"Head outside. Leave him to me," Lind told the officer, then used telekinesis to restrain the pirate and make him cooperate with the experiment.
After the officer left, Lind smiled at the terrified pirate before him.
"Relax. You should have heard of my reputation. I'm not in the habit of killing people. Cooperate, and this might even turn into an opportunity for you."
Lind unconsciously slipped into selling grand promises, and the pirate nodded. The reputation Lind had painstakingly built was proving useful.
"Next, I'll give you a new ability. It can eliminate a Devil Fruit user's weakness to seawater and seastone."
"All you need to do is cooperate with me and guide your Devil Fruit's energy into the ability I give you. Do you understand?"
The pirate nodded to show that he understood. The pirates of this world really were simple souls. He readily believed Lind's words, convinced that Lind truly intended to help him eliminate his Devil Fruit's weaknesses.
"Good. Get ready to cooperate."
As he spoke, Lind placed his right hand on the pirate's head and began activating his mutation ability.
Lind was still a little nervous about this step. He wasn't sure whether the minor mutation he could induce once a month was capable of absorbing Devil Fruit energy.
The light soon faded, and Lind hurriedly asked about the results.
"How is it? Can you still sense your original Devil Fruit?"
"Lord Lind, I can't sense it anymore. It must have completely merged with the ability you gave me. I feel much stronger."
Lind offered no comment. Success was all that mattered. As for becoming stronger, that was mainly because this fellow had barely developed his Devil Fruit before.
The hybrid-form enhancement created by combining Lind's mutation ability with the original Devil Fruit's energy was bound