As Monet consumed the fruit, her body began to undergo a wondrous change. Her skin grew even fairer, almost translucent, and the tips of her long, green hair seemed to be touched by frost. Before Tesoro's disbelieving eyes, the lower half of her body slowly dissolved, transforming into an elegant form made of pure white snow.
"Is this... the Logia-type Snow-Snow Devil Fruit?!" Tesoro's voice was filled with shock and a noticeable hint of regret.
Takero, however, just looked on with mild curiosity. "The Snow-Snow Fruit? What's that?"
"It's one of the rarest and most powerful types of Devil Fruits—a Logia!" Tesoro quickly explained to his boss. "It gives the user the ability to create and control snow, and they can even turn their own body into snow to become immune to normal physical attacks! It's said that a Marine Vice Admiral, Aokiji Kuzan, who is a top candidate for the rank of Admiral, has the Ice-Ice Fruit, which is an even more powerful version of this!" 1
"Oh, I get it," Takero said, but then he remembered the man made of light he had recently fought, and his interest vanished. "So it's basically the same as that flashy light guy. You can turn into an element, looks fancy, but that's about it." In his mind, being able to control light or snow was just a neat trick. It couldn't compare to the raw, destructive power of Ki. "Sigh, if only there was a Devil Fruit that let you summon food whenever you wanted," he sighed genuinely, then lost interest in the topic completely.
Monet, however, was lost in the joy of her newfound abilities. The feeling was incredible, as if she had become one with nature itself. With a single thought, the snowflakes falling around her condensed, first forming into a small bird ready to take flight, then shifting into a lively snow rabbit. She was in complete control.
Tesoro watched her, his heart filled with envy. A Logia-type! That was the absolute top tier of Devil Fruits. Eating one meant an instant, massive boost in power. Why did he have to be so stubborn earlier? He was regretting his decision so much it felt like his insides were turning green.
Takero saw the look on his face and shot him a disdainful glance. "Look at you. It's just a weird fruit, what's there to be so jealous about?"
"But… but I didn't know it was a Logia!" Tesoro argued, looking wronged. "If I had known, I would have eaten it! I could have gained incredible power instantly and been more useful to you, Boss!"
Takero considered that for a moment. He had a point. If his subordinates were stronger, his own life would be easier. More importantly, maybe they could eventually become decent sparring partners—qualified punching bags to help him train.
With that thought, he put on a profound expression and clapped Tesoro on the shoulder. "True strength must be forged from within!" he said earnestly. "Relying on cheap tricks will only get you so far. Only your own Ki can allow you to surpass everything!" He leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I can see that you have a strong spirit and a fire in your eyes. You're a rare martial arts genius, the kind one sees only once in a generation! So, how about this? I have a long-lost manual, the [Kame Senryu Basic Cultivation Manual]. Today, I will bestow it upon you!"
He made a theatrical grabbing motion in the air, and a small, ancient-looking booklet appeared in his hand from out of nowhere. It was, of course, just something he had the system create from his memories, but Tesoro didn't know that. All he saw was his boss pulling a mysterious item out of thin air.
He immediately took the booklet with both hands, his expression full of reverence. It felt as heavy as lead, radiating an indescribable aura. "Kame Senryu..." he murmured. "It sounds very powerful..."
"Hmph. Study it well," Takero said with the cool indifference of a grandmaster. "It's a training method I used in my early days. On top of that, I have a special 'Gravity Training Method.' I'll teach it to you later, depending on your progress."
Hearing this, Tesoro's heart nearly burst with excitement. How did he deserve such special treatment and training from the boss? An overwhelming sense of gratitude washed over him. He fell to his knees again, grabbing Takero's leg while tears streamed down his face. "Boss—!!"
"Ugh! Gross! Get off of me!" Takero recoiled, kicking him away in disgust. "You're a grown man, stop crying and sniveling all the time! Have some dignity!"
Monet, seeing her chance, acted immediately. She used her new ability to summon a gentle gust of cold wind, which neatly pushed the still-wriggling Tesoro into a corner of the room.
Takero nodded in approval. "Well done. You've got good instincts."
"Hmph, of course," Monet hummed, flapping her newly formed wings of snow. She floated in mid-air, a proud, satisfied look on her face.
"Alright, that's enough messing around," Takero said, clapping his hands together as his expression turned serious. "It's time to discuss the second matter."
Tesoro instantly wiped his tears, sprang to his feet, and stood at attention. "Boss, just give the order! I would go through hell and high water for you!"
"Good," Takero nodded. "I want you to consolidate all the forces on this island under our control. Then, find out everything you can about a place called 'West City.'"
After hearing the command, the excitement on Tesoro's face faded, replaced by a troubled look. "Boss… about that, I was just about to report to you." It turned out that after Takero had left the previous day, Tesoro had already tried to carry out his boss's orders. But he was still just a teenager. Even with Takero's name behind him, the hardened underworld bosses and guild leaders who ran Ambri Island were not about to listen to him. The fact that they hadn't beaten him and thrown him out was the only respect they showed for the man who had killed Gollier.
"So that's pretty much the situation," Tesoro said, spreading his hands helplessly. "The other factions on the island… they don't seem convinced that you're in charge. Some of them even… said some bad things. They're saying you're just some lucky kid who got a lucky break."
Takero didn't get angry. Instead, a brilliant smile spread across his face—a smile that sent a chill down the spines of both Tesoro and Monet. He stood up and stretched, his joints popping loudly.
"Let's go," he said calmly.
Tesoro was startled. "Go? Go where?"
Takero grinned, revealing a mouthful of pearly white teeth.
"Time for some post-dinner exercise, of course."
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