Everyone soon returned to the ship and headed back to their rooms.
"Golden Lion, don't forget our deal."
Charlotte Linlin and Golden Lion were the last to walk back.
"Don't worry!"
"Gyahaha!"
"Aren't you afraid Carl will come after you later?"
Golden Lion was curious about how Charlotte Linlin planned to handle the trouble afterward.
"That's none of your business, Golden Lion."
Charlotte Linlin didn't elaborate. She only warned Golden Lion not to meddle in things that had nothing to do with him.
"Mom, you're back."
Perospero was waiting at the door to greet Charlotte Linlin. He was ten years old now.
He was Charlotte Linlin's eldest son and was responsible for looking after his eleven younger brothers and nine younger sisters.
"Mom!"
Katakuri was eight, the perfect age for playing. He was running wild around the house with his third brother, Daifuku, and fourth brother, Oven. His younger siblings were still in their cribs.
"Mamamama!"
"Perospero, you'll soon have a twelfth younger brother."
"Who are you having a baby with this time, Mom?"
Perospero knew his mother liked having children with people of different races. He was much more mature than Katakuri, after all.
Though he was only ten, Perospero was one of the few people Charlotte Linlin trusted.
"The Rocks Pirates' 6th Division Commander, Carl."
"I've had my eye on Carl's Titan Bloodline for a long time."
Carl, huh? His bloodline power was indeed impressive. But would Mom get what she wanted this time?
"Then congratulations in advance, Mom!"
Perospero thought that no matter what, his mother had already made up her mind. There was no point in arguing.
"There'll be a big banquet when we get back. Don't cause any trouble."
"Okay, Mom."
Perospero, of course, didn't show any sign of protest.
"We won't cause any trouble, Mom."
Charlotte Compote, her nine-year-old eldest daughter, said solemnly. She was thinking about how she and her siblings had only heard their fathers' names and had barely ever met them. Given how strong Division Commander Carl was, might he become their real father someday?
After all, they knew they couldn't change their mother's mind. All they could do was go along with it.
"Mamamama!"
"I'm looking forward to it, too."
Charlotte Linlin was already lost in her fantasies.
On the deck, Newgate watched as everyone returned to their rooms. He couldn't help wondering when he would find a real family he could rely on.
If Rocks hadn't forced him to join the crew, he might already have had a real family.
Golden Lion was rather annoyed. He thought it would've been better to go with John and Ochoku to the Giant Warrior Pirates' headquarters. They might have gotten a few decent Devil Fruits there instead of being left with the ones nobody else wanted.
Inside Rocks's cabin.
"You did well this time."
"Welcome back. From now on, you'll handle intelligence for the Rocks Pirates and report only to me. If anyone else asks you for information, you don't have to tell them."
Rocks spoke to Shakky.
"Understood, Captain Rocks. I'll take care of intelligence matters from now on."
Shakky answered respectfully.
"I'm leaving it in your hands. All right, you can go."
"Yes, Captain."
Shakky had only just joined the Rocks Pirates. Her proof of loyalty had been the information she provided about the X Pirates.
Otherwise, Rocks wouldn't have known that this was the perfect time to launch a full-scale attack on the X Pirates.
Likewise, from now on, Shakky would answer only to Rocks.
Buckin had also joined the Rocks Pirates earlier that day.
As soon as Carl returned to his room, he locked the door.
He took the Devil Fruits he'd collected from his system inventory and laid them out on the table. Looking at them, Carl wore a sly smile.
From left to right were the Energy Fruit and Rain-Rain Fruit, whose names he already knew, followed by the Zoan Ox-Ox Fruit, Zoan Rhino-Rhino Fruit, and Venom-Venom Fruit.
In the middle were two Paramecia Devil Fruits. The five boxes at the far end were still unopened, so he didn't know what Devil Fruits were inside.
He forcefully opened the five boxes. Sure enough, each contained a Devil Fruit of a different shape.
"System, identify these two Paramecia and the five unfamiliar Devil Fruits for me."
"Each identification costs ten points."
Ten points? I thought it used to be free.
"What's going on? Why are you charging me now? Wasn't it free before?"
Carl immediately voiced the question on his mind. Just because he had a few points now, did the system have to squeeze him for them?
"The host was broke before. Now that you have points, the system can deduct them in advance."
"It was free on credit before. I haven't made you pay that back yet."
"Want to settle your previous bill now?"
For a moment, Carl thought he heard the system gloating.
"No, forget it. I didn't say anything."
Carl quickly shook his head.
He thought the system was so unreasonable. Since when did it start charging him?
"Fine, fine. System, identify these seven Devil Fruits for me."
"Seventy points deducted. Nine hundred and thirty points remaining. Identifying..."
"Two Paramecia: the Art-Art Fruit and the Change-Change Fruit.
"Two Mythical Zoans: the Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Flood Dragon Form; and the Bird-Bird Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Golden-Winged Peng Form.
"One Logia: the Earth-Earth Fruit.
"Two Zoans: the Triceratops Fruit and the Saber-Toothed Tiger Fruit."
As soon as the system finished listing them, Carl sprang out of his chair.
"Holy crap, I'm rich!"
"This is a huge leap forward!"
"I got my hands on Devil Fruits this powerful!"
"System, open my status panel."
Host: Rocks D. Carl Templates fused: Old Celestial Master from The Outcast; Sword Saint Ge Nie from Legend of Qin (unfused); Wangquan Fugui from Fox Spirit Matchmaker (unfused). Skills: Armament Haki coating, intermediate Observation Haki, beginner Conqueror's Haki, Six Powers, Golden Light Spell, Palm Lightning, Yang Five Thunders, Taiji Fist... Talent: Titan Power Money: 3.7 billion Beli Items: Energy Fruit, Rain-Rain Fruit, Zoan Ox-Ox Fruit, Zoan Rhino-Rhino Fruit, Venom-Venom Fruit, Art-Art Fruit, Change-Change Fruit, Fish-Fish Fruit Mythical Zoan Flood Dragon Form, Bird-Bird Fruit Mythical Zoan Golden-Winged Peng Form, Logia Earth-Earth Fruit, Zoan Triceratops Fruit, Zoan Saber-Toothed Tiger Fruit, Supreme Grade Sword—Dragon Spring Sword, Great Grade Sword Ancient Moon Blade, Great Grade Sword Silver Harmony Blade... Evaluation: A first-rate powerhouse on the sea, with overall strength on par with a pseudo-Admiral.
I could open a Devil Fruit supermarket with all this.
But these Devil Fruits were so powerful that I couldn't bear to hand them out just anywhere.
Should I fuse another character template? I didn't feel I'd reached the limit of my strength yet, but fusing one might divide my focus.
Forget it. I'd follow the sensible path: rather than trying to do too much, I should focus on one thing. I'd develop my Titan Bloodline as much as I could first, then think about fusing another template.
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