Obtaining the Love-Love Fruit

Light-Speed Kick!

A dazzling yellow light enveloped Jiang Lin's left leg. He held nothing back against the Empress. He knew that if he did, it might cost him his life.

Mero Mero Mellow!

Facing his attack, the Empress raised her head and fired countless red hearts at Jiang Lin's incoming left foot.

Not good!

Jiang Lin had no choice but to abandon his attack for the moment. He used Yata Mirror to evade the Empress's attack.

"Not having Haki really hurts. Couldn't this system have given me some other abilities?"

After his exasperated complaint, Jiang Lin looked at the Empress before him, breathing hard.

"Oh... Does my beauty not stir your heart? Why are you so quick to dodge?"

Boa Hancock thrust out her ample chest and gently licked her right hand with her crimson tongue. The wounded look on her face made Jiang Lin blush and turn away after a single glance.

Don't look! Don't look! It's all part of her attack!

That one glance at the Empress had left Jiang Lin in a cold sweat. He had no Haki and no other way to counter petrification. If it caught him, he would die.

"You have some self-control, unlike those Marines. They make me sick!"

Boa Hancock smiled faintly, crossed her hands into a heart shape, and launched Mero Mero Mellow at Jiang Lin again.

"It won't work!"

Jiang Lin moved rapidly with Yata Mirror while watching the timer in his system. More than forty seconds had passed since the fight began. If he could hold out for another twenty, he would obtain the Empress's Love-Love Fruit.

Bang, bang, bang!

A dense barrage of hearts swept after Jiang Lin's moving figure. At the sight of the Empress's attack, the nearby Kuja Pirates hurriedly retreated several steps.

"The Snake Princess is under attack! Go help her!"

When the townspeople saw the Empress fighting Jiang Lin, they dropped their work, grabbed their weapons, and rushed toward the city gates.

"All of you, go back!"

The Empress held her head high, pointed toward the city wall, and loudly ordered her people back.

"There it is! The Snake Princess's pose of absolute disdain for all living things!"

The Kuja Pirates excitedly offered up their adoration at the sight of her pose. Seeing the Empress's response, the townspeople put down their weapons just as eagerly and stopped inside the city walls to watch her fight.

"I thought you would be strong. But now I see you aren't that strong after all!"

The Empress spoke coldly. An invisible wave burst outward, heading straight for Jiang Lin.

Not good! It's Conqueror's Haki!

Jiang Lin recognized the danger as soon as he saw what the Empress was doing. He was about to use Yata Mirror to evade her attack, but Haki struck him in an instant. His eyes went wide as his consciousness began to fade.

One more second! Just one second!

Jiang Lin stared unwillingly at the system interface. If only that second had passed before the Empress unleashed her Haki.

"One minute has elapsed. Love-Love Fruit replication complete."

"Two Devil Fruit Cards detected in the host's possession. Devil Fruit fusion, Devil Fruit Awakening, Devil Fruit development, and the system shop have been unlocked."

The system messages finally appeared a moment before Jiang Lin lost consciousness. But it was too late. His eyelids closed despite his struggle to keep them open.

"Take him back! I'll execute him in public!"

The Empress flicked her robe and turned toward the Snake Ship.

"Enter the city!"

To the sound of blaring horns, the Kuja Pirates' ship slowly sailed through the open gates into Amazon Lily!

"Mm... Where am I?"

Jiang Lin opened his eyes groggily. His head felt as though it had been struck by something heavy, and it hurt badly.

"Hey, buddy!"

A familiar voice sounded beside Jiang Lin.

"Lu... Luffy?"

"What is this...?"

Jiang Lin's eyes snapped wide open. The raised platforms around him were packed with scantily clad women. They studied him and Luffy with curious faces, whispering among themselves.

Are they treating us like monkeys on display?

Jiang Lin gave a cold laugh, then turned toward Luffy. Like Luffy, he was restrained by several little black snakes.

Come to think of it, I copied the Empress's fruit just now. I unlocked a whole lot of system functions, too.

Jiang Lin opened the system interface and began examining it carefully.

The Devil Fruit Infinite Copy System's true power would only become apparent after Jiang Lin possessed two Devil Fruit Cards.

The Devil Fruit fusion function could combine the abilities of multiple Devil Fruit Cards to strengthen one of them. Using the Love-Love Fruit to enhance the Glint-Glint Fruit, for instance, would make the Glint-Glint Fruit stronger. The reverse was also true.

The Devil Fruit Awakening and development functions would allow Jiang Lin to awaken and develop his Devil Fruit abilities.

As for the system shop, Jiang Lin could not afford a single item it sold. For now, it was useless to him.

"Ah... Snake Princess!"

A burst of screams interrupted Jiang Lin while he was studying the system interface.

The Empress?

Jiang Lin looked up at the three women on the raised platform. Seated between two tall women was Boa Hancock, who had defeated him not long ago.

"Then tell me: what is your purpose here, and how did you enter this island?"

The Empress sat steadily atop a giant snake, looking down at Jiang Lin and Luffy with a haughty expression.

"I told you, I don't know. I was flying through the sky, and then I ended up here."

Luffy looked up at the platform, his face guileless.

"Bartholomew Kuma sent both of us flying here with his ability."

Jiang Lin answered calmly, his eyes fixed on the Empress. He was ready to fight.

"Enough lies. No matter what story you two men agree on, you won't leave here alive. Your deaths are inevitable!"

The Empress looked down sternly. On the platform, one woman's expression changed drastically at her words.