Rainbow Altar
The Rainbow Fruits possess mysterious powers, and even without this conflict, I had no intention of sharing them with Jack, this dangerous individual. With the Rainbow Fruits, even if I do not use them myself, I could exchange them for many incredibly useful treasures. I had considered seizing Snoke's share, but enhancing Jack, the Wolf King, and Maki Shinpu's strength would not benefit me; it would merely narrow the gap between us, and I might not be the ultimate beneficiary.
Moreover, I lacked the confidence and ambition to eliminate all five of them in one fell swoop. Snoke, with a grim expression, nodded in gratitude and quickly departed with Bullet; our collaboration had reached its conclusion, and remaining together any longer would feel perilous. Maki Shinpu and the Wolf King claimed their spoils without any sign of concern for Jack's exclusion. I patted myself down and murmured, "We don't know when that winged demon ape will return, and we cannot linger here for too long. I need to take a moment; you all go ahead without waiting for me."
Maki Shinpu was taken aback by my seemingly trivial remark, his face momentarily transforming into an expression of disbelief. The Wolf King, however, laughed heartily, "Wang Lin, you are truly amusing! Are you afraid we might see your backside? I'm not interested in little boys; just keep an eye out for that perverse Jack."
Jack offered no response to being drawn into such an undignified topic; he merely smiled faintly and departed first.
Once the three of them had left, I summoned the Book of Demons. Juliere fluttered her wings and gracefully floated up, pointing to a stone platform within the cave. "That is the Rainbow Altar; their demon announcers would never remind you of it—what incompetent individuals!"
I refrained from mentioning that the Wolf King and the others had already dispatched the demoness. While I suspected Juliere wouldn't be frightened, I harbored other concerns and preferred to avoid such disheartening topics.
As I stood upon the Rainbow Altar, the contract section of the Book of Demons revealed two new pages, detailing the wish capabilities of the two Rainbow Fruits.
The first, a thousand-year-old Rainbow-level fully matured wish fruit, offered transformations including a Rainbow Dragon, Demon Lord, Cyclops, Lord of Storms, Guardian God, Destructive Insect, and Water-Fire Serpent. Secondary wish capabilities included wealth, power, strength augmentation, and lifespan extension, while tertiary abilities pertained to enhancements in magical skills.
The second, a twelve-hundred-year-old Rainbow-level matured wish fruit, granted mastery over time and space, requiring eleven hundred points of mental energy for a wish. Its secondary wish capabilities included attributes across the board. "Damn it, it's clear they're leaving me with no options!"
What I desired most was to return home, and the primary wish capability of the second fruit perfectly aligned with my needs. I was indeed quite interested in transformations like the Rainbow Dragon or Demon Lord, but when a superior choice presented itself, I certainly wouldn't opt for the inferior one. "It requires eleven hundred points of mental energy? Thankfully, I still have enough to pay; otherwise, I wouldn't be able to use this fruit!" Without hesitation, I activated the second wish fruit.
Holding the Rainbow Fruit aloft, I proclaimed loudly, "Grant me the ability to master time and space!"
The fruit emitted a strange radiance, enveloping me in its glow. A powerful extracting force surged forth, instantly diminishing my mental energy by one-third. When the wish was fulfilled, the fruit transformed into a rainbow and vanished, yet I felt no change and was left perplexed. "Juliere, why don't I feel anything?"
The adorable little demon tapped my head in frustration, "Did you not check the earlier pages to see if you acquired a new ability?"
"I forgot!"
In a hurry, I flipped back through the pages, eager to discover what the use of this twelve-hundred-year-old Rainbow-level wish fruit had bestowed upon me when suddenly, a dull thud resonated as Maki Shinpu was hurled from the exit by an immense force. "What has happened now?" I reluctantly stowed the Book of Demons, while Juliere had already retreated into the pages. Observing Maki Shinpu's disheveled state, I swiftly brandished the silver spike I had acquired from Jack and lunged forward.
"Wang Lin, have you lost your mind? I am Maki Shinpu!"
Though appearing quite disheveled, Maki Shinpu nimbly evaded my attack, bursting into three hearty laughs. My laughter, filled with malice and cunning, incited a mix of surprise and anger in Maki Shinpu, prompting him to draw his weapon.
"Indeed, the bone knife Mikazuki will belong to me from now on."
"You wish to steal my treasure? We are allies! Wang Lin, wake up! Have you made some special wish that has backfired?"
"I haven't; I was merely joking!"
Did my previous lines sound like those of a great demon lord?
Maki Shinpu looked at me uncertainly, utterly baffled by my intentions. I raised my hands, revealing a silver symbol on each, intricate designs that seemed to penetrate from my palms through to the backs of my hands.
"What is that? Did you acquire a new ability?"
Seeing Maki Shinpu's astonishment, I felt an uncontainable pride swell within me and replied nonchalantly, "Indeed! If it weren't for these hands, you would have killed me just now. Jack, is your new ability transformation? Or perhaps an illusion?"
After my nonsensical remarks left him somewhat dazed, he suddenly heard my words and froze, then revealed Jack's signature smile. His form began to shimmer and fade, transforming into the visage of the murderous Jack.
"Indeed! I have long sought an ability that allows me to vanish without a trace after a kill. What capability could better suit my desires than to assume the appearance of anyone? I almost deceived you just now!"
"Next time, I might even transform into your most beloved person, or..."
"Enough! I have said that when it comes time to eliminate certain individuals, I will not hesitate."