One Piece: Three Devil Fruits, Beginning with Darkness

Chapter 9: Your Last Name is Figarland!

Kuma swallowed the paw-shaped fruit in one decisive gulp.

A moment of silence followed. Then, an unfamiliar sensation coursed through his body. A tingling heat spread to his palms, and when he raised his hands to inspect them, he saw a pair of soft, pink pads now embedded in his flesh.

Before Kuma could fully process the transformation, an enraged roar shattered the moment.

"You little brat!"

Lingling's glare bore down on Jiger with a fury so intense it was almost tangible, as if she intended to devour him whole.

Her fingers clenched into fists, her massive frame trembling with frustration. She had been so close to taking the fruit for herself, only for Jiger to steal the moment away.

But as much as she wanted to crush him right then and there, she couldn't.

Garling was keeping her completely occupied. His relentless assault left no room for distractions, forcing her to remain on the defensive. She couldn't afford to free her hands—not even for a second.

Jiger took advantage of the opening without hesitation.

Lifting a hand, he activated his ability, pulling Ivan toward him with a forceful suction, then turned to Kuma and shouted,

"Kuma! Use your ability to send us out of here! Don't go all out—control the strength and just shoot!"

Jiger had already explained the basic use of the Meat-Meat Fruit to Kuma and the others earlier as part of a conversation that would help them escape. Among the four, Kuma, naturally attuned to its power, needed little time to adjust.

Without hesitation, he pressed a padded palm against himself.

In an instant, he vanished.

A fraction of a second later, he reappeared right in front of Jiger, his new ability allowing him to move almost instantaneously.

Jiger quickly spread his hands wide. In his open palms, two swirling black vortexes emerged, their gravitational pull instantly drawing Ginny and the injured Ivan toward him.

Even as he gathered his allies, Jiger kept a watchful eye on Saint Saturn, who was still engaged in battle against the Rocks Pirates.

In the original timeline, Saint Saturn would have interfered right about now, trying to stop Kuma's escape.

But this time, he didn't budge.

Jiger frowned.

Was it because Garling had left the battlefield?

It made sense.

Right now, the Navy and Saturn alone couldn't hold their own against the Rocks Pirates—not before Roger's crew arrived. The sheer number of monsters within Rocks' ranks made it an impossible fight for them.

For now, it seemed Saturn wouldn't be a problem.

Kuma, regaining his composure, lifted his hand once more. He was ready to use his newfound power again—to send them all away from the Valley of the Gods.

Garling, however, had been keeping a very close watch on Jiger.

The moment he saw Kuma's palm about to make contact with Jiger, he acted.

His voice cut through the chaos with startling clarity.

"Boy! Remember this—your last name is Figarland!"

Jiger barely had time to react to the words.

The moment the Meat-Meat Fruit's ability activated, his vision blurred, and his body was launched through space itself.

The last thing he saw before vanishing was Garling's face, his sharp gaze carrying an intensity that sent a chill down Jiger's spine.

Left alone, Kuma had planned to stay a little longer. There were still slaves he wanted to rescue.

But before he could make another move, a massive burst of Conqueror's Haki exploded across the battlefield.

Lightning crackled. The sky itself seemed to shatter.

The very air trembled beneath the sheer force of it.

At the epicenter of it all—

Rocks.

His red eyes burned with fury, his terrifying aura surging like a storm unleashed.

His voice thundered across the battlefield, a deafening roar filled with unrestrained rage.

"You bastard! Where did you send that brat?! That was my fruit!!"

Sengoku and Garp exchanged wary glances.

Rocks' reaction was… unexpected.

What was he talking about?

What fruit?

The Meat-Meat Fruit?

Neither of them could understand why Rocks was so enraged over it.

Kuma, however, was caught completely off guard. He froze, stunned by the overwhelming presence of Rocks' Conqueror's Haki.

His body locked up for a moment.

Only a moment.

But in a battle of this scale, even a second of hesitation could mean death.

Realizing his mistake, he forced himself back into motion and immediately pressed his paw against his chest.

Before Rocks could make a move—

Kuma vanished, as well.

The Valley of the Gods remained in chaos, but he was no longer there to witness it.

The battle would continue, but the pieces on the board had shifted.

Across the valley, Saturn's voice rang out.

"Garling! Return to your post, now!"

For a brief moment, Garling stood still, his gaze lingering in the direction Jiger had disappeared.

Then, with a flicker of movement, he shook off Lingling's grasp, abandoning the fight. He pivoted on his heel and sprinted back toward the battlefield that belonged to him.

Lingling, no longer hindered, had no intention of following.

With Garling gone, her full attention turned toward her true goal—the Azure Dragon Fruit.

As Garling returned, Saturn exhaled, his shoulders relaxing slightly.

A low whisper escaped him.

