. Shirahoshi settled onto a giant-sized sofa nearby, her pink tailfin coiled beneath her, her blue eyes blinking.
Artemis hung up her Den Den Mushi, her gaze drawn to the object Yelena was wheeling in.
"Pure Gold..."
Louis watched as Yelena placed the heavy, tarp-covered object on the table. She untied the ropes and slowly pulled back the cover.
Golden light streamed out, illuminating the hall. When the tarp was fully removed, the entire room was bathed in a brilliant, pure gold glow.
Everyone in the room felt a strange, wondrous sensation as the light washed over them. Their bodies... felt like they had stopped.
"What a strange feeling..." Artemis said, examining her hands. "Just like the legends say. Pure Gold slows the body's aging to a near-total stop. But... you also can't get any stronger while bathed in its light."
She frowned. "It seems it's best to wait until after fifty to use this." To her, maintaining her appearance was nothing compared to gaining strength.
The others, feeling the same effect, nodded. Yelena, Uta, and Shirahoshi, having already experienced it, were unfazed.
Louis studied the Pure Gold for a moment, then sliced off a small, rice-sized grain and tossed it to Artemis. "Take this, and the Vampire Fruit, back with you." He didn't bother crafting a holder for it; Arcordon, with his metal-shaping abilities, could handle it.
"Got it." Artemis caught the golden particle and sealed it in a small vial. She and the other Lunarians stood, ready to leave.
As they shut the door, Louis turned his attention back to the massive chunk of Pure Gold. A piece the size of a grain of rice was enough to grant eternal life. The piece before him was enormous. It was more than enough for all of his core members, with plenty to spare.
He looked up at Yelena, who was re-covering the treasure. "How did you find a piece this large?"
"We had Shirahoshi's Sea Kings find the lantern fish and call it up," Yelena explained. "I knocked it out, and we dug this out of its lantern."
Louis turned to Shirahoshi with a warm smile. "Good work, Shirahoshi."
"It was nothing!" Shirahoshi said, her face firm. "I am a part of Terra, too! And... I didn't really do much. The Sea Kings and Lady Yelena did all the work."
"Not true," Yelena said, tucking a strand of white hair behind her ear. "Without you, the Sea Kings would never have helped us so eagerly. Your contribution was essential."
"She's right!" Uta added, stretching and yawning. "Our little Shirahoshi worked very hard!" She then flopped sideways, laying her head in Louis's lap with a happy, content sigh.
"You know," she mumbled, her eyes closed, "our trip was almost too smooth. We didn't hit a single storm, no tsunamis, not even a single pirate ship... By the way," she said, her voice muffled, "I heard in the garden that you... completely dismantled Mary Geoise. Is that true? It wasn't in the papers."
"More or less," Louis replied, stroking her hair. "A few buildings survived the aftershocks."
"Then... what about the slaves...?" Uta asked.
At the word "slaves," Shirahoshi, who had been chatting with Yelena, went still. She turned, her expression tense. Many of her own people had been sold to Mary Geoise.
"Before Impel Down fell," Louis said, "I released a group of Revolutionaries. I had them free the slaves. If I'm not mistaken, they should all be on a ship to a safe island by now."
Uta and Shirahoshi let out a sigh of relief. "That's wonderful."
"..."
Just then, a Den Den Mushi on the table began to ring. Louis gently sat Uta up, stood, and answered it.
"Hello? Is this Louis?" a familiar voice squawked.
Louis raised an eyebrow. "Morgans? Why are you calling me?"
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