Exploring Abilities

After finishing their conversation at the ramen stall, Wright invited Borsalino to the dessert shop next door. Wright ordered a Coffee Cream Top, while the latter chose Banana Ice Cream—though it was admittedly strange for two grown men to be eating dessert like this.

Borsalino was still surprised by Wright's declaration that it was "for World Peace." Based on his more than twenty years in the Marines, Wright's words sounded like... a joke, a goal so distant it was almost impossible to see.

But Borsalino did not laugh. Wright might not have been strong enough yet, but with his potential, words like those did not deserve ridicule.

"Senior Brother," Wright said, taking a sip of the cream top and savoring its faint, refreshing sea-salt flavor. He did not beat around the bush. "I happen to have some questions about abilities that I'd like to ask you."

"Your Glint-Glint Fruit is famous. You can turn into the natural element known as 'light.' My Holy Light cannot be elementalized, but it has several other effects. How is it different from your 'light'?"

Borsalino ate a small piece of banana, enjoying its cool, smooth texture. At Wright's question, he looked interested, his narrow eyes opening a little wider. "I've been very~ interested in that ever since I learned about you, Junior Brother~ It's just that, with Teacher Zephyr around~ it hasn't been very convenient for me~"

After coughing once, Borsalino leisurely said, "There's nothing much to hide about my Glint-Glint Fruit~ I can become high-energy output~ and I can condense it into solid forms~ When I say elementalization gives me the speed of light, that's no exaggeration~"

"So, you see~ with such a convenient ability, you have to make good~ use of it, right~?"

Seemingly taking a jab at Teacher Zephyr, Borsalino concluded, "In short~ I develop my abilities by making use of the physical properties of 'light.' But those physical properties don't seem very apparent in your ability, Junior Brother~"

"My ability..." Wright considered it carefully, trying to explain Holy Light Power through the framework of Devil Fruit abilities in this world. "It isn't a Logia, because I can't elementalize. It should just be a kind of energy, one... closely linked to the mind. Mental cultivation, like physical stamina, has an enormous effect on Holy Light."

"Holy Light merely takes the form of light, but I feel it is more like a fusion of mental and bodily energy. That is why Holy Light has many traits natural light does not possess, while lacking many traits that natural light does possess—for example, it can heal, but it cannot grant the ultimate speed."

"Oh~ how frightening~" Borsalino scratched his head and sighed. "An ability linked to the mind~ it really should be a Paramecia~ Paramecias always have all sorts of strange characteristics~ They're completely unreasonable~"

"Still, it's not certain that it lacks the physical properties of natural light~ Perhaps they simply don't show because you can't elementalize~"

Wright perked up at once. As expected of an expert whose very ability was light itself, Borsalino saw things from a completely different angle.

At the very least, Holy Light solidification—Light-Forging weapons—should possess properties similar to Borsalino's Ama no Murakumo. The only difference was that Wright could not elementalize, so he could not become light itself. The same applied to acceleration. Unable to turn into light, how could he possibly attain Lightspeed in a solid state?

"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Wright said sincerely. Whatever Borsalino's purpose in showing him goodwill, he had undeniably opened up a new line of thought for Wright's development of Holy Light Power. He truly deserved those thanks.

"Well~ well~ no need to be so polite~ These are just a few experiences. Even if I hadn't pointed them out, you would have understood soon enough~" Borsalino said with a smile. "But your ability, Junior Brother, is linked to the mind~ Is that why it can have healing effects~?"

Wright thought it over carefully, then nodded. "More or less. Depending on one's spiritual will, Holy Light has three modes—Punishment Power, for attacking; Protection Power, for defense; and Healing Power. It feels like... a manifestation of a person's mental intent."

"Mm~ the intent to attack a target~ the intent to protect a target~ the intent to heal a target~ What an incredible ability~ Looks like I can't really use it as a reference after all~" Borsalino shrugged and put the last bite of ice cream into his mouth. "After all~ my intention is simply to have less trouble~"

Hearing Borsalino make fun of himself like that, Wright could not help laughing. "Senior Brother, you really do have quite the sense of humor."

"Thank you for today, Junior Brother Wright~ Another day, I'll introduce you to my excellent subordinate~ Perhaps you young people will get along well~"

Borsalino rose, checked the time, and walked out of the dessert shop. "Mm~ Time to get busy again~ Well then, goodbye, Junior Brother~ I'll treat you next time~ Give Teacher Zephyr my regards for me~"

"Whoosh!"

Turning into a beam of light, Borsalino shot straight into the sky. He reappeared, flashed once more, and vanished without a trace.

"An excellent subordinate? That guy who calls himself The Man With The Tightest Lips?" Wright wore a strange expression as he looked in the direction Borsalino had disappeared. "That counts as an excellent subordinate? Yellow Monkey's standards really are special."

"As for Fisher Tiger..." Wright clenched his fists. "I'm still not strong enough, nowhere near strong enough... Yellow Monkey could hang me up and beat me senseless right now, while Red Dog would probably pin me to the ground and grind me into the dirt... damn..."

The image was too beautiful. He dared not imagine it.

Still, thanks to his monkey of a Senior Brother, Wright had gained quite a few new ideas for developing Holy Light Power in the next stage.

The higher-ups finally settled their various affairs, and Garp was about to return to G3 Branch. In truth, Admiral Sengoku had complained that Garp was always hanging around headquarters, making it impossible for him to work in peace. As Garp's subordinate, Wright naturally had to accompany him.

Before leaving, Wright read the latest news. Fisher Tiger, the Fish-Man who had invaded Mary Geoise, had led the Fish-Man and Mermaid slaves he freed, along with other Fish-Men and Mermaids, to establish the Sun Pirates, a crew composed entirely of Fish-Men and Mermaids. They had begun sailing freely across the seas.

"Though I don't subscribe to the idea that those unlike us must harbor different intentions... humans and Fish-Men clearly both hold such beliefs now, and deeply so..."

"Humans, in any world, are both inclusive and exclusionary... Lunarians, Longarm Tribes, Longleg Tribes, Snakeneck Tribes, Giant Tribes, Tontatta Tribes, Mink Tribes, Three-Eye Tribes, and so on... Among these peoples, only the powerful Giant Tribe has gained humanity's recognition. The other races are almost all oppressed by humans. Yet at the same time, their peoples have all been assimilated by humanity to varying degrees."

"Do Fish-Men and Mermaids want to become a second Giant Tribe...? Unfortunately, Fisher Tiger is not strong enough. He still cannot match the combat power of the Giant Warrior Pirates from back then."

Silently pondering the obstacles involved, Wright took a deep breath, followed Garp aboard the warship, and returned to G3 Branch.