The Devil Fruit Battle

[Reincarnation World: One Piece World, Sea Circle Calendar 1510

Background: 800 years ago, 20 kings jointly founded the World Government, calling themselves the "descendants of the Creator"—the Celestial Dragons. The Celestial Dragons enjoyed supreme power in this world, and the more than 100 World Government Member States each paid them a portion of their treasures every year. Among this year's Heavenly Tribute was a mysterious Devil Fruit, under the protection of the World Government's escort...

Main Mission 1: Seize the mysterious Devil Fruit among the Heavenly Tribute

Main Mission 2: Not yet unlocked

Mission Completion Reward: 1 B-rank side-story, points!

Mission Failure Penalty: Erasure!

Teleportation countdown: 00:59:59]

One Piece World! A familiar name—but wait, 1510?

Minato's expression turned grave. He checked the mission record in the Reincarnator Assistant System again. His first mission had taken place in Sea Circle Calendar 1512. This time, he'd actually been sent two years earlier?

Time travel? Could the Main God really do something like that? Compared to this, bringing the dead back to life seemed easier to accept.

But, come to think of it, this mission offered a B-rank side-story and 10,000 points!

Minato had finally encountered a mission with a generous reward. This was his hope of resurrecting his wife, Kushina Uzumaki!

During this time, besides taking care of little Naruto and investigating the masked man, he'd also triggered several hidden missions in Konoha, such as:

Checking in at the legendary Ichiraku Ramen of the Ninja World and tasting the salt-grilled saury beloved by Konoha Technician Kakashi. Altogether, they'd earned him only 1,000 points and a few strange items, like the Den Den Mushi he'd given the Third.

His points had been accumulating slowly. Fortunately, his second reincarnation mission had finally arrived, and the reward was exceptionally generous! This time, he'd give it everything he had and complete the mission! Resolving himself, Minato reined in the aura he'd been unconsciously releasing, took a palm-sized piece of paper from his clothes, and handed it to Sarutobi.

"Third, this is Naruto's Vivre Card. It represents the strength of his life force." He tore off a small piece and tucked it away, then handed the larger piece to Sarutobi.

"The Vivre Card can point to Naruto's location. I have a mission to take care of. If I don't come back, I'm entrusting Naruto to you!" Minato stepped back and bowed deeply to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Before he could marvel at the wonder of the Vivre Card, Sarutobi was startled by the way Minato sounded as though he were entrusting his final wishes. "Is the mission dangerous?"

"I don't know either." Minato shook his head. Remembering Kizaru from his previous mission, he gave a wry smile. "In any case, it won't be easy. Danger and opportunity go hand in hand, and I can't refuse it."

"All right. In that case, I won't ask any more questions. Go without worry. I'll take care of everything in the village."

"Then I can leave in peace." Minato left the office and went back to prepare for the mission.

Minato's second mission had been personally designed and planned by Zhu Shen. After all, the timeline of this reincarnation mission was roughly two years earlier than that of Minato's first mission.

To that end, Zhu Shen had spent 50,000 points to turn back the timeline and send Minato, a Reincarnator, to complete this mission.

If the mission went smoothly, it would play a crucial role in seizing the source will of the entire One Piece World in the future!

In a stretch of the Grand Line, three warships sailed toward the Holy Land Mary Geoise. Who's-Who, dressed in a black suit, lounged lazily in an office chair.

Who's-Who had been feeling quite pleased with himself lately. Born in North Blue, he'd been spotted for his potential by a World Government official when he was young and taken in for careful training by the intelligence organization.

After passing the selection and joining CP9, the World Government's most mysterious intelligence agency, Who's-Who had lived up to his superior's faith in him, displaying extraordinary combat talent.

He was therefore known as CP9's genius and had been an outstanding figure among his peers. Over the years, he'd excelled in countless evaluations and missions.

And this voyage was a crucial escort mission his longtime patron had secured for him: transporting the Heavenly Tribute!

The Heavenly Tribute was a contribution from the World Government Member States to the Celestial Dragons. Even the great pirates of the New World had to show it respect!

This mission was sure to be easy, while still giving him a chance to shine! His superior had even told him privately that the Celestial Dragons had taken a special interest in this year's Heavenly Tribute!

Who's-Who was happily imagining himself completing the mission, earning his superior's praise and the Celestial Dragons' favor, and reaching the pinnacle of life, when one of his subordinates came rushing into his office. His panicked shout shattered the fantasy.

"R-Report, sir! A large pirate ship has appeared in the waters ahead!"

His pleasant daydream interrupted, Who's-Who was furious. "What are you panicking for? We represent the dignity of the world's nobles. Who'd dare be stupid enough to get in our way?" He rose and headed for the deck.

Before Who's-Who had even reached the deck, the pirates across from them launched an attack. The warships and the pirates' vessel began trading cannon fire.

By rights, the three warships should have completely outgunned an ordinary pirate ship. But who could have guessed that the cannonballs they fired would sink into the enemy ship like mud into the sea, without a trace of effect?

Instead, after a few exchanges, the enemy snipers picked off the warships' cannons one by one, silencing them.

Who's-Who stepped onto the deck and looked at the pirate flag across from them. It showed two crossed swords beneath a skull, with three claw marks on the skull's right side.

He searched through the intelligence in his mind and confirmed that he'd never seen this flag before. Still, he didn't dare underestimate the enemy. Judging by the battle so far, his side was at a disadvantage!

But so what? He was a CP9 genius agent, backed by the World Government and the Celestial Dragons!

Who's-Who took a deep breath and shouted to the enemy.

"Hey, pirates! I'm Who's-Who, an agent of the World Government! There's no treasure here that you'd want! Leave at once, and we'll let you go without consequence!"

