Chapter 8: Royal Masquerade

"Your majesty!"

Two more armored guards stood in front of the treasury. Upon seeing the king, now impersonated by Shin, the guards quickly saluted.

"Open the treasure vault; I want to take inventory," Shin ordered with a slightly raised chin.

"Yes, your majesty." Without hesitation, the guards took the key from Shin and unlocked the treasury door.

This might seem abrupt, but Shin had learned that the king habitually counted his treasures—sometimes more than ten times a day. This obsessive behavior was why Shin didn't wait until the next day. A night delay might raise questions he couldn't answer convincingly, making his disguise riskier.

Inside, the treasury gleamed with gold and jewels. Despite Drum Island's modest size, its reputation as a medical hub attracted many wealthy visitors, so the nation's wealth was substantial. With a small population and modest tax obligations, the treasury contained impressive riches.

Luckily, there was only one Devil Fruit in the treasury; otherwise, Shin might have struggled to identify the right one. Holding the odd-patterned fruit in his hands, he resisted eating it immediately. He recalled how Luffy had transformed uncontrollably after consuming his Devil Fruit.

Opening his sealing scroll, Shin stored the Devil Fruit along with stacks of gold, billions in currency, and a well-crafted blade. He was even surprised to find a manual on Haki training among the treasures. Stowing everything in the scroll, he exited the treasury with ease.

When Shin emerged, the guards noted the unusually brief inspection but kept their thoughts to themselves. After locking the treasury door, they handed the key back to Shin.

Returning to the bedroom, Shin carefully placed the old king's body back in bed. Knocking out the guards again, he quietly left the castle without a trace of his infiltration.

The next morning, Shin, back at the inn, studied the Devil Fruit before eating it with apprehension.

"Ugh… the legends are true; it's as terrible as they say," he muttered as he swallowed the last bite.

With the Devil Fruit consumed, Shin sensed a peculiar change within. He glanced at the katana strapped to his waist and felt an unusual pull. Opening his mouth, he watched it stretch wider and wider, allowing him to swallow the blade in a single gulp.

The strange flavor in his mouth—almost like a crisp cracker—was overshadowed by the sudden cold energy circulating within him, which he could channel to any part of his body. Focusing on his hand, he felt it solidify into metal, his fingers extending into ten-centimeter-long razor-sharp blades that left deep cuts on the table with ease.

"So, this is the power of the Munch-Munch Fruit: the ability to merge different substances within my body," he mused.

"But these energies haven't fully digested. They've just combined with my body in a temporary state," he realized.

Pulling the energy back, he opened his mouth wide again and spat out the katana, which appeared unscathed. "Maybe if I master this power, I could permanently absorb these traits, enhancing my strength for good."

He shelved this thought for now. Developing the fruit to that extent was far beyond his current abilities.

His haul from the palace wasn't limited to the Devil Fruit. The fine blade was notable, though somewhat impractical for Shin. The sword, measuring over a meter in length, was taller than Shin, and without any formal training in swordsmanship, wielding it would only hinder him.

Still, the blade could serve as material for his newly acquired Devil Fruit powers if nothing else.

The Haki training manual, however, intrigued Shin the most. It was rare to find such a manual this early in the Grand Line. As he skimmed through it, he noted that it had been authored by a doctor, which explained its presence in the treasury of a renowned medical country like Drum Island.

This version of Observation Haki was tailored for medical use, focusing on perceiving internal organs, bone marrow, and even subtle bodily functions. Clearly, the manual's creator was a healer, not a warrior.

For Shin, this wasn't a setback—it was simply a specialized branch of Observation Haki, which he could still use for sensing and combat purposes.

"But the main question remains," he pondered, "can I even awaken Haki? After all, I'm not native to this world."

The inhabitants of this world differed significantly from those in his home. In the this world, some individuals naturally awakened Haki; no such ability existed in his world.

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Mass Release: [2/5]

For every power stones milestone: 50,100, 200, 300,400,500 I will release a bonus chapter.

I will also release a bonus chapter for every two reviews until it reaches ten reviews.

Review status: [2/10]