That night, Reno's "study session" with Tashigi was brief—only two hours. Of course, this was mainly to ease her emotions. Notably, Reno had assumed Tashigi was just inexperienced in technique, but she turned out to be completely innocent. Among all the women he'd "conquered," Tashigi was truly one of a kind. The novelty was off the charts.
After tucking her in gently, Reno left the room.
…
"Claim reward."
[Congratulations, host! You have obtained 120 Haki Fruits.]
"120?!" Reno couldn't hold back his shock.
He checked the system's notes: ①: Of the 120 Haki Fruits, 50 are Observation Haki Fruits, 50 are Armament Haki Fruits, and 20 are Conqueror's Haki Fruits. ②: Consuming a Haki Fruit awakens the corresponding type of Haki. If the user already has that Haki, eating another enhances its strength, though with diminished returns. ③: All Devil Fruits from the system have no side effects and are safe to consume.
…
Reno got it. As expected from the Beauty Conquest System—this reward was clearly meant to boost the girls' strength. Among the plot-relevant beauties in the pirate world, only a few had combat skills, and even fewer had Haki. With these Haki Fruits, they could skip training and all awaken Haki. How terrifying was that? Even at the lowest level, they'd have some self-defense capability.
Especially for non-combatants like Kaya and Makino. While Reno would protect them, as the saying goes, it's better to rely on yourself than others.
Reno rubbed his chin, mentally listing all the beautiful women across the Four Seas, Grand Line, and New World—around 50 or so. Nearly a fifth already had Haki. The Observation and Armament Haki Fruits were more than enough. As for Conqueror's Haki Fruits, he'd need to choose carefully.
First, they had to be combatants. Nami was a perfect fit. What? She lacks the "kingly" aura to fully utilize Conqueror's Haki? No problem. In a fight, Reno just had to shout, "They're gonna steal all your money and uproot your orange trees!" Nami's aura would explode, sweeping the battlefield. If her enemies didn't run, they'd be toast. If they did, she'd chase them down.
Satisfied, Reno stored the Haki Fruits. Tomorrow, he'd give the girls a little surprise. He'd learned that any surprise, big or small, kept them happy for days.
…
The next morning, after breakfast, Reno placed twelve Haki Fruits with spiral patterns on the dining table. Six white, six black. White for Observation Haki, black for Armament Haki.
"Devil Fruits?!"
Nami, Kaya, Nojiko, Tashigi, Carue, and Makino gasped in excitement. They weren't novices anymore and instantly recognized the spiral-patterned fruits. Though the colors and shapes varied, that pattern was unique—no ordinary fruit had it.
"So many Devil Fruits?! Captain, where'd you get these?" Makino leaned closer, puzzled.
Devil Fruits were rare treasures. Most people never saw one in their lifetime, existing only in legends. Reno had pulled out twelve? Was he secretly a Devil Fruit wholesaler?
"But why are they all the same color?" Kaya noted softly, spotting the oddity. Weren't Devil Fruits supposed to be unique?
Reno patted Kaya's forehead with a smile. "Remember the three types of Haki I told you about? These are Haki Fruits. Eat a white one, and you awaken Observation Haki. Eat a black one, and you awaken Armament Haki." He looked at Nami and Kaya, emphasizing, "And you two can eat them too—no side effects."
Nami and Kaya's faces lit up. If Reno said it was fine, it was fine.
"These are really for us?!" Tashigi, still adjusting to her new life, pointed at herself in disbelief.
Good grief, what kind of pirate crew is this? First, Reno gave her a Great Grade Sword right after joining. Now, just days later, he was handing her two Devil Fruits. Is this… what being cherished feels like? Her head spun again.
"Of course they're for you. You're all my women now—everyone gets some," Reno said, smirking proudly.
The girls blushed.
Before he finished, Nami pounced. "I want mine!" "Me too!" "Save two for me!" "…"
The girls, already enamored with the Haki abilities Reno had described, were thrilled. Observation Haki's powerful perception, Armament Haki's iron-like defense—what wasn't to love?
"So sweet~" "Delicious!"
Biting into the fruits, their eyes sparkled.
"Aren't Devil Fruits supposed to taste awful?" Tashigi asked, munching on the fruit, puzzled.
Smoker had told her they were disgusting, but Reno's were different. Not only did they taste good, but they broke the "one fruit per person" rule. The captain's amazing.
…