When Miguel absorbed Sommers's ability, a surge of power rushed through him. His wounds—deep gashes and bruises from their brutal encounter—began to heal rapidly. More curiously, the blade in his hand now bore a strange symbol, one eerily similar to the mark that had once been branded on Sommers' arm.
The Abyss Mark.
Yet, Miguel could feel it: the mark's connection to Imu—or whoever controlled it—was completely severed. The Essence Blade had not just absorbed Sommers' powers; it had cut the chains tethering that mark to its dark origin. The mark remained, but it was hollow now—emptied of the Abyss' influence. What lingered were the powers themselves, clean and under Miguel's control.
And then, he felt something even more peculiar. The mark was now his to mold. He could customize it—make it his own. If he wanted, he could bestow this mark upon future allies or subordinates, giving him the ability to summon them across great distances.
"Incredibly useful," Miguel thought, a wry smile curling on his lips.
With the fight behind him, he turned his attention toward the place where he had left the baby he had saved earlier. Activating his Observation Haki, Miguel scanned the surrounding area—not just to check for threats, but to identify new targets or opportunities.
His senses quickly picked up on a large cluster of life signatures gathering near the shoreline. Most were weak—civilians, perhaps—but a handful radiated strength. Their positioning suggested they were guards, surrounding the weaker group and clearly on high alert.
Closer, however, Miguel detected two distinct auras nearby. One burned with excitement, while the other pulsed with fear—yet oddly euphoric, as though clinging to hope.
Intrigued, Miguel decided to investigate the first two. Something about them felt… familiar. Using Geppo, he shot through the air, following their energy trails. Within five minutes, he caught up—and what he saw made him stop mid-step on a tree branch.
Just as he suspected: Emporio Ivankov and Bartholomew Kuma, both lugging multiple treasure chests through the jungle.
Miguel descended swiftly, landing in front of them without warning.
"Hey, what's that you're holding?" he asked, voice casual but deliberate.
Both Ivankov and Kuma froze, wide-eyed in alarm. The treasure chests clutched in their arms suddenly felt heavier. In an instant, their expressions twisted in horror—they assumed he was another pirate come to steal what they had risked their lives for.
Sensing their fear, Miguel raised his hands and smiled disarmingly.
"Relax," he said. "I know you worked hard to get those—fighting off soldiers, dodging death. I'm not here to take everything. I just want something for myself. In return, I'll offer you a favor."
Their expressions softened slightly, though wariness remained. Ivankov narrowed his eyes, focusing on one detail.
"What kind of favor?" he asked, with a hint of skepticism.
"I can remove the curse from those Devil Fruits," Miguel said calmly, nodding at the chests. "The sea's curse—the one that weakens and drowns the eater. I can cut that off."
Ivankov's mouth opened slightly, disbelief etched on his face. "You're joking. Everyone knows Devil Fruits come with the sea's curse. That's the law of the world."
Miguel shrugged. "Laws can be rewritten. I've done it before."
Kuma and Ivankov exchanged glances. Miguel's tone didn't sound like arrogance—it was closer to certainty.
Miguel took a step forward. "Four chests for me, two for you. I won't touch the ones you need for escape. You walk away with more than you started with—and without the sea's curse. Deal?"
Ivankov hesitated. But then he nodded slowly. "Alright… Just don't hurt us."
Miguel nodded back, pleased with the outcome. "Fair enough."
As Kuma and Ivankov set down the chests and sat to catch their breath, Miguel examined them with interest.
"So, which Devil Fruits are you after?" he asked.
"We heard there's one that turns you into a flying blue dragon," Ivankov said, catching his breath. "And another that lets you teleport others with a touch. Either one would help us escape this damn island."
They opened the chests together. Inside were five Devil Fruits, each with unique colors and swirling patterns, and a sheathed sword.
Miguel's eyes landed immediately on the weapon. He picked it up and tested the blade. It was beautifully crafted, and even by his Essence Blade's standard, this sword was exceptional—razor-sharp and humming with potential. It was nearly a match.
Ivankov hovered between two Fruits. One bore the unmistakable pattern of the Azure Dragon—the Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu, the same mythical Zoan Kaido would one day possess. The other was unfamiliar to Miguel, though powerful. Kuma, meanwhile, cradled the Nikyu Nikyu no Mi, staring at it with deep intensity.
Without hesitation, Miguel picked up both the Azure Dragon Fruit and Kuma's fruit.
Closing his eyes, Miguel reached deep into himself—into the Essence Blade's power—and severed the metaphysical curse linking the fruits to the Sea God. He cut the curse cleanly, the same way he had before.
"These are the ones you wanted," Miguel said, handing the now-clean fruits back. "The blue one is the Uo Uo no Mi, and the paw-shaped one is Nikyu Nikyu no Mi. Both will help you escape. And they're no longer cursed."
Ivankov looked stunned. He blinked, staring at the fruit in his hand. "You did it… You cut the curse."
Miguel smirked. "Told you."
"Then… why don't you take one of these for yourself?" Ivankov asked, confused. "You're not even sure the other fruits are worth it."
"I don't need the Azure Dragon," Miguel said with a shrug. "It's not for me. I'm no guardian. I'd rather find someone who can awaken it properly. And I have a feeling the one I want is still among the others."
He picked up the remaining three Devil Fruits and examined them closely. One of them pulsed with a strange energy—different from the rest. It felt alive, as if it was calling out to him specifically. He could feel it pulling on his soul, urging him to claim it.
That was the one.
As Kuma and Ivankov bit into their fruits and reacted—choking, gagging at the awful taste—Miguel removed the sea curse from the remaining three. But when he swung his Essence-infused blade near one particular fruit, it suddenly shifted.
The Devil Fruit's form twisted, its appearance morphing—shedding a disguised shell to reveal its true nature. It had been hiding in plain sight.
Miguel picked it up and, without hesitation, took a bite.
But unlike what Kuma and Ivankov experienced, the fruit didn't taste foul. It was… oddly pleasant. Miguel knew that wasn't because he removed the curse. No—this was different.
And then it hit him.
A prompt echoed in his mind—handwritten, sarcastic, and eerily familiar. It matched the handwriting from the mysterious note he had found when he first woke up in this strange world:
[It's an additional help, in case you're an incompetent nincompoop who couldn't survive even with one of the strongest Essences out there. That Devil Fruit used to be the Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Byakko, but I modified it. Now it's the Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Cheshire Cat.]
[Don't worry—I've merged Byakko's mythical powers: lightning generation, wind manipulation, and storm inducement, as well as the other strengths of the Byakko. You're getting those plus the Cheshire Cat's tricks. This is the final help I'll give you. If you still manage to die, you've only got yourself to blame.]
Miguel blinked, stunned.
He looked down at the Devil Fruit's remains, then at the Essence-infused blade in his hand, and then to the sky.
"…Thanks, I guess," he muttered.