"Can you really take someone's Devil Fruit?"
Monet's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the Zoan-type Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Yamata no Orochi, in Carina's hand. Even though Kahn had already explained Carina's plan to her, she couldn't help but be shocked.
"Is this really the most dangerous Devil Fruit?" she asked, her voice filled with awe.
"There are loopholes in this world," Kahn responded with a smile, holding the Logia-type Dark-Dark Fruit that Carina had just handed him. "And the Dark-Dark Fruit is one of those abilities that can exploit them."
After taking the Dark-Dark Fruit, Kahn gently patted Carina's head and added, "From now on, Carina is the most important treasure and secret weapon of our family."
"Hee hee..." Carina giggled in delight, clearly enjoying the affection.
She was filled with excitement. Just like her personal motto: girls must survive with their wits. Carina, with her sharp mind, was incredibly perceptive.
Kahn always showed her care, but she noticed it wasn't the kind of attention she craved.
She wanted to be pampered, and Kahn, as her master, gave her what she wanted without ever being harsh, unlike the nobles or royal lords who simply treated their maids as possessions. In fact, Kahn treated her more like a younger sister than a servant.
Of course, Kahn was joking when he said they were family, but beneath that playful exterior, there was a certain dismissiveness Carina was quick to pick up on.
At first, she thought the difference in treatment was due to when they joined. Compared to her and the Nami sisters who came later, the maids who were with Kahn through the early, difficult stages of the family's rise were understandably favoured.
But after spending a year together, Carina realized the difference was not about timing—it was about ability.
Apart from Robin, the eldest sister, the most favoured were Hancock, the world's most beautiful woman; Scarlett, who had eaten the Paramecia-type Love-Love Fruit; and Mary, who had also become close to Kahn over the past two years. Then there were Monet and the Sugar Sisters.
If it had just been her older sisters treated differently, Carina wouldn't have thought much of it. But Kahn's growing affection for Nami over the years, which was far greater than what her own sister Nojiko received, was hard to ignore.
When it came to her and Nojiko, Kahn offered them the powerful Logia-type Flame-Flame Fruit without hesitation, and even when they declined, he didn't seem to care. That indifference, though, hinted at something deeper—Kahn valued Nami more than them.
Though Carina had joined the "Cross Family" and become one of Kahn's maids, even receiving pure gold jewellery that could extend her life and halt her ageing, it shattered her view of the world.
But despite her newfound luxury and the promise of a long life, Carina wasn't satisfied.
Starting her pirate life at just ten years old, with a sharp and flexible mind, she had grown up fast. She didn't want to be just another pretty face, nor did she want to remain insignificant in her role within the family.
So, when Carina was training, she worked extremely hard.
After reading through the *Devil Fruit Encyclopedia* and receiving more detailed classifications from Robin, Carina initially resisted asking the Master for the Flame-Flame Fruit. She had planned to wait for the family to acquire a Paramecia-type fruit with rule-based powers or perhaps a Paramecia or Mythical Zoan fruit that could control concepts.
However, after learning about the terrifying abilities of the Dark-Dark Fruit from Kahn, Carina immediately changed her mind and chose to eat it instead.
Now, with her Master's approval, her decision felt completely validated. She was no longer just a decorative piece.
Kahn, with his natural Observation Haki, noticed Carina's small ambitions right away.
He appreciated Carina's drive. From his rational perspective, having ambition and goals is a sign of intelligence. As long as there's no betrayal, any small desires are just part of her charm.
Kahn wasn't worried about competition or rivalry among the women under his care. Even though he treated them like family, the reality of master and servant roles still set clear boundaries. He had no plans to marry or make any of them permanent fixtures, so there was no risk of palace intrigue.
And even if conflict did arise, Kahn, with his keen Observation Haki, could easily quash any issues before they became serious.
Now, getting back to business...
After obtaining the Zoan-type Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Yamata no Orochi, Kahn decided not to give it to Nojiko, as she wasn't fond of fighting. He didn't want her to become the fourth Mythical Zoan user in the family.
The "Cross Family" already had plenty of top-tier combat power. With three users of Conqueror's Haki as a baseline, the Cross Family now rivalled even the Charlotte Family in terms of high-level fighters.
It was becoming more challenging to find trustworthy people who could take on powerful roles. So instead of forcing Nojiko, who preferred peace, to become a Mythical Zoan user, Kahn thought she'd be better suited to an auxiliary role like Carina and Monet.
With Carina now wielding the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit and Kahn's knowledge as a time traveller, there were plenty of other Devil Fruits that could be prepared for Nojiko.
As for the Yamata no Orochi fruit, Kahn had a special plan.
He didn't want to give this fruit to a person but rather to one of the family's "Perfect Works," an artificial human he was creating.
Unlike mere clones, Kahn envisioned these "Perfect Works" as near-human beings. They would have all the characteristics of real humans except for a few programmed traits: no fear of death, absolute loyalty, and unwavering dedication. Their thought processes wouldn't be as sophisticated as a real human's, but their bodies would be completely human.
Since they were technically human, they could eat Devil Fruits.
Once a Perfect Work consumed a Devil Fruit, they would surpass the Seraphim.
In the original work, the Seraphim are created using the bloodline factors of the Warlords of the Sea and Lunarians. Their power rivals that of the Warlords, with a strength estimated at around one billion berries.
Kahn's Perfect Works, made with the bloodline factors of Kaido and the Lunarians, combined with the technology of Germa 66's exoskeleton and combat suit, and further enhanced by consuming a Devil Fruit, would be even more powerful.
A Perfect Work would not only start at a power level of over a billion berries but would continue to grow stronger over time—unlike the fixed strength of the Seraphim.
Once Kahn could create a double-digit number of these Perfect Works, it would be like having his own Seven Warlords of the Sea. And if he could produce them in the hundreds...
Just imagining such a scenario filled Kahn with motivation.
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