Hearing the questions from Sali and the others, Ash adjusted the explanation the editor had given him and presented it in a way they could understand.
Naturally, much of his personal information was carefully concealed.
What he shared instead were ancient legends, reshaped to fit the world they lived in.
Rather than speaking bluntly about killing to extract energy, Ash framed it as rewarding good and punishing evil, accumulating something he called Merit. Once enough Merit was gathered, it could be condensed into the power of an Ancient Great Deity and materialized into a Devil Fruit.
The explanation immediately captured everyone's attention.
They pressed him relentlessly about which Ancient Great Deities existed, forcing Ash to continue talking while repeatedly draining cups of fruit wine to soothe his throat.
He spoke of the Ten Great Demon Gods of an ancient Heavenly Court, then of other legendary beings who once ruled the skies and earth. He described epic wars between divine factions, the rise and fall of heavenly orders, and the countless gods and legendary figures that followed.
At some point, Pini recalled the ancient emperor Ash had mentioned earlier, which forced Ash to briefly explain the succession of ancient dynasties. He summarized thousands of years of history in broad strokes, enough to leave everyone staring at him in disbelief.
Watching their stunned expressions, Pini felt an odd sense of pride.
Ash continued, moving through eras with ease, describing legendary journeys, great trials, and figures who endured endless hardships before reaching enlightenment or power. When he could not remember details, he summarized them efficiently, focusing on outcomes rather than specifics.
By the time he finished, Ash's throat was dry, but the atmosphere around him was burning hot.
For people born into the Pirate World, whose myths were few and fragmented, stories like these were overwhelming. Concepts like punishing evil and promoting good, or gaining divine favor through righteous action, struck deeply.
Many of them immediately imagined setting sail, hunting wicked pirates, and earning Merit through justice.
It was clear that Ash's own power had influenced their preferences. His abilities were overwhelming, and naturally, they gravitated toward deities associated with similar might.
After resting for a while and drinking several more cups of fruit wine, Ash sensed the moment had arrived.
He spoke calmly.
"Actually, when Kamberna's crew was eliminated, I already accumulated enough Merit to catalyze a Devil Fruit."
Silence fell instantly.
Ash continued, "So, which Big Brother plans to take it first?"
The arguments about which deity was strongest vanished at once. No one spoke. They exchanged glances, each clearly tempted, yet unwilling to step forward.
Ash understood perfectly.
If he chose someone himself, it could create distance or resentment, even if no one said it aloud. While that did not matter much to him personally, harmony mattered if they were to become companions.
As expected, someone stepped in.
Sali cleared his throat.
"Everyone wants power," he said steadily. "But the first person to gain an ability should be someone who will set sail immediately with Ash. If you trust me, listen to my arrangement."
Relief spread through the group.
"We all listen to Big Brother Sali," they said almost in unison.
Sali nodded. "Youki still has his uncle's family. The Daly brothers have their parents. I have my grandfather and younger brother. None of us are suitable to leave first."
He paused.
"That leaves Pini and Dicken."
The group nodded.
They had grown up together. No one would fight over this.
Sooner or later, everyone would gain power.
Almost simultaneously, Pini and Dicken spoke.
"Give it to him first."
They froze, stared at each other, then burst into laughter.
The others joined in.
Ash rested his cheek against his hand, watching them with a faint smile. A quiet warmth settled in his chest.
These were the people he had been looking for.
In the end, Sali made the final call.
"Pini will receive the first ability."
Dicken reacted as if he had won something, puffing out his chest in exaggerated triumph, which left Ash briefly speechless.
Ash looked at Pini.
"Earlier, you were most interested in Ying Zhao, right?"
Pini's eyes lit up immediately.
"That's right. A human face, a horse body, tiger markings, bird wings. Immense strength, control over wind and thunder."
He grew more animated as he spoke.
"I use a bow. Wind increases arrow speed, thunder boosts lethality. It's perfect."
Ash thought to himself that the fit was almost absurdly perfect.
Dicken scoffed. "Fei Dan is stronger. Poison everything, control wind, nothing survives."
Pini shot back, "Ying Zhao controls thunder. Thunder burns through poison."
They went back and forth until Sali shut them down.
"Enough. You'll find out yourselves later. Don't distract Ash."
Ash chuckled softly.
"It's no trouble. Since Pini has chosen Ying Zhao, wait a moment."
He closed his eyes and summoned the devil fruit editor.
Because the framework had already been established earlier, the design finalized almost instantly.
[Name: Zoan Type, Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Ying Zhao Form]
[Background: A congenital divine beast from ancient legend, counted among the Ten Great Demon Gods]
[Abilities: Flight, full beast transformation with human head, horse body, tiger markings, and bird wings, wind manipulation, thunder manipulation, enhanced physique, sun-attuned constitution]
[Status: Confirmed]
[Energy deducted: 100 points]
[Devil Fruit generated]
As the final confirmation faded, a Devil Fruit materialized before Ash.
It resembled a pineapple in shape, its surface black and yellow, threaded with cyan cloud-like patterns that pulsed faintly with power.
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I have no choice but to leave the devil fruit name as their Raw version (Chinese).
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