Chapter 300: Shanks: Yikes! I've Been Hit!

Within the fortress.

The familiar Devil Fruit Rebirth Laboratory.

The two Charlotte brothers, one dressed in yellow and the other in blue, were both under the Dream Ghost's Sleeping Curse. They were in a deep sleep with no signs of waking up, resembling two pigs awaiting slaughter, carelessly placed in a corner of the room.

Beside these two hulking figures was an assortment of fruits, ranging from large, ripe watermelons to small, delicate cherries. All were meticulously arranged on the tiered steps rising within the room, like an unconventional fruit exhibition.

In the originally silent room, where only the sound of gentle breathing could be heard, the figures of Adrian and Shanks gradually emerged.

Looking towards the corner where the two brothers lay, Shanks, who had been frowning, looked puzzled and asked, "Who's that next to the creepy guy in the blue coat?"

Adrian pondered for a moment and understood the confusion. Charlotte Oven had always been in charge of the Pursuit of the Squeeze-Squeeze Fruit and had never shown his face in front of Shanks. It made sense that the two were unacquainted.

"To clarify, the creepy guy in the blue coat you defeated is actually Charlotte Daifuku, a Paramecia-type user with the Puff Fruit, and the third son of the Charlotte family," Adrian explained methodically, looking at the Charlotte twins in the corner. "And the golden-orange passionate guy sleeping next to him is his brother, Charlotte Oven, a Paramecia-type user with the Heat-Heat Fruit, and the fourth son of the Charlotte family."

Upon hearing their identities and the significant positions they held in the Charlotte family, the distress on Shanks' face deepened.

Though before the battle began, Charlotte Daifuku had revealed his identity and explained that his actions were orders from Totto Land, it wasn't clear enough!

Orders from Totto Land and orders from Charlotte Linlin's own son were two entirely different matters! The severity was on a completely different level!

Shanks could already foresee a grim future scenario. One day, when he leads his pirate crew to successfully reach the New World, the first to welcome them wouldn't be the unpredictable weather of the New World, but the wrathful fury of the Soul Queen, Charlotte Linlin!

Of course, that was assuming Shanks could escape Adrian's clutches in the first place.

'If I manage to break free from Adrian's grip and successfully form my own pirate crew...'

'Does that mean, in provoking Charlotte Linlin, I've also provoked the White Ghost...?'

'What kind of miserable days are ahead?'

'If the crew knew their captain had antagonized these two formidable enemies, would they still follow me...?'

At this moment, Shanks felt an urge to shed bitter tears for three days and nights.

'This captaincy...'

'No!'

'I won't give up!!'

Adrian, unaware of Shanks' internal turmoil, merely sensed Shanks' sudden burst of determination, thinking it was due to the pressure of debt.

"It's okay, it's just three Devil Fruits," Adrian said reassuringly, patting Shanks on the shoulder. "They're easy to gather."

"??"

Shanks looked at Adrian in confusion and said, "I only owe one—no, I don't owe you any Devil Fruits!"

He almost got fooled by Adrian!

Shanks angrily retorted, "This so-called Devil Fruit Rebirth Experiment is purely based on luck! Normally, it's impossible to just create Devil Fruits out of thin air!"

But the problem is, you're not normal! You're a man blessed with the good luck aura.

Though you don't know this yourself.

Adrian stroked his chin and said, "What if another Devil Fruit appears this time?"

Shanks scoffed. He didn't believe he had such luck!

If he really had that luck, he wouldn't have run into the White Ghostly as soon as he set sail without meeting a single living person first!

"If another Devil Fruit appears, then I'll owe you a Devil Fruit!"

"Hmm?"

"...I'll owe you two."

Well, that's teachable.

"If you want to make a bet, just say so."

Adrian nodded and withdrew the pale spiritual pressure sword from Shanks' neck.

"After all, I'm not an unreasonable brute."

With Shanks' self-initiated betting, this was practically guaranteed!

Adrian felt assured.

Shanks, looking dazed and slumped, resembled a dog soaked in rain.

"Don't just stand there! Pick one, quickly!"

