Where did Devil Fruits come from? What were the rules for naming them? William had no idea.
All he knew was the common knowledge that most people in this world had about Devil Fruits: they were categorized into Logia, Zoan, and Paramecia types.
The defining feature of Logia fruits was the ability to "elementalize" the user's body, transforming it into a non-physical state, rendering most conventional physical attacks ineffective.
Zoan fruits allowed the user to transform into an animal or a hybrid form, enhancing certain physical traits and greatly improving their combat capabilities, especially in close-quarters fights.
Paramecia fruits, on the other hand, were incredibly diverse. Any ability that didn't fall under Logia or Zoan could be classified as Paramecia.
Although there were differences in power even within the same category, Logia fruits were undoubtedly the rarest and most powerful of the three types overall.
Even Barbarossa's Paramecia-type Fur-Fur Fruit had been enough to leave William, despite his years of swordsmanship training, at a loss. He could only exploit the fruit's weaknesses to gain the upper hand. The incredible abilities of Logia fruits, which allowed the user to transform into an element, were on a whole different level.
William understood all this, and so did the others in the bathhouse. When William mentioned that his fruit was a Logia type, the reactions were immediate.
Tony's expression turned complicated as he tried to mask his envy. Meanwhile, Aramis and Edmond's faces lit up with unrestrained excitement. Even Sherlock, who was usually more composed, tightened his grip on the towel in his hand, clearly unable to remain unaffected.
"Jackpot!" Edmond exclaimed, waving his towel in the air. "If it's a Logia, do we even need to worry about Roy or Arcadio anymore?"
"There might not be anyone in the East Blue who can stand against you," Edmond continued, growing more animated as he paced back and forth in the pool. "Let's just take those two bastards out, avenge Vallon, and chop them into pieces!"
Tony quickly suppressed his envy and chimed in to support Edmond's suggestion.
Aramis remained silent, though his expression suggested he was tempted by the idea.
William, still leaning lazily against the edge of the pool, watched Edmond with a calm gaze, showing none of his enthusiasm. Sherlock, despite harboring a deep desire for revenge against Arcadio for his father's death, was more composed. He didn't voice support for Edmond's bold plan, his mind clearly weighing the consequences.
The sound of approaching footsteps came from outside the bathhouse. A moment later, the sliding door was pulled open, and a voice called out before the person even entered: "Who are we chopping into pieces?"
"Gin!" Edmond shouted excitedly when he saw who it was.
The newcomer was indeed Gin, whom William had sent to infiltrate the Marines as a spy. Unlike Edmond and the others, who had stayed in Maple Village, Gin had been stationed at a Marine outpost. He had taken leave, changed into civilian clothes, and rushed back here, avoiding unnecessary attention along the way.
Aramis teased, "Are you here to arrest us?"
Gin responded by flipping him off, then walked over to the pool and sat down unceremoniously next to William. William smiled and patted Gin on the shoulder, his gesture brimming with a closeness that far exceeded what he showed to the others.
Although everyone present was part of William's old crew and trusted confidants, the seating arrangement in the pool subtly revealed the dynamics of their relationships.
Tony sat the farthest away, directly across from William. This wasn't because William was deliberately distancing himself from Tony, but because Tony himself felt awkward. As the nephew of Omar, the village chief of Maple Village, and a former local big shot, Tony had always considered the village his territory. Now that William had established his land-based operations here, Tony couldn't help but feel that his position was different from the others.
Even though Sherlock's earlier words had dispelled some of Tony's unrealistic expectations, he still struggled to fully integrate with the group. Unlike Edmond, Aramis, or Sherlock, Tony couldn't bring himself to show complete submission to William.
Sherlock, on the other hand, sat in a corner not far from William's right hand. After the collapse of the Flash Gold Guild, Sherlock had killed a local official and Sassarian's mistress before seeking refuge with William. Having burned his bridges, Sherlock was now firmly tied to William's ship, both figuratively and literally.
Despite still having some wealth and connections from his family's long-standing business, Sherlock knew that in these chaotic times, wealth without power made him nothing more than a fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered. To rebuild his family's business and reputation, and more importantly, to avenge his father Sassarian by killing Arcadio, the Navia Kingdom's Minister of Finance, Sherlock had no choice but to rely on William.
Standing in the center of the pool, Edmond was a different case altogether. Unlike Tony and Sherlock, whose relationships with William were complicated by interests and personal agendas, Edmond's loyalty was straightforward. He admired William's talent in swordsmanship, his foresight in building a smuggling business, and his resilience in the face of adversity.
At just eighteen years old, William had boarded the infamous Barbarossa's ship alone, avenged his fallen comrade Vallon, and successfully seized control to become the new captain. Edmond was utterly in awe of him.
As for Aramis, who lounged lazily on William's left, he was the most senior of William's companions. Although Vallon's death had caused some tension between him and Edmond, there was no visible animosity on the surface.
Then there was Gin. Everyone in the bathhouse knew that Gin was the most obedient to William's commands. Despite his deep-seated hatred for the Marines, Gin had followed William's orders without complaint, infiltrating a Marine base as a low-ranking soldier. He endured the daily grind and hid his disdain behind a mask.
If William had assigned the same task to Aramis, Aramis would have obeyed but likely grumbled about it. Edmond, on the other hand, would have resisted the idea at first, though he would eventually relent after some persuasion.
But Gin didn't complain or resist. Even if he disliked the task, he would simply nod expressionlessly when given an order. His calm demeanor and exceptional skills made him the most trusted and relied-upon member of William's crew. Because of this, none of the others—Edmond, Aramis, Sherlock, or Tony—felt any resentment toward the special treatment Gin received.
After sitting down, Gin leaned in to exchange a few quiet words with William before turning to Edmond. "What were you talking about just now? Who are you planning to chop into pieces?"
Still brimming with excitement, Edmond recounted William's acquisition of a Logia Devil Fruit and shared his own ideas.
To Edmond's surprise, Gin didn't agree. Instead, he shook his head disapprovingly. "A single Logia fruit isn't enough to make us invincible."
Gin's time with the Marines had given him a deeper understanding of their strength and resources than anyone else in the room. William had sent Gin to the Marines not just to frame Barbarossa, but also to gather intelligence.
Through Nezumi, a Marine officer from the Grand Line whose father was an official in the World Government, Gin had learned a great deal about the Grand Line and the World Government's power. This included the background of Captain Roy, one of their targets.
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