The Dark-Dark Fruit at the Start

Seizing the Dark-Dark Fruit at the Start

On the Grand Line, upon an ocean carrying countless dreams.

The Marine Headquarters' newest class of elite students was conducting their graduation assessment here, their final combat training!

Three tall, imposing Marine warships with thick, black long-barreled cannons cut through the waves, sweeping away all opposition.

Their opponents were equally extraordinary — the Tornado Pirate Ship, which had forged a resounding reputation on the Grand Line.

Rumors said their destructive power was like a storm, leaving nothing growing in their wake, extremely dangerous!

Captain Sylvia Corbett had a bounty as high as 150 million berries, and his four underlings were all wanted criminals with bounties exceeding 50 million berries.

It was a rare pirate crew with a well-balanced distribution of strength.

Having originally wanted to enter the New World to make a grand ambition a reality, they had unluckily become the target of the Marines.

Yet they were not afraid!

"Just three measly warships, get the ship close to them for me! Who do they think I am?!"

Sylvia Corbett swung his robust arms, drew the razor-sharp saber at his waist, and pointed the blade, "Kill them!"

"Kill this bunch of Marines!!"

The pirates, one and all, were like hungry wolves that had gone without food for many days, fiercely lunging toward the Marine warships.

At the bow of the warship, a man with short purple hair and a stalwart physique stood tall, a coat draped over his shoulders bearing the two characters for Justice fluttering in the wind.

He was Marine Headquarters Chief Instructor Zephyr, a man known as Black Arm, who had once shaken the Four Seas with the name of Non-Killing.

Beside Zephyr, a beauty with water-blue wavy long hair gazed calmly at the scene before her. Cruel and savage pirates could not stir her heartstrings; the only person who could move her was that man.

"Mere pirates dare to act so arrogant."

Suddenly, a man with a fair and delicate face, peerlessly gorgeous looks, skin surpassing snow, flowing pitch-black hair, and a heroic disposition between his brows drew the sharp blade at his waist, bursting onto the scene.

His name was Cudilia Noki, son of the Marine martyr Vice Admiral Cudilia Rogers, and a "native resident" of Marineford.

Relying on exceptional talent and astonishing looks, his strength and popularity far surpassed those of his peers. He had countless fangirls and admirers, earning him the title of a once-in-a-century genius rarely seen in the Marines.

"So gorgeous. Every time I see Big Brother Noki, it breaks my heart to wonder why he wasn't born a woman."

"Hey, hey, what are you saying? My Brother Noki is so handsome, a man among men! How can you judge someone by their appearance?"

"Bah, stop putting on airs here. I don't believe you wouldn't chase Brother Noki if he turned into a beauty."

"Shh! Focus on dealing with the pirates. Don't let Teaching Assistant Ain hear these words, or she'll break our legs~"

"As expected of Big Brother Noki. He's the only one who can turn the infinitely charming Teaching Assistant Ain into a gentle and attentive little woman."

Ain listened to the noisy discussions below, a flush rising across her cheeks, "Teacher, look at them. They still dare to goof off during the assessment. Shouldn't they be punished~"

"They certainly should be punished," Zephyr said with a gentle smile. "Still, it's somewhat understandable. After all, this kid Noki is too famous at Headquarters. As his girlfriend, you're bound to have plenty to worry about in the future, oh."

"Teacher!" Ain blushed even more fiercely.

Play was play, and trouble was trouble.

Disciples personally taught by Zephyr could not be compared to ordinary Marines.

These young Marines used the Six Powers, Devil Fruit abilities, or swordsmanship.

Under their offensive, the pirates were routed.

"Captain! This bunch of Marines is extraordinary! Our men can't hold out anymore, let's run!"

"Nonsense! I am Sylvia Corbett, the man who will trample the Four Emperors and become the Pirate King! How can I retreat?

You bunch of trash, watch how I slaughter them!"

Corbett instantly locked eyes with the most stunning, majestic, and awe-inspiring man on the battlefield, "I'll start with you, go to hell!"

Noki wiped the blood from the blade with his index finger, sheathed it, and a rich intent to kill revealed itself in his pretty eyes, "Are you the captain of this ship?"

"That's right, I am Sylvia Corbett, the man who will become the Pirate King!"

"A fine dream, but unfortunately you ran into me."

Noki gripped the hilt with his right hand, drawing his blade and slashing in the instant the enemy reached him. His speed was astonishingly fast; many Marines didn't even know how he had struck.

Corbett was seen spitting blood, his body flying backward like a kite with a snapped string.

"E-Even stronger than me?!"

