Raphael: <>
System: []
******
Once Nami had finally calmed down, she and the rest of the Straw Hats gathered up the bodies of Arlong and Nezumi, then began the walk back to Cocoyasi Village, though not before making sure the rest of the lifeless fishmen were reduced to nothing more than fish food.
When they returned, the village was completely still. For ten, maybe fifteen minutes, not a single person moved or spoke. It was as if time itself had stopped. No one could believe what they were seeing... no one could believe that Arlong was gone. The monster who had ruled over them with cruelty and fear for eight long years was truly, finally gone.
Then the silence broke, and like a bursting dam, the entire village exploded into ear-splitting cheers. People cried, screamed, hugged each other, and dropped to their knees. Sobs of relief echoed through the streets, and wave after wave of gratitude poured out toward their saviors.
Soon, word of Arlong's defeat spread like wildfire across the Conomi Islands, and before long, Cocoyasi Village became the center of a grand celebration. People from every corner of the archipelago arrived to join in, bringing with them whatever food and booze they could gather on such short notice. A massive bonfire was built in the heart of the village, casting flickering light and long shadows across the square as the festivities kicked off.
The bodies of Arlong and Nezumi were laid out beside the fire, a grim but satisfying reminder of the nightmare that was finally over. Villagers and visitors alike danced and drank deep into the night, as the celebration of freedom was still going strong well past midnight.
Nearby, Nami was growing increasingly flustered as the villagers surrounded her with gratitude, calling her a hero and showering her with praise. She shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot, cheeks burning, clearly unsure how to handle all the attention. Nojiko, on the other hand, was absolutely beaming, hugging her little sister tightly and proudly telling anyone who would listen how Nami and her friends had saved the entire archipelago from Arlong. Maybe it was the alcohol in her system, or the stress she'd endured over the past three months... whatever the reason, her extroverted side was in full force, and she was doting on Nami a little too enthusiastically, much to Nami's dismay, as she squirmed and trying to wriggle free as Nojiko's grasp while she kept on squeezing her, completely oblivious to her sister's protests.
Meanwhile, Uta and Reiju were in full party mode. Drinking, laughing, and fully embracing the festive atmosphere alongside the villagers. At some point, they even managed to rope in Kaya and Kuina, despite the pair's clear attempts to stay under the radar. Kaya, with her shy personality, had been quietly trying to avoid the spotlight, while Kuina, ever the reserved type, naturally preferred solitude over socializing.
At first, both girls protested. Kaya with polite excuses, Kuina with a cold stare and crossed arms. But between the cheerful persistence of their crewmates and the warm, welcoming energy of the villagers, their resistance didn't last long. A few drinks in and surrounded by genuine smiles, even they began to relax. While they didn't throw themselves into the celebration with the same wild abandon as Uta or Reiju, they still ended up seated around the bonfire along with the villagers.
While the celebration roared on behind him, Luffy sat a short distance away from the bonfire, watching it all with a calm smile. It wasn't that he didn't want to join in; in fact, he was happy just seeing everyone enjoying themselves, but right now, he was more curious about whether he'd earned any new titles or achievements after the whole ordeal with Arlong. However, just as he was about to pull up his system panel, his Observation Haki picked up the presence of someone approaching, and a moment later, Zoro walked up beside him, carrying two mugs of booze.
"Here. Have a drink, Captain," Zoro said, handing him a mug.
"No thanks. I don't drink," Luffy replied, gently pushing it back.
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What kind of guy doesn't drink?"
"The kind who doesn't want to wreck his liver," Luffy said with a chuckle.
"You are fucking weird," Zoro said and decided not to push Luffy to drink. "Well, it just means more for me."
"Yep, enjoy it on my behalf too," Luffy said with a chuckle. Alcohol had never been his thing, something he'd carried over from his last life as Grey. Back then, he'd once tried some cheap liquor with friends, only to instantly develop a strong distaste for the stuff. Since then, even the smell of alcohol was enough to put him off. It wasn't just a preference anymore; it had become a mental block, which he didn't regret even in the slightest. In his eyes, there were way better things to spend money on than paying to swallow something that slowly poisoned you for fun.
"No, it's not because of the alcohol, but I still think you're weird," Zoro said, taking a long swig from his mug. "First, there's your Devil Fruit, it spits out random, ridiculously overpowered stuff whenever it feels like it. And then there's you..." He turned toward Luffy as his tone turned serious and his eyes narrowed slightly. "...You've got all this strength... all this potential, but no real dream. No conviction behind it."
