Konoha's Mission Master

A drop of crimson blood flew from Yakumo's fingertip into the wound on Luffy's wrist. The blood, being of the same origin, almost instantly fused together. Under the positive influence of the assimilation process, a powerful will gradually began to awaken.

It is as scorching as the sun, and as free as the ocean waves.

In an instant, Luffy entered the state of Devil Fruit awakening, his hair and eyebrows turning into flames, moving gradually with the breeze, like clouds whose shape cannot be specifically drawn.

Steam ribbons wrapped around his neck and armpits, and an exaggerated smile unconsciously curled at the corners of his mouth, revealing a row of neat teeth, but in reality he was in a state of unconsciousness.

The surrounding ground seemed to have been transformed into rubber, becoming soft. Everyone subconsciously moved away from this somewhat absurd rubbery area, except for Yakumo, who remained unmoved.

"Chopper, is Zoro's injury serious?" Yakumo asked.

"Of course it's serious, he broke several ribs!"

Chopper pouted, somewhat dissatisfied, while glaring angrily at Yuuki Chiyuki, who was cutting fruit in the distance.

"It's just a minor injury. Do you believe I can make him stand up perfectly fine right away?" Yakumo said somewhat provocatively.

"I don't believe it!" Chopper immediately retorted, his eyes wide.

"Let's make a bet. If I win, you'll be my translator for a day."

Yakumo wanted to find out what that lazy cat, Milkball, was saying all the time, and Chopper could be the translator between the two of them.

"make a deal!"

"Any other conditions? Give me a few more Rumble balls to study."

"this..."

When Yakumo mentioned Rumble Ball, Chopper's eyes became somewhat hesitant.

"make a deal."

"Just you wait and see."

Yakumo created a shadow clone and sent it to treat Zoro.

At the same time, Yukotsu Chiyuki, carrying a small wooden table in her left hand and a glass fruit plate in her right, walked into the area surrounding Luffy.

"Master, have some fruit."

"Okay, you eat too."

Yakumo clasped his hands together slightly, and the wooden vines naturally grew into two wooden chairs, gesturing for Yukotsu Chiyuki to sit beside him.

"Is he undergoing a fruit awakening?" Yukotsu Chiyuki asked.

"Yes."

"I'm starting to understand what it means to be destined by fate."

Yu Gu Qianxue observed Luffy's current state and sighed.

"You see it too?"

"Yes."

Who would have thought that the will of the Nika Fruit would not resist, but would voluntarily relinquish control and begin to merge with Luffy's will? This was the first time Yakumo had seen a fruit so decisively given away for free.

"I want to have a friendly match with him."

A fighting spirit flashed in You Gu Qianxue's beautiful eyes, a sharp edge emerging from her gentle beauty. Her long pink hair, reaching her waist, moved slowly in the breeze. Luffy's destiny as the protagonist of the world made her want to test her strength.

If he were a girl, he would be incredibly beautiful.

"It's a bit difficult. He doesn't have much time left, so we can't waste it."

Yakumo lowered his voice and explained to Yukotsu Chiyuki in a low voice that since Luffy intended to keep it from his crewmates, Yakumo had no choice but to respect that decision.

Luffy's determined look just now was truly moving.

"That's such a shame."

Yukoku Chiyuki picked up a piece of pineapple with a bamboo skewer and chewed it slowly. He was of course not concerned about Luffy's life or death, but rather felt regretful because he could not spar with him.

"If nothing unexpected happens, we will be participating in a major battle tomorrow."

"Just like a night with torrential rain?"

Yukoku Chiyuki's eyes narrowed slightly as he recalled his experience fighting alongside Yakumo. He had paved the way with his life to achieve his dream and opened up a path for his master to severely injure the BOSS.

“That’s right.” Yakumo nodded.

Dong dong dong dong....

The rapid drumbeats disrupted their conversation; they were the sounds emanating from Luffy's heart, the legendary drumbeats that symbolized freedom.

"It's almost over."

You Gu Qianxue couldn't help but feel a little envious. When he experienced the awakening of the fruit, he went through a rather difficult path.

"There's no need to be envious. This kind of fusion is affected by the fruit's will. It's better to achieve perfect fusion through battle."

"Battle is essentially a process of removing impurities."

Yakumo revealed the truth in a single sentence: even if Luffy will still be in control of this body in the future, he will definitely be affected in reality.