Even now!

You're still pushing me!

Shanks, feeling utterly defeated, said, "I'll choose Charlotte Daifuku!"

---

"Puff fruit, huh?"

Adrian nodded slightly.

"I actually wanted to use this creepy guy for the experiment first."

Compared to the highly potential Heat fruit, the Puff fruit seemed much less impressive. Its disturbing activation motion had even earned it the infamous nickname of the 'Rubbing fruit.'

Using it as a trial run felt much safer.

Shanks glanced at Adrian speechlessly, thinking, "You already decided who to use for the experiment, so why did you make me choose?"

If he had picked Charlotte Oven earlier, would Adrian have changed his mind?

Adrian used his power to awaken the sleeping Charlotte Daifuku. The moment he woke up, before opening his eyes or assessing his surroundings, Daifuku felt intense pain from the wounds on his left rib and back, causing him to groan in agony.

"Charlotte Daifuku, what did the Devil Fruit you consumed look like?" Adrian asked directly, ignoring the groaning man.

"White Ghost!" Daifuku's eyes snapped open, glaring at Adrian with intense hatred. His rough, hoarse voice seemed to drip with blood.

"I don't want to repeat myself."

Adrian extended his finger, and a tiny ghost glowing faintly crimson emerged from his fingertip.

"Hmph!" Daifuku snorted disdainfully. "The Charlotte family will never succumb to the enemy's threats!"

Dream Ghost: Phantom Pain.

After a long, silent agony, Daifuku's trembling finger pointed to a pale melon in the room.

"If you had cooperated earlier, there would've been no need for all this torture," Adrian muttered, signaling Shanks. "Go get that melon."

Having already succumbed to learned helplessness, Shanks followed Adrian's orders silently, offering his last bit of assistance.

Adrian, ever kind-hearted, sent Daifuku to the afterlife to reunite with his siblings, Amande, Compote, and maybe others.

Holding the melon, Shanks stared blankly into space.

Five minutes... ten minutes passed, and there was still no change in the room.

"Another failure..." Adrian sighed. Though he didn't think highly of the Evaporation fruit, having it was better than nothing. He could potentially trade it for another Devil Fruit. Now, he had nothing.

A glimmer of light flashed in Shanks' previously dull eyes. "Another failure! I knew this method was unreliable! But I must stay calm! Don't provoke Adrian now! Persevere! Persistence is victory!"

Shaking his head, Adrian dismissed the issue of Daifuku and the Puff fruit. Whether fortunate or not, finding a rare treasure like a Devil Fruit was always uncertain. Even with a protagonist's luck, Shanks wouldn't always encounter Devil Fruits being reborn.

Adrian consoled himself.

Next, he used his power again to awaken Charlotte Oven. As the saying goes, "When the elder brother dies, the younger brother succeeds."

Using the same method, the hot-tempered Oven also identified a fruit resembling the Heat fruit—a dragon fruit.

Once Shanks picked up the dragon fruit, Adrian swiftly ended Oven's life, preventing this dim-witted guy from earning another foolish title like "The Ship Crusher King."

"I really am a helpful and kind person!" Adrian thought.

Holding his breath, Shanks focused intently on the dragon fruit in his hand. One minute passed... three minutes passed... Shanks could barely contain his urge to smile.

"I knew it! This rebirth experiment is a complete scam!"

Five minutes passed, and the bright red dragon fruit remained unchanged.

"Adrian, I've told you," Shanks released his left hand, cradling the dragon fruit in his right hand while placing one hand on his hip, speaking calmly. "Don't rely on luck; rely on science."

Just then, a unique wave of energy acted upon the dragon fruit. The characteristic black spirals of the Devil Fruit quickly covered the dragon fruit's uneven red skin. The fruit's surface pulsated and twisted, forming deeper grooves and becoming even brighter.

In an instant, the Heat fruit was reborn!

Feeling the sudden weight in his hand, Shanks couldn't help but look down. He looked once, then again, and then chuckled.

"Well, what do you know! It worked!"

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 COuldnt hold myself posting this