Mind reading?
Abilities similar to mind reading have appeared three times in the world of pirates.
One was Enel's Mantra, the second was Koby on the battlefield hearing the voices of wounded soldiers through their emotions, and the third was Pudding, the user of the Memo-Memo Fruit.
Pudding merely relied on her Devil Fruit ability to read and even alter other people's memories. However, that power had significant limitations—if the target could resist, there was nothing she could do.
Koby, on the other hand, required the other party to have some kind of intense emotion, the kind that was actively expressed.
As for Enel's Mantra, it was indeed impressive, but it felt more like a byproduct of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
And Vane's mind reading was naturally not just a simple application of Observation Haki. If it were only Observation Haki, then at most he would sense concentrated emotions like Koby did.
For example, the emotions of those waiting for their blood relatives to slaughter one another.
It was those people's emotions that had helped push his Observation Haki further. The ability to directly read minds was the result of the Transparent World combined with Observation Haki.
"I saw the heart… and heard the voice within."
"My Observation Haki has improved."
Haki can evolve. The typical upgrade for Observation Haki is future sight. Vane, however, had gained an additional mind-reading effect due to the influence of another ability.
The practical use of mind reading might not be inferior to future sight at all. In fact, its range of application was even broader. As long as no one knew he possessed this ability, there would be no secrets left before him.
"What an unexpected bonus."
Vane's gaze swept across the hearts of the nobles one by one. The voices he heard were all filled with excitement, arrogance, calculations about where to place their bets…
Every single one carried the face of corrupt nobility. Then again, that made sense. If any of them truly possessed compassion, even if they chose not to leave this filthy Twin Islands, they would never have come here to watch the people below slaughter each other.
Vane pulled out a small Den Den Mushi.
"Bonez, slight change of plans. Once the king appears, move immediately."
The infiltrators had split into two groups. Meowth, Lena, Dice, and Baccarat were leading the Rocket Team grunts to quickly empty out the nobles' wealth.
Bonez and Vane had been waiting here in the slaughter arena, preparing to create chaos at the right moment to buy them time.
This arena had gathered nearly all the nobles of the Twin Kingdom to witness the event. By itself, it could drag things out for quite a while. Near the end, Bonez and the others would jump out, buying even more time.
But now, the situation had shifted slightly. The overwhelming despair of the Twin Islands' residents had unintentionally helped him unlock a brand-new ability.
Though it was unintentional, it was still help. Letting them continue in despair, turning their hands against their own kin—Vane found himself feeling uneasy about it.
"Are we switching to the second plan?"
"That's right."
The team transporting the wealth would continue their work, while they would shift from merely tying up the nobles… to slaughtering them all.
The reason this had originally been the second plan was because Vane had no way to distinguish between good and bad nobles. Now that he could read minds, it was different… These nobles all deserved to die. And those who didn't could be identified.
What began as theft was about to turn into full pirate plunder.
"Why hasn't it started yet?"
"His Majesty hasn't arrived."
Even the nobles were growing impatient, though none dared to complain too loudly.
Vane wasn't in a hurry. The wealth was already being moved, and to pass the time, he could use his new mind-reading ability to probe the nobles' inner thoughts.
[The gold coins at home haven't seen the light in far too long. I should find a day to air them out so they don't rot… and those Belly too.]
[I must bet correctly this time and make a killing.]
[Foolish Saar, the wife on your arm spent last night in my bed. And you're still smiling at me…]
[Idiot Daya…]
Ugh—burning my eyes. Burning my eyes.
Every vice imaginable.
"His Majesty the King has arrived!"
"The King is here!"
The long-awaited king had finally made his entrance!
The king was an elderly man, his hair and beard completely white. His physique seemed acceptable, but there was a clear twilight in his spirit.
Surrounded by over a hundred guards, the king entered the arena.
According to tradition, he would next ascend the viewing platform to deliver the customary speech of the Twin Islands, and then the rabble would begin slaughtering one another.
The nobles would feast their eyes, servants would clean the battlefield, and the surviving commoners would be branded with proof before being thrown outside Crown City.
"That symbol… first time I've seen it."
From Vane's perspective, above the king's head floated a blue, wave-like symbol.
If he were a Paramecia Devil Fruit user, it would be a question mark symbol. This blue mark was something Vane had never seen before.
Not Paramecia, not Zoan… which meant Logia.
"Where did you come from? Get back!"
The moment the dark-skinned Bonez approached, the kingdom's soldiers noticed and immediately threatened him with spears.
There were absolutely no nobles in this kingdom that dark! Not even among slaves or commoners was there such a "breed."
Bonez said nothing and offered no explanation. Normally, footsteps should sound like tap, tap, tap. At first his did—but soon, they turned into clang, clang, clang, like sheets of iron scraping against the ground.
With a heavy stomp, Bonez's figure shot forward in a rapid charge.
Slash! Boom!!
Several kingdom soldiers blocking him were sent flying. Flesh split open across their chests, blood spraying everywhere. The weapons in their hands were all severed cleanly in two!
"Attack! We're under attack! Protect the King!"
The commotion Bonez created quickly drew widespread attention.
Kingdom soldiers rushed in from all directions. The nobles' gazes shifted. Even the commoners, whose hearts had been pounding in anticipation of bloodshed, forgot their own circumstances for the moment.
Someone was attacking? And attacking the King?
"Who's that suicidal?"
The nobles turned in unison to focus on the king's side. What spectacle could be better than an assassination attempt on the King?
Bonez was like an unstoppable steel monster. The soldiers' weapons shattered upon striking his hardened body.
A casual sweep of his arm unleashed slashes. No matter how many soldiers charged him, they were like bees attacking a drone—only to meet destruction.
"How is he so strong?!"
"Guns and blades are useless!"
Inside the building, every noble's attention was fixed on the king's side.
In reality, death was far closer to them.
"Daya… why is it so cold…"
One noble felt a sudden chill and turned his head.
What he saw was a scene from hell. All the nobles behind him had turned deathly pale, white mist seeping from their bodies with crackling frost.
Just as he was about to scream, a blue crystalline needle shot forward and pierced his forehead.
His eyes instantly lost focus. Wisps of cold air began to emanate from him as well. Like the others, he too started turning deathly white.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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