Chapter 95 95 Devil Fruits
"I'll give it a try too!"
"Watch me!"
""I'll see just how hard it really is!"
"
After their initial shock, everyone grew curious and began testing their attacks against the ice.
"Fishman Karate: Arabesque Tile True Punch!"
"Cien Fleur: Palmes!"
"Six Powers: Tempest Kick!"
"Sparking Daisy!"
"Okama Kenpo: Grand Swan Lake!"
Various attacks slammed into the ice, creating a massive commotion, but the results were embarrassingly minimal.
Aside from Manlong's strike causing a bit more damage, the rest were like trying to tickle the ice.
Furthermore, while everyone was busy, gusts of frost-laden wind swept across the plains from between the steep ice mountains.
The crew couldn't help but shiver, only to watch in shock as the damage they had just inflicted on the ice was rapidly frozen over by the biting wind.
"Now I understand why the Happo Navy felt so secure hiding their treasure here," Nico Robin remarked, feeling the realization sink in.
Not only was the ice exceptionally sturdy, but the unique environment and freezing winds acted as a constant shield against any damage.
With this dual layer of defense, unless the ice could be punctured in a very short time, there was simply no way to extract the treasure hidden beneath.
"Step aside, I'll handle it!"
Seeing everyone's look of helplessness, Zane couldn't help but chuckle.
He already had a fair understanding of the situation at the Jewel Ice Sheet.
At his peak, Chinjao was unable to break through the ice simply because he lost his pointed head, which was proof enough of how difficult this place was.
Seeing their captain preparing to take action personally, the crew quickly cleared the way and retreated to a safe distance.
BOOM!!!
Once his subordinates were far enough away, Zane raised his hand and opened with God's Judgment to test the waters.
Terrifying thunder transformed into a pillar of light that descended from the heavens, slamming violently into the ice.
A thunderous roar echoed across the frozen plains. Under the intense shockwave, a massive crater was blasted into the ice.
'It really is quite sturdy.'
Observing that the crater hadn't reached the treasure below, Zane gave a slight nod before turning into a bolt of lightning and appearing in midair.
Using God's Judgment was merely to gauge the ice's durability based on the damage it dealt.
It also ensured that when he truly attacked, he wouldn't use excessive power and accidentally damage the treasure beneath.
"Aggressive as Fire: Ripper Incineration Cannon!"
With both energies circulating in tandem, his flaming right fist spun at high speeds as Zane dove downward, striking the ice with the force of a plummeting meteor.
BOOM!!!
An earth-shattering roar resonated through the air.
After three months on Ancient Jaya Island, hunting large Sea Kings in the deep sea every day, Zane's physical condition had undoubtedly improved significantly.
Even without utilizing the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
In his base state, the [Ripper Incineration Cannon] already displayed a power far exceeding what he had shown during his battle with Doflamingo.
A deluge of ice shards sprayed in every direction. Layers of air currents, like a raging storm, swept across the frozen plains, forcing Manlong and the others in the distance to brace themselves.
Some of the weaker crew members were forced to crawl on the ground to avoid being swept away by the gusts.
The ice plains shook violently.
As Zane leaped back and landed gracefully nearby, the crimson shockwave dissipated, revealing a massive hole torn into the ice.
Beneath the cavity, the treasure shimmered with a brilliant golden light under the long-awaited sun.
"We did it!!"
As the air currents subsided and Manlong and the others looked toward the center of the plains, their eyes lit up at the golden glow, and they rushed forward.
"Get down there and start moving it. I'll use my lightning to keep the hole from freezing over," Zane instructed casually, his arms crossed over his chest as everyone gathered.
Without any hesitation.
Everyone immediately used their own methods to descend into the hole, beginning the bustling work of hauling the treasure up from beneath the ice.
Trip after trip, they eventually had to send people back to the coast to bring more hands.
With Zane using his lightning to ward off the intermittent freezing winds, the Hunting Team spent nearly an entire day moving all the treasure onto the surface.
"Phew... I thought hauling gold on Skypiea was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I never expected to do it again!"
"Exactly! The wealth accumulated by the Happo Navy is simply terrifying."
"It's exhausting, for sure, but I'd gladly take this kind of exhaustion a few more times!"
"Hahaha!"
Exhausted and drenched in sweat, the members of the Hunting Team couldn't stop smiling as they stared at the mountain of treasure they had gathered.
Zane was always generous.
The wealthier the Hunting Team became, the more funds he would provide for their leisure, and he frequently handed out bonuses as well.
By now, even the newest members of the team had pockets lined with gold.
"Captain, look at these!"
At that moment, Baby 5 ran up to Zane, holding a stack of treasure chests like she was presenting a prized offering.
"What's this? Did you find something good?" Zane smiled, helping her set the heavy chests down on the ground.
"Look!" Baby 5 said excitedly, skipping the mystery and throwing open one of the chests.
The chest was lined with a layer of soft red cloth, but more importantly, sitting on that cloth was a fruit covered in mysterious swirling patterns.
"A Devil Fruit?"
Nearby, Nico Robin, who had noticed Baby 5's behavior, walked over curiously.
When she saw the patterned fruit inside the chest, her face immediately registered surprise.
"That's right. Each of these chests holds a Devil Fruit. I worked hard to find them," Baby 5 said, glancing sideways at Nico Robin as she puffed out her chest proudly.
"Well done. I'll make sure to reward you properly once we're finished here," Zane said, giving his beautiful maid some face as he smiled and ruffled her hair.
Having her head rubbed, Baby 5 instantly switched from her haughty attitude back to a loyal little maid, narrowing her eyes happily like a cute kitten.
Nico Robin watched the scene with flickering eyes before gracefully crouching down. She opened the chests one by one, carefully examining each Devil Fruit inside.
"Captain, I've read the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia before. Out of curiosity, I memorized most of the exceptional ones. As luck would have it, I happen to recognize all of these fruits."
Having finished her inspection, a smile touched Nico Robin's beautiful eyes. She brushed back a stray lock of hair and stood up, her curvaceous figure exuding a certain charm.
"Oh? Then I'll have to trouble you to introduce them." Zane was intrigued and turned to face her.
Seeing the captain's attention drawn away by Nico Robin, Baby 5's happy smile faltered, and she shot an annoyed glare at her.
Indeed, this woman was dangerous.
Not just in terms of looks and figure, but in terms of intelligence as well.
She hadn't even openly tried to compete for the captain yet, and she was already piquing his interest so easily. If she actually tried, would Baby 5 be relegated to just giving back rubs at night?
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