"!!!"
York's pupils shrank abruptly. She instinctively reached for her pistol.
However, a golden light had already exploded in her vision.
Kizaru's right foot, wrapped in particles of light, slammed hard into York's face.
"Whoosh—"
York's body shot back like a cannonball, on a direct collision course with the priceless machinery.
"!!!"
Kizaru narrowed his eyes slightly.
If that crucial equipment were damaged and it affected the progress of the "Sea Bottom Dredge" plan…
His bonus might just go down the drain~
His figure flickered, and his photonized body instantly appeared in York's flight path. Another precise side kick landed.
York's trajectory was forcibly altered, sending her body crashing upward toward the empty ceiling.
Then came a second kick, a third, a fourth…
Her body was like a puppet manipulated by invisible threads, suspended midair as countless beams of light struck her one after another.
Up, down, left, right—
Each kick landed at just the right moment, keeping her body aloft whenever she was about to fall.
Her consciousness blurred and dissolved rapidly in the golden rain of light.
"Traitor~"
"So scary~"
Finally, Kizaru slowly retracted his leg.
He stretched out a hand and caught the unconscious York as she gently fell.
"Clink—"
A crisp sound rang out.
A miniature data storage unit slipped from York's pocket and clattered onto the smooth metal floor.
"..."
"Borsalino!"
"What happened?!"
The laboratory doors swung open.
Vegapunk's main body, along with the other five satellites rushed inside.
When they saw York limp in Kizaru's hand, all of them froze.
"This… what's going on?"
"Oh~ Vegapunk, you're here."
Kizaru casually tossed York to the ground.
"Nothing major, just helping you take out the trash in your house."
"I've been observing her for two or three days. This kid's thoughts aren't all that pure, you know~"
"But, she's still your satellite. How to handle her, that's your call."
"But~"
His words dragged long, laced with warning.
"Don't let it affect our big 'Sea Bottom Dredge' plan~"
"..."
Vegapunk's face instantly grew grim.
He strode forward, picked up the storage unit, and slotted it into the console.
The screen clearly displayed the freshly copied, complete design of the submarine.
A traitor—
No doubt about it!
Vegapunk's body trembled slightly.
Desire…
So, when pure desire is stripped of the shackles of reason, it becomes this terrifying.
It devours everything, betrays everything, just to satisfy its endless hunger.
This was his mistake.
"I understand…"
Vegapunk's voice rasped as he spoke slowly.
His gaze fell on the unconscious York, a flicker of resolve flashing in his eyes.
"This mistake, I'll correct with my own hands."
"Desire… must return to where it belongs."
He stepped forward and pressed his hand firmly on York's head.
Streams of data were forcibly drawn from York's body and surged into Vegapunk's brain.
For a fleeting instant, a glimmer of desire flickered in Vegapunk's eyes—but it was swiftly crushed under reason and wisdom.
From today on, he would temporarily take over the dangerous persona of "Desire."
...
The Calm Belt.
Deathly silence was the eternal theme of this sea.
No wind, no waves—the surface was so still it resembled a massive mirror covered in dust, reflecting the sky above.
"Splshhh—"
A massive fleet cut across the water at a steady pace, breaking the surface without a sound.
Seastone embedded in the hulls perfectly masked their presence.
However, the disguise provided by Seastone could not deceive all Sea Kings.
"Crk—"
Ten thousand meters below the deep sea, an enormous eye slowly opened.
This ancient, intelligent, colossal Sea King took a single glance at the fleet before quietly closing its eye again.
Provoking a fleet of this caliber was no different than leaping voluntarily onto a butcher's block.
"..."
Flagship of the fleet, captain's quarters.
Hawke lounged on the sofa at the main seat, posture relaxed.
Beside him sat Hibari and Kujaku, followed by Zoro, Sanji, Robin, and Nami—all sitting casually.
"Everyone, I expect that soon, a great war sweeping across the entire world will break out."
Hawke's low voice shattered the silence of the room.
Immediately, everyone's expressions turned serious.
"So, this trip to Impel Down is not just to wipe out criminals, but also a form of special training."
"All of your strengths will undergo a qualitative leap."
"But…"
"Devil Fruits are also part of strength."
"Kujaku, Robin—you already have your respective abilities. Your goal this time is to further develop them and weave them into your combat instincts."
"And then…"
Hawke swept his gaze over Hibari, Zoro, Sanji, and Nami, before retrieving a finely crafted wooden box from beside him.
"Click."
The lid snapped open with a soft sound.
Instantly, everyone's eyes were drawn to it.
Inside the box lay a single fruit.
A golden, spherical fruit, its surface covered in azure spiral patterns like lightning, faint arcs of electricity crackling across its skin.
"This fruit… is the Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit."
Hawke's voice rang out again.
"Eat it, and your physique will transform into lightning itself, rendering physical attacks, most energy attacks, and any non-Haki strikes ineffective."
"..."
"This is an extremely powerful and versatile fruit."
"Who among you is willing?"
After saying this, Hawke leaned back against the sofa, speaking no more.
"..."
The captain's quarters fell into brief silence.
Soon, however, all eyes inevitably turned to Zoro and Sanji.
The two of them stood as undisputed first echelon under the Rear Admiral.
This fruit, representing overwhelming strength, should rightfully belong to one of them.
The two exchanged a glance.
Then, simultaneously, they turned their heads toward Hawke on the main seat.
Their eyes carried the same confusion and doubt.
"You're not going to eat it?"
...
A/N: Let me say something. After a reader left a two-star review.
The review was short: "Did you give Hawke the Gura Gura no Mi or not?" (He used a homophone because he feared the review wouldn't pass moderation~)
A fanfic, and just because the fruit arrangement didn't satisfy him, he cursed the author to…?
So, since no matter which fruit Hawke eats readers won't be satisfied, I decided to follow Teacher Kaido's words:
Haki, above all!!!
Hawke will not have a Devil Fruit ability!!!
Hawke will not have a Devil Fruit ability!!!
Hawke will not have a Devil Fruit ability!!!
He will be the Peak of physique, martial arts, and all three forms of Haki.
If he doesn't like someone, he'll cover his fist with Armament Haki and smash them with one punch!
----------------
Fanfic is finished on Patreon (227 chapters in total.)
Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)