[Host: Ethan Sugawa]
[Race: Three-Eyed Tribe]
[Haki: Conqueror's Haki LV1, Observation Haki LV1, Armament Haki LV1]
[Secret Technique: Ikoku Sovereignty LV2]
[Traits: Legacy of Cao Cao, Emperor's Spear, Swordsmanship Prodigy]
[Prestige: 50 (Prestige reaches 100 to unlock an additional trait slot)]
Aside from his Ikoku Sovereignty advancing to Level 2, Ethan's strength hadn't changed much.
He had replaced One Shot, One Soul with Swordsmanship Prodigy, and one trait slot now remained vacant.
"Three traits are enough for now. I'll leave the remaining slot open until I find the right one to fill it."
Ethan made his plan quietly.
The Battle of God Valley would likely claim many lives. Plenty of traits would certainly appear from the fallen, giving him more options to choose from later.
"Boom!!!"
A terrifying burst of pressure descended from the sky, Conqueror's Haki sweeping across the entire island.
Several powerful figures appeared on the battlefield.
Leading them was a man wreathed in black lightning, wearing a captain's hat, black boots, and holding a jet-black longsword in his hand.
It was none other than the future Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.
"Even the Roger Pirates have come?"
Seeing this, Kaido's heart skipped a beat, his expression turning grave as he looked at Big Mom.
"Linlin, we have to find the Devil Fruits before they do."
Kaido's goal in coming to God Valley was to obtain a powerful Devil Fruit.
Originally, with Big Mom's help, he thought his victory was certain. But Roger's sudden arrival now made him genuinely anxious.
"Kaido, let's move!"
Big Mom understood the urgency of the situation. Without hesitation, she grabbed Ethan and shot toward the island's center.
…
God Valley – Central Region.
Ethan, Big Mom, and Kaido rode swiftly on the thundercloud Zeus, quickly reaching the location where the Devil Fruits were rumored to be hidden.
But just as they arrived, a deafening roar exploded in the distance, followed by the eruption of three powerful waves of Conqueror's Haki.
"Three?" Charlotte Linlin gazed toward the black lightning crackling in the sky, her expression tense.
"It looks like Garp is here too. That commotion must be coming from Rocks, Roger, and Garp."
The battle between the three giants sent shockwaves across the island, cracking the ground and flattening mountains for hundreds of miles. The once clear sky had now turned a deathly black.
"Forget about them, Linlin. Hurry up and help me find the Devil Fruits," Kaido urged, his tone impatient as he quickly pulled his gaze away from the distant battle.
"Got it! I'm on it."
Big Mom responded quickly and activated the powers of her Soul-Soul Fruit. Hundreds of tiny soul fragments floated from her palm, infusing nearby objects and transforming them into Homies.
Soon, she locked onto the exact location of the Devil Fruits.
With Zeus's speed, the three of them reached the spot in the blink of an eye only to find that someone had beaten them to it.
They saw a spiky-haired boy holding two Devil Fruits. When he noticed their arrival, his expression tensed, and he immediately tossed one of the fruits to another boy nearby.
"Bartholomew! Hurry and eat the Devil Fruit!" he urged desperately.
Without hesitation, he stuffed the remaining green fruit into his own mouth.
"Stop right there, brats!"
Big Mom's heart ached at the sight, and she pushed Zeus to his limit, trying to snatch the fruits from their mouths.
Even at her speed, she was only able to seize one of the fruits. The other had already been swallowed by Bartholomew.
"Damn it! Two Devil Fruits one for Kaido, one for Ethan it was all perfectly set. Now it's completely ruined." Big Mom cursed angrily.
Ethan calmly reassured her, "It's fine. It's just a Devil Fruit. We can always find another."
Even if he had managed to seize Bartholomew's fruit, he wouldn't have eaten it.
The Paw-Paw Fruit was strong, but it wasn't quite what he was looking for.
When it came to choosing a Devil Fruit, Ethan was leaning toward Mythical Zoan-type.
The Mythical Zoan didn't just grant incredible physical strength it often came with powerful additional abilities.
"There's no way those were the only Devil Fruits here. I'm sure there are others still hidden."
Ethan was certain of it. The only issue was he didn't have the innate ability to search for treasures.
Even if he did find another Devil Fruit, he couldn't afford to eat one at random. If he accidentally picked a useless or restrictive fruit, his entire life would be ruined.
"Huh? A purple light orb?"
Ethan suddenly spotted a faint purple orb floating above the corpse of a World Noble.
Out of curiosity, he absorbed the purple orb into his body. Moments later, a new message appeared in his mind.
[Appraisal Master (Purple): Your eyes can now see all information about objects.]
"Jackpot!"
Ethan hadn't expected such a valuable trait to drop from a useless World Noble. His heart filled with excitement.
"Now I'll definitely be able to find the perfect Devil Fruit for me."
Without hesitation, he activated the Appraisal Master trait. Lines of detailed information instantly appeared before his eyes.
[Mermaid's Undergarment: Retains a faint fragrance due to being worn close to the skin. Collected by a World Noble with peculiar tastes.]
[Golden Apple with Teeth Marks: Specially cultivated, but dropped during the battle before it could be enjoyed.]
[Foul-Smelling Straw Sandals…]
[Zoan-Type: Human-Human Fruit Mythical Model, Asura of the Underworld.]
After scanning through countless items, Ethan finally found a Devil Fruit that caught his attention.
Just as he felt the thrill of discovery, a thunderous crack of lightning echoed in his ears. Moments later, Bartholomew's large frame was sent flying over ten meters away.
In the place where he had stood, a black-suited elder slowly approached.
Black lightning crackled around him, and the terrifying aura radiating from his body made his status unmistakably clear.
One of the Five Elders, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn.
Ethan recognized him instantly, and his face darkened.
"Damn it. Why does the Devil Fruit have to be in his possession?"
Ethan's gaze locked onto the fruit's information as it floated near Saturn's body. His heart burned with desire.
[Asura of the Underworld: Grants the user a three-headed, six-armed form, mastery over three elemental powers, and an additional unique physical constitution.]
This Mythical Zoan fruit was incredibly powerful not only could it grant elemental mastery similar to Kaido's, but it also came with divine abilities reminiscent of Nezha.
As for the unique constitution, Ethan couldn't see the details yet, but it certainly wouldn't be anything weak.
"No matter what, I must obtain this Devil Fruit."
Ethan clenched his fists. But he knew full well that, on his own, there was no way he could snatch the fruit from Saturn's hands.
He would need powerful allies to help hold Saturn back.
With this in mind, he turned to Big Mom and Kaido, who were preparing to retreat. After thinking for a moment, he spoke calmly:
"Linlin, I just saw that Saturn has a Devil Fruit on him."
"What? You must have seen wrong." Charlotte Linlin's expression turned serious.
"That Devil Fruit is perfect for me. I hope you and Kaido can help me take it."