That's a reasonable guess.
Indeed, many Devil Fruits are initially very weak but can become stronger by continuously exploiting others.
The most classic example is the Empress of Torent Kingdom, a Soul-Soul Fruit user, who can create a kingdom composed of countless Homies by wantonly depriving others of their life force and souls.
Then there's Shichibukai Gecko Moria, who constantly collects shadows to create unique areas like Thriller Bark.
"The Game Merchant's fruit is very likely a similar fruit, even more powerful than the Shadow-Shadow Fruit and the Soul-Soul Fruit!"
Admiral Akainu's tone was grave as he said, "First, he deceives pirates by granting them various skills and equipment, and finally, he strips them of all their power, using countless pirates as nourishment to strengthen himself!"
"This is a Devil Fruit capable of threatening the world, even more dangerous than Rocks back then."
"I suggest we must nip the Game Merchant in the bud!"
His killing intent was palpable.
This was Admiral Akainu's "Thorough Justice" in action: any potential evil that could threaten the stability of the Navy and the world would be ruthlessly suppressed with merciless methods.
"Objection."
A Vice Admiral raised an objection, saying, "If we truly act on Admiral Akainu's deduction and rashly attack the Game Merchant, it could lead to harm for those who have already become contractors."
Many of these power-granting Devil Fruit abilities often come with curse-like effects.
The contract fruit.
If it can grant positive contracts, then why couldn't it grant cursed contracts?
At the East Blue Branch, at least several hundred Navy personnel have already become contract players. What if we anger the Game Merchant and he takes it out on the Navy players?
"Sacrifice them!"
Admiral Akainu said with a cold expression, "If sacrificing several hundred Navy personnel can maintain world peace, then their deaths are worthwhile."
"The moment they became Navy, it meant they had already cast aside life and death. It's just like when fighting pirates; do they cower and flee because they fear sacrifice?"
"If I ever encounter a Navy personnel who pities pirates, who only hides and watches when facing pirates, and then jumps out to denounce so-called sacrifices when the Navy has a chance to eliminate unstable elements, such a deserter will absolutely be beaten to death by my magma fists!"
As a Navy Admiral, the aura he exuded was incredibly intense, making the Vice Admirals involuntarily straighten up in their seats.
"Akainu!"
Sengoku was completely unaffected by this aura. He slammed his hand on the table and said, "You are too arbitrary. Even the Five Elders haven't directly issued an order to apprehend the Game Merchant. If Navy Headquarters oversteps, how will we explain it to the World Government?"
He secretly agreed with Admiral Akainu's statement.
Dangers must be nipped in the bud, but who knew that the Five Elders would suddenly issue an order completely contrary to their usual stance?
Normally, the Five Elders would certainly not tolerate the Game Merchant disrupting the world.
What's going on? Is it simply because of Celestial Dragon Buggy?
Sengoku also had a headache, but everything was still under control. He said, "Vice Admiral Tsuru has already gone to the East Blue. We will make a decision after testing the Game Merchant's strength and reporting to the Five Elders."
He wasn't worried that the Game Merchant could turn the world upside down.
In this vast sea, although there are great pirates who carve out territories and a Revolutionary Army lurking in the shadows,
the strongest overt force remains Navy Headquarters.
They have The Three Admirals, the strongest Logia Devil Fruit users, himself as Sengoku the Buddha, Iron Fist Garp, and the recruited Shichibukai.
There are also the unfathomable Five Elders.
Even Whitebeard, known as the strongest man in the world, wouldn't dare to provoke Navy Headquarters. They are the strongest, unstoppable force on this sea.
Even if the Game Merchant truly possesses special methods to grow stronger in this way,
can he be stronger than Navy Headquarters?
It's merely a matter of paying a greater price. Now it just depends on when the Five Elders issue the order to arrest the Game Merchant.
However, continuing to allow pirates and civilians to become contractors is also not a solution.
After a long period of contemplation with his eyes closed, Sengoku issued an order.
"Dispatch Navy Headquarters personnel to the Death Island in the East Blue to search for the contract fruit. The use of the fruit is strictly prohibited without special circumstances."
"Arrest pirates and civilians who have become contract players."
"Navy personnel who have already become contract players are to be placed under strict surveillance. If there are any issues, they can be directly arrested or…"
These orders would undoubtedly cause an uproar.
Especially the last one, placing Navy contract players under strict surveillance would largely shake morale, but if they didn't do so, the Navy would be infiltrated by the Game Merchant, leading to even more severe damage.
This was the most stable measure he could think of.
Nearly ten thousand contract players were frantically pushing inward along the edge of Death Island.
The weapons and equipment dropped by the defeated Specters were like treasures and Berries discovered when plundering civilians, plunging them into an endless frenzy of hunting.
However, compared to civilians, these Specters were more aggressive and more troublesome.
But the rewards were also richer.
After some pirates obtained dropped equipment, they recalled their past days of plundering civilians, which now seemed so dull and uninteresting.
It took great effort to break through a village's guard, and then continuously scour house by house, only to get a few million Berries at most.
But these Specters dropped real, tangible strange equipment. After wearing it, they visibly grew stronger, and the feeling of power continuously surging within them was something no one could resist.
"Luffy, get back here!"
Nami's fair, soft, and cute face had a ferocious expression, as if she could devour someone.
She angrily looked at Luffy, who had charged into a group of Specters, and quickly waved her magic broom. Large patches of icy powder flew out, slowing down the Specters' attacks.
Luffy was seen raising both fists, light blue fist aura swirling around them, like a pair of gauntlets.
Gum-Gum Gatling!
His two arms rapidly extended, continuously smashing into the frozen Specters, shattering them into wisps of smoke.
He really wasn't used to fighting without the Rubber Fruit, so he pestered Nami to lend him reward points to unseal the Rubber Fruit's ability.
The Lv.1 Rubber Fruit wasn't as flexible as before, but it was barely enough.
Although the Fist Aura skill was passive, it was powerful enough.
The piercing power, hardness, and so on of his fists were all greatly improved. In just one day, Luffy had already reached Level 3.
Zoro, too, with his Oni-Giri skill, was now able to mix the power of demons into his slashes.
Only Nami felt like she had boarded a pirate ship.
Zoro fought with the ferocity of a desperate man, and Luffy was also not smart enough, often charging into groups of Specters mid-fight, followed by a flash of white light.
The reward points they earned from hunting Specters were not much after covering the revival fees.
To upgrade their skills, they would stare longingly at her pockets.
At first, Nami was quite happy to lend them money and collect interest.
But she increasingly felt something was wrong. With their fighting style, let alone repaying the interest, her principal might even be lost.
"Idiot Luffy, moron Zoro!"
"If I see you two charge into a group of Specters again, don't even think about getting another reward point from me!"
plz support me if you can.
patreon.com/Mano99
all the fanfic is 30 chapter a had and you will get 1 chapter everyday.