The Awakened Logia

Names like Babel the Fish-Man had long been buried deep in history, erased by the World Government.

"Heh heh heh..."

Samael suddenly leaned closer, his tone turning bashful:

"Master, you gave me a new life, so I'd feel a little embarrassed if I didn't do something for you. Tell me, master, who do you want me to burn to death?"

"..."

Now that these Devil Fruits had come to life, each of them had a very different personality.

Dimon laughed in spite of himself. "Why don't you take human form?"

"I'm a Devil Fruit, master! The ones who take human form are heretics!" Samael glanced at Mammon, his tiny eyes showing more than a little contempt.

"What did you say?!" A vein bulged on Mammon's forehead.

"Tch, how dare a mere Zoan speak to a noble Logia like that? Want to fight?"

"I'm a Mythical Zoan, Model: Vampire!"

"I know. You're just a bat, aren't you?"

Samael curled his lip and even conjured a hand of flame to pick his nose.

Mammon couldn't take it anymore!

Mammon narrowed his eyes dangerously, thick black mist beginning to pour from beneath his feet.

Seeing that the two Devil Fruits were about to fight, Dimon shook his head helplessly. "That's enough. It's time to go."

Samael immediately floated after him with a sinister cackle. "Master, I just got a new life and got carried away for a moment. Next time, I'll make sure not to say it in front of him."

Suddenly, he remembered there was someone else present and looked around:

"You're called Ain? Hello! Are you a Logia of wind? As fellow noble Logias, we should get along."

"Hello, Samael. The name humans gave me is the Zoan Snail-Snail Fruit, Model: Snail. I'm not a Logia."

Ain's voice was utterly innocent.

This kid really is honest... Dimon thought.

"You're a Zoan?!" Samael was stunned for a moment and instantly lost interest in Ain.

"I fused with the wind, so now I'm inhabiting it."

"You can do that?"

Samael was baffled. Since when could Devil Fruits just inhabit whatever they wanted?

But if Ain could do it, there was no reason he couldn't.

He was a Logia!

Samael looked around, then slammed into a small stone beside the cave, hoping to inhabit it.

With a boom, the pebble was scorched by intense heat and gradually melted into black lava.

Seeing this, Mammon laughed at him. "Idiot. Unless master helps you, you can't just inhabit an inanimate object on your own."

Samael had no choice but to give up on the stone. He ignored Mammon, showing no sign of embarrassment.

Seeing this, Dimon smiled faintly. "You'd attract too much attention if you went outside looking like that. Inhabit my body for now."

"Yes, master!"

Samael plunged into Dimon's chest and merged with him in an instant.

The next moment, flames erupted around Dimon, temporarily making him a Flame-Flame Fruit user!

"This feeling... not bad!"

Chapter 15: The Awakened Logia

Flames blazed around Dimon as he shut his eyes and silently sought to understand Samael's abilities.

First was Elementalization, a trait possessed by the vast majority of Logia users.

It was a passive skill, though it could also be controlled actively. It allowed users to transform their bodies into their corresponding natural element, becoming intangible and impervious to physical attacks.

Next...

"Does this make me an awakened Logia?"

Dimon slowly opened his eyes and looked at his flaming palm.

Beyond a Devil Fruit's original abilities, it could be developed to a higher level than before. This level was called Devil Fruit Awakening.

In the original story, Ace ate the Flame-Flame Fruit, but even by the time of the Paramount War three years later, he had failed to reach Awakening.

Among the three current Marine Admirals, at least Akainu and Aokiji had definitely awakened their powers.

In the future, those two would fight over the position of Fleet Admiral, permanently changing an island's climate into a world of ice and fire.

That was the hallmark of a Logia Awakening.

And now, Dimon could clearly feel that he could do something similar.

"Samael's abilities are much stronger than I imagined. No wonder he looks down on even Mythical Zoans."

"Ordinary people who eat the Flame-Flame Fruit can't bring out a hundred percent of its power. A Logia only undergoes a qualitative change once it awakens."

Dimon gained a deeper understanding of Devil Fruits.

Even the Flame-Flame Fruit, which many people mocked as a fruit "not even a dog would eat," still possessed destructive power if developed to one hundred percent proficiency.

"Samael."

Dimon called out to him. When he received no response, he called again, but there was still no reaction.

Has my consciousness suppressed him?

Just then, Ain suddenly spoke up. "Master, the two people by the shore are coming this way."

Through the images Ain relayed to him, Dimon saw Ace and Deuce approaching the cave, seemingly drawn by the commotion.

In the original story, the reason the two had managed to escape this desolate island was that Deuce had a sudden idea, and he and Ace joined forces to build a paddle-wheel sailing ship powered by flames.

