Chapter 3 - Devil Fruit

Percy set the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia back down on the tray and opened the book. The pages were filled with names and crude drawings of Devil Fruits. Some he recognized from the manga—the Gomu Gomu no Mi, the Mera Mera no Mi—but others were completely new to him.

He glanced at Ren and Itsuki. They still looked confused so they probably weren't fans of One Piece then. Even the weakest people in this world were on a completely different level to the top athletes in his world.

But if I have a new body too, then that means Saint Jalmack doesn't know about demigods, Percy thought as he flipped through the book. Most of the Devil Fruits were crossed out. He assumed those were the Devil Fruits Saint Jalmack couldn't find or had been eaten by the people summoned before him.

"And most of these are Zoan Devil Fruits..." he muttered to himself. That was a little surprising since Paramecia Types were supposed to be the most common of the three Devil Fruit Types.

"Not many of the people I summon are interested in eating a Zoan Devil Fruit," Saint Jalmack explained. "Unless it's one of the Mythical models, but those are hard to find."

No one even wanted the Ancient models? Percy wondered, seeing a few dinosaur models that weren't crossed out. He guessed that kind of made sense. Only the Mythical Zoan Fruits gave their user "powers" so to speak. Normal and Ancient Zoans only let a person transform into an animal.

Compare that to a Paramecia type that could literally give you any power other than turning into an animal or a natural element, and it was obvious to Percy why so many people chose a Paramecia fruit. He didn't even bother asking why there weren't any Logia Devil Fruits available. Those would have been the first to go, and any Saint Jalmack might have once had were probably lost somewhere in the Grand Line.

He flipped back through the book, trying to decide which Devil Fruits he was going to eat—if he was going to eat one at all—the Saint Jalmack continued speaking.

"You each get to choose one Devil Fruit," the Celestial Dragon said.

Why specify we can only choose one? Percy frowned. It wasn't like someone could eat two Devil Fruits. Blackbeard was the only one in this world who had accomplished such a thing and how he did it was still a mystery to the fandom.

In canon at least! Percy flipped to the K-section of the book searching for the non-canon Kopi Kopi no Mi he had read about online. He still couldn't believe there was a One Piece live action play that he missed out on because he hadn't been a fan yet.

When he found the Devil Fruit he was looking for, Percy traced the drawing of the fruit under its name.

"I don't understand...?" he said, looking up at Saint Jalmack and then back down at the fruit next to the encyclopedia.

The fruit looked exactly like the drawing of the Kopi Kopi no Mi.

"How come no one else wanted the Kopi Kopi no Mi?" Percy couldn't help but ask.

It didn't make sense to him.

"Obviously I haven't had it for long," Saint Jalmack answered, staring at Percy like he was an idiot for even asking. "I was only recently able to track down Chamelone and kill him. You three are part of the first group I've gathered since then."

The Celestial Dragon slumped his fat body down deeper on his throne and let out a disappointed sigh.

"I was going to have the four of you fight to the death to see who got to eat it. Too bad you two and that other idiot weren't as smart as pink hair, huh?"

Ren and Itsuki glared at the Saint Jalmack who smirked because neither of them said anything. They hadn't said a word since he told them to keep quiet.

Yeah, too bad, Percy rolled his eyes as he reached for the Devil Fruit. He was glad that they didn't have to fight to the death.

"Room!"

Another transparent bubble covered the room. The fruit vanished just as Percy was about to touch it and reappeared in the World Noble's hand.

"Naturally," Saint Jalmack continued as he juggled the Devil Fruit in the air. "I also can't have you just taking a Devil Fruit and running off to some island in bum-fuck nowhere. Trying to scratch out some meaningless life farming or fishing...or some other useless thing."

Percy didn't like how ominous the words sounded. Was the Celestial Dragon going to stick a tracker in them? Order one of his slaves to follow them and kill them if they tried to run away and live a normal life on some peaceful island far away from the Grand Line.

"Room!"

Saint Jalmack summoned a third operating room.

"Mes!"

Percy blinked and suddenly Saint Jalmack wasn't just holding the Kopi Kopi no Mi. He was also holding a heart encased in some kind of glass-like cube.

Saint Jalmack squeezed the heart, and Percy felt his chest constrict. "Ah!" he gasped, falling to his knees.

"Understand?" Saint Jalmack asked.

Still on his knees, Percy nodded. The message was loud and clear. This was how the Celestial Dragon was going to keep them from running away. No matter where they went in the world, Saint Jalmack was literally holding lives in the palm of his hand.

Like what Law did with people's hearts on Punk Hazard.

