A torrent of bullets formed a metallic storm, spraying wildly toward Yasa.
"Seriously? Using metal bullets against me?" Yasa shook his head, not even bothering to lift a finger.
Theoretically, no metal bullet could harm him, let alone touch him, unless someone like Garp used overwhelming brute force to shatter his defenses.
"Electromagnetic Field!"
An invisible electromagnetic field enveloped his body, forming an impenetrable shield.
Bullets approaching within two meters of Yasa froze mid-air, as if suspended in place.
From a distance, it looked like a giant metal sphere had materialized, completely obscuring him.
Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink!
Spent bullet casings rained onto the ground, their metallic clatter echoing through the bar.
Not only Gotti, but also Vallon, the gang leader, his subordinates, and the pirates and bounty hunters still present in the bar were stunned.
"What... what kind of ability is that?" Gotti stammered, his face pale with shock.
He knew about Devil Fruits, but this was the West Blue, where Devil Fruit users were exceedingly rare. Those who did appear were usually lawless top-tier fighters.
"Hiss..." Aurora gasped, her heart suddenly ablaze with hope.
"So powerful... If he's willing to help me, then my revenge..."
"The strongest Logia-type—the Rumble-Rumble Fruit!" Yasa's voice echoed from behind the metallic barrage, calm and unwavering, making no attempt to conceal his ability. He knew it would be revealed sooner or later anyway.
The nail that sticks out gets hammered down?Keep a low profile?Bide your time? Sorry, he'd never entertained such notions. What was the point of possessing power if you didn't use it?
"Is that all you've got? If that's all you've got, I'll have to ask you to die!"
He threw Gotti's words back at him, shattering the silence of the bar.
Gotti's heart pounded with terror. Making a decisive move, he leaped from the high-level booth, aiming to bolt through the door. He couldn't face this man alone; he had to summon Boss Bege.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The bullets frozen mid-air suddenly surged forward as if propelled by an immense force, transforming into a deadly serpent that coiled back toward Gotti.
Blood blossomed in crimson sprays as the bullets tore through his flesh, leaving no inch of his body unscathed.
The body crashed heavily to the floor, life extinguished.
With a mere thought, Yasa had slain Capone Bege's trusted lieutenant, plunging the bar into absolute silence. A pin drop could have been heard. It took a long moment before murmurs finally broke the stillness.
"Such immense power... and he's so young!"
"The strongest Logia... the Rumble-Rumble Fruit user?"
The pirates and bounty hunters present buried their envy and jealousy, cursing Yasa's incredible luck. They couldn't possibly know how close he had come to death to obtain this power.
Regardless, they all understood that this young man was destined to rise to prominence in the West Blue, like a rising star.
"I helped you kill someone. Time to bring out the Fortress Fruit and show me you're serious," Yasa said, interrupting Aurora's shock with a teasing grin.
"Alright!" Aurora resolved, giving Yasa a deep look before leading the way out of the bar.
The Mafia lackeys and their boss, Vallon, paralyzed by fear, immediately parted to clear a path as they approached.
News of a Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit user appearing on Elbak Island spread rapidly throughout the West Blue.
Various rumors circulated, from someone stumbling upon the Fruit by sheer luck to a super-strong individual returning from the Grand Line.
The most outlandish claim was that Yasa had become a monster capable of rivaling the Marines' strongest forces and the top figures of the New World.
Yasa paid no attention to these trivial matters. His current goal was the Fortress Fruit, whose existence remained uncertain.
Based on his analysis, Aurora was highly likely to possess the Fruit.
At this time, Capone Bege had yet to consume it, and everyone believed it was in Aurora's possession.
Such certainty implied firsthand observation, making the possibility of falsehood extremely low.
Aurora moved swiftly, with Yasa close behind. They traveled about ten miles in this formation.
She stopped on a rocky outcrop by the sea, circling twice as if confirming her position, then pressed down on a particular stone.
Rumble!
The rocks shook violently, gradually revealing a pitch-black, bottomless hole.
"Building a secret chamber in such a place—quite ingenious!" Yasa remarked casually.
"Wait for me here!" Aurora said, striding into the cave without waiting for Yasa's agreement.
Moments later, she emerged, holding a gray, durian-like fruit in her right hand. Straight lines patterned its surface like the stripes on a castle wall. In her left hand, she carried a thick book.
"Is this the Fortress Fruit? Are you sure?" Yasa stared intently at the gray fruit, making no attempt to hide his possessive desire.
Only the weak concealed their true thoughts. Yasa lived as he pleased, caring little for hiding his desires.
Aurora nodded firmly. "This is definitely the Fortress Fruit. There's no mistake!"
She handed the dictionary-thick book to Yasa, flipping it open to a middle page.
The book contained a drawing identical to the Fortress Fruit in her hand, with text beneath it:
"Fortress Fruit Ability: Allows the user to deploy all objects, including themselves, within their body like a fortress. Objects entering the body shrink in size and revert to their original form upon exiting the ability's range."
"When battle is necessary, the Fortress Fruit's ability can be used to command the pirate crew within the body to launch bullets, cannons, and various other abilities outward. Once the projectiles leave the fruit's range, they revert to their original size, unleashing devastating firepower on opponents. Alternatively, the user can release the massive pirate crew stored within their body, overwhelming enemies with sheer numbers."
The description was crystal clear, even outlining the fruit's potential development paths.
"This is the Devil Fruit Compendium, dropped by a Celestial Dragon who passed through Dad's territory! I'm absolutely certain it's the Fortress Fruit. Are you satisfied now?" Aurora said coldly.
"Devil Fruit Compendium!" Yasa's eyes lit up. He snatched the book and cradled it like a priceless treasure.
The Devil Fruit Compendium was undoubtedly one of the greatest works in the Pirate World. In Yasa's eyes, its value surpassed even the Poneglyphs, the blueprints for Pluto, and the Ark Maxim's design plans.
It documented every Devil Fruit ever discovered, detailing their abilities and potential development paths—a culmination of generations of accumulated knowledge. Its value was immeasurable.
While the suggested development paths might not always be optimal, they at least guided users through the initial stages of understanding their powers!