Chapter 109: Shirahoshi eats The Hobi DF

"Are you sure you want to eat that, Shirahoshi? It'll stunt your growth!"

Nami and the others eyed the fruit Luo Ning brought back with concern, directing their question at Shirahoshi.

"Certainly!"

Remembering Luo Ning's promise, Shirahoshi devoured the fruit without hesitation.

Witnessing this scene, Violet and the others were astonished. They couldn't fathom how Luo Ning had obtained the fruit, especially considering its origin – Sugar.

Luo Ning's ability to reconstitute the Devil Fruit was simply outrageous. If such a power existed in the sea, who would ever dare to consume a powerful Devil Fruit? The fear of being pummeled and the fruit stolen would be paralyzing.

"Ugh, this is disgusting!"

Shirahoshi grimaced after the first bite, a sentiment Nami, Robin, Violet, and even Baby 5 readily understood. After all, they were all Devil Fruit users themselves. The revolting taste of the fruit was a shared experience.

With that single bite, the power coursed through Shirahoshi's body. Fortunately, Luo Ning had also conjured a protective layer around her, rendering the seawater property ineffective. He, however, refrained from doing the same for the others. It was unnecessary, and Luo Ning didn't want to overexert his imaginative abilities.

The way Devil Fruit powers manifested differed between Shirahoshi and the others. While the others possessed inherent defensive capabilities, Shirahoshi's power only affected those who came into physical contact with her.

"Shirahoshi won't grow up anymore, but hey, at least our crew's packed with unique abilities!"

Nami suddenly recalled another extraordinary individual among Zephyr's recruits.

"Ain, right? Her power truly is outrageous!"

Luo Ning agreed. Ain's ability was quite special – anyone she touched regressed ten years in age. It was an ability many would envy, especially those facing the specter of aging.

Women, in particular, were often anxious about aging. Ain's power, however, could rewind their age by a decade, and potentially multiple times. Currently, Ain's ability was limited to a ten-year reversal, though according to the original story, she had honed it to twelve years in recent years. This showcased her growth with the fruit.

Indeed, the true potential of a Devil Fruit relied heavily on the user. A skilled user could elevate a so-called "trash" fruit to god-like status.

Of course, there were some truly bizarre fruits out there. Take Kozuki Toki's power, for instance. It flung people straight from 800 years ago to the present, as it did with Momonosuke and his crew. That being said, if Luo Ning ever found Momonosuke, he wouldn't hesitate to eliminate him. The guy was simply trouble waiting to happen.

"Honestly, if I wasn't already young, I'd ask Ain to rewind my age too. But right now, I'd just end up a toddler!"

Nami chuckled. At this point, regressing to a child even younger than Shirahoshi wouldn't be much fun.

"Going back to, say, your current age sounds interesting. But this ability does have drawbacks," Robin chimed in. Naturally, she found the concept appealing – most women would. However, the power came with limitations. Just like Sugar, if the user fainted, the people she affected would revert to their original age.

It wasn't permanent, of course. Perhaps you could try it later – after all, who enjoys the aging process?

The next few days were spent recuperating in Dressrosa. King Riku reclaimed the throne, having severed ties with the World Government. Impel Down served as their new backer – a far more reliable one. King Riku understood the World Government's duplicity. Without a powerful ally, they were vulnerable. Now, with Luo Ning's support, their worries were alleviated.

The country gradually stabilized. Rebecca ascended to princesshood, though she found it rather awkward. Now the same age as Shirahoshi, the two became inseparable playmates. It had to be said, Rebecca's original attire in the story was... peculiar. Why the combat uniform? It was undeniably alluring, though perplexing.

***

Doflamingo's defeat, while not shaking the entire world, had a significant impact. His influence, particularly within the arms trade, crumbled. This caused a domino effect, altering the power dynamics of several factions.

Doflamingo had extensive ties to Kaido. While Luo Ning had dealt with Caesar through a clone, a child like guy didn't warrant ten Freedom Points. Caesar's monstrous experiment subjected those children to unimaginable suffering. Countless lives were likely lost. Luo Ning wouldn't tolerate such atrocities.

He swiftly dealt with Caesar, and the news was made public.

Aware of this, Kaido and Big Mom fumed. One of them had pinned their hopes on Doflamingo developing artificial Devil Fruits, while the other yearned for gigantism research conducted by Caesar. Big Mom, in particular, held an extreme fascination with the giants, stemming from her time as their adopted child. This fascination, however, landed her in hot water during their "hunger pangs" festival – a tradition Big Mom, as a resident, had to adhere to.

The giants were a notoriously tough race, and Big Mom, while large herself, wasn't one of them. The experience likely fueled her desire to mend fences with the giants and develop gigantification technology as a backup plan.

Caesar's demise affected two Emperors in quick succession.

***

"Joker... why?! How weak! Utterly weak! Dead because of his own weakness!"

On Onigashima, Kaido raged. While artificial Devil Fruits remained under development, Doflamingo had supplied his pirates with a significant stockpile of weapons and materials. Their partnership had been beneficial, and Doflamingo's absence left Kaido uneasy.

Kaido's initial portrayal as a hardened brute ultimately devolved into a despicable villain. This wasn't uncommon – unscrupulous tactics were employed by many. The jarring aspect, however, lay in Kaido's previous persona: a suicidal tough guy who couldn't even succeed at that.