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Thunder God Island, Underground Laboratory.
Having sated his hunger, Arthur lay sprawled on his bed, lost in a deep slumber. The continuous strain of his experiments had left him physically and mentally drained.
In the span of about ten days, he had successfully completed two more "Devil Soul" surgeries. The first was the Mythical Zoan: Bat-Bat Fruit, Model: Vampire. The second was a fruit that had been in his possession since he first descended from the Sky Island—the Door-Door Fruit.
Back when he plundered the Heavenly Tribute transport ship, he had taken this fruit but never used it. With the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's speed already being inconceivable and his combat power standing as the undisputed number one in the world, he had simply forgotten about this Paramecia fruit that allowed one to travel via "Air Doors."
The Door-Door Fruit allows the user to turn anything they touch into a door that can be opened. One can open doors anywhere for free passage, perform spatial leaps, and even use the sub-dimension behind the doors as a perfect sanctuary. It was an incredibly versatile power.
By consuming this fruit, Arthur could now save a massive amount of time on his travels. While the Door-Door Fruit didn't provide instantaneous teleportation to a destination, opening spatial portals significantly shortened the distance between two points, making long-range movement exceptionally efficient.
As for the Vampire Fruit, the results were exactly as Arthur had theorized.
Zoan-type Devil Fruits indeed allowed his physique to reach a new level of strength. If he could eventually collect and consume every Zoan fruit in existence, his body would undoubtedly be robust enough to house every Paramecia and Logia ability as well.
This discovery led Arthur to issue an immediate order to the Thunder God Pirates: they were to begin collecting all Zoan fruits—or capturing their users alive.
With the conclusion of these experiments, he now successfully wielded eight distinct abilities.
..............
CRASH—!
Waves slammed against the sandy shores, and a rising tide began to submerge the docks of Thunder God Island. A light breeze blew across the ocean, but logically, such a small wind shouldn't have caused the water to surge so violently.
"Underwater currents? Hic—" Vasco Shot, the "Heavy Drinker," clutched his sake jug, taking occasional swigs. His face was flushed, his eyes hazy with intoxication.
"Murunfufufufufu—" Catarina Devon, just back from a patrol, stood with her hands on her hips. "Is this something worth reporting?"
"No need. It's likely just a collective movement of super-colossal Sea Kings in the depths. There's no point in disturbing Arthur while he's sleeping over such a trifle," Stussy decided after a moment's thought.
"Hmph..." Hancock gave a haughty, tsundere snort, silently agreeing with the sentiment.
"You all go about your business. I'm going to see why these Sea Kings are moving in a pack," Shiryu remarked, puffing on his cigar. He slid his gleaming Seven-Star Sword back into its scabbard. He stood up from the golden stairs, intending to track the trajectory of the migrating beasts.
Such a massive disturbance surely heralded a significant event...
"Wait!"
Arthur's voice drifted from the gates of the Thunder God Temple. He shook his head, clearing the last remnants of sleep to sharpen his focus.
"Lord Arthur!" Hancock cried, immediately trotting over to him in excitement.
"Captain!" The other Division Captains stood up to greet him.
"Yeah," Arthur nodded. He looked toward Shiryu. "Let's go take a look together!"
The Sea Kings in the deep were converging in a specific direction as if they were on a pilgrimage—or rather, as if they were going to meet their King! The tide triggered by these super-colossal creatures was so massive that it had already partially submerged two islands on the outskirts of the Thunder God territory.
Even in the depths of sleep, Arthur had sensed the terrifying aura of this movement.
"Captain, do you know what's happening? Meow!" Avalo Pizarro asked curiously.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I have a guess... A terrifying weapon is currently awakening," Arthur muttered, voicing his deduction.
It was the year 1512. If his memory served him correctly, this was the year Princess Shirahoshi, the "Poseidon," would awaken. A disturbance capable of making Sea Kings migrate across the globe was a hallmark of that Ancient Weapon. He could think of no other possibility.
"Continue your duties. Shiryu, come with me!" Arthur commanded. He suddenly reached out and grabbed the empty air.
Under the power of the Door-Door Fruit, a phantom gate manifested in the previously empty atmosphere. He pulled the door open, revealing the mysterious, green-tinted sub-dimension within.
"Lord Arthur..." Hancock acted coy, her face reddening. "I... I wish to come as well..."
"Fine. Keep up," Arthur didn't object. He stepped into the Air Door first, with Shiryu and Hancock following close behind.
The three of them set off, pursuing the Sea Kings toward Fish-Man Island.
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Gyoncorde Plaza, Fish-Man Island
The sudden assassination of Queen Otohime during her signature campaign had plunged the entire island into a state of absolute chaos.
Thousands of Merfolk and Fish-Men were screaming, running in every direction in a blind panic.
"Seal off the plaza! Find the assassin!!" King Neptune roared, his expression feral with grief. He cradled Otohime's body, watching helplessly as her life force ebbed away. He hated his own powerlessness; he hated the unfairness his race was forced to endure.
Princes Fukaboshi, Ryuboshi, and Manboshi were in a state of shock, their minds blank. Princess Shirahoshi, protected by a circle of guards, was wailing in heartbreak.
Vander Decken IX, having succeeded in his goal, slipped away into the crowd with a triumphant, sinister grin. With his Target-Target Fruit, once he marked a target, he could hurl anything at them regardless of distance or obstacles.
Jinbe stood guard near Neptune, his expression thunderous. He caught a fleeting glimpse of Arlong and Hody Jones' gang departing.
'Was it them? No... it couldn't be...' In his heart, he desperately wanted to believe his brothers wouldn't do such a thing, instinctively making excuses for them.
Panic was absolute. The citizens of Fish-Man Island were scurrying back to their homes to bolt their doors. Outside the massive bubble surrounding the island, the ancient ship Noah drifted in the currents. One by one, Sea Kings of horrifying proportions loomed in the darkness, their massive eyes staring through the bubble at the inconsolable Shirahoshi.
They were surrounding the island, almost entirely eclipsing it.
Right then, the air in the plaza rippled. Circular waves of distortion radiated outward. A phantom door appeared in mid-air, and a voice of appreciation drifted from within.
"A three-to-five-day journey covered in just ten minutes... This really is convenient!"
Arthur praised the fruit as he pushed the door open. He stepped out onto the plaza, followed by Shiryu and Hancock. His gaze swept over the bloody chaos below.
"Looks like something happened here?"
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