"BOOM—!"
Sanji kicked apart a mountain of rubble and dragged out the unconscious Wapol like a dead dog.
The former tyrant king of Drum Kingdom was now covered in dust.
His already ridiculous jaw was badly deformed, and scraps of metal still stuffed his mouth.
"Hey. The 'material' is here."
Sanji casually tossed Wapol in front of Blackbeard and lit another cigarette, the flame briefly illuminating his cold expression.
Blackbeard sat slumped in a pool of blood.
His once-ambitious eyes were now bloodshot and dim.
He looked at Wapol.
Then at Ronan's Seastone spear.
"You… you really want me to do this?"
"If I do it… will you really let me go?"
Ronan's expression didn't change.
The spear tip nudged forward, the cold Seastone pressing lightly against Blackbeard's neck.
"Luffy already agreed to let you go. He's my captain."
Ronan's voice was calm—
Yet chilling.
"Start."
"Let me see if your ability… is worth your life."
Blackbeard slowly closed his eyes.
Then let out a low, hoarse roar.
"Zehahaha… if you want to see the Dark-Dark Fruit's finest trick…"
"Then I'll show you!!"
Darkness surged again—
But this time—
Not for destruction.
"Gulu… gulu…"
A thick, viscous black vortex formed in his palm—
So dense—
Even light couldn't escape.
Its pull wasn't wide—
But precise.
Completely locking onto Wapol.
The wind stopped.
Nami, Robin, and Chopper watched from afar, holding their breath.
Before their eyes—
Wapol's body began to twist unnaturally.
Not physically—
But something deeper—
Was being torn away.
"AAAHHH—!!!"
Wapol's eyes snapped open.
But his pupils were gone—
Only whites remained.
His body convulsed violently.
Pain beyond flesh—
Beyond nerves—
As if his very soul was being ripped apart.
"COME OUT!!!"
With a final roar—
Something was dragged out of his chest—
A semi-transparent, silver-glowing mass—
Covered in spiral patterns—
Like liquid life.
In that instant—
Wapol withered—
Like dried wood—
And went completely still.
Between Blackbeard's hands—
The writhing essence pulsed—
Trying to escape.
Ronan tossed him an orange.
Under Blackbeard's control—
The essence flowed into it—
And transformed—
Into a new Devil Fruit.
Blackbeard collapsed back, breathing heavily.
Alive.
Barely.
Watching Ronan and the others leave with the fruit—
His eyes burned with hatred—
But even more—
Fear.
"Zehahaha… Straw Hat Luffy… Spear Tyrant Ronan…"
He spat blood.
"I'll remember this… next time…"
"…it won't be so easy…"
Van Augur and Doc Q dragged themselves beside him.
The three stood in the ruins—
Pathetic.
Broken.
Aboard the Going Merry.
Ronan stood before the main mast.
The Munch-Munch Fruit rested in his hand.
"Merry…"
"This sea is cruel."
"But this fruit… will give you teeth to survive."
He placed it gently on the deck.
His Vajra Inner Energy flowed into the wood—
Reaching out—
Searching for something unseen.
"I know you can hear me."
"The road ahead is long."
"If you want to sail with us to the end…"
"Take this power."
The crew stared—
Stunned.
Then—
The deck rippled.
Like water.
"WOOONG—!!"
The fruit sank into the ripple—
And vanished.
A soft silver light swept across the entire ship.
The sheep figurehead—
Seemed to smile.
"It… it ate it?!"
Chopper rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
Then—
The transformation began.
The patched wooden sections—
Started to shift.
Consume.
Rebuild.
Impurities were expelled—
Replaced by dark golden wood—
With a metallic sheen.
Across the ship—
Faint blue lines appeared—
Like veins.
They spread—
From mast—
To figurehead—
To keel.
Ronan could feel it—
Those "veins" were adjusting the ship's balance—
Alive.
The most dramatic change—
Was at the bow.
The once-cute sheep head—
Now had faint silver light in its eyes.
Its surface—
Turned into a black, polished—
Unbreakable structure.
"This… isn't just a ship anymore."
Robin whispered, eyes shining.
"It's breathing…"
"It's adapting to the sea itself…"
At the peak of the transformation—
A soft white mist rose from the deck.
Within it—
A small figure appeared.
A tiny being—
Wearing a yellow raincoat—
Holding a little hammer.
The Klabautermann.
It had no true form—
Yet everyone could feel it.
"W-Who is that…?"
Chopper whispered, hiding behind Luffy.
"…It's Merry."
Usopp's voice trembled.
More than anyone—
He could feel it.
The joy.
The gratitude.
The rebirth.
The small figure bowed deeply to Ronan.
Then waved at Usopp.
And dissolved—
Into a streak of light—
Merging into the mast.
Ronan let out a slow breath.
With the power of the Munch-Munch Fruit—
The Going Merry now possessed—
Self-repair.
Material assimilation.
As long as it had materials to consume—
It could evolve.
Grow.
And one day—
Become the strongest ship—
On the seas.
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