Shirahoshi, her thoughts almost completely exposed, let out a soft whimper and, like an ostrich, buried her head underwater, refusing to come back up.
Ginny couldn't stop laughing at Shirahoshi's reaction, until Carl reached out and flicked her forehead. Ginny immediately clutched her head with both hands, pouting.
"Mmph… Carl, you hit me!"
Despite saying that, Ginny actually took the opportunity to cling tightly to Carl and act spoiled, just like she used to back in the Sorbet Kingdom.
Carl smiled as Ginny rubbed against his arm. Then, as if performing a magic trick, a Devil Fruit appeared in his hand — the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, which he had just brought back from the moon.
Ginny noticed the fruit right away and leaned closer in curiosity.
"Carl, this Devil Fruit looks so unique! Let me guess… it's a Logia-type, right?"
Carl chuckled.
"That's right. And it's one of the top three most powerful Logia Fruits. Its name is the Rumble-Rumble Fruit."
"The Rumble-Rumble Fruit, huh? No wonder… the power of lightning is indeed terrifying."
"It's not just its power. In terms of speed, it can rival Borsalino's Fruit, and it doesn't have the limitation of light only traveling in a straight line."
Ginny's eyes widened in amazement.
"So the differences between Devil Fruits really are that huge! I heard there's a Marine with the Smoke-Smoke Fruit — it's also a Logia, but his abilities are nowhere near yours back then."
After a pause, she added,
"Hmm… though I guess it's not just about the Fruit. Sakazuki and the others were already once-in-a-million prodigies, and Carl… you're a prodigy among prodigies. You and your Fruit brought out the best in each other."
Carl smiled and playfully pinched her cheek.
"What's this? My Ginny learning to butter me up now?"
Ginny laughed.
"Well, it's true. Besides, that's what Zephyr-sensei said, so I don't see anything wrong with it!"
"That's odd. Zephyr-sensei never told us that back in the day."
Ginny giggled.
"I know — he was probably afraid you guys would get cocky!"
Carl wagged a finger.
"Wrong. I think Zephyr-sensei was afraid Borsalino would get cocky."
Thinking of how Borsalino used to slack off in training, both Ginny and Carl burst into laughter.
After a while, Carl held the Rumble-Rumble Fruit out to her casually.
"Ginny, this Fruit is yours now."
Ginny blinked twice before naturally taking it. She'd grown up alongside Carl, to the point where there was no real sense of "yours" or "mine" between them. Looking down at the fruit, she asked,
"Carl, why the sudden decision to give me a Devil Fruit?"
"I've been meaning to give it to you for a long time. But I hadn't made it to Skypiea yet back then — this Fruit ended up following Enel to the moon."
"Eh? So, does that mean you killed Enel?"
"Yeah. Another self-proclaimed 'god' who was really just a lunatic. Still… he was talented when it came to developing the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. He even figured out electromagnetic force."
Ginny giggled sweetly.
...
While they were talking, Shirahoshi had quietly poked her head above the water again. Resting her face against Carl's waist, she said,
"Ginny-san, this kind of Fruit really tastes terrible. Last time Carl gave me one, I almost couldn't swallow it."
She was talking about the Mini-Mini Fruit Carl had sent people to find for her — now she was its user and could freely change her size.
Ginny nodded knowingly.
"Yeah, Devil Fruits are famous for tasting awful. I'm ready for it."
Then she suddenly turned and planted a loud kiss on Carl's cheek with a smack.
With a sweet smile, she said,
"But since this one is from Carl, it's sweet."
Without another word, she bit into the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. The moment the flesh touched her tongue, her brows furrowed slightly, but she quickly smoothed them out and swallowed with a gulp.
Shirahoshi clapped her hands in awe.
"As expected of Ginny-san! Amazing!"
Ginny brushed aside her damp pink bangs, her smile still radiant, completely unfazed by the vile taste.
Instead of trying out her powers right away, she leaned back into Carl's arms. It wasn't exactly the right environment to unleash lightning anyway — Carl might be fine, but Shirahoshi certainly wouldn't be. If electricity started flying here, they'd end up with a "fish fry" on the spot.
Of course, Shirahoshi hadn't realized that yet. Tilting her head, she asked innocently,
"Ginny-san, aren't you going to try it?"
Ginny laughed.
"Shirahoshi… you do know water conducts electricity, right? We're still in the water."
Realization hit Shirahoshi, and she bonked her forehead with a tiny fist.
"Oh… right…"
Carl was amused by the two girls' back-and-forth. With one in each arm, leaning against the edge of the pool, he felt utterly content.
...
Inside the palace chambers—
Robin was chasing a swirling mass of blue-green wind, shouting as she ran.
"Sugar! You little thief, you're stealing books from my room again!"
A mischievous face formed in the whirlwind, Sugar's smug voice ringing out.
"Idiot Robin! If you wrote it, it's for people to read! Why so stingy?"
Robin pursed her lips.
"I haven't finished it yet! Give it back!"
"Nope, nope~ Heehee! I'm a woman as free as the wind! No one can make me stop — except the Young Master~"
Robin fumed, but against a Wind-Wind Fruit user like Sugar, there wasn't much she could do — her own powers didn't work on something without a physical form.
Seeing Robin's frustration, Sugar laughed even harder.
But then—
A sharp crackle of lightning split the air, and a mass of electricity suddenly appeared in front of her. From it, a pale hand reached straight into the whirlwind.
"Ah—!"
Sugar yelped as her cheek was pinched, forcing her to drop her elemental form.
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+110 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg