2 chapters will be uploaded on daily basis i.e. 14 Chapters will be uploaded every week apart from the bonus chapters.
1 Bonus Chapter will be uploaded for every 50 Power Stones or 1000 Collections.
All interested readers can read advanced chapters on:
[email protected]/Heroicverse
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The giant lion violently pushed off with its four legs, its massive body moving like the wind as it lunged toward Rukia Kuchiki, the closest target.
Nami's face went white with fear at the sight, but the thought of Rukia Kuchiki's overwhelming power instantly calmed her. If she can freeze an ocean, what is a mere wild beast?
Rukia Kuchiki's expression was calm as she slowly gripped Sode no Shirayuki.
Swoosh!
Rukia Kuchiki's figure flickered, crossing paths with the giant lion's lunge. Without even using her Shikai, she cleanly slashed her Zanpakutō across the giant lion's abdomen.
Pfft!
Instantly, blood surged from the giant lion's belly. Through the deep wound, one could even see its violently palpitating internal organs!
The giant lion howled in pain, its eyes turning toward Rukia Kuchiki with pure terror. It had expected a small snack to supplement its meal. Instead, it had encountered venom wrapped in sweet honey!
Having eaten the Devil Fruit, the giant lion had gained intelligence comparable to a human's. Critically wounded by a single move from Rukia Kuchiki, it became wary and did not dare to attack rashly again.
Seeing the giant lion hesitate, Rukia Kuchiki did not rush to deliver the killing blow.
Auguro, meanwhile, noticed that the bleeding from the wound Rukia Kuchiki had inflicted was rapidly slowing down! Even the wound itself was slowly beginning to heal!
"Hmm? An Animal-type Devil Fruit strengthens the physical body, but it shouldn't be this ridiculous, should it?" Auguro was puzzled, and then his expression changed.
"Could this lion have eaten something other than a common Animal-type Devil Fruit?"
As soon as the thought arose, the giant lion let out a fierce roar, its body expanding another circle in size. Two canines, each on its upper and lower jaw, grew rapidly, reaching the length of a human arm! The cold glint reflecting off them was chilling, and their sharpness was no less than that of a great sword!
"Good heavens, it's an Ancient-Type!"
If his guess was correct, this was likely the Cat-Cat Fruit, Ancient-Type, Lion Model!
"Tch! That treasure-hiding pirate had surprisingly good luck! If this thing had been taken to the Grand Line to sell, it would be worth at least 500 million Berries!" Auguro lamented. Unfortunately, the pirate's luck ran out before he could sell the Devil Fruit, and he died at Krieg's hands!
After activating its Devil Fruit ability, the giant lion's physical abilities were further enhanced. Though the wound hadn't completely healed, the bleeding had at least stopped. Feeling the surging power within its body, the giant lion instantly regained its confidence.
Its gaze was fixed on Rukia Kuchiki. It was this tiny bug that had inflicted such a severe injury! Its rage would not be extinguished until it chewed her to pieces and devoured her!
"Roar!"
The entire cave trembled slightly. The giant lion straightened its upper body, standing on two legs! Auguro knew this was the Human-Beast Form of the Zoan-type, the form with the greatest overall capability!
Thump!
The giant lion violently kicked the ground, charging at Rukia Kuchiki again at twice its previous speed. Its tough claws swung toward Rukia Kuchiki's head with rock-shattering force.
However, Rukia Kuchiki tapped her toe, using Flash Step to instantly appear at the giant lion's nape, immediately unleashing Sode no Shirayuki.
Pffft!
A massive spray of blood erupted from the giant lion's nape. It hadn't even seen how Rukia Kuchiki had vanished! In agonizing pain, the giant lion leaped up and slammed straight into the cave ceiling, sending a deluge of rubble down.
Auguro frowned. The giant lion's combat was creating too much damage; the cave could easily collapse.
"Rukia, finish this quickly!" Auguro didn't want to be buried here!
Hearing Auguro's command, Rukia Kuchiki grew serious and immediately chanted her Shikai command.
"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!"
She then lightly tapped the tip of her blade on the ground four times. A terrifying coldness instantly concentrated on her blade.
The giant lion's keen animal instincts immediately sensed danger. It turned and bolted toward the cave entrance.
Rukia Kuchiki remained completely still. She simply raised Sode no Shirayuki, pointing the tip of the blade toward the giant lion.
"Second Dance: White Ripple (Hakka no Togame)!"
Whoosh!
A wave of pristine white cold mist swept through the entire cave like a raging gale. Everything in its path was instantly covered in a thick layer of ice.
The giant lion froze solid right at the cave entrance. Its body, still in the running posture on two legs, was encased in a massive block of ice, looking like a lifelike ice sculpture.
As expected, the power is still far below the original! Auguro thought to himself. If he had that level of power and speed, Krieg wouldn't have just been frozen on one side!
Confirming that the Devil Fruit was gone, Auguro prepared to leave.
Nami, however, couldn't bear to leave the treasure behind. She persuaded Rukia Kuchiki and Rangiku Matsumoto to help her move a significant amount of the gold, silver, and Berries. She even rationalized it by saying, "We spent so much time and effort; we absolutely cannot return empty-handed!"
Auguro shook his head helplessly, allowing her to have her way.
"Ding!"
Unexpectedly, the System notification sounded at that moment.
"Detecting a powerful, unowned soul. Absorb?"
Auguro was startled. A powerful, unowned soul? What was that?
With the System's help, Auguro saw a black, misty mass slowly floating out from the top of the giant lion's head.
"Is that a soul?"
At first, Auguro assumed it was the giant lion's soul. But he quickly realized something was wrong. This black soul mass emitted a scent of evil and curses—nothing like a normal soul.
Suddenly, Auguro's eyes lit up.
"Could this be the soul of the demon inside the Devil Fruit?"
It had always been rumored that the soul of a demon resided within a Devil Fruit, which granted the eater various strange powers. It seemed the rumor was true!
"System, how do I absorb this thing?" Auguro asked eagerly.
"There are two options! First: Absorb directly into the System. The soul can be converted into different tiers of rewards based on its quality."
"Second: Absorb into a specific item selected by the Host. The item will gain the corresponding special ability!"
Auguro's eyes shone! Wasn't this the ability to steal a Devil Fruit power? Normally, after a Devil Fruit user died, the Devil Fruit would regenerate at a random location. But the System could directly intercept the soul!
Another idea quickly formed in Auguro's mind.
"System, if I find a piece of fruit and absorb this soul into it, will the fruit transform into a Devil Fruit?"
The System was silent for a moment, seemingly analyzing the request.
Soon after, the System replied, "Yes! Furthermore, the Host can consume the Devil Fruit at any time to convert it into System rewards!"
Brilliant!
Auguro excitedly clenched his fist. This way, he kept the right to exchange it for rewards, but he could also give the Devil Fruit to others if the need arose! It was hitting two birds with one stone!
Auguro immediately picked a random piece of fruit from the jungle.
"System, absorb the soul into this fruit!"
Under the guidance of the System, the entire mass of the demon's soul was infused into the fruit. Soon, the fruit's surface twisted and contorted, finally taking on the familiar appearance of a Devil Fruit!
"Not only did I solve the secret of the Devil Fruit, but I also got an unexpected reward! Heh heh, this trip was definitely worth it!"
From now on, every time he killed a Devil Fruit user, he could acquire a Devil Fruit!
"By the way, what reward can I exchange this Devil Fruit for?" Auguro asked curiously.
"Ding! Detecting Cat-Cat Fruit, Ancient-Type, Lion Model. Can be exchanged for One Epic Draw Ticket!"