The exact instant Shiraishi embedded the pale blue gem into place, a sudden, specialized current of energy rippled across the silver glove.
Although the Rebirth Cores originally stored chakra energy, they also contained a form of inherited will.
Having undergone a profound mutation upon crossing the space-time barrier, they now condensed the primordial biological power from his old skill card system into tangible physical forms.
Simultaneously, by absorbing the ambient Devil Fruit energies of the One Piece world, this process was structurally equivalent to condensing eighteen distinct Mythical Zoan capabilities and sealing them within these gems.
The glove itself served as the ultimate catalyst to activate them.
Unlike the external database of his system glasses, Shiraishi possessed a deeply intimate understanding of these gloves, which he had crafted himself.
Consequently, the very moment the pale blue gem clicked into its socket, he understood exactly what had transpired.
Devil Fruit: Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan • Model: Articuno!
Articuno possessed exceptionally beautiful blue plumage, with wings historically rumored to be formed entirely of pure ice. Its head was adorned with a three-feathered crest of deep blue, diamond-shaped plumes, contrasting sharply with its piercing red eyes.
Its beak was short and grey, matching the hue of its long, slender legs. It boasted a magnificent, banner-like tail that flowed far longer than its actual body length, sharing the exact same deep blue coloration as its crest.
The living creature texturing the surface of Shiraishi's newly embedded gem was precisely the silhouette of Articuno. Distinct from directly consuming a Devil Fruit, this was a specialized synthesis of a Rebirth Core and Devil Fruit energy; thus, Shiraishi was effectively channeling and borrowing this sovereign power.
Although the activation was completely successful, a sudden, biting chill flooded his mind. In an instant, Shiraishi's consciousness realm felt as if it had been plunged into the depths of a frozen hell.
Following a sharp, crystalline cry, a colossal blue ice-bird manifested before him, carrying a supreme blizzard as it howled forward.
Amidst the fiercely howling gales, Shiraishi gazed up at the Articuno circling in the sky, realizing this situation was structurally identical to his past encounters with Necrozma and Arceus.
Once the phantom beast within the Rebirth Core awakened, it possessed a distinct layer of latent consciousness.
As the catastrophic blizzard lunged forward, Shiraishi did not retreat a single step, choosing instead to walk forward calmly. He allowed Articuno's freezing snow to coat his frame. Seeing that this human harbored absolutely no fear toward its presence, the Articuno abruptly halted its offensive waves.
"Living in this entirely foreign world, you must feel exceptionally unsettled, right?"
Having awakened its consciousness here, it naturally existed in a state of profound shock and alarm regarding the laws of the One Piece world.
Ordinary humans had no capacity to perceive its existence; thus, encountering a human who could genuinely communicate with it caused Articuno's turbulent heart to gradually settle into a calm state.
Shiraishi walked closer, his tone exceptionally gentle: "I will find a systematic pathway to return you to your true homeland. So, please place your trust in me."
Their gazes locked in silent understanding for a brief moment, and the surrounding environment instantly fell completely still. The colossal Articuno dissolved into a torrent of brilliant, sacred light, thoroughly unlocking the elemental slot representing Ice within the silver glove.
Returning to reality, just as Ace and the others were commanding their captured crew to haul the remaining treasures of the Solar Pirates out of the estate, they unexpectedly discovered Marine banners appearing on the outer perimeter of the shipping lanes.
"The Marines?"
Shiraishi glanced down at Solar, who was currently lying on the ground black-and-blue from his beating, a trace of a crafty smile playing on his lips: "So you actually managed to contact the Marines beforehand?"
Originally, Solar had planned to personally teach Shiraishi's crew a lesson before handing them over to Captain Huang Quan for disposal. He had never imagined that while the Marines had arrived right on schedule, he himself would be the one thoroughly dismantled first...
"However, I harbor a single question..."
Shiraishi spoke softly, his gaze locking onto the massive displacement of the approaching Marine vessels at the harbor: "Even if you two achieved some sort of under-the-table agreement, why would the Marines deploy a warship of such immense tonnage?"
A warship of immense tonnage?
Shiraishi was by no means blind. The average tonnage of their own commandeered vessel and the Solar Pirates' ships already ranked as standard-sized craft for this specific era. Yet, the warship currently cutting through the waves was visibly distinct from ordinary Marine vessels.
