The Phantom Fruit's New Master

"Hearing Ian say that, it actually makes a lot of sense. Mosen, what do you think?" Michael turned his head and asked.

"I'm not sure either. Instead of guessing wildly here, why don't we just try a few more times?

Paddy, could you trouble yourself to find a prisoner who's about to freeze to death? We'll wait for you outside with this basket of fruit," Mosen said.

Paddy nodded and turned to leave.

About ten minutes later, Paddy returned, carrying two prisoners with Seastone handcuffs.

"Paddy, why did you bring back two?" Michael asked when he saw them.

"I was only planning to bring one back, but someone suddenly attacked me. I beat him up and brought him back along with the other person."

Upon hearing this, everyone's gazes turned to the prisoner whose face was covered in blood.

"This guy looks a little familiar!" Ian said after staring for a long time.

"More than a little. When we were first sent in, this guy was the boss of Extreme Cold Hell, with a bounty of 360 million berries and Conqueror's Haki. He even wanted me to be his woman back then!" Mia added.

"So it was him! No wonder he hates me so much," Paddy said with some embarrassment.

"Hates you? Did you provoke him?" Mosen asked.

"Paddy didn't provoke him; he wanted to use Paddy to establish his authority.

Mosen, you arrived late and don't know this, but he thought Paddy's bounty was too low and her strength must be average. So, he wanted to make an example of Paddy for us newcomers.

As a result, Paddy easily defeated him, making him lose face in front of his subordinates. His subordinates thought his strength was lacking, and they all ran away overnight. He became a loner," Michael explained.

"So that's what happened. Do you know what Devil Fruit ability he has?"

"He's a Zoan-type ability user," Ian said.

"Zoan-type? Then let's try him first! Paddy, you can put him down!"

After Mosen finished speaking, Paddy threw the bloodied prisoner down.

However, before Mosen could make a move, Michael directly pierced his throat.

"Michael, you…"

"I've never forgotten the humiliation he inflicted on me. I just wanted to get revenge," Michael explained.

Mosen chuckled at this. Having spent time together recently, Mosen had long realized Michael was interested in Mia.

Ian had probably noticed it too. Just during the month Mosen was away, Michael gave Mia most of his food and even helped her steal food from the other two. Ian found it very strange.

However, both Mosen and Ian tacitly didn't say anything more. Paddy had issues, so she couldn't possibly notice something like this. Mia was rather slow when it came to romantic relationships and hadn't thought of it that way; she just saw Michael as a comrade.

This was quite interesting.

In the environment of Extreme Cold Hell, having such an amusing event to alleviate the pressure was a blessing, wasn't it?

"Ahem, well, Mosen, the fruit in the basket hasn't changed at all!" Perhaps feeling a bit embarrassed by Mosen and Ian's stares, Michael changed the subject.

"It really hasn't! Then let's go to the room, kill this guy who's about to freeze to death, and see what happens!"

Everyone nodded in agreement and returned to the room together.

Paddy put down the prisoner who was about to freeze to death. Mosen casually closed the door and then finished him off.

A few seconds later, the pineapple in the basket changed. First, it turned completely blue, then swirling patterns appeared on its surface, and a pair of black horns grew on either side of the pineapple.

"Looking at this, the conditions for a Devil Fruit to be reborn should be two: First, after a Devil Fruit user dies, the devil hidden within their Lineage Factor will randomly possess the nearest fruit of the same type, becoming a new Devil Fruit.

Second, in a space where the doors and walls are infused with Seastone, the chance of possession can be greatly increased," Mosen summarized.

Everyone found this very reasonable and nodded.

"Then, what kind of fruit is this?" Paddy asked curiously.

"Judging by the shape of these horns, it should be a type of Ox-Ox Fruit, a Zoan-type," Mosen replied.

"Ox-Ox Fruit? It doesn't seem like a very useful ability, other than perhaps having tough skin," Ian said after picking up the fruit and examining it for a while.

"Indeed, this fruit is quite ordinary, but the Phantom Fruit is different. Even that good-for-nothing Carmain Rodenardo could have a bounty of 320 million berries and pose such a problem for a Navy branch after eating the Phantom Fruit.

If a normal person were to eat it, the potential of the Phantom Fruit is immeasurable. Mia, are you interested?" Mosen asked Mia.

"Why me?" Mia asked back, slightly taken aback.

"Because of your innate Observation Haki. I previously went to the Infinite Hell with Mr. Garp and met the legendary aloof Red, Balorick Redfield. His Observation Haki filled me with fear.

You are like him, possessing innate Observation Haki. As you grow older, your Observation Haki will also strengthen. Your ability to foresee the future will become increasingly powerful.

Imagine if you ate the Phantom Fruit and were fighting an enemy. You could first use Future Sight to confirm what kind of attack the enemy would make, and then summon the corresponding phantom with the Phantom Fruit to counter it.

If you develop your fruit well, with just this ability, pirates with bounties below 1 billion will basically pose no threat to you."

Mia's eyes lit up after hearing Mosen's words. This was indeed an excellent direction for growth.

"Then Mosen, how does the Phantom Fruit summon phantoms?" Mia asked.

"By touching photos or images."

"What about bounty posters?" Mia continued.

"Naturally, those work too."

"Then if I go out and collect a bounty first, won't I just skyrocket?"

"Theoretically, yes."

"Then I'll eat it!" Mia said, snatching the Phantom Fruit from Mosen and taking a small bite.

"Wow! It really is disgusting! Like eating a rotten apple, good thing I only needed one bite." Mia said, tossing the Phantom Fruit aside with a look of disgust.

"Huh? Devil Fruits only need one bite?" Ian asked, startled.

The group chuckled awkwardly, remaining silent.

Ian's face instantly darkened. These guys all knew, yet they watched him eat a whole fruit.

"You guys."

"Mia, I have a wanted poster here, want to try it?" Mosen said, changing the subject to prevent Yinsen from complaining.

"Sure! Whose wanted poster is it!"

"His!" Mosen said, pulling a wanted poster from his pocket.

Everyone glanced at the person on the wanted poster, their expressions turning serious in unison.

Guess who's on the wanted poster.