Corbett slammed straight into the cabin. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a deep sword slash across his chest dyeing his clothes red. Just as he thought his time had come, he suddenly saw a treasure chest placed on a table.

"I almost forgot I still have this. Even though I don't know what kind of ability it is, eating it will at least improve my strength. I can only gamble on it now!

I can't fall here; I have to leave alive. After all, becoming the Pirate King is... is the wish of three generations of our family!"

With that, Corbett pulled out a deep purple, snail-spiral-shaped fruit that looked remarkably like a pineapple.

"This is..."

Noki had a secret: he was actually a transmigrator!

And the world he inhabited was the manga world named One Piece.

Knowing the plot familiarly, he recognized the origin of this fruit at a glance.

The Dark-Dark Fruit, hailed as possessing "the most evil ability in the world"!

"So it was in your hands. How unexpected."

"You know it?"

Corbett paused his movements. Eating a Devil Fruit was a lifelong matter; if possible, he wanted to ponder it further, which was also why he had kept this fruit all along.

Noki smiled casually, though in the eyes of others it was a breathtakingly gorgeous sight that gladdened the heart and refreshed the mind, "I do. It's called the Human-Human Fruit. Animals can turn into humans when they eat it, and humans who eat it will happily acquire the ability to be a landlubber."

"Nani!"

Corbett was dumbfounded. The Devil Fruit he had placed his hopes on was actually such a chicken-rib ability?

"An opening."

Noki's gaze sharpened, his hand gripping the hilt of his blade.

"So fast..." The pirate Corbett only saw a flash of silver light, and scarlet blood splattered everywhere.

"Plop!"

"Captain... Captain, he's defeated!"

"As expected of Big Brother Noki, the strongest man among this batch of trainees!"

"Too amazing!"

Ain looked at the back of the man in the distance, her maiden heart pounding wildly like a startled fawn, feeling dizzy and infatuated.

Zephyr smiled, "Slaughtering a pirate with a bounty over 100 million is rare among the disciples I've taught. Coupled with Noki's past achievements, I imagine his military rank will see a huge boost—at least rising to Vice Admiral."

"Indeed!"

Ain agreed wholeheartedly. The man she loved was indeed outstanding.

It was time to give out that gift...

Noki slowly sheathed his blade, extended a jade-white right hand, and picked up the deep purple fruit covered in patches of blood on its surface.

"The most evil ability, I'll take it."

Noki did not eat it immediately, instead bringing the fruit back to the Marine warship.

The pirates were vulnerable and surrendered one after another.

"Noki."

Ain could no longer wait and threw herself into the man's embrace, pressing her face tightly against his shirt, deeply feeling his warm and fragrant aura.

"Teaching Assistant Ain, I'm still your student right now. Making such an intimate move in front of so many people might not look too good."

With a beauty in his arms, Noki appeared exceptionally calm.

Perhaps in his past life he would have been very interested in beauties, but now...

Too many people coveted his body, and he had already grown quite indifferent to it.

Ain was a close friend who had grown up with him since childhood, five years his senior.

Several years ago.

Because Noki knew Zephyr's expeditionary force would meet with disaster, he had specifically asked his friend Admiral Kuzan to follow Zephyr in secret.

Kuzan originally felt Zephyr's strength was sufficient to protect the trainees at the time, but he couldn't withstand Noki's entreaties and had no choice but to agree.

To his surprise, Noki really guessed right. Zephyr's recruits encountered an ability user named Weevil, and if Kuzan hadn't arrived in time, the casualties would have been extremely heavy!

When Zephyr learned that Noki had asked Kuzan to follow secretly, he even paid a visit to express his gratitude.

Noki explained that he was merely worried for his friend Ain's safety, and that predicting Weevil's attack was a lucky coincidence.

A Marine Admiral was not someone just anyone could ask.

Even though Noki and Kuzan shared a very good relationship, it would have been impossible to enlist his help without paying some price.

Ain did not know Noki was a transmigrator capable of foreseeing events; she only thought Noki was worried about her safety and afraid something might happen to her.

A woman often cares not about a man's other aspects, but rather his intentions toward her.

Noki's action had undoubtedly touched her soft heart.

Furthermore, the two of them had grown up together at Marine Headquarters since childhood. Although Noki was younger than her, he was emotionally mature and always managed to step up at critical moments to help her solve various problems.

On top of that, Noki's appearance was immensely attractive to girls, and many outstanding senior female Marines deliberately approached him.

Ain had no desire to let such an exceptional man fall into another woman's hands, so she quickly launched an "offensive".

