Chapter 281: The Float-Float Fruit (Fuwa Fuwa no Mi)

The familiar pain in his soul came again, and the Golden Lion let out another cry of anguish, his eyes almost splitting open.

This time, except for the ship's wheel on his head, the Golden Lion had returned to his original form with both legs missing, and without his two named swords, Cherry Blossom and Kogarashi, by his side.

"Little-"

Golden Lion didn't manage to utter a complete word.

Under the powerful grip of the ghostly control, he was completely subdued, like a clay puppet, frozen in a rage-filled, grotesque stance.

Oto and Kogarashi!

After defeating Golden Lion, these trophies couldn't be missed!

Moreover, they were two of the great blades! (presumably)

Adrian's eyes gleamed with red light as his Observation Haki quickly locked onto the two swords that hadn't yet fallen into the sea.

With a few flickers, he retrieved the swords and landed back on the island where he had previously fought Shanks.

Three days passed.

When Adrian returned with Golden Lion's soul, Shanks, who had been severely injured by a single slash earlier, had still not recovered.

In fact…

At this moment, Shanks, although he had regained consciousness, was in a state where he would die if he was not treated immediately.

Adrian used his Observation Haki to scan the entire island and headed straight for Shanks' location.

Fortunately, Golden Lion later discovered that the pure material lion could not cause any damage to the enemy at all, and did not use the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi ability to cause too much damage to the terrain of this small island.

Otherwise, Adrian would have really lost Shanks, this golden leek!

Severely injured, unconscious, struggling to survive for three days and nights without any treatment, not even a drop of water...

But…

Thank goodness!

He was still alive!

Adrian felt immense relief.

Seemingly affected by the aftermath of the battle, Shanks had crawled out of the crater in the mountain wall, using his tattered clothes as makeshift bandages to wrap the terrifying sword wound that nearly split him in two.

"Ad… rian…"

Seeing Adrian's figure, the weak Shanks, who could only lie flat, tried to speak but could only manage a few broken words from his cracked and dry lips.

"Sorry, the battle came out of nowhere, I didn't have time to take care of you." Adrian first apologized, then extended his left hand and gently tapped the shell of his lead-gray pocket watch.

In an instant, Rumi, Love, and Dr. Moy appeared on the desolate island.

"Rumi, with Love's help, bring out all the fruits from the castle! And I mean all of them! Quick!"

Adrian commanded swiftly.

"Dr. Moy, check Shanks' condition first. This guy is pretty tough, he shouldn't die yet."

The ship's spirit and the fox disappeared in confusion but quickly returned with a heap of fruits.

Dr. Moy dutifully stepped forward to check Shanks' condition, and at the same time made a large number of clean white bandages in case of emergency.

Love handed over a large red apple with both hands, "Adrian-sama, why do you need the fruits?"

"Just trying my luck."

Adrian took the apple and took a big bite. After three days and three nights of fighting, he was also very hungry.

The purpose of taking out the fruit is also very obvious.

After the death of the ability user, the devil fruit that he had eaten would be reborn on the sea again.

That's right!

Adrian's target is the Float-Float Fruit!

"Jihahahaha! So you want my Float-Float Fruit?!"

Golden Lion's soul let out a burst of wild laughter, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

"Don't be foolish, White Ghost! If getting a reincarnated Devil Fruit was that easy, they wouldn't be so rare!"

"Golden Lion Shiki?!"

The exclamation came from both Rumi and Shanks.

"Bald Grandpa with broken legs?"

That was Love, who didn't recognize Shiki.

Dr. Moy…

He gently tapped Shanks on the head, indicating that the seriously ill patient should lie still and not interfere with his treatment.

"Shut up!"

Adrian shot a cold glance at the Golden Lion.

Though Shiki was clearly unyielding, he couldn't utter a word under the absolute suppression of Adrian's max-level Ghost Domination.

Pirates with the Conqueror's Haki rarely submit to others.

Let alone someone like Golden Lion Shiki, one of the top pirates in the New World with the known greatest ambition!

But…

He was already dead.

A ghost summoned back by Adrian himself.

Don't even think about surrendering or not.

Adrian had no use for Shiki's swordsmanship or the vast knowledge of a top-tier pirate. If it weren't for the rarity of Shiki's soul quality, Adrian would have already wiped his soul clean!

Moreover, Adrian never expected Shiki to willingly submit.

He just needed a ghost toolman with advanced intelligence!

Under Adrian's instructions, Love spread the fruits from the castle on the ground, evenly separated.

Minutes passed, and the fruits remained motionless.

At this moment, Shanks struggled to lift his hand, pointing first at the fruits and then at himself.

Oh right!

How could I forget about you?

A gleam flashed in Adrian's eyes.

"Shiki, pick out the fruit that most resembles the Float-Float Fruit!"

"I've eaten the Float-Float Fruit for so many years; how could I remember what that crap looks like?" {I tried to find it in the wiki and some other shady place, but didn't find any.}

"Pick the fruit, or lose an arm."

"…This one! This peach!"

Adrian bent down, picked up the yellow peach Shiki had identified, and walked over to Shanks, placing it in his hand.

Although Shanks didn't understand why Adrian had Shiki choose a fruit, he still gave a grateful look.

Just as the starving Shanks was about to swallow the brightly colored peach in one bite, Adrian suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"Wait!"

'Big brother, I feel like I'm going to starve to death soon!' Shanks suddenly felt a blackout in front of him. He was really about to collapse!

At that moment.

A peculiar wave suddenly acted upon the yellow peach in Shanks' hand. {Yellow should be pear, right?}

Mysterious black spirals appeared on the bright yellow fuzzy surface of the peach. At the same time, the peach's surface began to ripple and bulge, gradually sprouting lion mane-like spiral protrusions.

This ordinary fruit transformed into a Devil Fruit in an instant!

"The Float-Float Fruit!!!"

The expression on Shiki's face was even more shocked than when he was resurrected.

"This is impossible!!!"

Indeed, it was originally impossible.

Adrian mused, taking the Devil Fruit from Shanks' hand.

I...

As the fruit he was about to eat was snatched away, the starving and dizzy Shanks finally couldn't bear the sorrow and pain and fainted. {Tahahaha}

"Shiki, are you sure this is the Float-Float Fruit?" Adrian asked the Golden Lion, holding the fruit.

Although the fruit matched the picture in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia exactly, Adrian still wanted the original owner's confirmation.

"Absolutely!" Shiki declared decisively, but the complex feelings inside him made him… "But this is impossible!"

That's only because you don't know the effect of the Advanced Luck Halo.

Just a typical protagonist's treasure-finding trick.

Adrian looked at Shanks, sighing in admiration.

He is really a good golden leek!

It was so easy to get the Float-Float Fruit that even Adrian found it hard to believe.

It seems…

He would need to test this Devil Fruit generator with a few more ability users in the future!