The evening shadows stretched long and thin within Galehaven Comics, the narrow shop bathed in the soft flicker of a single lantern swaying from the ceiling, its golden light dancing across the hardwood floor and spilling over the cluttered shelves. The air thrummed with a quiet vitality—aged paper mingling with the faint floral steam of dandelion tea cooling on Harlan Flint's stove, a subtle undercurrent to the vibrant chaos of the walls. Teetering stacks of comics loomed like colorful sentinels, their spines whispering of worlds unclaimed, while posters—Yu-Gi-Oh's Blue-Eyes glaring, Digimon's Agumon peeling at the edges—curled in the corners, their edges frayed by time and curiosity. Harlan leaned against the counter, his dark jacket slung over his chair, a half-empty teacup cradled in his hands as he watched his customers weave their tales into the shop's fabric.
Diluc sat in a corner chair, his crimson coat pooling around him like spilled wine, One Piece: East Blue resting closed in his lap, its cover a vivid splash of Luffy's grin against the shop's muted tones. "Thrilling—too short, though," he murmured, his voice a low rumble as he set the book aside, his dark eyes glinting with a rare spark of wonder. He'd roamed Teyvat's Seven Nations—faced bandits in Liyue's cliffs, hunted secrets in Snezhnaya's snows—but One Piece's sea-bound saga stirred something new, its wild adventures a mirror to his own restless soul. Luffy's chuunibyou fervor, Zoro's blade-sharp dream, and Hawkeye's lone mastery lingered in his mind, their devil fruit wonders a tantalizing lure to his fire-wrought heart.
"Hawkeye—Mihawk," he thought, his fingers tightening on the book's edge, his mind conjuring the swordsman's silhouette—one man, one boat, a black blade cleaving ships with a flick of his wrist, Zoro humbled by a mere trinket knife. "That strength—if I had it, the Fatui wouldn't stand a chance," he mused, his voice a whisper as a shadow crossed his gaze, his Pyro Vision pulsing at his side. His father's death—torn apart by Durin's chaos, twisted by the Doctor's machinations—burned in his memory, a wound that fueled his darknight crusade, his claymore a vow against the Fools' schemes. The Doctor, a mind of cold brilliance, wielded power beyond most Vision-bearers, and Diluc's flame, though fierce, flickered against that abyss. Galehaven—this quirky shop—was his ember of hope, its rewards a gamble for vengeance.
The system pinged in Harlan's mind—[Customer Diluc completed One Piece: East Blue—Reward: Burn-Burn Fruit Experience Card (24h)]. [Burn-Burn Fruit Experience Card (24h): Grants flame elementalization—physical attacks pass through, flames conjured at will. Weak to water and magma, its superior. Unmodified, original flavor, 24-hour duration.] Harlan's brows shot up, a wry grin tugging at his lips as he leaned forward, his tea forgotten. "An experience card—time-limited, raw taste? Harsh draw," he thought, his hazel eyes glinting with amusement as he recalled Lumine's clean devil fruit power, Barbara's untainted gain. "Cuteness gets a pass—tough luck, Diluc," he mused, his grin widening at the system's whimsy, a flicker of pity threading through his mirth.
A beam of light sliced through the ceiling, its radiance bathing Diluc in a fiery glow that drew Wendy's lazy glance from Yu-Gi-Oh! and Bennett's wide-eyed stare from Digimon. The shop's hum paused, the air crackling as the light coalesced, fading to reveal a strange fruit in Diluc's hands—orange-red, spherical, its surface a swirl of flame-shaped spirals, its stalk a cyan twist tipped with a flickering blaze. "Boss—what's this?" Diluc asked, his voice a low growl as he hefted it, his dark eyes narrowing at its alien weight, his fingers brushing its warm, scaly skin.
