Chapter 295: Mochi Mochi Fruit and Nine Spirit Shuttle

Chapter 295: Mochi Mochi Fruit and Nine Spirit Shuttle

______

["The End of Pirates" completed. Rewards have been distributed.]

[Congratulations on your upgrade!]

[Congratulations on your upgrade!]

Several system prompts echoed in Aoki's mind as he lowered his hand.

Da da da.

Esdeath approached, her gaze shifting to the corpses strewn before them, her expression cold and emotionless.

"What about the people on the other islands?"

Aoki replied, "Let them be."

The island of Totland, centered on Cake Island, consisted of 34 surrounding islands.

Although news of the BIGMOM Pirates' defeat had spread, most people remained.

Firstly, many residents considered these islands their home. Secondly, there weren't enough boats for everyone to escape.

Esdeath raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to cut off the roots? There are probably plenty of BIGMOM Pirates hiding on those islands. Their leader is still alive. If we let them regroup, they'll be back soon, won't they?"

Aoki shrugged. "Then we'll start over again. At worst, we'll kill them again when the time comes."

Esdeath gave him a pointed look. "Are you going soft? If you can't do it, I'll handle it for you."

Aoki didn't doubt that if he gave the nod, Esdeath would annihilate everyone in Totland without hesitation. She was, after all, someone who had mercilessly killed 400,000 in the past and showed no mercy to her enemies.

"Most of the remaining pirates likely disguised themselves as civilians. It's nearly impossible to pick them out without wasting significant resources. Besides, we've already eliminated the key targets," he explained calmly.

"Oh, fine!" Esdeath pouted, disappointed. "I was looking forward to testing a new torture technique I developed over the past two days."

Aoki suddenly recalled her other passion: torture.

"Let's go," he said, turning to leave.

Esdeath followed him as the building behind them collapsed, burying the bodies within.

The night fell over Cake Island, shrouding it in silence.

The residents had all fled, leaving only the Burning Heaven Pirates behind.

A massive bonfire crackled, filling the air with the enticing aroma of food and wine.

Held let out a loud burp, his large nose flushed red.

"The captain is incredible! Even the legendary Big Mom was no match for him!"

Bartlett scratched his head. "That's no surprise. The captain has the second-highest bounty in the world!"

Held waved his hand dismissively, his excitement palpable. "It's more than that! Didn't you see how Big Mom was almost helpless against him? Do you understand what that means?"

Bartlett's expression shifted, realization dawning.

"Brother, does this mean the captain is going to become a Pirate Emperor?"

Held didn't hesitate. "Of course! Starting tomorrow, the captain will be recognized as the fourth emperor of the New World!"

Bartlett grinned, his eyes gleaming. "Not just the captain—those three adults he brought with him are insanely powerful too. But Lady Esdeath… she's kind of terrifying."

Hahaha!

Laughter echoed from behind them, prompting the two to turn around.

Their eyes widened, and they scrambled to their feet.

"Captain! Lady Esdeath!"

"Relax," Aoki said, nodding at them as he walked past.

"You are too intimidating? You've got them scared stiff," he said to Esdeath.

Esdeath was indifferent. "That's fine. To lead troops, you must balance friendliness and authority."

The two chatted casually as they approached the entrance to a room. Before they parted, Aoki reached into his coat and tossed a package to Esdeath.

"This is yours."

Esdeath caught it, weighed it in her hands, and frowned in confusion.

"What is it?"

Aoki didn't say anything but tilted his chin toward the bag.

Esdeath looked at him briefly, then turned her attention back to the package. Opening it, she found an assortment of snacks inside. Her expression shifted subtly, thoughtful.

"Is this what Akame and Kurome have been eating these past two days?"

Aoki nodded. "That's right."

He wasn't concerned about scarcity—it was about fairness.

Since Akame and Kurome had been accounted for, he wouldn't neglect Esdeath.

Esdeath closed the bag, her tone indifferent. "Honestly, I don't care much about this kind of thing."

She had always been detached from external comforts—whether wealth, power, or even food. These pursuits, while significant to others, didn't mean much to her.

Aoki smiled faintly. "Take it anyway. You should consider cultivating some new hobbies. We've all got long lives ahead of us, and if life is only about fighting, it'll get boring fast."

Esdeath glanced at the snacks in her hand, a faint smile touching her lips. "Hobbies, huh? Alright, I'll give it a try."

After returning to her room, Aoki opened the system interface to check his progress.

