“My Dark-Dark Fruit! Where did it go?!”

Blackbeard coughed up blood in fury.

The Devil Fruit he had gambled his entire future on had vanished without a trace.

He was beyond enraged.

But the worst part—he didn’t even know who to be angry at.

He had no idea how it disappeared.

“Damn it!”

Frustrated, Blackbeard shuddered as he saw the approaching pirates. He had no time to curse fate’s unfairness.

He had to escape.

Without hesitation, he leaped into the sea, diving for his life.

Far above, thousands of meters in the sky.

A strange shadow lingered among the clouds.

“So this is the Dark-Dark Fruit?”

Belo Betty curiously examined the fruit that had suddenly appeared in her hands.

She was intrigued.

What kind of fruit was worth Kuke treating so seriously?

One month ago.

Kuke had sent Belo Betty and Shakky to infiltrate Whitebeard’s territory, with Viola using her ability to monitor the movements of the Whitebeard Pirates at all times.

Their primary target—Blackbeard.

Three days ago, Viola noticed Blackbeard leaving Whitebeard’s main ship alongside Thatch.

Shakky, who had the ability to fly, immediately carried Belo Betty into the skies to follow them from above.

At the critical moment.

Belo Betty used the Op-Op Fruit’s teleportation ability to instantly transfer the Dark-Dark Fruit out of the chest.

And that led to the scene just now.

Blackbeard’s agonized cries.

“Even that old man Whitebeard has traitors in his crew. How laughable. This is probably karma.”

Shakky sneered as she watched the chaos unfold below.

“The sons are starting to betray their father… Seems like Whitebeard’s end is near.”

Belo Betty took out a Den Den Mushi.

She contacted Kuke on the Radiant Eclipse.

The Sun and Moon Pirates hadn’t sent their full force.

Not because they feared Whitebeard.

But because they didn’t want to trigger a butterfly effect.

If the Sun and Moon Pirates entered Whitebeard’s territory, they would have been detected immediately.

And if that happened, Thatch and Blackbeard might not have left the main ship.

If that were the case, the Dark-Dark Fruit could have ended up being eaten by some random pirate before they could intervene.

“Captain, mission accomplished. Bring us back.”

Whoosh!

Belo Betty and Shakky vanished from the sky.

The next moment.

They reappeared on the Radiant Eclipse in the first half of the Grand Line.

For once, Kuke personally welcomed them back.

He treated this mission with utmost importance.

Even the other women on the ship gathered out of curiosity.

They all wanted to know—

What kind of Devil Fruit was important enough to make their captain, who they saw as invincible, treat it so seriously?

“Captain, look!”

Belo Betty excitedly presented the Dark-Dark Fruit.

Everyone’s eyes locked onto it.

“The most mysterious Logia, the Dark-Dark Fruit? Said to have the most sinister ability?”

The crew stared at it with fascination.

“Can it compare to the Rumble-Rumble Fruit?”

Stussy was doubtful.

To her, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was the most supreme Logia ability.

“Don’t underestimate the Dark-Dark Fruit.”

Kuke took the fruit from Belo Betty.

Casually twirling it in his hand, he explained,

“The Dark-Dark Fruit has an infinite gravitational force, capable of pulling everything in like a black hole, compressing and crushing whatever is absorbed.

“Moreover, any Devil Fruit user who comes into contact with the user of the Dark-Dark Fruit will temporarily lose their powers, regardless of what ability they possess.”

“That’s… insane.”

Charlotte Linlin and the other powerhouses were stunned.

Whether it was the ability to generate an infinite gravitational pull,

Or the power to nullify any Devil Fruit ability upon contact.

Both were top-tier abilities in the world.

These two traits alone cemented the Dark-Dark Fruit as one of the most powerful Devil Fruits in existence,

Enough to tempt even the Four Emperors.

But to them.

Their captain was no mere emperor.

Compared to Kuke, the so-called Four Emperors weren’t even fit to shine his boots.

“If it were just these two abilities, the Dark-Dark Fruit wouldn’t be enough to warrant my full attention. What I value most—”

Kuke smirked.

“—is its ability to steal other Devil Fruit powers.”

Holding the Dark-Dark Fruit was equivalent to holding the power of every ability in the world.

The original story never explicitly explained how Blackbeard stole Devil Fruit abilities.

But Kuke was certain.

It was tied to the Dark-Dark Fruit.

If Blackbeard could steal abilities without it, then why had he waited so long in Whitebeard’s crew, hiding in obscurity?

He should have been plundering abilities long before obtaining the Dark-Dark Fruit.

“Steal…?”

The crew’s eyes widened in shock as they stared at the Dark-Dark Fruit.

“Does that mean… it can steal my Soul-Soul Fruit?”

Charlotte Linlin instinctively stepped away from the fruit.

For the first time in her life, she felt fear.

Fear that the next second, her Soul-Soul Fruit would disappear.

“This is an ability unheard of before.”

Shakky was stunned.

She realized that ever since joining the Sun and Moon Pirates,

She had only become more ignorant.

She had once thought that her time in the Rocks Pirates had shown her all the secrets of the sea.

Only to later realize how little she actually knew.

“Kuke, so this is what you meant when you said we could choose any power in the world?”

Hancock’s voice trembled with excitement.

She had been waiting for this moment.

For too long, the Love-Love Fruit had held her back.

“That’s right.”

Kuke gazed at them.

“If any of you are dissatisfied with your abilities, or if you want to wield more than one power—

“Tell me.

“Your captain will fulfill all your wishes.”

“Yay! Captain is the best!”

Ulti was the first to cheer, stomping excitedly.

A half-asleep Yamato, seeing everyone getting riled up, also joined in the celebration—without even knowing what was going on.

“All our wishes?”

Charlotte Linlin suddenly moved closer to Kuke, leaning in with a sultry smile.

“Captain, I have only one wish, and that is—”

Thud!

Kuke casually turned away.

Charlotte Linlin, caught off balance, tumbled onto the deck.

She sat on the deck, looking up at Kuke with a pitiful expression.

“Pfft… stingy captain.”

She muttered under her breath.

But Kuke’s mind was focused solely on the Dark-Dark Fruit.

This fruit concerned the second phase of his crew’s evolution.

It would determine their future limits.

“This Devil Fruit…”

Kuke looked at his crew.

Who was most suitable to eat the Dark-Dark Fruit?

After thinking it over,

Kuke decided to eat it himself.

To save time.

By consuming it himself,

He could instantly develop its power to the highest level.

With a foundation of three million combat power.

No matter what ability he gained,

With his limitless stamina, he could master it in an instant.

And with 『 Resurrection 』 and 『 Teleportation 』, the Sun and Moon Pirates didn’t need to fear the Devil Fruit’s weaknesses.

Upon hearing that Kuke would eat the Dark-Dark Fruit—

The women’s excitement reached new heights.

They watched, eyes wide, as Kuke prepared to take a bite.

Yamato even secretly pulled out a camera, ready to take pictures.

Most of them were Devil Fruit users.

They knew the taste of a Devil Fruit.

And without exception—

It was the most disgusting thing in the world.

Kuke, under their eager gazes,

Bit into the Dark-Dark Fruit.

His brow furrowed.

It really was awful.

Before he could react—

Hancock suddenly leaned in, pressing her lips against his, passing something sweet into his mouth.

“Ugh…”

The others shivered as goosebumps ran down their spines.

“So… that’s an option?”

Charlotte Linlin stared in shock.

No wonder Hancock was their captain’s favorite.

She was way too clever.

——

DONT FORGET POWER STONE

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep