[The Rubber-Rubber Fruit rolled to Luffy's feet for the second time, leaving everyone in the bar dumbfounded.]
["Seems like this Rubber-Rubber Fruit really likes this kid, huh~" Lucky Roux chuckled as he moved to pick up the Rubber Fruit again.]
[However, Shanks stopped him and said, "Wait a minute!"]
[Lucky Roux froze in place and asked, "Huh? Boss, what's wrong?"]
[Shanks stood up from his seat, walked over to Luffy, and picked up the Rubber-Rubber Fruit from the ground. He stared at it for a moment, as if deep in thought, making a decision.]
["Luffy, have you heard of Devil Fruits?"]
["I've heard of them, but I've never seen one."]
[Luffy had seen the power of Devil Fruits before, knowing they granted extraordinary abilities when eaten, but he had never seen one up close and thought they looked like normal fruits.]
["Well, now you've seen one. This is a type of Devil Fruit called Paramecia, the Rubber-Rubber Fruit."]
["This is a Devil Fruit!?"]
["Yes. Once you eat it, you'll become a rubber human, but at the same time, you'll be cursed by the sea and won't be able to swim again."]
["I know about not being able to swim. I've heard of that." Luffy nodded, then looked puzzled. "But why are you telling me all this, Uncle Shanks?"]
[Shanks smiled and said, "Luffy, do you believe in fate? This Devil Fruit rolled to your feet twice, and I don't think that's a coincidence. If you want, I'd like to offer it to you as a gift."]
[Luffy quickly refused, insisting that such a valuable gift wasn't something he could accept!]
[Although Luffy didn't know the exact worth of the Devil Fruit, he was sure it would sell for an incredible sum!]
[Seeing Luffy's sincerity, Shanks laughed heartily and said, "As pirates, we value freedom above all else! The value of this Devil Fruit doesn't matter; what matters is that it chose you.
Forget the money.
The real question is, do you want it?
If you choose it, you can repay me in the future."]
[It chose me...?]
[Luffy stared at the Rubber-Rubber Fruit, deep in thought.]
[The image of the fruit rolling to his feet twice flashed through his mind...]
[Did it really choose me??]
[But if it chose me, does that mean I have to choose it...?]
[If I don't take this chance, someone else will likely eat it, and once it's gone, it's gone forever...]
[Should I embrace this strange destiny or walk away from it?]
[Luffy's mind swirled with uncertainty, struggling like a whirlpool.]
[Shanks said nothing further, and under his calm gaze, the rest of the Red Hair Pirates remained silent as well.]
[He didn't want to influence Luffy's decision. In his view, if this was truly fate, Luffy should make the choice on his own!]
[Luffy pondered for a long time, and when he looked up again, there was no trace of hesitation on his young face.]
["I want it!" Luffy's gaze was resolute.]
[He had ultimately decided to follow his heart!!]
["Uncle Shanks, when I earn money in the future, I will definitely repay you for this Devil Fruit," Luffy said confidently.]
["No problem, it's yours now!"]
[Seeing Luffy accept the Rubber-Rubber Fruit, Shanks didn't feel much excitement in his heart.]
[Had Luffy refused, he wouldn't have persuaded him otherwise.]
[He had left everything to fate!]
[Luffy took the Devil Fruit and prepared to leave after bidding farewell to Shanks.]
[But before he could take a step, Shanks called out to him again...]
["Huh? Uncle Shanks?"]
["Luffy, do you still want to learn the Conqueror's Haki training method I taught you earlier?"]
["I do!" Luffy's eyes lit up!]
[By the time Luffy left the bar, it was already late in the evening.]
[When he got home, he immediately grabbed paper and pen to write down the training method Shanks had shared with him. Although he couldn't replicate it perfectly, he managed to record it quite accurately.]
[As for the Rubber-Rubber Fruit, he didn't eat it right away.]
[He was still unsure.]
[Becoming a Devil Fruit user meant gaining power but losing the ability to swim!]
[This was a decision that required careful thought.]
[Days passed one by one...]
[Finally, on a certain morning, one month after obtaining the Rubber-Rubber Fruit, Luffy made his choice and ate it!]
The video ended here, making it clear that Luffy's fate had been sealed!!
[Ding! The top three winners of the prize quiz are Shanks, bye, and bye.]
[Congratulations to one person for winning the prize!]
[Congratulations to Shanks for winning the reward of the Kirin Arm!]
[As the Kirin Arm is a mystical item from another world, a special note is provided.]
[Note: The Kirin Arm is tempered with the blood of the ancient divine beast, the Fire Kirin. It grants incredible strength and defense, making its bearer immune to heat and cold, and impervious to blades and spears!]
Damn!!——
Seeing the note about the Kirin Arm, the chat room erupted.