Chapter 1112 - 657: Craving More, Craving Power
"Hmm... I remember Moriah saying that guy can go toe-to-toe with him, right? Did he get amplified?" Sage asked.
Heinrich was personally selected by Hawkins; he can be placed at the Seven-Star Level of strength. Within the Pirates, his bounty would easily start at seven or eight hundred million, and once such a person is convinced by Sivier, they can also be influenced by abilities, allowing them to go toe-to-toe with Moriah.
"Yes, a mere ability can’t achieve that. That person is also, like you, someone who perfectly matches with the fruit." Lily said.
Kalifa couldn’t help herself at this point, "Isn’t it a bit of an overestimation, just like with Sage..."
From the World Government to O’hara, these special agents have seen it all. When it comes to Pirates, Sage is currently truly number one on the sea, and he hasn’t even reached his peak yet; he’s still expanding.
This is also the reason why Rob Lucci and his men joined Sage without hesitation.
Now an Ability User can surprisingly be on par with Sage in terms of matching abilities?
"Perfect matching is the limit for Ability Users, not my limit."
Sage laughed: "They can reach a perfect matching because the pinnacle lies there. I can be called perfect matching because there’s only this word; the concept is different. However, it’s not bad, considering the fruit selects its master. Kalifa, your Bubble-Bubble Fruit is the same, but your perfect match is slightly lacking; it can only be said that at that time, in that area, you were the most suitable."
"Except for the strong will of the Mythical types that can search the whole world for the most compatible master, other fruits have limitations; they can’t cover the whole world."
"For instance, like the Love-Love Fruit, its willingness to choose isn’t very broad. Otherwise, it could just select someone over the vast ocean; why bother reaching Mary Geoise?"
Sage chuckled: "The ability of the Love-Love Fruit is charm; Heavenly Celestial Dragons disdain doing such things. They fancy themselves as World Nobles; how could they showcase their charm to others? But you know the disposition of the Heavenly Celestial Dragons; they do go shopping for beauties. Only there, can that fruit find the master that perfectly matches it."
"But I heard the Love-Love Fruit has two cherries, one pink, one purple-black... I don’t know if you should eat them together or just pick one. If pink represents charm, then what about purple-black? Ugly enough to petrify people with shock? After all, beauty has its extreme, ugly has its extreme too. Beautiful people reach a limit in beauty, while ugliness boasts its unique oddity, hahahahaha!"
"This is also a question that has puzzled me for a long time."
Kalifa adjusted her glasses and asked, "Sage, with your talent, shouldn’t the Mythical types favor you, then why is it the More-More..."
"Hahahaha, it’s obviously a difference in desire. Although Mythical types are rare, I’ve never heard of a Mythical type possessing world-destroying power. Strong destructive power? Strong physique? Various abilities? Such things, I can achieve on my own. Perhaps the devils know my thoughts, so the More-More Fruit came to recognize me as its master!"
Sage laughed heartily: "Mythical types certainly have unique charm, but without a doubt, the one most suited to me is this one, which can expand endlessly along with me!"
At this stage, he himself is akin to a Mythical type already!
Consuming another Mythical type wouldn’t enhance him much anywhere, as the ultimate result is still being number one in Pirates, invincible under the heavens, so why not choose a fruit that is more convenient, and has a deterrent effect.
Plus, he doesn’t like things with strong wills.
Mythical types...
"That battle in Wano Country against Straw Hat’s Nika gave me a strong sense of incongruity. If that state is Awakening, then Kaido only awakened halfway, I can roughly understand it. Either the west wind overwhelms the east wind, or the two unite, but absolutely no east wind overwhelming west wind possibility. Kaido’s will probably couldn’t accept that state either. Beast types are a bit better, but the Mythical types of Human-Human Fruit, heh..."
Sage sneered: "The Nika Fruit, a long time ago, might’ve been Paramecia-Type only, just transformed by someone, thereby melding together. Afterwards, if I die, my influence is big enough, it might also trigger a non-standard awakening on the More-More Fruit, transforming it into a Mythical type."
"Mythical type · Destruction God form?" Lily chuckled, "Or as you said, landlord form?"
"Hahahaha, that’d be nice too. Then let my O’hara be inherited by the one who gets the fruit! There’s no innate king, only the winner is king! The guy who can match my will shouldn’t be that far off!"
Sage threw his head back and laughed, and then lowered his head, personally picking up the large meat leg in front and bit off a big chunk.
"A person’s strong will and matching desires will attract the most compatible one. More-More belongs to me, so with my current will and desires..."
He opened his mouth and swallowed the remaining meat leg, bone and all, crushing it in his mouth.
"Desire for territory, desire for more will, desire for power, desire for imposing will..."
Sage showed a cold grin with his sharp white teeth, whispered: "There should also be another one belonging to me! Hmph hmph hmph hmph..."
Lily’s pupils narrowed into sharp points, staring at Sage in shock. As someone who followed him earliest and understood him the most, she immediately caught the meaning in those words.
"Sage, never before..."
But her words stopped halfway.
Indeed...
A vivid example had just become their adversary!
That fruit...
Might be perfectly matched with Sage, and even match perfectly!
The choice made by the Devil Fruit itself is a form of fate; bad luck doesn’t have much impact in this regard.
Sage is the only one in the Disaster Pirates who found the fruit himself and consumed it; others had eaten it before their encounter or forcibly took it through past cooperation with Teach.
Given this, the possibility of a second one isn’t out of the question.
As for two devils fighting for dominance within his body, triggering explosions...
To the strong, it has no effect.
Kaido set the example; people have fed him a second fruit, and the devil ran away itself.
"If it truly belongs to me, it can’t escape. If it does not, it won’t come to me. I’m very aware of my physique, nothing you’re worried about will happen."
Sage moved the wine glass, and Bella quickly stepped forward to pour him a drink, fearing someone might seize the opportunity.
"Issho has already agreed to stay in O’hara. Your arrival this time signifies that the plan has entered the next stage, right?"
Lily nodded, "I came to report the matter to you, the ’center blossoming’ strategy used perfectly in the first half. Of course, we didn’t encounter any obstacles. Those silver medal contestants either joined the Cross Guild or have long gone to the second half."
When discussing the overall Pirate Influence at sea, although the Four Emperors are reputable, the territories they control only make up half of the New World, while the other half belongs to the silver medal contestants at sea.
But these folks already began leaving when Sage took down Big Mom; after he took down Kaido, no one seen them around him anymore.
People aren’t foolish; knowing the number one is heading for the first half, fighting to the death might not stop him, so they withdrew early.
Some are still purchasing weapons and supplies from Sage; not leaving now would be much harder once their routes are cut off.
Alliance?
Form one with the Cross Guild!
Isn’t there more freedom and more voice there?
Heard that Buggy is Sage’s good buddy, Sand Crocodile and Hawkeye have a great relationship with Sage too, going there saves them from being beaten.
Why go through the hassle of major forces tearing each other apart, wanting theft, not fighting for who is the boss, because submitting to Sage is doable, but not to anyone else.
This resulted in the Disaster Pirates’ smooth conquest, as there were hardly any strong opponents blocking them.
But Sage is limited to the first half, which he himself foresaw, heavily recruiting and summoning King and Katakuri for this reason.
Those yielded the front half, entering the second half for sustenance. Now, Sage aims for entry too, to them, that’s wiping out all competitors, a time for tough battles!
"Hurry up, can’t wait to reap the rewards..."
Sage’s eyes flashed a crimson gleam, laughing grimly: "Teach ah..."