"Okay, next..."
Liu Feng clapped his hands and laughed.
Next?
The people present were momentarily confused before quickly realizing—yes!
Blackbeard possessed multiple Devil Fruit abilities. However, as they exchanged glances, bitter smiles formed on their faces before all eyes settled on Koshiro.
There was no other choice. Among them, Golden Lion had the Float-Float Fruit, Whitebeard and Zephyr wielded the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, Byrnndi World possessed the More-More Fruit, and Katakuri had his own powers. Even Law, the chief of staff, had the formidable Ope-Ope Fruit.
This was a star-studded lineup of monstrous abilities.
Apart from Koshiro, everyone already had Devil Fruit powers. And except for him, none of them could take on another ability.
Liu Feng turned to Koshiro with a smile. "How about it?"
"Which one do you want? The Dark-Dark Fruit?"
Koshiro's mouth twitched slightly.
Every Devil Fruit in Blackbeard's possession was a priceless treasure—each one powerful enough to spark chaos across the seas, drawing countless warriors into bloody conflict.
Yet, in Liu Feng's hands, they were being treated like vegetables at a market, casually offered as if they were nothing.
After a moment of thought, Koshiro shook his head. "I've never been particularly interested in Devil Fruits."
"The most important thing is," Koshiro continued, "I don't think I have the extra energy to develop a Devil Fruit ability.
"In that case, I might as well dedicate myself entirely to swordsmanship. After all, the path of the sword has no end.
"Let someone else take these Devil Fruits. My only goal is to reach greater heights in swordsmanship."
His expression was serious, leaving no room for doubt.
Liu Feng nodded. He understood Koshiro's reasoning.
As a native of Wano Country and an inheritor of the Shimotsuki family's swordsmanship, it made sense for him to focus solely on perfecting his blade.
Besides, given Koshiro's personality and fighting style, gaining a Devil Fruit ability might even hinder his true strength.
"No problem," Liu Feng said. "I get it."
Liu Feng smiled. "So, what do the rest of you think about the remaining Devil Fruits?"
He glanced around at the others.
Silence filled the room.
This wasn't an easy question. To decide who should receive the fruits, they first had to rule out those who were already Devil Fruit users. Roger would have been an ideal candidate, but he had already "killed himself" by eating the Flame-Flame Fruit in Dressrosa and had since disappeared.
"Rayleigh," Zephyr suddenly suggested.
Everyone's eyes lit up.
Sliver Rayleigh! Roger's former vice-captain—his strength had reached its peak, and most importantly, he wasn't a Devil Fruit user.
"Mr. Rayleigh is definitely a strong choice," Koshiro admitted, but his brows furrowed. "Still, I doubt he'd accept it."
Having spent a lot of time with Rayleigh recently, Koshiro knew him well. As fellow swordsmen, they often exchanged insights on the way of the sword, benefiting greatly from each other's knowledge.
Kuina's swordsmanship.
During practice, Rayleigh often offered guidance without hesitation.
"It's fine to ask him first," Liu Feng said with a smile, glancing at Law.
Law nodded, and a small hurricane quickly formed in his hand.
"——"
Swish!!
The next moment, he disappeared from the spot.
In just a few seconds, the figures of Law and Rayleigh appeared in front of everyone.
Rayleigh took in the scene, his gaze falling on the unrestrained Byrnndi World. He was momentarily stunned before quickly grasping the situation.
Yawning, he spoke drowsily, "It's the middle of the night… you guys sure are noisy."
Dressed in a nightgown, it was clear Law had woken him from his sleep.
Liu Feng smiled. "Sorry to disturb you, but we have something here that might interest you."
He gestured toward Blackbeard, who lay on the ground like a pile of mud.
Rayleigh rubbed his eyes. "Devil Fruits?"
Just then, Zephyr took a step forward, and a soft white aura began to form around his hand.
Rayleigh instantly snapped awake, his pupils contracting sharply.
"Tremor—Tremor Devil Fruit!!"
Zephyr had actually taken the Tremor-Tremor Fruit from Blackbeard!
Rayleigh quickly grasped the situation—Liu Feng intended to assign one of Blackbeard's Devil Fruit abilities to him.
"Mr. Rayleigh has been with our new navy for quite some time," Liu Feng said seriously. "Though he doesn't hold an official position, he has helped us in battle more than once."
"For that, I, Liu Feng, sincerely thank you on behalf of the new navy."
He then met Rayleigh's gaze.
"And now, taking this opportunity, I would like to formally invite you to join our new navy as an admiral of headquarters."
"As a corresponding reward... You can choose one of Blackbeard's abilities."