A battle ended.
The Marines started a new round of actions, while on the demon side, at headquarters…
"So, you've made your decision."
In another mountainous area, deep underground, in a dark underground world, Number Three looked at Barrett, who walked in from the entrance.
The underground world was interconnected, and they used their mind power to create a dark underground base, like a village.
Since Barrett was brought back, they hadn't done anything to him. They didn't even restrict his freedom, except for the area where the 'superpower training box,' the core of this underground world, was located. Otherwise, he could go anywhere.
Even recently, they had shown him the battle between Tunfo and Sengoku Garp.
"I need to become stronger!" Barrett said in a low voice. "Give me that demon cell, and I will control it with my own will!"
At only eight years old, Barrett had a strong and unwavering will. He said to Number Three, who had rescued him from Garp, "If I eat that thing, my strength should increase, right!"
"Of course," Number Three said calmly.
"But I must remind you that you have committed serious crimes in this country. It would be one thing if you were completely controlled by the demon's will, but even if you can maintain your self, the only path for you is to cooperate with us."
However, Barrett had already decided to join The Black Order later. At only eight years old, Barrett only had a vague idea of what The Black Order was. He only knew that it was in opposition to demons.
But now he was going to use the power of demons?
However, for Barrett, he didn't care what kind of power it was, because he controlled the power, not the power controlling him. He was a monster who had received the highest medal on the battlefield, so how could he not understand this principle?
What was the difference between so-called demon cells and devil fruits?
They were just tools to make people stronger…
To shrink back because of the nature of power was like being on the battlefield, seeing the enemy's stronger weapon when his gun was out of bullets, and giving up because of his so-called position.
Power is a weapon, and weapons are power. Should he give up using the enemy's weapon just because of different positions? What nonsense!
Barrett didn't care about these things. He was almost killed by those child soldiers because he was weak. After that incident, Barrett's pursuit of power reached a sick level, especially after witnessing several battles between strong people, which made him yearn for it even more.
He wanted to reach that level too!
"After eating the demon fruit, we are considered teammates. You can go anywhere except for the area where Zero is located," Number Three said to him, while taking out a monster cell.
It did look a bit like a devil fruit, and it was called a demon cell. Could it have some connection to devil fruits?
Barrett thought randomly. He took the monster cell from Number Three's hand and looked at this strange 'food.' It looked a bit disgusting, but Barrett had been in the battlefield since he was little. At eight years old, he had a much higher level of acceptance than ordinary people.
He had seen even stranger scenes…
He opened his mouth and swallowed the demon cell in one gulp. Immediately, a strange power surged out from within his body, flowing freely and causing destruction and transformation.
Barrett pressed his hands on his face, and veins pulsed on his face. His body slightly twitched, and then a physical change occurred.
His body swelled up in size, and darkness covered his body, making his face look like that of a monster. Two sharp, sword-like structures appeared on his shoulders and behind his ankles. However, the ones on his shoulders were longer, and the ones on his ankles were short and curved upwards.
At the same time, Barrett only felt immense power emerging along with the transformation of his body. The power was incredibly strong, so strong that he was a little intoxicated by it. But at the same time, Barrett also felt that something was happening to his brain.
It was as if his brain was secreting some kind of anesthetic that targeted emotions, making Barrett feel indifferent to his emotions, as if his already weak moral values were about to disappear completely…
Was this the price of using the power of demons?
Barrett's mouth unconsciously turned up at the corners. He didn't really care about moral values, otherwise he wouldn't have directly destroyed the entire country in the future, but he also hated others taking anything away from him, especially things that belonged to him.
"…"
His body started shaking. If he completely succumbed to the power of this demon, then what would be the point of being the strongest?!
If he became a demon, how could he meet that woman?!
Barrett gritted his teeth and suddenly shouted. All the demon features on his body began to disappear!
"Huff… Huff…"
Barrett breathed rapidly. The intense struggle against the demon's will had exhausted him, but he felt genuinely happy. He did it. He successfully suppressed the demon's power and returned to his human state, and he could transform again whenever he wanted…
Demonization!
"So strong…"
Barrett took a deep breath, feeling excited about his current power.
"Thank you for providing me with such a strong power," Barrett grinned. "But what if I don't want to cooperate with you?"
His words were insincere, and he kept looking at Number Three, waiting for his reaction.
"Of course, nothing happens," Number Three said calmly, as if he had expected Barrett's reaction.
"I said before that in this country, you only have one path to choose, which is to cooperate with us. This doesn't come from your own will…"
Number Three's body instantly appeared behind Barrett. He opened the door and walked out, while saying,
"But from our will!"
In an instant, Barrett felt a dizzy spell. At that moment, a monster's low hum seemed to appear in his mind, and he became a little unsteady.
His face was twisted, his eyes were tightly closed, and he pressed his hands tightly on his face, his fingers even digging into his head!
He couldn't open his eyes, because the moment he opened his eyes, he saw a huge demon image appearing in front of him. The demon image was as huge as a mountain, and that huge demon face was less than a centimeter away from him. Those evil eyes were just looking at him like this!
"You… are the new Zero!"
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