Aboard the Saber of Xebec.
Newgate saw the group return and immediately spotted Fang Huo, who was now sporting demonic bat wings.
Those mysterious patterns—it was definitely a Mythical Zoan!
"Looks like you're in a good mood, Fang Huo!"
Seeing the grin on Fang Huo's face lifted Newgate's own spirits; when his friends were happy, so was he.
"Hahaha, not bad! I snagged this Vampire Fruit without a hitch."
Fang Huo melted into a blood-shadow and reappeared beside Newgate, showing off his new power.
"This ability's potential is insane!"
Honestly, Rocks felt a pang of envy—this was a Mythical Zoan that could keep one young forever.
As for the need to drink blood, in his eyes, that was no drawback at all.
Some ancient powerhouse had sealed this sinister fruit away; its last user had probably drained blood without restraint until the heavens and earth cried foul.
"A vampire? Planning to turn into a monster, Fang Huo?"
Newgate gave him an odd look; the seas were full of vampire legends.
"Newgate, power itself isn't good or evil—people are."
"Of course, we're not exactly saints ourselves."
"Look at this guy Rocks—he's the world's worst pirate, who took down an Admiral."
Fang Huo chuckled, already sensing the many ways he could evolve this vampire power.
Redfield only cared about regaining his youth and ignored the other secrets hidden in this Mythical Zoan.
"Power isn't good or evil—people are..."
"Gurararara, I can't out-argue our brainy Chief Strategist."
Newgate savored the words; their Prophet always spat wisdom.
Deep down, he approved of Fang Huo as First Mate.
But if even Rocks wasn't called "Captain," Newgate couldn't be bothered calling Fang Huo "First Mate."
"Quit gloating—you wasted days of our time! Let's go find 'Gangster' Shiki!"
At Rocks's order, the Saber of Xebec set sail for the middle of the New World.
Yet with Fang Huo growing ever stronger, Rocks no longer worried about the Prophet's safety.
"Rocks, you're just jealous!"
"They say some Devil Fruits have wills of their own and choose their users."
"With your personality, the Sun God Nika Fruit—symbol of light and liberation—won't pick you, but the Dark-Dark Fruit might."
Perched on the mast, Fang Huo laughed; he'd wanted the Dark-Dark Fruit too, but if Rocks desired it, he'd step back for now.
After all, his Soul Fire could devour and fuse Devil Fruits directly.
Apart from negating powers, the Dark-Dark Fruit offered little he truly needed.
Of course, Fang Huo doubted they'd even encounter it in this era.
By the time Rocks met his end, the fruit might never have appeared.
If it did surface, letting Rocks eat it wouldn't be unacceptable.
"Hmph! Neither Davy Jones nor Joy Boy feared Imu!"
"Without Sun God Nika, the Dark-Dark Fruit is still fearsome!"
Rocks had felt irritated, then realized Fang Huo was warning him: Sun God Nika wasn't suited to him.
"Fang Huo, Devil Fruits really have minds of their own?"
Newgate was shocked; could the will inside his Tremor-Tremor Fruit affect him?
"Usually, only top-tier Mythical Zoans develop self-awareness."
"Ordinary Zoans still have base instincts, though."
"They say when a Zoan awakens, if the user's will can't crush the fruit's, the awakening fails, and you end up a mindless berserker."
Fang Huo explained to these mostly illiterate crewmates.
Aside from Rocks, heir to the Davy Clan's lore, Newgate, Babel, and Sunbell were orphaned street kids who'd never seen a classroom.
"Zoans can backfire that badly?!"
Sunbell's eyes bulged; he was glad he'd never swallowed a Devil Fruit.
Not only would he lose the ability to swim, but he might also turn into an idiot upon awakening.
No wonder they're called the cursed fruits of the sea.
"Then why did you eat a Mythical Zoan?"
Newgate glanced worriedly at the bat wings on Fang Huo's back.
"Heh, anyone strong enough to awaken a fruit has an iron will; a scrap of a demon can't possess them."
"Awakenings rarely go wrong."
"Only shortcut-chasers face a real risk of failure."
"The World Government's science divisions are surely hunting for a fast track; expect brain-dead awakeners in the future."
"They'll have Zoan-level regeneration but be puppets of the fruit's will—strong but stupid."
Fang Huo pictured Impel Down's Jailer Beasts; the Government had already taken key steps in forced Zoan awakenings.
Later, Rob Lucci and Kaku both awakened within two years—clearly, some risky shortcut existed.
Dangerous, yet both succeeded.
"So that's it. You really know everything, First Mate..."
Sunbell bowed in awe, convinced of the Prophet's wisdom.
"Zoans have fruit-wills; what about Logia and Paramecia types?"
Newgate caught the omission—Fang Huo had only mentioned Zoans.
"No idea; none of the futures I've glimpsed mention it."
Fang Huo shrugged—it was truly unknown.
"Good enough!"
Newgate felt lighter; his Tremor-Tremor Fruit should be safe.
"Even Zoan awakenings can be engineered? The Government's depths are terrifying—I need a scientist!"
Fang Huo's lecture sparked a new idea in Rocks.
Once, he had scorned puny scientists and wanted only mighty Executives.
Now, thanks to Fang Huo's "reminder," he valued science.
"You're hunting for a scientist?"
The moment scientists were mentioned, Fang Huo thought of the future "Scientific Bandit" Stussy aboard the Rocks Pirates.
He still lacked intel on her; who knew where she was researching or when she'd set sail.
"Any recommendations, Fang Huo?"
Rocks looked eager—sure the Prophet had a candidate.
"The Rocks Pirates will indeed gain a female officer called the 'Scientific Bandit'."
"But right now, no trace of her exists on the seas."
"She'll probably appear within a year or two."
Fang Huo answered after some thought; Stussy was two years older than Newgate—only twenty—and hardly a top-tier scientist yet.
The woman was a hack; even if she joined Vegapunk's MADS crew, she'd just be dead weight.