Chapter 248: Bright Future and human human fruit
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The bright sunshine bathed the beach, making the golden sand sparkle with light.
Crash!
The waves rose and fell rhythmically, sending sprays of seawater splashing onto the shore.
Feeling playful, Robin took off her shoes, revealing her pale, tender feet, and stepped into the water.
The icy coolness of the sea washing over her feet and calves felt refreshing and soothing.
For a moment, she stood there, enjoying the sensation, and realized she couldn't recall the last time she had lived such a peaceful, carefree life.
"It feels like it never happened," Robin murmured, tilting her head thoughtfully.
Her childhood had been anything but serene. She had lived with her uncle, ostracized as a Devil Fruit user, labeled a monster by other children.
The time spent studying with Dr. Clover and the scholars at Ohara had been a brief period of happiness, but the reality of life on the island had always been harsh.
Then came the years of running—fleeing from the World Government, living in constant fear and anxiety. Comfort had been a distant dream.
Aoki's voice interrupted her thoughts as his figure appeared beside her, watching her with a faint smile.
"You're in a good mood," he remarked casually.
After finalizing the main details for the base, he had left Alice at Laclede and come to meet Robin.
Robin turned, surprised for a moment, before a playful smile curled her lips. She lifted one leg slightly, a few drops of seawater clinging to her tender white feet.
"Do you like it?" she teased.
Aoki raised an eyebrow, confused. "?"
Robin chuckled softly, lowering her foot. "I've heard some men are fond of women's feet."
"First of all, you're only fourteen," Aoki replied dryly. "You're not even a woman yet."
Ignoring her playful comment, he continued, "So, were you able to make any progress exploring the ruins?"
Hearing the shift to a serious topic, Robin's expression turned serious. She stepped out of the water and onto the beach.
"I've explored all the valuable ruins on the island," she reported, "but I didn't find any Devil Fruits."
"No?" Aoki frowned briefly before regaining his composure.
"It seems the Mythical Zoan Bat-Bat Fruit, Model: Vampire, was placed in those ruins within the last decade."
He had been prepared for this outcome.
After all, they were more than ten years early.
Still, the news stung. Months of effort had amounted to nothing, and the easiest Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit he knew of had slipped out of reach.
The only other Devil Fruit he knew to have relatively accurate information on was Luffy's Nika Fruit.
Of course, there was another method—using the "Spirit of Vengeance" system to generate Devil Fruits as rewards.
Coincidentally, the Spirit of Vengeance had recently reached level 4, making this approach more viable.
Suitable targets already existed. For instance, Orochi, the usurper of Wano Country, possessed the Yamata-no-Orochi model of the Snake-Snake Fruit, another Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit.
It was undeniably a powerful fruit, but in Orochi's hands, it had been squandered, its true potential never realized.
However, relying on the Spirit of Vengeance was inherently unpredictable and based entirely on luck.
How many Devil Fruit users existed across the world?
Even if Aoki managed to defeat them all, there was no guarantee of obtaining another Devil Fruit.
He let out a sigh, shifting his thoughts.
I wonder how things are going with Rayleigh. It's been so long since we last spoke—seems like his search hasn't gone well.
Aoki hadn't approached Rayleigh with the expectation that he would find a new Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit.
Though Rayleigh was a legendary pirate, he was retired, and the Roger Pirates had long since disbanded.
Even the most powerful forces in the world struggled to find such rare treasures.
Take the Beasts Pirates, for example.
Kaido, one of the Four Emperors, had devoted years to acquiring Zoan-type Devil Fruits, yet in all that time, only one other Mythical Zoan, the Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Okuchi-no-Makami, had been found.
How could Rayleigh and Shakky, with far fewer resources, be expected to locate something as rare as a Mythical Zoan or a Logia-type Devil Fruit?
Still, Aoki thought, during the Roger Pirates' legendary voyages, they might have stumbled upon a Mythical Zoan or other powerful Devil Fruits.
As of now, Roger's pirate crew mainly consisted of individuals without extraordinary powers, making it plausible that they had retained some Devil Fruits.
"Perhaps I should return to the Sabaody Archipelago and ask," Aoki mused thoughtfully.
At that moment, Robin pulled a notebook from the backpack beside her.
"Although I didn't find any Devil Fruits, I came across this," she said, handing it to Aoki.
Taking the notebook with a hint of doubt, Aoki opened it and began to read. His expression quickly changed as he flipped through its pages.
The notebook turned out to be a navigation journal—or, more accurately, the captain's log—belonging to a pirate named "Captain Jack" from a century ago.
While much of the notebook's content had faded with time, the last section remained remarkably intact.
This section was a treasure map, drawn on special paper that had resisted decay for over a hundred years.
Aoki examined it carefully.
According to the journal, Captain Jack's treasure was divided into three parts:
The first part consisted of conventional riches—gold, silver, and other valuables—forming the bulk of the treasure.
The second part was an impressive collection of weapons. Captain Jack had been a known weapon enthusiast, amassing an assortment of both cold and hot weapons in his trove.
The third and most intriguing part was a Devil Fruit.
A mythical Human-Human Fruit.
Jack hadn't specified the exact form of the Devil Fruit in his notes. Instead, he had described it with enticing words, claiming it was one of the most powerful and precious Devil Fruits in existence—possessing the power to "turn the world upside down." He had written that it was the centerpiece of his collection.
Interestingly, Captain Jack himself had been a Devil Fruit user and thus hadn't consumed the Human-Human Fruit. Instead, he safeguarded it, intending to leave it for someone he deemed worthy.
Robin added, "According to what we've researched, Captain Jack was indeed real and likely one of the most formidable pirates of his time. However, we can't verify if the treasure actually exists."
"Then there's only one way to find out—let's go and have a look!" Aoki decided without hesitation.
The Human-Human Fruit was a Zoan-type Devil Fruit.
Aoki already knew of four variations of this fruit, three of which were mythical zoan, including Luffy's Nika form.
To Aoki, the mythical beast form of the Human-Human Fruit was far more enticing than the vampire form of the Bat-Bat Fruit.
The Bat-Bat Fruit's vampire form was most notable for its ability to absorb the life force of others, a power that many would find irresistible.
However, as the "Demon King," Aoki possessed a nearly unlimited lifespan, rendering the Bat-Bat Fruit's benefits largely unnecessary.
With no solid leads on other mythical Zoans at the moment, this treasure hunt seemed like the best option.
After all, beating children on a rainy day—it's something to do when there's nothing else.
Robin hesitated before saying, "Captain Jack mentioned in his notes that anyone seeking his treasure must pass a trial. According to his description, the mortality rate for the trial exceeds 90%!"
"It doesn't matter," Aoki replied dismissively. "Over a hundred years have passed. Whatever test he set up may have disappeared by now."
He paused briefly.
Then again, the disappearance of the trial could also mean something unfortunate had happened to the Devil Fruit.
"Even if the danger remains, I can handle it!" he declared confidently.
Aoki's greatest strength was his survivability. Though he wasn't one to recklessly seek out trouble, he wasn't about to overlook an advantage when it presented itself.
With the decision made, Aoki and Robin quickly packed up and left Shuigu Town.
This journey was far less challenging compared to their quest for the ancient town of Shuigu.
Captain Jack had thoughtfully detailed the location of his treasure in his notes, anticipating that the world might change over time. To account for such changes, he had recorded the location in multiple ways.
Even after a century, most of these records remained accurate, all pointing to one destination.