He paused, pointing just above the patterns on the fruit's surface that looked ready to split apart at any moment. "It works through rapid physical expansion and fragmentation.
"That's fundamentally different from an ability that relies on chemical reactions to produce combustion and detonation."
Gladius's breathing grew noticeably heavier.
He had spent years around cannons. To him, this fruit was nothing short of the perfect extension of his weapons.
Before Rossi finished speaking, he had already stepped forward, his Adam's apple bobbing as he forced out the words, "I want it."
Rossi said nothing more. He simply picked up the heavy fruit and tossed it over.
At the same time, he glanced sideways at Doflamingo, who merely raised the corners of his mouth and nodded slightly.
"Eat it."
The crisp sound of a bite rang especially clearly in the silence.
Immediately afterward, Gladius's entire face twisted and turned an indescribable ashen green, as though he had swallowed something utterly foul.
He squeezed his eyes shut and haphazardly stuffed the remaining flesh down his throat, the veins in his neck bulging as he forced himself to swallow.
Rossi looked away.
The fruits were different, but their legendarily nightmarish taste was probably identical.
He took another fruit from the chest instead.
It was roughly oval, its surface covered in overlapping, swirling cloud patterns. Three slender leaves spiraled around its stem, giving the whole thing a strange sense of rhythm.
"The Spin-Spin Fruit."
After examining it briefly, he reached his conclusion. "The person who eats it can turn any part of their body into a propeller, gaining the ability to fly and whip up strong winds.
"Though the strength of those winds... is nothing special."
In all fairness, it was not a bad ability.
In the hands of a skilled swordsman, it might