NOVEL NEXT Two Devils
<Kitten!>
Frustration was evident on God's face as his attacks continued to be thwarted by Veyron's swift countermeasures. A simple tap of Veyron's foot was all it took to redirect Enel's attacks. Although God's body briefly acted as a lightning conductor, channelling the electrical current back into the earth, he only felt a slight sensation of pain.
Enel's technique, however, was having an effect. As expected, Enel's Devil Fruit was extraordinarily rare, and while God's Psychokinesis allowed him to manipulate magnetic fields, positive and negative charges to some extent, he had not yet mastered control over lightning to the same degree.
God's attention then turned to Peter Hornigold, whose arm still bled from their earlier encounter. Veyron realized that Peter's techniques differed significantly from Blackbeard's. Peter had not used Black Hole or Kurosu, the key techniques Blackbeard relied on. Instead, he employed two different techniques: Shadow Displacement and Corrosion. The former allowed him to transform into darkness itself (something Blackbeard couldn't do), and the latter created darkness that corroded everything it touched, consuming it... another thing he hadn't seen Blackbeard do.
This technique was undoubtedly lethal, but it had a weakness: Peter needed physical contact with his target, something Veyron was determined not to allow.
"Do something, or we're going to die, Enel," Peter urged in frustration.
The CP0 agent grunted in disgrace and humiliation, unable to believe that a boy, not even a teenager, was toying with him like this.
"Bastard, what do you want me to do?!" Enel felt helpless, having believed his Devil Fruit to be invincible. He had fallen into Veyron's trap, convincing himself that his fruit was having no effect. In reality, if his attacks increased in voltage, they would pose a real threat.
However, Enel had acquired his Devil Fruit only recently, and his mastery of it was lacking.
"Tch, useless..." An idea began to form in Peter's mind, especially as he observed the dire state of his fellow CP0 agents. The realization of impending death was sinking in.
'Even if I die, as long as I take him with me...!'
"It doesn't matter what you two do; you're going to die here anyway. My objective in coming here was to obtain that fruit," Veyron declared, pointing his sword first at Enel, indicating he would be the first to die. However, Veyron couldn't shake the feeling that he was unprepared.
He didn't fully understand how Devil Fruits worked, but the common belief was that they would reappear on a nearby fruit if their user died. He had hoped to reach Skypiea and obtain a stockpile of fruits, a somewhat comical thought given the chaos that had unfolded so rapidly.
"The Goro Goro no Mi? How did you know I gave him that fruit? How did you even know it was here?"
"My Observation Haki allows me to see far into the future. Do you believe it?~"
"Liar..." Peter refused to believe that someone's Observation Haki could reach such an extent. However, the fact that he had been unable to land a proper hit on Veyron even once made him doubt his scepticism.
With no other choice, he turned his wicked gaze toward Enel, who was preparing for another attack.
"You want his fruit, right?~"
<Soru!>
WHOOOSH!
"What-"
CRUNCH!
Peter's arm pierced Enel's chest, causing Enel to turn toward him in disbelief. Even Veyron hadn't anticipated this development, but he suddenly remembered another aspect of Blackbeard's powers.
'No way...!'
"Since you're so useless, let me use this instead!"
<Devil Regime!>
Veyron frowned as he witnessed a gust of darkness being released from Peter's arm before Enel's lifeless body fell to the ground.
*THUD*
Just like that, with a remorseful gaze, the God of Skypiea met his end. Veyron groaned and prepared for the next challenge: a formidable opponent.
CHAA!
A thunderstorm materialized immediately as lightning surged from Peter's body. He had absorbed Enel's fruit.
"Surprised, aren't you? This Yami Yami no Mi is the only fruit that would ever coexist with another devil~ a pity. I was not supposed to be another logia".
*cough!*
Peter coughed blood.
"..."
'It is indeed the Yami Yami no Mi that allows them to do that; that's the only thing they had in common. So he can eat other fruits, but they can't be the same type?'.
"You don't look surprised."
"Not really... answer me one thing... how do you know my mother?"
"Do you want me to answer your questions before you die?~" The man's confidence seemed to have risen now, and he proactively approached Veyron, unlike before—a grave mistake.
"No, I want you to answer them because after you die, I won't know who else to ask." He shrugged his shoulders.
"Tch! Impertinent brat, just like her... I met her a year ago while protecting these two fruits as they were being transported to Marie Geoise. We were attacked by the Red-Haired Pirates."
"Oh? So you ate the fruit and fled before my mother could get her hands on them?"
"No, I ate the Yami Yami no Mi to fight against her, but I was defeated miserably, crushed, humiliated, with no choice but to flee."
"I'd expect nothing less from her... don't worry, I've been there. But that still doesn't explain how you know so much about the Yami Yami no Mi. How do you even know it has this capability?"
"The origin of this fruit is the island where I spent most of my life—Pirate Island. It's the fruit we all coveted madly."
'I thought he was from Birka... Pirate Island? I don't even know what island that is.'
"I was cast down from the skies at a young age, deemed a failure. But not anymore. Now that I've consumed two Logia fruits, I'm destined to die. However, I'll take you with me, Dracule Veyron!"
*CHAA!!*
Veyron instinctively blocked, but Peter's speed was faster than Enel's. A headbutt against his sword made Veyron realize that Peter was on another level compared to Enel, who seemed unused to his newly acquired Devil Fruit. The impact sent Veyron tumbling backwards but, with remarkable agility, he regained his balance.
"All Logias work the same... they're truly gifts of nature—*cough!*"
Peter spat black blood but continued to smirk.
"It seems your body is no different; it can't handle two Devil Fruits!"
BOOOMMM!!
A sonic boom resonated as Veyron struck down with his sword, which was now coated in red lightning, his Conqueror's Haki in full throttle.
CLANG!
Peter's sword was no longer just darkness but also imbued with lightning!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Veyron's swordplay differed from Mihawk's. Instead, he employed a more fluid and unpredictable style, utilizing the absurd power of his Conqueror's Haki to create a barrage of unexpected attacks. He released his sword only to retrieve it, catching Peter off guard and slicing through his flesh several times.
"Ugh! Damn you!"
BAANG!
A kick from Veyron sent Peter flying, leaving a trail of churned soil before he came to a halt against a massive rock.
BOOOOMMMM!!
"One fruit or two... you're still weak, your Haki is mediocre at best and your willpower, laughable".
RUMBLE!!
Veyron advanced toward Peter, radiating overwhelming energy.
<Graviton>
Peter fell to his knees, witnessing his imminent death drawing near with each step Veyron took. He watched as Veyron's sword began to compress and shrink until it reached the size of Yoru.
"You can have all the Logias you want, and you still won't be able to touch me. I've trained for two years with the goal of surpassing Monkey D. Garp. Who do you think you are?"
"..."
To emphasize Peter's helplessness, he managed to stand up, but the ground beneath him receded, unable to withstand the power of Veyron's Conqueror's Haki. At this moment, all the members of CP0 in Skypiea, whether alive or dead, believed that this was a manifestation of a Devil Fruit's power.