---

[Name: Aoki]

[Strength: 151]

[Physique: 151]

[Intelligence: 152]

[Agility: 151]

[Occupations: Hunter, King of the White Walkers, Martial Artist, Doctor, Infinite Dragon Beast, Nature Spirit]

[Items: Revenge Chest (Four Stars) × 2, Revenge Chest (Three Stars) × 3, Revenge Chest (Two Stars) × 18, Revenge Chest (One Star) × 298]

---

[Infinite Dragon Beast]

Quality: ★★★★

Level: lv36 (3409/3600)

Skills: Spirit of Vengeance IV, Devouring III, Dragon Breath, Ultimate Form IV

Missions: The End of the World Government, The End of the BIGMOM Pirates

Free Skill Points: 5

---

[Nature Spirit]

Quality: ★★★★

Level: lv35 (2200/3500)

Skills: Nature Spirit IV, Armament Haki IV, Observation Haki II, Conqueror Haki

Mission: ONEPIECE

Free Skill Points: 2

---

Although he hadn't succeeded in killing Big Mom, the day's gains were still significant.

The mission "Pirates Must Die" had been completed. For "The End of the BIGMOM Pirates," only two objectives remained: killing Big Mom and destroying Cake Island. The other conditions were fulfilled.

"Infinite Dragon Beast" had leveled up four times, while "Nature Spirit" gained two levels. His overall attributes had officially surpassed 150 in every category.

Furthermore, "Infinite Dragon Beast" had accumulated five free skill points, which Aoki immediately allocated to upgrade "Devouring" to level 4.

While "Dragon Breath" was a powerful option, his current arsenal of offensive techniques made upgrading it less urgent.

The first three slots of "Devouring" were already filled with abilities that synergized perfectly:

Floating Fruit: Primarily used for flight, offering immense utility.

Thunder Fruit: His most potent and frequently used attack, especially when combined with his control over natural forces.

Space-Time Field: Providing unparalleled versatility, this ability allowed for teleportation, control, and precision attacks. Additionally, its time-based effects included the creation of illusory bodies and the ability to disrupt Observation Haki's future-prediction capabilities.

These three abilities had drastically enhanced his combat effectiveness.

However, the final slot remained open, and choosing the last ability required extreme care.

Aoki's strategy remained unchanged—he intended to select a physical system ability to complement his other skills.

While the specific ability was secondary, his primary focus was ensuring the transformation and enhancement of his bloodline quality.

The Infinite Dragon Beast excelled in raw power, defense, and breath attacks. Enhancing its physical capabilities would likely result in the greatest improvement to its overall potential.

From every perspective, the physical system and bloodline were the most logical choices. Among the options available, the Zunesha stood out as the most compatible and beneficial for his goals.

However, there were two significant challenges in obtaining the bloodline of the Zunesha.

First, how to find the Zunesha and second, how to extract blood from it.

The second challenge was particularly difficult.

For now, Aoki had no clear solution to either problem and could only take things one step at a time.

Rubbing his hands, he shifted his focus from the skill bar to the next task.

Alright.

It was time for another round of unboxing.

As usual, he started with the one-star treasure chests.

There were nearly 300 of them, and opening each one individually would take far too long. Instead, Aoki chose to open them all at once.

Instantly, a flood of system prompts filled his mind.

He didn't bother to check the details right away. A quick glance was enough to confirm that he had received a large amount of special food.

The rest of the rewards could wait until he had time to sort through them.

Next were the 18 two-star treasure chests.

The number was higher than he expected—a testament to the BIGMOM Pirates' wealth after dominating the New World for so many years.

From these two-star treasure chests, he acquired equipment, healing potions, and money, among other items.

The most amusing reward was a sleek sports car. Although it had no recognizable brand, its design was incredibly stylish and modern.

After that, he moved on to the three three-star treasure chests.

The relatively small number was due to some targets managing to escape. Otherwise, there would have been more individuals with high enough abilities to drop three-star chests.

Still, the rewards from these three-star treasure chests were impressive.

This time, he received a premium Miraculous Fruit, a treasure pill, and a third-level genetic potion.

Finally, he turned his attention to the two four-star treasure chests.

"If nothing unexpected happens," Aoki thought, "these should correspond to Katakuri and Baguette."

He opened the first chest.

---

[Open a Revenge Chest (four stars) and obtain a Devil Fruit (Glutinous Fruit).]

---

The first reward caused Aoki's eyes to light up.

A Devil Fruit wasn't an earth-shattering surprise, but it was undeniably practical and valuable.

Now for the second chest.

---

[Open a Revenge Chest (four stars) and obtain the Nine Spirit Shuttle.]

---

"Nine Spirit Shuttle?"

Focusing on the new item, Aoki held out his hand, and a small, crystal-clear object appeared in his palm.

