Does this sound familiar?
Yemu remembered that Roger had asked him the same question back on Skypiea. Later, on the Sabaody Archipelago, Rayleigh had also asked him if he felt he was the "Child of Destiny."
So what exactly is this so-called "fate" in this world, is it predestination, or something else entirely? Is it waiting for a so-called protagonist, or does everyone have a chance to become the protagonist?
Yemu felt a bit lost at that moment, but just then, he heard Charlotte Linlin continue speaking.
"Mamamama, my first reaction was that this man was crazy. He's in the same room with a beauty like me, yet he asks me some nonsense about fate? But after thinking about it, I still told him I don't believe in any nonsense about fate. What I didn't expect was that the man said something I never thought a man like him would say."
"He said, 'Yeah, I don't believe in any nonsense about fate either, Linlin, but from the moment we were born, we have already been bound by the fate of this world. There is no escaping it.'"
"To be honest, I was really surprised at the time. After all, a man like him, who could be said to rule the entire sea, would actually say something about submitting to fate."
"But soon he returned to being the dangerous man I knew, because he continued."
"Linlin, I've now found a way to break free from fate, but I need your help. Will you help me?"
"Mamamama, to be honest, at that moment, I was actually a bit captivated by him. But I'm not the kind of little girl who would blindly believe a man's words. Then, right in front of me, he pulled out a Devil Fruit?"
"A Devil Fruit!?"
Yemu froze for a moment, and then Charlotte Linlin continued.
"Yes, he told me he had now mastered the power to become the creator of this world, and that Devil Fruit was proof—because he created it himself."
BIGMOM's face lit up with excitement.
"Come to think of it, you've actually met the user of this Devil Fruit, haven't you?"
Yemu froze. For a moment, he was completely baffled, unsure who BIGMOM was referring to. Then suddenly, a flash of insight struck him.
"You wouldn't be talking about Kaidou, would you?"
"Mamamama..."
Instantly, Charlotte Linlin's laughter echoed throughout the Treasure Room.
"That's right, that's right. It's this one: Zoan-type Uo Uo no Mi, Mythical Zoan, Model: Seiryu. One is a fish that must live in water, and the other is a Devil Fruit that turns you into a landlubber the moment you eat it. The combination of these two contradictions is just that man's twisted sense of humor."
Charlotte Linlin's expression turned serious.
"However, this Devil Fruit is truly powerful. In that man's own words, he imbued it with the strongest power within the realm of fate. It's such a pity. I had already eaten a Devil Fruit by then. Otherwise, I certainly wouldn't have given it to that brat Kaidou."
"But even though that man had mastered such a terrifying ability, he still wasn't satisfied."
Charlotte Linlin looked at Yemu, her expression turning particularly terrifying at that moment.
"So, he proposed an utterly unimaginable idea: what if a Devil Fruit possessed its own life?"
"!!!"
Her final words, like a ghostly voice, echoed through the entire Treasure Room.
Yemu suddenly realized something and widened his eyes.
"Mamamama, that idea was simply unimaginable to me back then. According to that man, the power of the vast majority of creatures in this world is extremely weak. Even the Giants, if used as a model, could not break through that limit, even if granted the power to defy fate. But there are two exceptions. The first is the Calm Belt and the Sea Kings of the deep ocean. These wondrous creatures possess incredible vitality and live even longer than the Giants; living for thousands of years is no problem. Such a lifespan can truly be called eternal. The second is the Devil Fruit. The wonders of the Devil Fruit need no explanation; they seem inherently immortal and possess all manner of incredible abilities. However, the Sea Kings are far too massive to study easily, so he chose the Devil Fruit, an item readily available. As for why he specifically sought me, it is because of the power of the Soru Soru no Mi that I possess."
"That man clearly didn't want to simply create plant-like lifeforms. He wanted to create new, living Devil Fruit beings with their own consciousness. To fulfill these conditions, there was one thing he had to figure out: what exactly is a soul?"
"To be honest, this plan was too crazy. I did not want to agree at first, but he persuaded me with terms I could not refuse."
Charlotte Linlin lifted her head to gaze at the Poneglyph on the second floor above her.
"He revealed the truth of the Poneglyph to me and offered his own Poneglyph and that Devil Fruit as the terms of the deal. I had no reason to refuse, and so a plan began."
Charlotte Linlin then turned her gaze toward Yemu.
"You wanted to find your true name, didn't you? Well, let me tell you. This plan is your name. It's called the White Plan, which means your real name is Rocks D. White."
"The White Plan, Rocks D. White. So, am I the Devil Fruit you created, one with its own life and will?"
At that moment, all the questions seemed to have answers, though it did not mean everything was known. More questions remained.
"If I am a Devil Fruit, as you say, then what was my original ability?"
"Mamamama..."
Charlotte Linlin laughed.
"Kid, who told you that a Devil Fruit must have its own power? The reason this project is called 'White' is precisely because the so-called 'power' is actually the Devil Fruit's shackle. It restrains the world's most incredible power, forcing it to manifest various abilities according to the creator's intentions. To break this shackle, this Devil Fruit had to be blank from the very beginning."
Charlotte Linlin looked at Yemu and could not help but marvel.
"But to be honest, until the very last moment, this plan never truly succeeded. In the end, all we managed to create were Homies like my Zeus and Prometheus. So your appearance is nothing short of a miracle to me."
Charlotte Linlin seemed to finally unburden herself of all the secrets hidden in her heart, appearing thoroughly relieved.
"Well, that is all I know. As for the rest, perhaps you should ask the fox by your side. She knows far more than I do."
After speaking, she stood up from Zeus's back.
"What a pity. If I were twenty years younger, I certainly would not have let a man like you get away. But alas, I have to go to my wedding. Once you've had your fill of staying here, leave. I do not want to see you anymore."