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"Yes, Elektra, the Slash-Slash Fruit has already been sold, so it's no longer available," Rosh nodded.
'Sold? What a pity.' Stick felt a twinge of disappointment but kept his expression neutral, his face still blank and emotionless.
"That's unfortunate," Elektra sighed before continuing to read aloud from the fruit catalog for Stick.
"Slow-Slow Fruit: It can emit a special wave of light, and anything hit by the light will have its movements drastically slowed." When Elektra read this description, she noticed a subtle reaction from Stick. It was a barely perceptible shift in his demeanor, something only a student who had spent years learning under him would pick up on.
Elektra immediately realized that the Slow-Slow Fruit had piqued Stick's interest. She quickly checked the availability and breathed a sigh of relief—thankfully, it was still for sale.
"Rosh, could you tell me more about the Slow-Slow Fruit? It sounds intriguing," Elektra asked, turning to Rosh.
"Of course," Rosh replied. "As described, this fruit allows the user to emit 'slowness waves.' Anything hit by the wave will move in slow motion. However, the effect only lasts for a maximum of 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, the affected object will return to normal."
"Only 30 seconds?" Elektra asked, wanting to clarify this important detail.
"That's right, Elektra. And that's assuming the user is adept with their ability. For less experienced users, the duration can be even shorter," Rosh explained.
'Thirty seconds, huh?' Stick wasn't bothered by this limitation. In actual combat, victory or defeat could be decided in an instant. Thirty seconds was more than enough. Even just a single second of delay could make all the difference in a battle for someone like Stick. However, Stick was more interested in another key detail.
"Rosh, you said 'object' rather than 'person'?" Stick asked. The phrasing was unusual since slowness is typically associated with people. Rosh's choice of words implied that the fruit's power wasn't limited to humans.
"That's correct, Stick. The Slow-Slow Fruit can slow down both people and objects," Rosh confirmed. "For example, if you were to hit a speeding car with the slowness wave, the car would slow down drastically, possibly even come to a stop."
"That's quite an extraordinary ability," Elektra couldn't help but marvel.
Stick, too, was deeply impressed. The Slow-Slow Fruit truly was remarkable.
"However," Rosh continued, "there are a few limitations to the Slow-Slow Fruit." Rosh cautioned, ensuring they were fully aware of the drawbacks.
"First, the slowness wave can only be emitted through the hands, and it requires a specific hand gesture to activate." This was a minor inconvenience but well within the realm of acceptability. Using a specific hand gesture in combat was hardly a major obstacle.
"Really? What kind of gesture?" Elektra curiously.
"Elektra, have you ever heard of the 'Buddhist orchid hand gesture'?" Rosh replied after a moment's thought. "It's that."
Indeed, the slowness wave was activated by forming an orchid hand gesture. While it might look graceful if done by a delicate, beautiful woman, the thought of an old man like Stick making the gesture... Rosh couldn't help but shudder at the image. 'Yikes, that's not a pretty sight.'
"Orchid Hand gesture?" Elektra raised an eyebrow. She wasn't too familiar with Buddhist gestures, so the description sounded somewhat mystical to her.
Stick, on the other hand, remained unfazed. For him, the mechanics of the power were what mattered, not the gesture itself. He asked a more critical question.
"So, if my hands are injured, bound, or otherwise unable to form the Orchid Hand gesture, I wouldn't be able to use the slowness wave, correct?" Stick inquired.
"Yes, sir. If you're considering purchasing the Slow-Slow Fruit, you'll need to keep that in mind," Rosh confirmed.
Stick silently took note of this.
"Are there any other restrictions?" Elektra asked, continuing her inquiry.
"There is one more," Rosh said. "The slowness wave can be reflected or refracted by mirrors or mirror-like surfaces." Since the slowness wave was still a type of light, it followed some basic principles of optics.
Stick wasn't overly concerned. These limitations seemed relatively easy to work around during combat. They wouldn't be much of an issue as long as he paid attention. Being blind, of course, wasn't a problem for Stick. Like Daredevil, he had ways of 'seeing' the world, even without his eyes.
"A truly fascinating fruit," Stick muttered, genuinely impressed. The Slow-Slow Fruit had now made it onto Stick's shortlist. If nothing better came along, he was leaning towards choosing this one.
Elektra, sensing Stick's interest, resumed reading the fruit catalog. After a few more entries, another fruit caught Stick's attention.
"The Grow-Grow Fruit: This fruit allows the user to control plants and accelerate their growth." When Elektra read the description of this fruit, Stick's expression changed once again.
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Next Chapter: Bust Out Some Moves, Old Man!
Next Next Chapter: Deadpool's Crisis
Next Next Next Chapter: Doctor Morbius' Nightfall Crisis
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