Luffy blinked, taken aback for a moment before giving a light laugh."What are you talking about, Zoro? I'm going to find the One Piece and become the Pirate King," he said, flashing him a grin.
"You say that, but there's no weight behind your words," Zoro scoffed, taking another slow pull from his mug before leveling his gaze at Luffy. "Right now, you sound like a kid parroting what people expect to hear. Everyone on this crew has a dream they're grinding toward. Even Uta, laid‑back as she is, has something she's chasing. But you? You're the captain, and half the time it feels like you're just along for the ride on everyone else's journey."
'What the hell?! Since when did the sword-sexual mosshead get all deep and philosophical?' Luffy thought, staring at Zoro like he'd just grown a second head. This was the guy who usually had two moods: slicing things up and drinking until he got more things to slice up. But still... even if he didn't want to admit it out loud, Luffy understood what Zoro was getting at.
Even though Grey's memories had merged with Luffy's, the drive to find the One Piece and become the Pirate King didn't really feel like his dream. Part of it came from the original Luffy's promise to Shanks, and part of it was Grey's own hunger for adventure, a refusal to waste his second shot at life stuck as a nobody on some tiny island. But if he was being honest with himself, right now he was just going with the flow, taking each day as it came and enjoying the ride.
He didn't have any major goal he was actively chasing. He hadn't eaten the Gomu Gomu no Mi, or as a few know it as the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, so there was no grand destiny to free the world weighing on his shoulders. Hell, even his own strength and that of his crew were growing steadily while his system kept providing new tools and abilities to support them, so there was no urgency, no desperate need to become stronger.
For now, the only real goal that came to Luffy's mind was the vow he'd made to the Queen of this world. He still remembered her words from that day, clear as ever: "I just need a promise from you, a vow that you will continue to grow and one day challenge me for my throne."
'Becoming strong enough to take on the ruler of this world... Now that sounded like a proper goal,' Luffy thought with a quiet sigh. 'But do I actually want that? Or would I be doing it just because...' he sighed again, the question trailing off in his mind before he pushed it aside. He could figure that out later. Right now, he turned his attention back to the moss-headed swordsman beside him.
"Anyway," Luffy said, tilting his head slightly, "when we first met, you mentioned something about going to Wano and reclaiming your family's honor. What was that all about? I mean, shouldn't you be putting everything into becoming the World's Strongest Swordsman?"
Zoro let out a short breath through his nose, frowning slightly as he looked down and realized both mugs were already empty. "Of course I'm going to become the World's Strongest Swordsman; you don't need to remind me," he paused for a moment, the flicker of memory tightening his jaw. Then his eyes sharpened, and the air around him seemed to shift, growing heavier. "But before that..." he said, his voice dropping to a low, steely tone, "...I'll defeat the strongest warrior of the Kouzuki clan and reclaim my family's honor."
"Oh, Kouzuki, you said?" Luffy asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
"You know about them?" Zoro asked, raising an eyebrow. He sounded skeptical and understandably so. After all, he knew that Luffy had grown up in the East Blue, just like him. There was no reason he should know anything about a noble clan from the closed borders of Wano. But then Zoro remembered how every now and then, Luffy would spout facts or names he had no business knowing, like he'd pulled them from thin air. "...Alright. What do you know about them?" Zoro asked, watching him closely.
"Let's see..." Luffy murmured, tapping his chin as he searched his memory. "I don't know everything about the Kouzuki family, but if I had to guess... your father's grudge was probably with Kouzuki Sukiyaki. He was the former shogun of Wano, a warrior and a legendary swordsmith. Some say he was on the same level as Shimotsuki Kouzaburou, Kuina's grandfather... you know, the guy who forged your Wado Ichimonji." He pointed to the blade resting at Zoro's hip, causing the mosshead's eyes to flick down to his sword for a moment, thoughtful.
"But the name that'll interest you the most is Kouzuki Oden," Luffy leaned forward with a grin. "Kouzuki Oden, now he was something else. A warrior like no other, and a man with a heart of gold. He followed in his father's footsteps and ruled as shogun for a while, but he wasn't the type to sit on a throne. Eventually, he left Wano and joined Whitebeard's crew... you know, the Whitebeard, one of the Four Emperors. Oden even became the commander of Whitebeard's second division... and later, he even sailed with the Pirate King himself. He made it all the way to the last island and witnessed the legendary treasure One Piece with Roger."
