Chapter 109
"I'd better keep these seastone handcuffs secure. If this thing gets out, I'll be in deep trouble." Zixu wasn't exactly thrilled about obtaining such a rare item—seastone.
Seastone could be considered a crystallized form of solidified seawater. The reason people in the pirate world lose the ability to swim is due to the trace amounts of seastone factors present in the ocean. This substance was the natural enemy of anyone with special abilities.
No matter how powerful a person is, if they have special abilities, they'll be rendered helpless the moment they enter the sea. Elementalization? Useless—seastone would strike straight through to the main body.
Zixu himself was a user of special abilities. Although the previous Naruto world lacked seastone factors in its water, he had always harbored a psychological aversion to large bodies of water. But now, seastone was a reality he had to deal with.
"If used properly, seastone weapons could be extremely powerful," Zixu mused, recalling Smoker, the Smoker from the pirate world. That guy's weapon had seastone inlaid at its tip, allowing him, despite being a Devil Fruit user himself, to capture many pirates with ease.
"But right now, I don't have any enemies with special abilities, so these seastone handcuffs are of little use." Zixu shook his head. With his current strength, he could handle most situations without relying on such a risky tool. Wabo Metal was a much better choice for his needs.
Deciding not to touch the seastone handcuffs again, Zixu added several layers of seals to lock them away securely. With that matter settled, he turned his attention to something that did excite him.
"The Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix (Bird-Bird Fruit, Mythical Beast: Phoenix Form)!"
Zixu held the legendary Devil Fruit once possessed by Marco the Phoenix. This fruit granted an exceptional level of regenerative power. Although, in the later stages of One Piece, many characters developed recovery abilities that allowed them to pull off miraculous comebacks, the power of the Phoenix Fruit remained undeniable.
When injured, the user's wounds would be engulfed in resurrecting blue flames, regenerating them almost instantly. Their body, once transformed into flames, became resistant to most conventional attacks.
However, the regenerative ability of the blue flames wasn't limitless. If the injuries surpassed a certain threshold, the user could still die, even in their Phoenix form. The effectiveness of the fruit depended on the user's overall strength and vitality.