The bonfire roared on the deck of the Oro Jackson, casting flickering orange light across the crew's laughing faces.
Shiro gripped a flask of rum so tightly his knuckles whitened. The sharp burn of liquor down his throat did nothing to ease the knot of unease twisting in his chest.
Through the noise of the feast, his eyes locked on the man standing at the bow—Roger. The captain leaned casually against the mast, red cloak whipping in the sea breeze, drinking deeply from a bowl of sake, a faint smile on his lips.
"Shiro."
The sudden call jolted him. Roger's sharp gaze had turned toward him.
"Is there something you want to tell me?"
The captain's voice rang out clearly, and the clang of his sake bowl hitting the table seemed to cut through the entire celebration.
Shiro's heart lurched. He drew in a breath and forced himself to step forward.
"Captain Roger… there's something I want to give you."
His hands trembled as they reached into the bag slung across his back. From the cloth emerged a fruit, dark purple and patterned with curling spirals, glinting strangely under the firelight.
Roger's eyes narrowed. The bowl paused at his lips.
"…A Devil Fruit? You took this from the Celestial Dragon's ship, didn't you?"
His calloused fingers traced the fruit's skin, and a flicker of curiosity sparked in his eyes.
"Yes. I thought about it for a long time, and I've decided… this Gum Gum Fruit should be yours, Captain."
Shiro held it out with both hands, sweat dampening its strange surface.
Roger chuckled, tossing the fruit into the air and catching it again with ease.
"The Gum Gum Fruit, huh? So it'll make me into a man of rubber? Sounds pretty amusing! Wahahaha!"
"Captain," Shiro pressed forward, voice trembling with urgency, "you should eat it. You're the man chosen by fate—this fruit belongs to you."
Roger's smile faded into a thoughtful frown. His eyes sharpened as he studied Shiro's face.
"...Shiro. Why are you so insistent? What's this talk about being 'chosen by fate'?"
The laughter around them suddenly felt distant. Only the crackle of the fire filled the silence.
Shiro's throat bobbed. His mind raced.
"Well… I once read in a Devil Fruit encyclopedia about this fruit. When it awakens, it isn't just rubber. It becomes the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan model—Sun God Nika."
Roger's eyes widened, gleaming with excitement. His grip tightened on the fruit until it squished slightly in his palm.
"Sun God Nika, huh? Sounds powerful!"
"It should be true," Shiro pushed on, forcing conviction into his voice. "You've never eaten a Devil Fruit, Captain. This one could be perfect for you!"
Roger's grin burst forth again, white teeth flashing.
"All right then, Shiro—I'll trust your judgment!"
He raised the fruit to his mouth, but paused an inch from biting. His eyes narrowed.
"…But if my body turns to rubber, will it affect my swordsmanship?"
Shiro froze. His chest tightened.
"That… I'm not sure," he admitted, then steadied himself. "But I believe if you master it, it won't just leave your swordsmanship intact—it might even make it stronger."
The words were half a bluff, but Roger's booming laugh answered them.
"Wahahaha! Good enough for me!"
He bit into the fruit.
The vile taste exploded across his tongue. His face twisted, throat gagging as he swallowed with difficulty.
"Ghhk! What the hell is this taste?!"
"Every Devil Fruit tastes awful," Shiro said quickly, relief flooding him. "You might as well finish it all at once, Captain."
Scowling, Roger shoved the rest of the fruit into his mouth and gulped down a massive swig of sake. The alcohol didn't wash away the bitterness, but something else stirred inside him instead.
A strange, buoyant energy surged through his veins. His body felt light, flexible.
Instinctively, he reached for a cup on a nearby table—only for his arm to stretch like rubber, snatching the cup from meters away.
"Oi oi oi… this is interesting!"
Excitement flared in Roger's eyes. He stretched and snapped his arm back, laughing like a child with a new toy.
At that moment, Gaban froze mid-bite, his roasted meat suddenly yanked from his hand. He spun around just in time to see Roger's rubber arm retracting, meat clutched triumphantly.
"Wha—?! My meat just flew away?!"
The knife and fork clattered from his hands. His face went pale.
"Captain… what's happening to your arm?!"
The feast fell silent. The crew crowded around, whispering in shock.
At the edge of the circle, Shiro exhaled in quiet relief. Roger was grinning ear to ear, one hand raising his sake, the other stretching comically with Gaban's roast in hand.
Shiro cleared his throat and explained loudly:
"Captain Roger ate the Gum Gum Fruit. That's why his body changed like this."
Murmurs spread among the men.
"So the rumors are true… eat a Devil Fruit and you can't swim. Will it weaken the captain?"
"Doesn't seem like it! Shiro ate one too and he's stronger than ever."
"Still, I wanna see what Captain Roger can really do with it!"
Encouraged by their voices, Roger drew his sword, Ace, his grin wide with anticipation.
But when he swung, his arm stretched uncontrollably. The blade wobbled limply through the air, not even leaving a mark on the deck.
Roger froze, then slumped, both hands clutching his head.
"Damn it… my swordsmanship's gone!"
The red cloak fell heavy behind him.
Shiro, already expecting this, stepped forward to reassure him.
"Don't worry, Captain. When I first ate my fruit, I couldn't control its power either. Once you master it, your swordplay will return—and it'll be even stronger."
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