Noki's requirements for a significant other were not high, consisting of only two points: prettier than him, and gentle and considerate.

Ain clearly met his criteria, and the two of them also had a foundation of many years of affection.

Following Ain's multiple confessions, Noki finally agreed to be with her.

That day she wept tears of joy, happily burying herself in her man's arms and crying for several hours...

At this moment, Ain still held tightly onto Noki, raising her head, her bright eyes filled with a trace of playfulness, "The graduation assessments are all over, you aren't my student anymore."

Noki put his left hand around her waist, and holding the soft, warm body felt very comfortable. "Is that so? As far as I know, I can only shed my student status once my new military rank is finalized."

"Hmph, you little rascal. You refuse with your mouth, but your body is quite honest."

The surrounding marines were long used to seeing the two of them embracing. Over the years, they had suffered immensely; every day was either spent eating dog food or on the way to eat dog food.

What was it like to have a teaching assistant for a girlfriend?

Through Noki, they had truly experienced it—it was sheer favoritism in every way. Noki was never disciplined for being late, while they had to run an extra twenty laps around the training ground if they were late.

Noki came and went as he pleased. Once, they even saw that the teaching assistant not only allowed Noki to leave, but actually went with him.

This was the Marine Corps's strictest recruit camp! Was that even appropriate?

They had never complained to Zephyr about it.

After all, Noki's grades were right there. He was the only man in the entire recruit camp who had mastered all of the Six Powers, and his swordsmanship was even more remarkable, capable of exchanging blows with Vice Admiral Momonga.

He was simply the classic neighbor's perfect child.

"Hahaha."

Zephyr walked toward them with steady strides. "Noki, well done. You can consider this a successful conclusion to your few years as a recruit."

"Teacher." Ain's pretty face flushed red as she slipped out of Noki's arms.

"Is that a Devil Fruit in your hand?" Zephyr's gaze was drawn to it.

"Yeah, I'm planning to eat it."

"Do you know the power of this fruit?"

"I've seen it in the Devil Fruit encyclopedia before. It's called the Dark-Dark Fruit, and it possesses the most vicious power in the world, the power of darkness. I think it suits me very well."

Zephyr had heard of its infamous reputation. "The Dark-Dark Fruit... the bane of all Devil Fruit powers. It's powerful all right, but the side effects aren't light either."

Ain linked her arm through Noki's, pressing her whole body against it, and blinked her eyes. "Teacher, what are the side effects of this fruit?"

"The Dark-Dark Fruit is a type of Logia power. According to the encyclopedia, its user cannot avoid damage like other Logias, but instead actively absorbs damage, doubling the sensation of pain for the user. It's an ability that truly tests one's willpower."

Ain knew that as a marine, she would experience plenty of battles in the future and inevitably get hurt. The mere thought of her man having to endure that kind of excruciating pain made her heart ache. "Noki, maybe you shouldn't eat it after all."

"Of course I'm going to eat it. Mere pain is nothing to be afraid of." Noki's gaze remained unshakably firm.

The more Zephyr looked, the more satisfied he felt. "Good. The Marines need your kind of daring spirit to grow stronger. If you can kick your habit of slacking off, your future achievements certainly won't be lower than those of us old fellows."

Noki shook his head gently and said with a straight face, "Sleeping allows me to build up my energy. Saving it for where it's needed helps improve my work efficiency. How can that be considered a bad habit? It should be a virtue."

Zephyr scolded with a laugh, "You little slickster, this old man can't talk you out of it."

Knowing that Noki was a neat freak, Ain deliberately took the Dark-Dark Fruit and washed its skin clean with fresh water.

Although she didn't want Noki to eat it, how could she, as a fine girlfriend, stand in the way of her man's progress?

"Noki, try not to use your tongue to taste the fruit when you eat it. It tastes awful."

Ain held the Dark-Dark Fruit in both hands and handed it over. She was a Devil Fruit user herself, so she had a bit of experience...

"Thanks a lot."

Noki picked it up quickly, took a large bite, and swallowed it down. The entire movement was smooth and continuous.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, not to mention that Noki's looks were no worse than any beauty's.

Watching him eat the Devil Fruit, Ain couldn't help getting a bit mesmerized...

Such a handsome man was her boyfriend!

Noki took a deep breath, and his expression suddenly turned complicated.

"Noki, does your body feel uncomfortable?"

"There really is a situation where my body isn't adapting after eating the Devil Fruit. I'll go call the military doctor right now."

Ain hurried over to the door.

Noki raised a hand to stop her. "I accidentally tasted the flavor."