Naejin's emotions at this moment were… complicated.
She even felt like laughing.
At her age—
Someone was actually fighting to recruit her?
Of course—
She had absolute confidence in her peerless medical skills.
After all—
Who would've thought that this curvaceous, well-maintained woman…
Was already over eighty years old?
All thanks to—
Traditional medicine.
And her own medical mastery.
If the others found out about this…
Even if Leno didn't want her—
They absolutely would.
A preservation technique like that?
No woman could ignore it.
Back to the matter at hand—
Naejin couldn't betray her companions.
That was her bottom line.
But to Leno—
Her internal struggle didn't matter at all.
Whether she was loyal…
Or just pretending—
Irrelevant.
What he cared about was simple:
Her medical skill.
The crew needed a doctor.
That was all.
As for loyalty?
That could be… trained later.
The battle's outcome—
Was never in doubt.
Anyone with eyes could see—
Bondi World was no match for Leno.
At his peak, perhaps—
With the terrifying amplification of the Momo Momo no Mi—
He might've stood a chance.
But now?
After thirty years frozen—
His body hadn't recovered.
Losing to a rising Yonko like Leno?
Perfectly normal.
Not to mention—
Leno was far stronger than he had been at Marineford.
World lay defeated on the ground.
His body was riddled with fractures and wounds.
A miserable sight.
The fight ended quickly—
Because he had underestimated Leno.
One heavy blow—
And he never recovered from it.
Leno raised his hand.
Preparing the finishing strike.
"WAIT!!"
Naejin rushed forward, shouting:
"Stop! Leno!"
"I… I'll join you!"
"I'll be your ship's doctor!"
"Just spare Captain World and the others!"
Leno paused.
Turned his head.
Looked at her.
Then—
Smiled.
A cold, mocking smile.
"You think you're someone special?"
"Got the Face-Face Fruit like Red-Haired Shanks or something?"
"Why should I give you that kind of face?"
His tone was utterly dismissive.
"A ship doctor?"
"There are plenty out there."
"One more or less doesn't matter to me."
"You?"
"You're not that important."
Naejin's face turned pale, then flushed.
She couldn't refute it.
World, hearing her willingness to sacrifice herself—
Felt a flicker of acknowledgment.
Though earlier, his dissatisfaction had only been about pride—
Not companionship.
But before anything else—
Leno spoke again.
"Want me to spare him?"
"Fine."
"Then completely submit to me."
"I have plenty of ways to make sure you can't betray me."
"Or escape."
He paused—
Then added:
"And I want the Momo Momo no Mi."
He tilted his head toward Domino.
She understood instantly.
"Air Quake!"
BOOM—!!
The air shattered.
The sea roared violently.
"Just now—you saw it."
Leno said calmly.
"No need to doubt."
"That's the Tremor-Tremor Fruit."
Seeing the shock on their faces—
He continued:
"Two choices."
"Die."
"Or submit."
"Choose."
"World!" Binjack cried out.
World's face twisted.
He—
A legend of the old era.
The World Destroyer.
Reduced to this—
Threatened by a brat.
Forced to trade his life with a companion.
Worse than death.
"…Fine."
Naejin spoke first.
Agreement reached.
Leno acted immediately.
He implanted a strand of his fruit power into her mind—
Like a parasite.
Dormant.
Harmless—normally.
But with a thought—
He could kill her.
Or make her wish she were dead.
Impossible to remove.
Even the Op-Op Fruit couldn't do it.
Very similar—
To what was happening inside Garp's body.
Then—
Leno walked up to World.
Raised his hand.
Activated the Munch-Munch Fruit.
A strange devouring force enveloped World.
"Ghh…!"
World groaned in agony.
Something—
Fundamental—
Was being ripped from him.
His body trembled violently.
His aura collapsed.
Less than a minute later—
It was over.
Leno opened his palm.
The ordinary fruit—
Had transformed into a Devil Fruit.
The Momo Momo no Mi.
"Success…"
Leno glanced between the fruit—
And World.
It worked.
Extracting a Devil Fruit directly from a living person—
Was possible.
And the host didn't even die.
There were side effects—
Of course.
But compared to gaining such a powerful ability?
Negligible.
For example—
Kalifa's Bubble-Bubble Fruit…
Should probably be replaced.
Too weak.
Leno waved dismissively.
"Get lost."
World was helped up by his crew.
He looked at Leno—
Expression complicated.
As they turned to leave—
Leno added coldly:
"Bondi World."
"If you want to live—"
"Go find another Devil Fruit."
"One no weaker than the Momo Momo no Mi."
"Otherwise—"
"Without that power sustaining you…"
"You'll die."
World froze.
Didn't turn back.
He staggered away—
Boarded his ship—
And fled.
Robin stepped forward.
"Leno… letting them go…"
"He'll come back for revenge."
Leno smiled faintly.
Hands behind his back.
Coat fluttering in the wind.
"Defeated once—always defeated."
"I'll give them time to catch up."
"Until they can't."
The words—
Combined with what he had just done—
Felt completely natural.
Domino.
Hancock.
Robin.
Their eyes sparkled.
Admiration deepened.
Leno, meanwhile—
Internally?
Yeah… that felt good.
No wonder people love showing off.
But—
He wasn't being merciful.
He was—
Farming.
Let World go.
Let him search.
Let him grow stronger.
Then—
Harvest later.
Another Devil Fruit—
Delivered straight to his door.
If World lost his nerve?
Even better.
One less problem.
Either way—
Leno profited.
"Sustainable harvesting."
"That's the real strategy."
He mentally praised himself.
Why search for fruits—
When you can let someone else do it for you?
A walking delivery system.
Meanwhile—
At Marine HQ—
Garp, unaware of all this—
Sat with a dark expression.
After Tsuru left—
He finally made a call.
"Borsalino."
"My clone…"
"How long until it's ready?"
✨ Bonus Chapter Goals ✨
10 Reviews = 1 Bonus Chapter
100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
◇ You can read 60+ chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/CanonBreaker