In the grand reception room of the Sardo Kingdom's royal palace, Tesoro lounged on a long sofa, his gaze fixed on Sephiroth. The latter reclined on a single-seater, savoring a cup of red tea with practiced ease. Tesoro broke the silence with a question that had been weighing on his mind.
"Master, with the war between the Marines and the three Four Emperors Pirate Crew raging, shouldn't we seize this opportunity? If we're serious about overthrowing the World Government, this seems like the perfect moment."
Sephiroth set his teacup down on the table with deliberate care, his lips curling into a knowing smile. "Patience, Tesoro. The World Government has stood unchallenged for eight hundred years—they're not to be underestimated. The Marines are merely their most visible force. Who knows what hidden cards they still hold? There's no need to rush. In a year or two, when I complete the nuclear bomb, the World Government will be reduced to dust."
Tesoro's eyes widened. "A nuclear bomb? Is it truly that powerful?"
"Absolutely," Sephiroth replied, his tone brimming with confidence. "One detonation could obliterate an entire island. With sufficient yield, even a vast nation like Alabasta would vanish in an instant. And if combined with the Amplify-Amplify Fruit..." He paused, shaking his head. "No, that would be overkill. The planet itself would weep."
Their conversation was interrupted by the sharp click of the reception room's heavy door swinging open. Gilm stepped in, bowing slightly. "Master, I heard you summoned me."
"Indeed," Sephiroth acknowledged. He drew the butcher knife from his waist and opened his spatial pocket, retrieving the Amplify-Amplify Fruit, the Tiny-Tiny Fruit, and two silver rings. Gilm didn't need an explanation. Activating his Devour-Devour Fruit ability, his body transformed into a processing plant. One by one, he consumed the fruits, extracting their powers and infusing them into the rings. After a moment, he handed the enhanced rings back to Sephiroth.
Sephiroth studied the two silver rings, his excitement palpable. A new idea sparked in his mind. If the Tiny-Tiny Fruit could counteract the Amplify-Amplify Fruit's drawback—the increase in body size—could he amplify his power without exposing himself to greater vulnerability? The Amplify-Amplify Fruit's effect on Armament Haki was limited, meaning larger size weakened defense. The Tiny-Tiny Fruit, however, allowed size manipulation without compromising strength.
Combining the two could create something truly extraordinary.
Eager to test his theory, Sephiroth moved to slip the rings onto his left hand. But he hesitated. The rules governing the two fruits seemed contradictory. Using them recklessly might invite unforeseen dangers. Better to err on the side of caution.
"Squeak squeak squeak!" A swarm of black bats erupted from Sephiroth's body, coalescing into an exact replica of himself—identical in appearance, build, and attire.
If he used them rashly, he didn't know if there would be any unforeseen consequences. Better to let the Bat Clone take the risk first.
Sephiroth tossed two rings to the Bat Clone, commanding it to wear them. With a flick of his will, the Bat Clone activated the Amplify-Amplify Fruit ability, doubling its size from 2.1 meters to a towering 4.2 meters. Without pause, Sephiroth directed it to use the Tiny-Tiny Fruit ability, attempting to shrink it back to its original height.
The next instant, a deafening "Boom!" shattered the air. The Bat Clone exploded into a gruesome shower of blood and flesh fragments, splattering across the room. Tesoro wiped the blood from his face, his expression blank with disbelief. "Master, what happened...?"
Sephiroth raised his hand, and the scattered remains floated back to him, reforming into his body. After a moment of silence, he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "It seems the powers of the Tiny-Tiny Fruit and the Amplify-Amplify Fruit clashed within the clone's body. While the Tiny-Tiny Fruit attempted to shrink it, the Amplify-Amplify Fruit demanded it remain enlarged. The opposing forces tore it apart. Not all fruit powers are compatible. Misuse can lead to... catastrophic results."
Gilm and Tesoro exchanged a wordless glance.
Angel Island, Skypiea. A red light flashed as Sephiroth stepped through the spatial gate into the mountain-top villa. His gaze swept the room, landing on Monet in her black maid outfit, quietly tidying the living room. Nearby, Shirahoshi, Pudding, Uta, and Sugar sat around a mahjong table, the clatter of tiles punctuating their laughter.
Given Shirahoshi's twelve-meter stature, the others had moved the table to the edge of the swimming pool to accommodate her. With Black Maria, Reiju, Sharley, and others occupied elsewhere, the villa felt unusually quiet, the air tinged with a faint sense of emptiness.
Sephiroth approached the poolside and retrieved a silver ring from the pocket of his black suit jacket. It glimmered faintly, imbued with the Tiny-Tiny Fruit ability. He held it out to Shirahoshi. "This ring can shrink your body size. It's for you."
Shirahoshi's cheeks flushed a deep pink. "Ah! Sephiroth, why are you suddenly giving me this...?"
Before he could answer, Sugar grinned mischievously. "It's because Master's fallen for you and wants to do that kind of thing with you. He did the same with me after making me bigger back then!"
Pudding giggled, chiming in, "Shirahoshi-neechan is so beautiful. Isn't it normal for Sephiroth-oniichan to like you?"
Uta propped her chin on her hand, her tone teasing. "Exactly. He's a hopeless pervert! Shirahoshi, if you don't want it, just say no."
Sephiroth sighed, though his voice remained calm. "Shirahoshi, if you're unwilling, I won't force you."
"No! I... I am willing..." Shirahoshi stammered, her blush deepening as she accepted the ring. With Sephiroth's guidance, she quickly mastered the Tiny-Tiny Fruit's power, shrinking her body from twelve meters to a mere two meters tall.
She slipped the ring onto her left finger, her voice soft and shy. "Thank you for the gift, I really like it..." Rising on her toes, she brushed a light, fleeting kiss against Sephiroth's lips, delicate as a dragonfly skimming water.
Sephiroth's arms encircled Shirahoshi's waist, pulling her close. His lips curved into a playful grin as he murmured, "This little thank-you gift isn't nearly enough."
Shirahoshi's cheeks flushed crimson. "W-what kind of gift do you want then?"
"You," he breathed against her ear, his voice low and intimate. She gave a small nod, her lashes fluttering downward.
Without another word, he swept her into his arms and carried her toward the villa's second floor, intent on exploring the philosophical intricacies of mermaid-human relations. Uta and the others exchanged amused glances as Monet slid into Shirahoshi's vacant seat.
Vaguely, from the master bedroom on the second floor of the villa, Shirahoshi's muffled voice drifted down—a lilting melody of pleasure and protest, laughter and sighs.