"So with just that little intro, you can probably guess what kind of man you're aiming to face," Luffy said, noticing the flicker of fire that had lit up in Zoro's eyes.
He hesitated for a moment but chose not to mention the part about Oden most likely being dead. Right now, having a powerful, living goal to aim for was probably better for Zoro's growth. Besides, considering how different this world was from the original timeline, it wasn't entirely impossible that things had played out differently. Maybe Oden had survived. Maybe he was still in Wano, standing tall beside Kaido or even ruling the country with him.
"Kouzuki Oden..." Zoro muttered, clenching his fist as his gaze burned with determination. "Before I become the World's Strongest Swordsman, I'll surpass you first."
"That's a great goal, just..." Luffy's expression suddenly twisted into a distasteful frown, "...don't become an idiot and moron like him."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Zoro asked, tilting his head in confusion. He couldn't understand why Luffy was suddenly badmouthing Oden after praising him as a great warrior.
"Don't worry, it's not something you need to know right now," Luffy said, waving his hand dismissively. "Just remember this: No matter how strong you get, don't gamble with other people's lives for the sake of your pride. And never hesitate to ask for help from your friends, no matter where you are."
Zoro gave Luffy a long, unreadable look before nodding once. "Yeah. I'll remember that," he said quietly, then pushed himself to his feet. "Anyway, I'm off to get more drinks." He turned and began walking away, only to stop a few steps later. Glancing over his shoulder, he added, "Oh, and maybe think about getting more guys on the ship. Fighting only you is starting to get... dull. Repetitive, even."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Luffy asked, raising a brow. "You spar with Kuina, Uta, and even Kaya all the time."
"I do, but... it's not the same," Zoro replied with a frown.
"Ahh, I get it now," Luffy said, a shit-eating grin spreading across his face. "Seems like our wise and philosophical mosshead has his own biases."
"Don't call me that!" Zoro snapped, shark-like teeth bared. "And it's not what you think! I just... have my own reasons for going easy on women."
"Sure, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night," Luffy replied, grin widening as he leaned back on his hands.
"Tch... annoying," Zoro muttered, turning away again and stomping off toward the celebration, cursing under his breath as he went.
******
"Anyway, where was I?" Luffy muttered, opening his system panel and checking the rewards he'd received. He noticed there were only two this time: one Title and one Achievement. "Huh. Just two? Fair enough, I guess. I didn't really do much this time anyway," he shrugged.
[Liberator - Conomi Islands: This title is given to an individual who has defeated a cruel and oppressive tyrant ruling over the Conomi Islands.
Reward: Randomizer Roll x 2]
[Revenge Fillet: This achievement is given to an individual who has helped victim(s) exact revenge against their oppressor, Fishman Arlong.
Reward: Randomizer Roll x 2]
"'Revenge Fillet'? That's hilarious," Luffy snorted, shaking his head with a chuckle, before letting out a sigh and glancing back at the title. "And 'Liberator,' seriously? I just finished thinking how I have no grand destiny to save the world, and then this thing shows up and slaps me in the face."
"Well, whatever. Let's see how my luck holds up today," Luffy said as he moved to claim his rewards. But before he could, Raphael's voice suddenly interrupted him.
'Considering you're bringing it up now of all times, I'm guessing it has something to do with the reward system, right?' Luffy asked internally.
Luffy straightened slightly, his grin fading into a more thoughtful expression. 'Alright then. Let's hear it. What did you find?' he replied, focusing his attention inward as the conversation shifted to Raphael.
Each Devil Fruit contains its own distinct type of Devil Essence, which integrates into the user's body and rewrites their internal systems to manifest a unique ability derived from that specific fruit.
However, once a Devil Fruit user dies, the Devil Essence does not remain in the body indefinitely. It begins to dissipate naturally over the course of roughly one week. Once fully released, the essence is instinctively drawn to the nearest suitable fruit of a similar type and structure, where it reincarnates and reforms the Devil Fruit.