The subordinates beside him were instantly outraged at the suggestion of letting the pirates go.

"No, please, Officer Who's-Who! Are we just going to let them damage our warships without paying for it?"

"Shut the hell up!"

Who's-Who couldn't be bothered explaining things to the soldiers. He believed in his own strength, but he had all these ordinary soldiers to "drag him down," and the enemy looked formidable.

Most importantly, completing the Celestial Dragons' mission was his top priority. That was the exceptional discipline of a CP9 genius agent! At the thought, Who's-Who felt a little smug.

Meanwhile, on the enemy pirate ship, a man with three claw marks over his left eye stood at the bow.

He was powerfully built, with bright, sharp eyes. A few unruly strands of his long, vivid red hair fluttered in the wind. This was none other than Red-Haired Shanks, one of the Four Emperors, destined to become famous throughout the One Piece World!

Standing one step behind him was his vice-captain, Ben Beckman, a handsome young man with a cigarette in his mouth and a rifle in hand.

"Shanks, the other side says they're with the World Government," Ben Beckman remarked calmly.

Red-Haired Shanks smiled faintly. "Allow me to be a little selfish as captain this time. Our target is very important."

Hearing that, Ben Beckman tightened his grip on the rifle but said nothing. He simply gave a look to Snake, the navigator, who silently steered the ship closer to the warships.

Red-Haired Shanks stepped forward and answered Who's-Who. "We're not after treasure!"

Who's-Who gaped at the words. If the pirates didn't want treasure, what did they want?

"There's only one Devil Fruit here, but it's—"

"It's the fruit that turns you into rubber, right?"

Shanks interrupted Who's-Who. "That's the one. Just hand it over to us."

Who's-Who exchanged a shocked look with the men beside him. How did he know about it?

The Celestial Dragons had taken a special interest in this Gum-Gum Fruit. It was connected to the legendary "Nika"!

How could he explain it to the Celestial Dragons if he lost it? So he flatly refused Shanks.

"Then there's no choice. We'll have to fight after all. Bring us alongside them, Snake." Shanks sighed.

The Red Hair Pirates' ship, the Red Force, charged straight into Who's-Who's warship without swerving. The ships collided, and the battle immediately erupted into a fierce boarding fight.

"Damn pirates!"

At the beginning of the melee, the soldiers bravely rushed at the pirates, greatly outnumbering them.

By contrast, the Red Hair Pirates had barely ten people in all, one of them a monkey!

But the tide of battle tipped decisively in the Red Hair Pirates' favor. They were an elite crew, every member a combatant skilled in Taijutsu and Haki.

Who's-Who had no way out either. He threw himself into the fight and attacked Shanks with everything he had.

"Six Powers: Finger Pistol!"

Who's-Who's right hand struck like a torrential downpour, each blow reinforced with concentrated Haki as he attacked Shanks.

Shanks stood still, not moving an inch. His head and body dodged Who's-Who's attacks at incredible speed. To onlookers, every strike seemed to hit nothing but a phantom.

"Damn it! How—how is this possible? I—I'm a CP9—"

"This ends now!"

Shanks sighed. His blade, Gryphon, flashed silver and slid back into its sheath.

"Splurt."

Blood sprayed as Who's-Who fell helplessly to the ground, muttering:

"A genius... Heh..."

Shanks looked around, closed his eyes, and quietly spread his Observation Haki, searching for the Gum-Gum Fruit.

There it was!

A faint smile lifted the corner of his mouth. He swept past the fighters and let his Conqueror's Haki spread. Wherever it passed, not a single soldier remained standing. Pressed down by his aura, they collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

On the second floor, in the captain's quarters, a wooden treasure chest edged with silver sat quietly on a shelf.

Shanks gazed at the object he'd come for with satisfaction. He gently ran his right hand over the box, his eyes growing distant, as though recalling something.

"Captain..."

At the instant he let his guard down, a streak of yellow light appeared out of nowhere in the air behind him.

Minato Namikaze, wearing the Nine-Tails' dark-red cloak, quietly approached Shanks from behind, one hand spinning a massive, dark-red sphere of swirling energy.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye, seamlessly and at lightning speed. Before the frightening aura could even spread, the Rasengan, carrying terrifying energy, was about to touch Shanks's back.

"Clang!"

A flash of silver streaked past. A pitch-black blade arrived just in time to block the Rasengan.

The powerful Haki coating Shanks's Gryphon collided with the Rasengan's astonishing energy. The entire second floor erupted and collapsed as though struck by a massive blast wave!

On the deck, the Red Hair Pirates' officers and the soldiers who had been "struggling desperately" all turned in shock toward the source of the explosion.

Through the swirling dust, after the terrifying shock wave had dispersed, they saw a brilliant dark-red light circling their captain, Shanks.

The two fighters exchanged dazzling blows at a speed beyond the limits of ordinary vision!

"Clang, clang, clang!"

The clash of kunai and longsword rang out without pause.

"Hey, hey, hey! Where'd that kid come from? He's got some serious presence!"

The Red Hair Pirates' sniper, Yasopp, said.

Thanks to his mastery of Observation Haki, he could clearly follow the fight between the two. That let him understand Minato's strength all the better.

"Who knows? But the captain's no slouch either. He's Shanks, after all!"

Lucky Roux, the fat cook, wasn't worried in the least. He took another big bite of the chicken leg in his hand.

Yasopp's grave expression immediately gave way to a grin.

"Wahahaha! That's right! He's 'Red-Haired' Shanks!"

The two put their arms around each other's shoulders and started dancing ridiculously, as if they hadn't noticed that their captain was fighting someone.

Vice Captain Beckman, meanwhile, watched the battle between the two without blinking.