"I see. It simply won't fight me, and there's nothing I can do about it."

At some point, Luffy opened his eyes and answered Yakumo's question.

"Master said that the fate of the protagonist of heaven and earth is already predetermined and cannot be changed."

Yukoku Chiyuki ate a fist-sized cherry and spoke to Luffy. He didn't mean to provoke him; he was simply repeating what he had heard before.

"What does that mean?" Luffy, his curiosity piqued, raised an eyebrow and immediately asked Yakumo.

"He said so, you should ask him."

Yakumo rolled his eyes and shrugged helplessly, but then suddenly he remembered something and asked Luffy anxiously.

"By the way, after you awaken to the ultimate level, will you be able to open the barrier of space, or open a portal to another space? You should understand what I mean, right?"

Upon hearing this, Luffy's face showed a hint of confusion.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying, but you want me to open a door for you, right? There’s no door in this world that can stop me.”

"That's good. We'll talk as we walk."

Yakumo stood up, and the wooden chair made of vines that was originally beneath him gradually shrank back into the grass. This scene surprised Luffy, who had a feeling that the island was alive.

"Chiyuki, call your sister and Mori Masako, prepare for battle."

"As ordered."

With a whoosh, Yougu Qianxue vanished from her spot using the Instantaneous Body Technique.

"Come with me."

Yakumo led Luffy to the location where the transport ship disappeared, which was the center of this island made of plants.

"There's a door here, and behind that door is the headquarters of those bubble people. Lately, they've been sending people out to instigate massacres... Many people have died, and young girls have been brought back here to be enslaved, where they suffer a fate worse than death."

Yakumo tried his best to explain the sins committed by the Celestial Dragons.

What do you want to do?

"Of course we'll knock them away and beat them to a pulp!"

An angry expression appeared on Luffy's face.

"Okay, you open the door, and I'll take care of the rest."

In the blink of an eye, several people appeared behind Yakumo, each of them ready for battle.

"Let's begin."

"Nika Nika Nika!!"

Luffy took a step forward and entered the awakened state of his Devil Fruit.

He plunged his hands into the air in front of him, and even the air took on rubber-like properties, with a dark crack appearing in the middle.

There's something behind you.

Veins bulged on Luffy's forehead, and muscles bulged in his hands, as if he were wrestling with someone, accompanied by a roar... The black crack was slowly growing larger.

He is using his fruit power to interfere with space.

"enough."

Yakumo enveloped the group with chakra and used spatial teleportation.

When they opened their eyes, they were already in another sky.

Beneath our feet lies a metal fortress forged from steel, its overall shape resembling a towering pyramid. At the apex, it extends to a height of more than ten stories, the extra-extended spire appearing to be constructed of gold, reflecting a noble, gilded hue in the sunlight.

The Pegasus hoof flag fluttered in the wind, displaying unparalleled pride.

Unfortunately, the room on that spire was empty, and Yakumo sensed Im's presence in that room.

The decorations look more like those of a teenager who hasn't reached adulthood yet, with cute pink colors everywhere and large dolls as tall as a person.

Occasionally, one can see Celestial Dragons in robes inside the pyramid's passageways. Here, they don't have transparent glass covers over their heads, but their sin values, which are bright red and even flowing with blood, prove that Yakumo has come to the right place.

The houses outside the pyramids appear to be more practical. Inside those houses live servants and slaves trained by the Celestial Dragons. It's been an eight-hundred-year-long brainwashing program, and brainwashing texts are everywhere.

For example: Celestial Dragons are descendants of gods, supreme beings.

To dedicate one's life to the Celestial Dragons is the greatest honor.

There are even schools there that teach children how to serve the Celestial Dragons; this island, which isn't very big, is practically another world.

In this world, the Celestial Dragons are descendants of gods, representatives of light, and the embodiment of all miracles. The goal of everyone's efforts is to ascend that pyramid and offer their utmost loyalty to the supreme Celestial Dragons.

"A bunch of pitiful people."

Yakumo quickly realized his mistake. According to these people, serving the Celestial Dragons was the meaning of life and their ideal.

He is the intruder, the destroyer.

Perhaps, he was simply using the guise of redemption to carry out his own will.

"We must have found the right place."

Inside the pyramid, the Celestial Dragons continued their revelry, completely unaware of the impending danger. All it would take was for Yakumo to wave his hand and bring everything to an end.

"Master, what should we do?"