The moment Don finished speaking, two sharp cat ears suddenly sprouted from Kuina's black hair.
Zoro's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"It really is the Neko Neko no Mi!"
Don nodded. The patterns on the fruit had resembled a cat's paw pads.
After all, the outward appearance of Devil Fruits often hinted at their abilities. His own Mera Mera no Mi, for example, bore the patterns of flame.
But when Don noticed two tails swaying behind Kuina, his eyes narrowed.
Two tails…
A Mythical Zoan?
Though, it wasn't impossible for a cat to have two tails.
Rubbing his chin, Don asked,
"What abilities do you have?"
At his words, Kuina raised her hand—blue flames spread across her palm.
That confirmed it. A Mythical Zoan.
Neither Ancient Zoans nor ordinary Zoans possessed abilities like this.
But that was good.
Mythical Zoans had higher potential than most.
"Hah!"
Just as Don was thinking this, Kuina suddenly leapt. In the blink of an eye, she was right in front of him, fist swinging toward his forehead.
Bonk!
Her strike never landed. Don, with a single finger, tapped her forehead first—sending her spinning back and tumbling to the ground.
This time, though, her forehead remained smooth and unhurt.
"Your recovery… or rather, your defense has greatly improved. And your speed has increased as well."
Don nodded slightly.
Cats were naturally agile. And Zoan fruits, at their most basic, dramatically enhanced a person's physical attributes.
"Looks like I'm still no match for you."
Kuina realized it instantly. Despite her improvements, the gap between them was still enormous.
"You thought eating a fruit would be enough to catch up to me?"
Don's expression turned wry.
"No. I just wanted to see how far I still am from you."
Kuina shook her head. The ears on her head twitched unconsciously with the motion.
"Do you have any other abilities?"
Mythical Zoans always carried unique powers.
Kuina thought for a moment. The two tails behind her flared with blue fire—and then vanished.
At once, she lunged at Don again.
Blocking her strike, Don frowned in thought.
Her tails vanish… and her strength increases?
This power felt oddly familiar.
Now, Kuina's speed and force had risen noticeably.
Her figure blurred into afterimages as she attacked from all directions. Don parried lazily with one hand, the other stroking his chin as he studied her.
"That's enough."
At his word, Kuina stopped, the afterimages dispersing. The ears atop her head folded back into her hair.
"Not bad at all," Don praised.
Her performance was already impressive.
It seemed her enhancements weren't time-limited, but tied instead to her stamina.
That made sense. Don himself was "systematized"—his power operated on fixed durations. Kuina, however, had no such advantage; she would have to spend her own energy to use her fruit.
"I think I can increase my power by about twofold," Kuina said after considering.
Zoro, who had been watching quietly, and Koushirou, who had also stepped out, both remained silent, simply observing.
"Zoan fruits—especially Mythical ones—always carry hidden abilities. You'll have to discover the rest yourself," Don advised.
For other kinds of fruits, he could at least suggest methods. But he wouldn't be staying in Shimotsuki Village for long. How Kuina developed her abilities would be up to her.
"All Zoans have a focus," Robin's voice interjected.
Everyone turned as she approached, her gaze lingering on Kuina before she smiled.
"Even if it's a Mythical Zoan, since it's the Neko Neko no Mi, speed will likely be your greatest asset."
"You knew that?" Don raised a brow.
"In the records of history, there are countless accounts of Devil Fruit users. There's even a legend that the Red Line itself was once created by powerful ability users. Of course, that's just a legend."
Robin smiled faintly.
"I'll treat my fruit as support," Kuina said firmly.
"A good mindset," Don nodded in approval.
That idea was exactly what he had hoped for.
"In the next few days, if you have questions about training, or anything you want to know—come ask me."
He glanced toward Koushirou as he spoke.
"Oh, right. How about a match between us?" Don suddenly added with a grin.
Koushirou froze. Then, with an odd look, he turned to Don.
Kuina, Zoro, and even Robin lit up with anticipation.
But Koushirou only shook his head.
"My health hasn't been good lately. It wouldn't be wise to fight."
Leaving only those words, he turned and left quickly, his steps unusually hurried.
Kuina and the others looked disappointed.
But Zoro wasted no time—he immediately challenged Kuina again, eager to see how strong she had become.
He was promptly beaten down.
"She's already awakened Kenbunshoku Haki," Robin whispered from Don's side.
"Mm. And not just Observation—her Busoshoku is probably close as well. You'll need to work harder too. After all… you're much older than they are."
Don's words made Robin stiffen.
Older?
Still, he was right. She had to push herself harder.
The following days passed peacefully. Don guided Kuina, Zoro, and Robin in their training, finding the simple life in Shimotsuki Village unexpectedly pleasant.
But beyond the village, the newspaper carrying Don's exploits was already stirring waves across the seas.
No one dared underestimate him.
The prestige of two Admirals was overwhelming.
Of course, some dismissed the reports as exaggerations.
Especially the title of "Pirate Hunter."
It almost seemed as though someone was deliberately fanning the flames, pushing Don's reputation higher.
For pirates, that title was grating.
Many strong ones now sought to cross paths with Don—to defeat him and make their own names.
At the same time, others grew simply… curious.
In the New World, aboard the Red Force, a banquet was underway.
The reason was simple—Captain Shanks was entertaining an old friend.
And his arrival had left quite an impression.
Not far from the ship, an island scarred by countless sword slashes was proof of his visit.
"So, you've made up your mind then," said Dracule Mihawk, expressionless as ever.
But then, stoicism was his usual face.
"Hahaha! If you're in the New World, of course you've got to conquer a vast stretch of the seas!"
Shanks roared with laughter, joined by the hearty chuckles of his crew.
Mihawk only sighed faintly, lifting a newspaper at his side.
"The hometown of the Pirate King has produced another powerhouse—a swordsman."
He passed the paper to Shanks.
"A 'Pirate Hunter' named Don. Fought both Aokiji and Kizaru, it says."
Shanks blinked, taking the paper with interest.
After scanning it, his voice rose in surprise.
"This Pirate Hunter Don… clashed with Aokiji and Kizaru?"
The crew, who had just been in high spirits, fell silent.
END OF CHAPTER
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