Chapter 74
Zixu dragged Hyuga Chinano's shadow clone and the little black snake he had led astray to join the village construction effort. Recently, he had essentially allowed the shadow clone to move freely in the outside world. The clone's mental state had noticeably improved, which manifested in his increased motivation to catch fish.
When Zixu awakened the power of the Uo Uo no Mi (Fish-Fish Fruit), he realized that while he could wield multiple Devil Fruits, this one suited him best.
As mentioned before, the power of the Silence Fruit was somewhat limited when used by Zixu's original body. At best, he could utilize 70% to 80% of its potential. However, after awakening the Uo Uo no Mi, the sense of rejection became even stronger.
If Devil Fruits had personalities, the Uo Uo no Mi was the landlord, while the others were mere tenants. Before the landlord arrived, Zixu could barely manage to house the other fruits. But once the landlord took residence, there was no room left. The best solution was to transfer the Silence Fruit's power to his clone, ensuring it could operate at full capacity.
"Looks like I can't just eat any Devil Fruit I come across. Hmm... I could give them to Aburame Hatsuizumi and the others or use them as rewards for my organization. Even if I do consume one, it has to be the right fit..." Zixu mused as he used lightning to power an excavator—one of Orochimaru's creations—to fill in a slope.
"The biggest issue is that transforming into a dragon form drains an immense amount of energy. Devil Fruits consume so much stamina... How much energy does Kaido even have? I'm still far behind him..." Zixu recalled the dream where a bound yet unyielding figure continued swinging his massive kanabo, sighing at the sheer difference in endurance.
"Oi, oi, oi! You're slacking again!" The Silence Clone had snuck off to do menial tasks at a sluggish pace—purely an excuse to slack off.
Zixu leaped off the excavator, his fist gradually turning black with Haki, before smashing it down onto the clone's head. The clone instantly dispersed into white smoke.
However, the Silence Fruit's power did not stay within Zixu's body for long before the Uo Uo no Mi rejected it once again, forcing the Silence Fruit's abilities into another newly-formed shadow clone.