"Alright, it doesn't hurt anymore, right?"
But very soon, Stussy's body was torn apart by Reno once again.
Not long after, that warm liquid flowed in once more.
The pain vanished again, replaced by an indescribable sense of comfort.
Tear, heal, tear, heal… After an unknown amount of time, Stussy slowly regained consciousness.
She felt as if she had been dreaming for an eternity.
In that dream, there had been pain, warmth, and an unexplainable sense of satisfaction.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself in Reno's arms.
"Awake?"
Reno looked down at her, his violet eyes glinting with playful mischief.
Stussy's face flushed crimson. She tried to stand, only to realize her body was completely weak.
"Reno… you bastard…"
Reno didn't continue teasing her. Instead, he held her even tighter.
"Alright, Stussy, my bad."
"As compensation, I can turn you into a demon right now."
"What do you say?"
Upon hearing this, Stussy's eyes lit up instantly, and all her resentment melted away.
She struggled to turn her body, placing her hands gently on Reno's chest.
"Really? Right now?"
Reno smiled and nodded.
"Of course, my Stussy."
With Reno's confirmation, Stussy immediately got up, rushing to the laboratory without even putting on clothes. She retrieved a matte-textured Devil Fruit.
The fruit resembled an apple, its surface covered in a neat swirl pattern. The stem twisted like a corkscrew, resembling a bottle opener.
"Paper-Paper Fruit?"
Reno glanced at the fruit's shape and raised an eyebrow.
"This fruit seems a bit… bland," he thought.
In his view, the Paper-Paper Fruit's combat power was mediocre at best.
It was far weaker than the powerful Natural or Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit abilities.
But Stussy shook her head.
"No, it's perfect."
"For me, the Paper-Paper Fruit is actually very suitable."
"Even if my power grows slowly, it doesn't matter, because I was just an ordinary person to begin with."
"But if I really live eight thousand years, with the Paper-Paper Fruit's ability, I can record all of my experiments and research results."
"And this paper can remain safely inside my body forever."
"This fruit will greatly improve my research efficiency."
"Of course, if I later find the Brain-Brain Fruit, that would be even better. For now, let me become a Paper-Paper Demon."
Hearing her explanation, Reno finally understood.
For researchers like Stussy, the ability to permanently preserve research data was far more valuable than combat strength.
However, Stussy's Brain-Fruit plan seemed destined to fail, because Reno had no idea when Vegapunk had consumed it.
For now, the Paper-Paper Fruit was more than sufficient.
"Alright, let's begin."
Reno reached for the fruit but did not make a demonic contract with Stussy.
After all, he had no reason to bind his own woman.
"System, how long until Stussy completes the transformation?"
Ding!
Target detected: Buckingham Stussy
Target strength: Ordinary human
Devil Fruit transformation: Paramecia – Paper-Paper Fruit
Estimated transformation time: 1 second
One second?
Reno paused, thinking that seemed incredibly fast.
But considering Stussy was an ordinary human with no combat ability, the transformation naturally would be almost instantaneous.
"Alright, Stussy, close your eyes."
Following Reno's instructions, Stussy obediently closed her eyes, a smile of anticipation on her face.
Reno did not hesitate. He pressed the Paper-Paper Fruit to her forehead and focused.
"System, begin transformation."
A humming sound filled the air.
The Paper-Paper Fruit instantly became a sphere of white light and merged into Stussy's body.
One second later, Stussy opened her eyes and looked down at her hands.
In the next moment, Reno watched as his own body transformed into countless sheets of paper.
The sheets swirled through the air, floating behind him, and reassembled into Stussy's form.
Reno noticed that Stussy's skin seemed whiter and smoother than before.
A white origami rose appeared in her short yellow hair.
Her previously bare body was now covered by a paper robe, with paper particles drifting around her.
Seeing Stussy like this, Reno's mind flashed with the image of someone else.
Konan!
The paper-controlling kunoichi from the Naruto world.
"This… this is incredible…"
Stussy looked at her hands, overwhelmed with astonishment and joy.
She waved them again, sending countless sheets of paper flying from her body, forming various shapes in the air.
Some resembled her, some resembled Reno, and some could even replace laboratory equipment.
She also felt a surge of vibrant energy flowing inside her.
It was perfect.
Flushed with excitement, Stussy continued testing her new powers.
Reno observed her enthusiasm but did not absorb her energy.
After all, Stussy was just an ordinary human. Even though she had become a demon, her strength increase was minimal. It was better to wait until she "fattened up" before absorbing anything.
While Stussy tested her abilities, Reno thought of a strange, slightly embarrassing way to make money.
"By the way, Stussy, I have a business idea. I need your help."
Stussy paused, then looked at Reno with surprise and delight.
"What kind of business idea?"
"I need you to make silicone toys shaped like my… big bird."
Stussy's face instantly turned crimson, a mix of shock and embarrassment.
"What did you say?"
She glared at Reno in humiliation and anger, never expecting him to make such a request.
How could something like that make money?
That bastard, he wants to tease me…
Seeing her shy reaction, Reno laughed heartily.
"Stussy, don't misunderstand. I want to start a toy company."
"Think about it. How many young men sail out to be pirates? Won't women left at home have certain… needs?"
"In many countries, men must join the kingdom's army to fend off pirate invasions. That means many women are left alone at home."
"So this is a huge market!"
"With your scientific skills, this is easy to do. You could earn from almost every woman in the world. Why not?"
Hearing Reno's explanation, Stussy paused. Her blush lingered, but as she considered the strategic significance of silicone toys, her expression shifted from embarrassment and anger to excitement.
"Reno, I have to say, this idea is extremely valuable…"
"If we can mass-produce these silicone toys, they could dominate the entire ocean!"
"At that point, our wealth might rival some nations! No, ordinary nations wouldn't even come close to us!"
Reno smiled as he touched her cheek.
"Exactly. If this toy appears on the seas first, it will likely spread throughout the world!"
"By then, we'll definitely be swimming in berries."
Stussy's confidence grew as she realized the plan was feasible. Her shame melted away—not just because of the potential profits. But creating a complete industrial chain for these toys would still be no small feat.
"This plan of yours… it's insane…"
Stussy murmured, but her eyes shone with excitement.
"Alright, I'll help you, Reno."
She stood, her white paper-like dress fluttering in the wind.
"In that case, let me quickly scan your… you-know-what, so I can make an accurate model."
Hearing Stussy's urgency, Reno's smile turned mischievous.
"Don't rush. To test if you're up to the task, I have to test your skill first."
"I'll place it inside you, and you must follow the feel."
"But every mistake you make will increase the diameter by five centimeters."
"If you want to insert it, then insert it, but don't move! How else will I feel its shape?"
"Then squeeze it tighter."
"How can you increase difficulty without moving? This is your test, Stussy."