As he held it, a surge of information flooded his mind, and his expression shifted with intrigue.

Testing it, Aoki loosened his grip, and the Nine Spirit Shuttle floated mid-air. It emitted a faint hum before splitting into nine translucent blade-like fragments.

The blades moved around him with incredible speed, silent and without disturbing the air.

The Nine Spirit Shuttle was a unique weapon composed of nine specialized blades. These blades could function individually or combine into various forms, allowing for diverse attack methods.

The Nine Spirit Shuttle had three standout features:

1. Stealth: Its movements caused no air disturbances, making it nearly undetectable.

2. Adaptability: It could integrate any form of energy, functioning as an extension of the user's body.

3. High Destructiveness: Its power matched the quality of a four-star treasure chest, making it devastating in combat.

"This changes things," Aoki muttered, controlling the Nine Spirit Shuttle with precision, forming intricate attack patterns.

The Float-Float Fruit, which had primarily been used as a supportive tool in battles, now had a dedicated weapon to complement its abilities.

The Nine Spirit Shuttle was far from a toy.

Even with Aoki's current strength, it would serve as a valuable tool in combat.

Of course, maximizing its potential would require further experimentation and research.

He now possessed a wide array of abilities, each diverse and powerful, but making full use of them was no easy task.

Aoki extended his hand, and the Nine Spirit Shuttle descended, reassembling into a pristine crystal shuttle in his palm.

He had never used a proper weapon before.

Initially, he fought with his fists. After becoming the Demon King, he favored a whip and tail blade, later shifting to his tail and claws. Eventually, he returned to using his fists.

The Nine Spirit Shuttle was, in essence, his first serious weapon.

---

The next day, as the sky began to lighten, Aoki stepped out of his room. Almost immediately, he spotted a familiar figure waiting outside.

"Alice."

"Boss!"

"Up early to exercise?"

Alice shook her head. "Not really. When I got up half an hour ago, Esdeath was already training."

Aoki chuckled. "Don't compare yourself to her."

Esdeath was practically tireless. As a demon, she didn't need rest and could train relentlessly through the night.

Of course, this endurance was purely physical.

Even with unlimited stamina, few could endure the monotony of endless practice. Esdeath, however, was one of those rare individuals.

Alice sighed. "I understand, but I'll keep working hard to make sure I don't hold you back."

Aoki turned his gaze toward her.

Alice was an open book; her emotions were written clearly on her face. Today, it was easy to see she felt disheartened and disappointed.

Her strength and talent were commendable—she had a robust physique and was proficient in both Armament and Observation Haki.

By naval standards, she already had the potential to be a vice admiral.

But strength is relative.

Compared to prodigies like Hancock and Esdeath, Alice's talent seemed a bit lacking.

In truth, this disparity was normal.

Even putting in 200 times the effort didn't guarantee one would keep up with the truly exceptional.

However, this wasn't a problem without a solution.

In this world, certain things could drastically enhance one's potential.

"Alice," Aoki asked casually, "are you interested in becoming a Devil Fruit user?"

Alice's eyes lit up. "If the opportunity arose, of course! But Devil Fruits are rare and hard to come by…"

Aoki waved his hand, and two items appeared in midair.

Both looked like fruits—one round and smooth, the other adorned with spiral cloud patterns.

Alice froze, her body trembling slightly.

"Boss, what are these?"

Aoki replied, "A Special Paramecia-type fruit, the Mochi-Mochi Fruit. It was Katakuri's Devil Fruit, the one he used yesterday."

The Mochi-Mochi Fruit was an incredibly powerful Devil Fruit, blending the traits of both Paramecia and Logia types.

Alice's eyes widened in disbelief. "Katakuri's Devil Fruit?"

She had witnessed the battle between Katakuri and Hancock the previous day and knew exactly how formidable his abilities were.

Without hesitation, Aoki tossed the fruit to her.

Alice caught it quickly, clutching it tightly. "Are you really giving this to me?"

Aoki smirked. "If you don't want it, just give it back."

Alice placed her free hand over her chest, her movements causing a visible ripple in her figure.

"Boss, from this day forward, if you tell me to go east, I won't even think about going west!"

"So you've been secretly disobeying my orders before?" Aoki teased, tossing her another item.

"This is for you as well."

Alice looked at the second object, puzzled. "But, Boss, I already have the Burning Heaven Suit."

Aoki shook his head. "This is different. While the effects are similar, this one provides even greater power. The drawback is that it places higher demands on your body.

"If your physical strength isn't sufficient, forcing yourself to use it will cause serious harm."