That was right. It was a special ship driven by a Fruit ability.

Ordinary sailing ships couldn't break free of the unusual currents around the island and would be trapped there forever.

Now that he had snatched the Flame-Flame Fruit, without its power, both of them would probably die if he left them alone.

"It's no trouble. Let's go. Now that I've got what I wanted, I might as well save them too."

After leaving the cave, Dimon headed straight toward Ace and Deuce.

Before long, the two sides met.

"There are other people on this island?"

Ace's eyes lit up. He glanced happily at Deuce beside him, then greeted Dimon. "Hello! I'm Ace. Are you guys shipwrecked too?"

Unlike him, Deuce looked highly wary.

Dimon smiled. "We're not shipwrecked. I came looking for treasure. There's a hidden treasure on this island."

After a pause, he added, "My name's Zoro, and this is my bodyguard, Mammon."

Deuce observed the two of them calmly, then suddenly spoke:

"We just heard a commotion by the shore, so we came to take a look. Was that you?"

Dimon nodded. "There's a cave back there with a powerful monster bird inside. But don't worry, we've killed it."

Ace, utterly uninhibited, grinned. "So, you found the treasure? What is it?"

Are we close enough for you to ask me that?

Dimon grumbled inwardly. Perhaps Ace was bold because he was skilled. With Ace's fighting strength, there weren't many people in the East Blue who could match him.

Not long after setting out, this guy would defeat one of the Shichibukai, leaving a seat vacant.

Rather than answer, Dimon chuckled. "Looks like you two are shipwrecked. You're lucky."

"Lucky to be shipwrecked? I almost died."

"How could you not be lucky, running into me? I can take you off the island."

Hearing this, Deuce frowned. "The currents around this island are unusual. I tried before, but there's no way out."

After a pause, he added, "There aren't many wild animals on the island, so food is scarce. Worse, there's hardly any fresh water. We can only rely on luck and collect rainwater when it rains."

That was how he had struggled to survive before Ace drifted onto the island.

He had thought that life would continue until the day he could no longer hold out.

But unexpectedly, things had taken a turn.

He had actually encountered two groups of people in a single day.

Unlike Ace, who was also shipwrecked, Dimon's group were treasure hunters...

There was indeed a legend about treasure on Sixis Island, but experienced sailors all knew that anyone who came here never returned. Every treasure hunter who dared come had died.

So Deuce didn't hold out much hope when Dimon said he could take them away.

"We should focus on finding food for today first."

"I don't want to be stuck here," Ace said, looking at Dimon expectantly. "Mr. Zoro, where's your ship? Please, take me with you!"

"The ship's still on its way."

He had already had Ain notify Zuizui, the ship, which was expected to reach the island tomorrow.

Dimon stood at ease and jerked his thumb toward the cave behind him. "There's a big bird in that cave. We can roast it and eat it while we wait for my ship to pick me up tomorrow."

"You hunted the bird, so leave the roasting to me! I used to roast meat in the forest with my little brother all the time!"

Ace ran excitedly to the cave and soon returned with the monster bird's corpse slung over his shoulder.

The group followed Deuce to his base, where there was a campfire.

They gathered around the fire to warm themselves.

As the sky grew darker, night was approaching. The temperature on this island varied greatly between day and night.

Once the meat was cooked, Ace handed Dimon the choicest piece. Dimon didn't stand on ceremony. He took a bite and found it mediocre. How good could monster bird meat be without any seasoning?

When Ace offered some to Mammon, Mammon shook his head and declined.

Ace paused. "Aren't you hungry, Mr. Mammon?"

"Don't mind him. If he won't eat it, I will."

Dimon smiled without explaining, took another piece of roast meat, and began eating.

Ace didn't insist. He tore off another piece for Deuce, and they began eating together.

The three ate and chatted, quickly becoming much more familiar with one another.

"Hey, Mr. Zoro, tell me about the treasure you found. It's boring right now anyway."

"Can't tell you. It's a rule in our line of work."

"Treasure hunters have rules like that?"

Whether there had been such a rule before or not, there was one now. Dimon smiled unconcernedly.

Burning with curiosity, Ace said, "Oh, right, I'm a pirate. When I find the One Piece the Pirate King left behind, I can tell you what it is too."

"You?"

Dimon showed a suitable amount of disdain and sneered. "I know a little fortune-telling. Looks to me like you're destined to be somebody's son. You'll never be Pirate King."

"Don't underestimate me! I'm strong!"

Ace was clearly unwilling to accept that.

Dimon raised an eyebrow. "Then want to spar?"

"Bring it on!"