Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan: Baas Form

Night lay like ink, heavily blanketing the Tree of Knowledge in Ohara.

A bonfire burned in the center of the clearing, its flames licking the outline of the Sea Boar's mountain-sized corpse.

The air was thick with the scent of rust and sea brine. Scholars surrounded the enormous sea beast, their blades rising and falling in the firelight as they cut through its tough hide and explored the unfamiliar yet intricate structures within its body.

Excited whispers, hurried scribbling, and the dull scrape of blades against bone intertwined into a fervent, primal symphony of curiosity.

Dr. Clover shifted his gaze from the bloody dissection site to the silent child beside him and spoke earnestly:

"Little Adams, you're truly impressive. You even managed to subdue a sea beast of that size... But try not to do this again in the future. Just look at all those injuries."

Adams casually rolled his shoulders. The lines of his muscles tightened and relaxed beneath his skin as he answered without concern:

"It's fine, Doctor. You know about my special constitution. Injuries like these are nothing."

He had already decided that over the next two years, he would build his strength by fighting those sea beasts. Naturally, there was no way he could agree to such a request.

Dr. Clover's brows drew together, deepening the worry on his weathered face. Just as he was about to speak again—

"Doctor! There's something in its stomach!"

A young scholar staggered over from the sea beast's abdominal cavity, clutching a wooden box covered in slime. His voice trembled with excitement.

Interrupted, Clover sighed softly and took the box. The scholar immediately turned and rushed back into the bloody battlefield.

The old doctor put on the white gloves he carried with him, brushed away the cold, damp filth on the box's surface, and carefully lifted the lid.

The bonfire's flames suddenly leaped into the box.

At the bottom lay a fruit. It was unremarkable, even ugly—

Its entire surface was a dark brown like old mud, covered in rough, twisted patterns. Only the short stem at its top was a jarringly vivid green, giving off an eerie air.

"Is this a Devil Fruit!? Doctor, do you know its name? There doesn't seem to be any record of it in the encyclopedia."

At some point, Adams had silently appeared at the doctor's side. He stared at the fruit, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes.

The Tree of Knowledge naturally possessed a Devil Fruit encyclopedia, and it was the most detailed version available. Yet it contained no record of the fruit before them.

Clover did not answer. His withered fingers carefully removed the fruit from the box and brought it closer to his eyes. The bonfire danced in his cloudy old gaze, reflecting the strange fruit.

After examining it closely, the old doctor finally spoke:

"If my eyesight hasn't failed me... this is likely the legendary Zoan-type Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan: Baas Form!"

"Baas? The... 'god' worshipped by the people of Sky Island?"

Adams raised a brow and asked thoughtfully. Whether through memories from his previous life or the books he had read in this one, the name was familiar to him.

"Yes, it is indeed the name of that god. Moreover, its birth has a certain connection to the culture and customs of Sky Island."

Clover nodded, his eyes still fixed firmly on the fruit.

"I see. Then, Doctor, do you know what abilities it has?"

Adams asked again. He had no interest whatsoever in the culture and customs of Sky Island; all he cared about was the power the fruit could grant.

Clover lifted his gaze from the fruit and asked the boy before him an entirely unrelated question:

"Child, do you know how Devil Fruits are born?"

Adams shook his head. Naturally, he knew the answer, but he had no way to explain how he knew it, so he could only pretend ignorance.

The old doctor's gaze passed over the noisy dissection site, past the blazing bonfire, and into the depths of the night sky studded with cold stars, as though he were staring into a dark river formed from the gathering of human desires.

"Over the years, I have researched history and consulted countless documents, many of them concerning fruits. After studying those documents, I came to a conjecture: Devil Fruits were very likely born from human prayers and desires!

Some people desire wealth beyond that of nations, and thus fruits that create gold appear;

Some dream of soaring through the heavens, and thus fruits that allow one to fly appear."

"But among those prayers and desires, there is one group that is special: the believers of gods...

Their hearts overflow with fanatical worship and imitation of their deities. They long to become gods themselves—such desire can give birth to Devil Fruits bearing the names of gods."

Bonfire light flickered across the doctor's aged face. The hand holding the fruit rose slightly, placing it at the center of where their gazes met.

"And this fruit... was born from the unending worship and faith the people of Sky Island held for Baas!"

He suddenly turned, his aged gaze pressing down on Adams with tangible, crushing weight:

"As for its abilities... according to the descriptions of Baas's divine power in those dust-covered records left by the people of Sky Island, this fruit will grant its eater authority over the earth!"

Adams's heart abruptly tightened, as if gripped by an invisible hand.

"Create Baas!"

The doctor's voice was like a divine proclamation,

"Assimilate with Baas! Travel freely through Baas!"

With every ability he named, the light in Adams's eyes grew hotter.

"Remove Baas's binding force upon all things... increase the binding force Baas imposes upon oneself!"

"And—"

The doctor drew out the final syllable, carrying earth-shattering significance,

"The ability to make Baas... tremble."

The words nearly burst from Adams's mouth, his voice trembling slightly with extreme excitement:

"So it encompasses the abilities of the Island-Island, Water-Water, clay, Float-Float, Heavy-Heavy... and even the Tremor-Tremor Fruit?"

In his rapidly racing understanding, "Baas" meant "earth"! Assimilating with the earth was precisely the ability of the Island-Island Fruit.

Traveling through the earth was exactly like the Water-Water Fruit's ability;

Creating earth was equivalent to an enhanced version of that clay man from Sword, since the substances composing the earth included far more than just clay;

Removing the earth's binding force meant eliminating gravity, which was the Float-Float Fruit's ability;

Increasing its binding force meant manipulating gravity, which was the Heavy-Heavy Fruit's ability;

Making Baas tremble, simply put, was naturally the power of earthquakes.

"If you understand it that way, it wouldn't exactly be wrong."

A faint, gratified smile appeared on Dr. Clover's wrinkled face. He nodded approvingly.

"It seems you truly have put considerable effort into studying the encyclopedia. You're thoroughly familiar with the abilities of various fruits. However... there is one thing you are mistaken about.

The Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power is a trinity of air quakes, sea quakes, and earthquakes. The tremors caused by this Baas Fruit are limited only to the earth itself. At most... it possesses one-third of that power."

"All right, my understanding was too narrow."

Adams replied quickly, his tone carrying the perfunctory quality unique to youth.

At that moment, all his attention and desire were like iron filings drawn to a magnet, firmly fixed upon the ugly fruit in the doctor's hand.

He stepped forward, his voice carrying unquestionable sincerity and urgency:

"Doctor! Could you... give it to me? I want to eat it!"

Although that Baas statue on Sky Island was ugly, with an ability comparable to a patchwork monstrosity, ugliness did not matter. Strength was what mattered for a lifetime.

"Of course."

The old doctor's voice returned to its usual gentleness. His arm extended steadily, offering Adams the fruit that carried authority over the earth.

Adams snatched the fruit. Without the slightest hesitation, he opened his mouth and took a bite. An indescribably horrific flavor instantly exploded in his mouth, but he merely frowned. His Adam's apple bobbed sharply, and he swallowed the thing that symbolized authority over the earth.

To be continued