"Fufufufu~ See? I told you it'd be you who'd eat it. Who else among your crew could possibly be worthy of such a thing? Go on, eat it without worry — that's the genuine Snow-Snow Fruit, no fakes here."
Doflamingo burst into his signature, wild and sinister laughter the moment Reggie handed the Snow-Snow Fruit over to Aaron. His voice oozed mockery and provocation, clearly enjoying stirring the pot.
He looked genuinely delighted with Reggie's decision.
And why wouldn't he be? Doflamingo knew full well that once Aaron — another man burning with vengeance — ate the Snow-Snow Fruit, he'd throw the world into chaos just like he himself had done. Their methods might differ, but the outcome would be the same.
Anyone who could make this cursed world suffer brought him joy.
It was all the world's fault, after all. If it hadn't been for its cruelty, his fate wouldn't have been so tragic. He wouldn't have fallen so low.
As Doflamingo's chilling laughter echoed through the air, the conscious members of the Frosthorn Gang grew increasingly agitated. Many couldn't help but cast greedy glances at the Snow-Snow Fruit in Reggie's hand, while others glared at Aaron with open resentment.
To them, Reggie and Akio were being utterly unfair.
Such a precious Devil Fruit — and they were giving it to Aaron, a man who'd only joined the Frosthorn Gang a little over six months ago? Sure, he was strong, and yes, he was already a small-time boss, but a Logia-class Devil Fruit? That should go to one of them — one of the veterans.
Using his Observation Haki, Aaron easily sensed the discontent behind him. Most of the crew were unhappy about him receiving the fruit, but none more so than Horton, whose anger was practically boiling over. If Reggie hadn't been there, the man — already his enemy — might have attacked him outright.
Only Getra, a senior officer who'd never eaten a Devil Fruit, seemed calm. He obviously coveted the fruit as much as anyone else, but said nothing. When Aaron looked his way, Getra even gave a small nod, showing that he didn't mind Aaron taking the Snow-Snow Fruit.
"Since that's the boss's decision, I'll eat it."
After Reggie gave one final nod of approval, Aaron no longer hesitated. He accepted the fruit with both hands.
No matter how much discontent simmered among the others, he wasn't about to give up such an opportunity. If anyone had a problem with it, they could come at him directly — but they'd pay with their lives.
He didn't bother questioning whether the fruit was genuine. Right in front of everyone, he opened his enormous mouth and bit down on the fist-sized Devil Fruit.
"Damn it!"
Horton almost couldn't hold himself back. He covered his right hand in Armament Haki, ready to strike — but before he could move, Reggie turned and fixed him with a cold, emotionless stare. Horton froze, his blood running cold. He quickly lowered his head and dispelled his Haki.
Gulp.
Aaron swallowed the entire fruit — though in truth, he had sent it into the spatial stomach created by his Munch Munch Fruit.
Then, putting on an act, he grimaced and tensed up as though feeling the surge of power that came from eating a Devil Fruit. Quietly, he activated his true ability, using it to absorb the power of the fruit he'd just "eaten."
A moment later, before the wide eyes of everyone present — some filled with envy, others with jealousy or awe — Aaron's right hand began to turn into snow. In the next instant, a snowball materialized in his palm out of thin air.
The breath escaping his mouth was now icy cold, causing frost crystals to form in the air.
"So this is the power of a Logia… incredible. It really feels like I've become snow itself."
Aaron stared in quiet amazement at his transformed hand, now made of pure snow.
Then, with a thought, his entire body turned to snow. Flurries scattered in all directions, and his form vanished in a swirl of white. Within a ten-meter radius, a blizzard whipped up, lasting several seconds before blanketing the ground in a thin layer of snow.
When the storm finally subsided, two snowmen formed from the drifting flakes about ten meters away. They quickly took on Aaron's shape.
A moment later, one reverted back into the flesh-and-blood Aaron, while the other — a crude snow duplicate — staggered clumsily forward before collapsing into a useless heap of snow.
Meanwhile, the real Aaron quietly reappeared behind Reggie, Getra, and Horton, maintaining the same humble, reserved demeanor as always. Despite now possessing the power of a Logia, he didn't show even a hint of arrogance.
The crew around him couldn't help but stare in astonishment.
Even Doflamingo raised an eyebrow. To see someone master a new ability so quickly — using snow to move, hide, and even form a rudimentary clone — was impressive.
What caught his eye even more, though, was Aaron's recovery. Just minutes ago, he'd been exhausted, barely able to stand. His hands had trembled so much he couldn't hold his sword steady. Yet now, his breathing was calm, his strength clearly restored.
"A monster with extraordinary recovery, huh? Fufufufu~," Doflamingo sneered, grinning darkly.
A few seconds later, his grin softened into a smile as he turned toward Reggie.
"Fufufufu~ Now then, you can rest easy, can't you, Reggie? I told you — I'd never joke about family. So, how about you release my other family member now?"
Reggie said nothing. He simply nodded in satisfaction toward Aaron before looking back at Doflamingo, his expression unreadable.
Doflamingo understood immediately. He extended both hands behind him, and Trebol, ever his loyal underling, handed him two Devil Fruits.
Two more fruits appeared, instantly drawing the eyes of every Frosthorn Gang member. Even though they doubted they'd be Logias, Devil Fruits of any kind were treasures that could skyrocket one's strength.
And after witnessing Aaron's power firsthand, their hunger for one had only intensified.
"Zoan-type — Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Bully Breed. Zoan-type — Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Rattlesnake. They're yours now."
Doflamingo tossed the two fruits toward Reggie, clearly uninterested in them, his eyes instead locked onto Getra.
Understanding the signal, Getra immediately threw Lao G — their captive — toward Doflamingo's side, where one of the Donquixote Family officers caught him.
It was obvious that the trade had been arranged in advance.
Reggie caught both Zoan Fruits, then handed the Dog-Dog Fruit to Getra. The massive man, nearly two and a half meters tall, grinned and swallowed it whole without hesitation.
Within seconds, his body transformed into that of a gigantic bulldog, marking his successful awakening as a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user. He threw back his head and howled to the sky, exhilarated.
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