Saint Jalmack released his grip on Percy's heart. "And your Devil Fruit?" he asked, holding up the Kopi Kopi no Mi.

"I'm definitely going to eat the Kopi Kopi no Mi," Percy answered immediately. That was a no-brainer, for him.

He wouldn't have years of experience with any powers he copied, but even just copying Luffy and Buggy's Devil Fruit powers would make him almost completely immune to swords, bullets and blunt-force trauma. At least in the East Blue and for most of Paradise. Once he entered the New World, where everyone and their mother could use Haki, he wasn't going to be nearly as invincible.

Saint Jalmack smiled beneath his helmet. "Very good," he said and the Kopi Kopi no mi landed back in Percy's hands.

Percy studied the Devil Fruit sitting heavily in his palm. If he ate it, he would lose his ability to swim. He was the son of Poseidon; the ocean was his home. He didn't want to lose his connection to the ocean, but he didn't have much of a choice. Refusing wasn't an option unless he wanted his heart crushed to a pulp.

Besides, he didn't have his body anymore. Maybe he already had lost his connection to the sea?

Am I even still a demigod?

"What about you two?" Saint Jalmack asked, looking at Itsuki and Ren. "Go ahead, pick a fruit. Itsuki first."

Ren opened his mouth, and Percy tensed, worried that the guy was going to argue, and he was going to see another person murdered.

Thankfully, common sense won and Ren shut his mouth without talking.

"I'll pick this one," Itsuki said, pointing at a Devil Fruit in the encyclopedia that Percy didn't remember from the manga but recognized from Saint Jalmack's memories.

"The Hito Hito no Mi: Model Lunarian?" Saint Jalmack scoffed. "You know, I thought that was going to be the first to go, but everyone else I summoned were too scared to eat it. Afraid of the World Government coming after them."

Percy didn't understand that. Being a Lunarian in One Piece was dangerous, but even if Ituski was captured, he wouldn't be tortured or experimented on like King. Percy looked at his heart, still being held in Saint Jalmack's hand. He could see it beating and he could feel every pump in his chest as if it was still there.

No, Itsuki wouldn't have to worry about Torture. Saint Jalmack would just kill him and go collect his Devil Fruit.

"I guess I'll take this one."

Percy glanced at Ren's choice. It was another Zoan, and again a Devil Fruit that hadn't made an appearance in the "canon". The Saru Saru no Mi, Model: Humandrill. It was a good choice. Along with the Hito Hito no Mi: Model Lunarian, it was probably the only other Zoan outside of a Mythical Zoan that would give its user an extra ability.

Saint Jalmack snapped his fingers, and pointed at two of his slaves. "You two, fetch the fruits they selected," he ordered.

The two slaves shuffled over from where they had been waiting motionless beside the cart of Devil Fruits and hurried to sift through the pile of Devil Fruits, searching for the two Ren and Itsuki had chosen. One of them found the swirled purple Saru Saru no Mi: Model Humandrill first. He brought it over to Ren with his head bowed. The other slave continued looking until he located the Hito Hito no Mi: Model Lunarian hidden near the bottom of the cart.

"Go on then, eat up," Saint Jalmack said once they all held their chosen Devil Fruit. "We haven't got all day."

Percy raised the Kopi Kopi no Mi to his lips and took a bite. His teeth punctured the tough leathery skin with a sour squelch and an unnaturally unpleasant flavor flooded his mouth—somewhere between rotten meat and stale ashes. He gagged but forced himself to swallow the chunk of Devil Fruit.

For a moment, nothing happened. The rancid taste clinging to his tongue was the only physical sign Percy had consumed a Devil Fruit so far.

Itsuki and Ren exchanged a reluctant look. Then Itsuki closed his eyes, sucked in a deep breath, and took a large bite out of the Hito Hito no Mi as Ren sank his teeth into the Saru Saru no Mi. They both made faces as they forced down the bites of foul-tasting Devil Fruit.

Once they managed to swallow, Percy reached out and put a hand on each of their shoulders.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ren demanded, shaking Percy's hand off with a scowl.

Percy didn't even know why Ren asked. Wasn't it obvious he was copying their Devil Fruit powers?

Why else would he have picked the Kopi Kopi no Mi?

The Kopi Kopi no Mi, Saru Saru no Mi: Model Humandrill, and the Hito Hito no Mi: Model Lunarian!

Don't want to spoil anything, but just know that the Devil Fruits purpose aren't just to power-wank Percy. Like his demigod powers, they will be playing a bigger part in the plot of the story!

Thanks for reading!