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As the massive, silver-grey serpent lunged, its jaws gaping wide—Arthur dodged, his body shifting sideways.
The deep sea was the Sea King's domain, not his. Taking that hit head-on, a force comparable to a full-powered punch from a seasoned fighter, would drain his precious stamina, leaving him vulnerable to the crushing pressure and the endless sea.
He narrowly avoided the monstrous head, then, gathering all his strength, his fist hardening with Armament Haki, he launched himself forward, his foot pushing off against the dense water, aiming for the creature's eye—a universal weak point.
Attacker and defender switched roles in a heartbeat, Arthur now on the offensive, his fist hurtling towards the massive, blood-red eye.
The water resistance slowed his movements, hindering his speed and the force of his punch.
But the Sea King, its massive size a disadvantage in close quarters, couldn't react in time.
It could only watch as Arthur's attack landed.
"ROAR!!!"
The force of the blow, slamming into its vulnerable eye, sent a jolt of agonizing pain through the creature. Its massive body convulsed, its eye rupturing, a thick, viscous fluid oozing out, quickly dissipating in the surrounding water.
The pain drove the Sea King into a frenzy.
"ROAR!"
It thrashed wildly, its massive jaws snapping at Arthur, its thick tail whipping through the water, joining the attack.
Arthur, his movements hampered by the dense seawater, couldn't avoid the tail, the massive appendage slamming into his side.
Bang!
The force of the blow, though deflected by his Isolation Field, still sent tremors through his body. Maintaining the field under the crushing pressure of the deep sea, while simultaneously enduring such a powerful attack, drained his stamina rapidly.
His face paled, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
But his eyes remained cold, his focus unwavering. Even in the heat of battle, he never panicked. His battle lust surged.
"Its size is a problem. I need a wider area of effect—a more devastating attack—to take it down," Arthur thought, his breathing ragged, trying to regain control of his racing heart.
If they were on the surface, he could kill it with a flick of his wrist. But here, in the depths…
A creature this size could shrug off most conventional attacks.
And anyone—even the strongest fighters—were at a disadvantage in the deep sea. Land-dwellers couldn't exert their full strength here.
Arthur's gaze returned to the Sea King's injured eye. He wouldn't be able to penetrate its thick hide. The eye was his only target.
Dodging another snap of the massive jaws, he increased his speed, his body hurtling forward, entering the Sea King's eye socket.
"ROAR!!"
The serpent thrashed even more violently, sensing the intruder within its eye, its massive body slamming into other approaching Sea Kings, scattering them.
Just then—a dull thud echoed from within the Sea King's head. Its thrashing stopped, the red glow fading from its eyes.
Arthur's attack, a precise, focused blow delivered from inside its skull—had turned the creature's brain into mush.
Arthur emerged from the ruptured eye socket, his gaze fixed on the Pure Gold bracelet, which had stopped vibrating. It now bore the intricate, crisscrossing lines of the Castle-Castle Fruit—the fusion was complete.
The bracelet, no longer held aloft by Arthur's electromagnetism, began to sink.
Arthur, his body moving through the water with surprising speed and grace, swam towards it, grabbing the treasure and quickly coating it once more with the dull metal ore, masking its golden light. He slipped the bracelet onto his wrist.
He laughed inwardly, his triumph tempered by a growing sense of unease. More Sea Kings, attracted by the earlier commotion, were closing in, their glowing red eyes visible in the darkness. Larger shapes—apex predators—lurked in the distance.
The Pure Gold's light might have even drawn Bonbori, the massive anglerfish, towards them. He couldn't stay here.
He turned and swam away, his powerful kicks propelling him through the water, leaving the carnage behind.
Seconds later, the dead Sea King's massive body was swarmed by the other predators, a feeding frenzy erupting in the depths.
In the distance, Bonbori, its golden lure glowing, approached, its senses drawn to the Pure Gold. Finding nothing, it thrashed, its frustration echoing through the water.
——
Arthur burst through the surface, landing on the docks of Sabaody Archipelago.
The dockworkers, stunned, stared at him. They'd assumed he'd jumped into the sea to commit suicide. But here he was, hours later, emerging from the water, his clothes and hair dry, as if he'd merely taken a quick dip. Had he encountered some kind of sea spirit?
Arthur ignored their stares, adjusting his greatcoat, and walked away.
——
He returned to Saboland, to Jessica's Dream House.
"The thirty million Belly I left—how much food can you buy with that? Get it all. I need it," he instructed the waiter, his tone casual, as if making a simple request.
"Thirty…million Belly? All on food?" The waiter's eyes widened.
Thirty million Belly was a fortune—enough to fill the entire restaurant with food.
"Focus on high-energy foods. Sea King meat, if you can get it. Any questions?" Arthur's gaze was steady, his tone brooking no argument.
Low-energy foods were pointless. They wouldn't satisfy his appetite, and only increase his need to…well, expel the waste. After a battle, he needed high-energy sustenance to replenish his stamina quickly.
The waiter, unnerved by Arthur's intense stare, stammered, "N-no problem, sir! Right away!"
He scurried off to carry out Arthur's request.
Arthur bypassed the dining area, entering the back room. He removed one of the Pure Gold bracelets from his wrist, a smile playing on his lips.
His long-held dream, a goal he'd pursued since setting sail—it was finally realized.
He couldn't help but feel a grudging respect for Vegapunk's genius.
He held the bracelet, its smooth, cool surface against his skin. With a thought—a shimmering, circular portal, a gateway to an extra-dimensional space, appeared in the air before him.
As the portal opened, he felt a slight drain on his stamina.
It made sense.
Using a Devil Fruit's power required stamina. Imbuing an object with that power didn't bypass that rule—it simply transferred the cost to the user.
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