Harlan straightened, his grin softening as he met Diluc's gaze. "Burn-Burn Fruit—flame powers, 24 hours only. Turns you to fire, summons it too. Fits you, I'd say," he said, his tone warm but edged with a knowing tease, his mind tracing the parallels—Diluc's Pyro mastery, Ace's fiery fists, a match forged in flame. Diluc's brows lifted, a flicker of intrigue breaking through his stern facade as he studied the fruit, its heat a whisper against his palm. "Flames… like mine, but more," he murmured, his voice a quiet rumble as he pictured his claymore ablaze, his vengeance sharpened by One Piece's gift.
Wendy leaned forward, his green cape swirling as he grinned, his lyre forgotten beside him. "Flame fruit? Neat—gonna torch something, Master Diluc?" he teased, his voice a playful lilt as he propped his chin on his hand, his bardic curiosity alight. Bennett's goggles slipped, his green eyes wide as he clutched Digimon, his adventurer's heart racing. "Whoa—fire powers? That's wild!" he gasped, his voice a burst of awe as he pictured Diluc igniting the shop, his own luck a distant ache against the spectacle. Diluc's lips twitched, a rare smirk tugging at his stoicism as he turned the fruit, its spirals glinting in the lantern light. "If it's strong—maybe," he said, his tone dry but laced with a spark of intent, his darknight resolve stirring.
Harlan chuckled, his hazel eyes glinting as he leaned back, his tea cooling on the counter. "Eat up—24 hours starts when you do. Water douses it, magma trumps it, but you'll feel the kick," he said, his voice a casual lure as he watched Diluc's resolve harden, the fruit a gamble he couldn't refuse. Diluc nodded, his jaw tightening as he raised it, his dark eyes locking on its fiery hue—a mirror to his Pyro soul, a taste of power he'd wield against his foes. He bit down, the fruit's flesh yielding with a bitter tang, its heat surging through him as his Vision pulsed, a crimson flare igniting in his palms.
The shop erupted in a burst of flame—Diluc's form flickered, his body dissolving into a swirl of fire that licked the air, the heat a sharp gust that sent Wendy's cape flapping and Bennett's chair skidding back with a screech. "Whoa—hot!" Bennett yelped, his goggles fogging as he scrambled upright, his Digimon clutched tight, his green eyes wide with awe. Wendy laughed, his voice a breezy peal as he shielded his face, his green eyes glinting. "Nice trick—beats my wind any day!" he crowed, his bardic glee a counterpoint to the chaos, his cat woes forgotten in the blaze.
Diluc reformed, his crimson coat smoldering faintly as he clenched his fists, flames dancing at his knuckles—wilder, freer than his Vision's controlled burn. "Stronger—raw," he muttered, his voice a low growl as he swung his arm, a fiery arc slashing the air, the shelves trembling as heat washed over them. Harlan raised a hand, his grin unfazed as he called, "Easy—don't roast the stock!" his tone a mix of mirth and warning, his hazel eyes tracking the flames' dance, the system ticking—[23/30 customers]—another thread in Galehaven's chaos.
The fire faded, Diluc's breath steadying as he flexed his hands, the fruit's power a surge in his veins, its 24-hour clock a ticking vow. "Perfect match—flame on flame," he thought, his dark eyes glinting with a predator's focus, his mind tracing the Doctor's shadow—Fatui labs, cold steel, a reckoning ablaze. He'd wield this, test it, burn through Mondstadt's night to hone its edge, his vengeance a ember stoked by One Piece's gift. "24 hours—enough to start," he murmured, his voice a quiet promise as he turned, his coat flaring as he stepped for the door, the shop's warmth a crucible for his resolve.
Harlan watched him go, his grin softening as he sipped his tea, the shop settling into a hush—Wendy's chuckles, Bennett's awed mutters a backdrop to the fading heat. "Burn-Burn and Diluc—fate's got a sense of humor," he mused, his hazel eyes glinting with mischief as Mondstadt's dusk deepened, Galehaven Comics a nexus of flames and dreams.
***
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