For example, the Goe Goe no Mi (Scream-Scream Fruit) that was once consumed by Eldoraggo would most likely have been reborn into a compatible apple somewhere in the world. However, due to the fact that you stored Eldoraggo's corpse within your Inventory, an isolated space removed from natural environmental interaction, the Devil Essence was preserved entirely, without any degradation. This gave me the opportunity to conduct a full analysis of the phenomenon without concern for the usual time constraints.>
'Huh, interesting...' Luffy thought, letting the information sink in as he processed everything Raphael had just explained. 'Maybe that's the secret behind the Yami Yami no Mi (Dark-Dark Fruit). It might let the user extract this Devil Essence and transfer it into another fruit. If that's really the case, then it makes sense why Blackbeard spent all those years hiding within the Whitebeard Pirates and was willing to get on Whitebeard's bad side, risking everything just to get this fruit.'
'Anyway, Raphael,' he continued mentally, 'as fascinating as all that was, what I really want to know is, how exactly does this help me with reward summoning?'
'And now you have them?' Luffy asked, raising an eyebrow internally. Then his eyes widened as realization struck. 'Wait a second... you're talking about the Devil Essence, aren't you?'
For example, using the Devil Essence obtained from the subject Eldoraggo would yield a reward associated with the Goe Goe no Mi (Scream-Scream Fruit) and its auditory or energy beam-based powers.
Additionally, for Master's awareness: once a Devil Essence is used in conjunction with a Randomizer Roll, it is consumed, functionally similar to how a Devil Fruit vanishes after being eaten. This means the essence will not reappear or reincarnate in the world until the resulting reward is either destroyed or ceases to exist.>
'That's actually amazing!' Luffy thought, already buzzing with possibilities. The moment Raphael mentioned the Goe Goe no Mi, Luffy couldn't help but imagine the kind of rewards he might score, maybe a Character Fruit modeled after Black Bolt, with his devastating voice-based powers, or a weapon like an energy-based laser rifle ripped straight from the Halo universe. Either one would be an absolute game-changer for his crew.
'Yep, go for it!' Luffy replied without hesitation, eyes glued to the panel as the system whirred to life and a moment later, a glowing notification appeared on the screen:
[Congratulations! Custom Devil Fruit, Kyara Kyara no Mi, Model: Black Canary (Dinah Lance) received!]
'Black Canary, huh? Not bad... but kind of underwhelming when I was hoping for someone like Black Bolt,' Luffy thought. Still, he quickly brushed that disappointment aside and smiled. Raphael's experiment had worked, and that meant one thing: hunting down Devil Fruit users with unique abilities could seriously pay off in the future.
Now that Raphael's experiment had wrapped up successfully, Luffy turned his attention to the next roll. With no Devil Essence left to fuse with the Randomizer, he had no choice but to leave it up to fate. "Well, looks like we're back to good old regular luck," he muttered with a shrug, activating his second Randomizer Roll.
[Congratulations! Everlight of Spiritfarer received!]
"Whoa!" Luffy blinked in surprise, pulling a softly glowing yellow orb from his inventory. The moment it touched the air, it came to life, zipping out of his hand like a firefly, buzzing with energy as it looped around him for a few rounds before diving straight into his chest.
"What the hell?" Luffy thought, eyes going wide as a warm, soothing sensation spread through his body, and a second later, the orb slipped back out of his chest, still glowing, and circled him one more time. Then, with a gentle shimmer, it floated down to his wrist and reshaped itself, solidifying into a sleek, luminous bracelet.
"Everlight, what a fantastic reward," Luffy said with a grin as he willed the bracelet to change form. Instantly, it shifted in his hand, becoming a glowing orb of light. With a single thought, the orb stretched and reshaped itself into a yo-yo, which he casually spun around for a moment. Then, with a playful flick, he launched it into the air, juggling it like a soccer ball before finally catching it smoothly in his palm.
"Amazing. I can do so much with this..." Luffy murmured, eyes fixed on the glowing orb in his hand. "Especially since it can turn into anything I want," he said, and with a satisfied grin, he willed it back into bracelet form and slid it neatly onto his wrist.
Just as he was about to move on to the next Randomizer roll, the bracelet on his wrist shimmered again. Without warning, it shifted shape, expanding and reforming into a golden, translucent owl. The creature blinked once, its glowing eyes studying Luffy with quiet curiosity, before it silently took to the sky, wings beating in near silence as it flew off in a specific direction.
Luffy blinked, watching it go. "...Huh. Guess it's got ideas of its own." He gave a small shrug and started walking, casually trailing after the glowing owl. "Alright then. Lead the way, my Everlight bird."
To be continued...
******
Please check out my other fic, Dominant Run!'s new chapter 35. Greedy Reincarnator, Mariabell Rosso!