In this era, the average tonnage of pirate ships and local Marine vessels hovered around two hundred tons. However, the behemoth before their eyes was absolutely not a mere two hundred-ton class ship.
Solar couldn't quite process the sight... The fleet under Huang Quan's jurisdiction never exceeded three vessels, all of which were minor, low-tonnage craft. When did these country-bumpkin pirates develop such a preposterous illusion of immense tonnage?
However, the moment Solar raised his head and locked his eyes onto the colossal warship in the distance, he froze in a state of utter bewilderment.
He recognized the distinct markings—that was a battleship directly belonging to Marine Headquarters in the Grand Line, not a minor local patrol boat from the East Blue.
In terms of raw firepower and nautical velocity alone, it represented the absolute apex of this era's naval engineering. Even if his entire pirate fleet swarmed it at once, that giant warship could easily obliterate them through sheer, overwhelming firepower.
Standing on the main deck of the battleship, a towering, broad-chested, and heavily muscled old man stood staring intently at Red Deer Island.
He bore a distinct scar over his left blue eye and sported a short crop of completely graying hair. Today, he had explicitly donned his iconic dog-head hat, with his Marine "Justice" coat fluttering grandly behind him.
Captain Huang Quan of the East Blue branch stepped forward rather awkwardly: "Vice Admiral Garp... for a minor backwater location like this, there truly was no structural necessity for you to personally take the field."
Garp, who was casually picking his nose, spoke with an entirely relaxed air: "Red Deer Island used to be one of my absolute favorite spots to vacation.
Hearing that a pack of pirates has controlled this place for so many years makes this old man deeply displeased. This time, I finally managed to return for a vacation, yet I can't even enjoy the scenery in peace!"
Over the past few years, Garp and Sengoku had been constantly waging war on the brutal front lines of the New World.
Having finally secured a rare home leave to the East Blue, he had merely intended to enjoy the sights of Red Deer Island, only to discover it had been turned into a pirate stronghold.
Consumed by a roaring irritation, Garp had naturally directed his warship to charge straight toward Red Deer Island. Off to the side, Huang Quan could only sweat profusely, his mind frantically calculating how he might secretly tip off his contacts.
As the Marine vessel drew progressively closer to the harbor docks, Shiraishi observed that Ace and the crew had still not completely transferred Solar's wealth. At this thought, Shiraishi locked his focus directly onto the giant approaching warship.
A pale blue radiance completely enveloped Shiraishi's frame. The exact fraction of a second the Articuno gem upon the glove was activated, Shiraishi felt his physical parameters merge flawlessly with the creature's power.
Boom!
With a thunderous eruption of air, Shiraishi seized the initiative. Accompanied by the continuous release of Articuno's elemental power, the entire surface of the surrounding sea began to rapidly glaze over with thick sheets of frost.
It's snowing?
Garp looked up with a trace of confusion. Under normal parameters, the geographical climate of Red Deer Island made it completely impossible for snow to fall...
As the silvery-white snowflakes drifted down through the air, Uchiha Madara—standing on their ship—witnessed Shiraishi instantly gaining access to a Mythical Zoan capability just by retrieving a single gem. He immediately turned his head away in sheer annoyance, refusing to look any further.
The surface of the sea rapidly solidified into solid ice, forcing Garp's warship to an absolute standstill. At this moment, a pair of wings formed entirely of condensed ice erupted from Shiraishi's back.
As he slowly hovered into the sky, a pale blue light coalesced within his mouth, blasting outward toward the far distance.
Though the combat posture felt slightly unusual...
Since he had only just mastered the capabilities of the Mythical Zoan Articuno, he could only manifest the iconic Ice Beam through this specific methodology!
Compared to conventional Ice Style techniques, this attack commanded an exceptionally terrifying, instantaneous freezing rate. An ordinary human caught within the path of this radiance would be directly converted into a solid block of ice in a split second.
While several Marines on the deck stood completely frozen in shock, Garp suddenly snatched up a massive iron cannonball, letting out a thunderous roar: "You boys, get out of the way!"
Fist Bone Meteorite!
Hurled with the absolute entirety of Garp's monstrous physical strength, the cannonball sliced through the atmosphere, generating a violent, specialized current of air.
The dense layer of imbuement force wrapped around the projectile violently collided face-first against Shiraishi's incoming Ice Beam...
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