CHAPTER 280: CHAPTER 31: THE POWER OF DISTORTION — A HIGHER REALM OF DEVIL FRUITS

"Distortion Fruit?"

Ron was momentarily stunned the instant he saw it.

Wasn’t that the same Devil Fruit ability Imu used?

[Ding! Responding to Host’s query.]

With the mechanical voice of the system, a stream of imagery surged into Ron’s mind—

Back when he battled Imu and was sucked into that temporal vortex, a Devil Fruit covered in twisted, spiraling patterns had appeared right next to his unconscious body. Just as it was about to be swallowed up by the vortex, a mysterious hand from the void snatched it and tucked it away into a rippling, water-like dimension of nothingness.

"So you were the one who retrieved it for me?" Ron asked, surprised.

[To be precise... yes.]

"I see..."

Ron nodded slightly and, with a thought, summoned the purple Devil Fruit laced with those bizarre, twisted lines into his hand.

The Distortion Fruit...

The memory of Imu’s terrifying power to distort space and her broken ability to reverse time was still vivid in Ron’s mind.

Calling her the strongest enemy Ron had ever faced would not be an exaggeration.

If it hadn’t been for the overwhelming destructive power of the Tenseigan Chakra Mode, and his nearly indestructible Sage Body, forged to be borderline immortal, he wouldn’t have stood a chance. Pure Haki and swordsmanship alone would have never brought him victory.

"System, if I remember correctly... I can still consume one more Devil Fruit, right?" Ron asked inwardly.

The ability he had for the Float-Float Fruit came from a Devil Fruit Replication Card. Technically, he never actually ate the original fruit. By now, the Float-Float Fruit may have respawned somewhere in the One Piece world and been eaten by someone else.

[Correct.]

Receiving confirmation from the system, Ron lowered his gaze to the fruit in his hand. Without hesitation, he opened his mouth and took a bite.

This was a fruit that could control space and affect time—how could he possibly pass that up?

So what if he couldn’t swim?

The moment he bit into it, his face turned green.

Ugh... disgusting!

He had never eaten anything so revolting in his life.

His taste buds, spoiled by all kinds of exquisite delicacies, screamed in agony. He almost spit it out.

But he grit his teeth and forced it down anyway.

And then—

A strange new power stirred within his body.

[Distortion Fruit power detected. Currently at Stage One.

Distortion Force — Lv1.

(Note:

Lv1–Lv3 = Stage One,

Lv4–Lv6 = Stage Two,

Lv7 = Awakened,

Lv8 = Second Awakening,

Lv9 = Third Awakening,

Lv10 = Unknown)]

"Wait, what?! Devil Fruits can awaken three times?! There’s even a realm beyond that?!"

Ron’s heart trembled with shock.

Imu’s fruit had already been terrifying at the level of second awakening, and yet now he learned that there was a third, and even an unknown tier beyond that?

[In the One Piece world, Devil Fruits can only reach the second awakening due to limitations of world-level laws. But in higher-level worlds, with more advanced rules and refined power systems, Devil Fruits—especially rule-based ones—have massive room for growth.]

"Damn! Why didn’t you tell me that when I was still in the One Piece world? I would’ve gone looking for every rule-based fruit I could find!"

[This information only became available after the system’s latest upgrade.]

"...Fine."

No use getting hung up over it. He could always go back to the One Piece world later.

Having now obtained the powers of the Distortion Fruit, Ron felt quite pleased with himself as he glanced around the forest.

Where to sign in next?

The Mugen Train?

Or Yoshiwara’s Red Light District?

...Nah, maybe it’s best to swing by the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters first.

Tanjiro and Nezuko should’ve arrived by now...

Ron thought to himself as he took a single step forward—and in the blink of an eye, vanished from where he stood.

...

Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.

Inside the Butterfly Mansion.

"So bitter! So bitter!! This stuff tastes like death!! How’s anyone supposed to eat after drinking this garbage?!"

"I have to drink this horrid stuff for five days straight?! Are you trying to kill me?! And can this really fix my shriveled-up arms and legs?! For real?!"

"Noooooooo!!"

Agatsuma Zenitsu was sprawled out on the bed, wailing at the top of his lungs. The aftereffects of the spider demon’s poison had shortened his limbs, and now he looked utterly pitiful as he thrashed around.

"Can someone please explain this to me?! I mean, what’s the big deal if I skip just one dose?! It can’t hurt that much, right?!"

One of the three young attendants with round bean-like eyes stood to the side holding a bowl of medicine, looking troubled. "Uh... um... please calm down~"

"You’re being too loud!"

A voice barked sharply as Kanazaki Aoi stormed over.

"I said, be quiet!!"

Zenitsu flinched as she suddenly screamed at him, his face contorting with pure terror.

Hands on her hips, Kanazaki Aoi glared down at him with a commanding tone. "You little brat... Stop disturbing the others! If you keep this up, I swear I’ll tie you down!"

"S-sorry~!" Zenitsu whimpered, retreating under the covers like a scolded puppy, trembling all over.

S-So scary... She’s so scary...

Meanwhile, on the bed beside him, Inosuke Hashibira lay perfectly still, still wearing his signature boar’s head. Despite all the noise around him, he didn’t budge an inch.

But if you got close enough, you’d hear the faintest, raspiest whispers of self-loathing leaking out from under that boar mask.

"I’m sorry... I’m too weak. I’m sorry... I’m just too weak..."

After sulking under the covers for a bit, Zenitsu was forced up again to take his medicine. He threw another mini tantrum, but under Kanazaki Aoi’s merciless glare, he finally drank it.

"See?! I drank it! I drank the medicine!" he said proudly, stretching out his short, stubby arms toward Aoi and Kiyo.

"Yes, yes, amazing, truly incredible," Aoi muttered sarcastically while cleaning up the empty bowl.

"So bitter... Man, if only I had something sweet to wash it down with."

Zenitsu grimaced and stuck out his tongue. Then, as if remembering something, he turned to Aoi.

"Hey... what about Tanjiro and Nezuko? Are they okay?"

"You mean that red-haired boy who came in with you all?"

"Yeah, that’s him!"

"No need to worry. He’s in better shape than you—only broke a few bones all over his body."

Zenitsu blinked. "I-Is that so... And where is he now?"

"Lady Shinobu took him away."

"L-Lady Shinobu...?"

Zenitsu immediately recalled the graceful woman who had appeared before him that night—cloaked in a butterfly-patterned haori, smiling gently like a fluttering night butterfly.

"She... she’s the one who saved me, right? Is she... really that strong?"

Kanazaki Aoi looked at him like he’d just grown a second head.

"Lady Shinobu is one of the Nine Hashira—the Insect Hashira. Of course she’s strong!"

"H-Hashira?!"

Zenitsu’s eyes went wide. "She’s a Hashira?! But she’s even shorter than I am..."

BANG!

The door to the Butterfly Mansion suddenly burst open.

Gotou, one of the Kakushi, charged in like a missile and grabbed Zenitsu’s face with both hands, his eyes wild.

"Shut it! You’re not allowed to talk behind a Hashira’s back!"

"Sho-Showwy!!" Zenitsu squealed, cheeks squished out of shape.

...