"That fruit originally belonged to you..."

Garling's expression didn't change. He simply shook his head, his voice indifferent.

"Devil Fruits have never interested me. I came here for the thrill of the hunt."

Then, after a brief pause, he added,

"Besides... the fact that he's still alive means Vegapunk's experiment worked. In that case, there's no fruit fitting for him more than that one."

Saturn's lips parted as if to say something, but the words never came.

A **black blur** streaked toward him, moving with terrifying speed.

**Rocks.**

He moved like a force of nature, his body a thunderous streak of motion, surging forward with unrelenting momentum. His fist, coiled with sheer power, came crashing down like the judgment of the heavens.

Saturn barely had time to process the incoming attack.

Nearby, **Garp and Sengoku** stood at ease, their expressions unreadable. Without so much as a glance between them, they stepped aside—whether out of indifference or some unspoken agreement, no one could say.

Garling remained still, making no move to intervene.

But the **Celestial Dragon guards** were not so fortunate.

Loyal to their masters and trained to die in their service, they **rushed forward without hesitation**, forming a desperate shield between Rocks and Saturn.

Yet to Rocks, they were **less than insects**.

He didn't even slow down.

His fists swung in an arc of destruction, tearing through the bodies in his path. With a single blow, flesh and bone were pulverized—guards that had once stood proud **vanished into a crimson mist**, reduced to nothing in an instant. The scent of iron thickened in the air, the ground **splattered red** as lifeless remnants scattered across the battlefield.

Then came Saturn's turn.

Rocks' fist met his face with a sickening crack. The impact was so immense that Saturn's cane flew from his grasp, spinning wildly through the air before clattering uselessly to the blood-soaked earth.

His **entire body lifted off the ground**, twisting as he was sent hurtling backward.

For a moment—just a fleeting instant—he **hung upside down**, his limbs flailing, his once-imposing figure reduced to an airborne spectacle of humiliation.

Then, with a thunderous **crash**, he **landed face-first into the dirt**.

A muffled groan escaped his lips, the weight of the moment pressing down like an unbearable weight.

**Silence.**

The battlefield, which had moments ago been a cacophony of war, **froze**.

Then—

A **snort**.

Sengoku pressed his lips together, visibly trying to restrain himself.

And then there was **Garp**.

A loud **pfft!** burst from him as he doubled over, **laughing uncontrollably**.

That was it.

Sengoku **lost it**, his body shaking as his own laughter overtook him. His disciplined posture **crumbled** as he hunched over, **desperately trying to regain his composure but failing miserably**.

Beside them, **Tsuru**, the most composed among them, narrowed her eyes. Without hesitation, she reached over and **pinched Garp's waist with all her strength**.

Even with his monstrous Armament Haki, **Garp visibly winced**, his face twisting into something between a grimace and a **childish pout**. This only made it **harder** for Sengoku to stop laughing.

Meanwhile, the **Rocks Pirates had no such restraint.**

**Roars of laughter erupted** across their ranks.

Some of the pirates clutched their stomachs, others slapped their knees, all of them reveling in the utter disgrace of one of the so-called "Gods of the World."

Saint Saturn, the mighty ruler of the Holy Land, lay in the dirt, his dignity **shattered**.

And yet, he was not done.

With a grunt, Saturn pushed himself up, his body aching, his movements sluggish. His **Mythical Zoan durability** had kept him from suffering anything fatal, but the **sting of humiliation** was something his Devil Fruit could not heal.

As he stood, his **cold, furious gaze swept across the battlefield**.

Then, his eyes landed on **Garp**.

The Marine hero, completely unfazed, was still **picking his nose**.

Saturn's jaw **tightened**.

As much as he wanted to lash out, he knew Garp was an **irreplaceable combat asset**. He couldn't afford to act recklessly—not yet.

Instead, his gaze turned toward **Navy Marshal Kong**.

His voice, now **devoid of all composure**, rang out like ice.

**"Destroy the Rocks Pirates. Leave no one alive."**

The words carried weight—a command that would decide the fate of one of history's most infamous crews.

But Rocks had already overheard.

The pirate **snorted**, his lips curling into an amused, almost condescending smirk.

**"Just you? Don't make me laugh."**

His eyes gleamed, his grin widening into something almost deranged.

"After today—"

His fist clenched, the blood on his knuckles still warm from his previous victims.

"I will be the new king of the world!"

With a mighty roar, his voice carried across the battlefield:

"Attack! Tear them apart!"

The war resumed in an explosion of chaos.

Swords clashed, explosions rang out, and the battlefield became a maelstrom of destruction.

And despite being vastly outnumbered, the Rocks Pirates pushed forward with savage determination.

In fact—

They were winning.

Rocks fought like a devil unchained, his strength monstrous, his attacks merciless.

Originally, his plan had been to consume the Dark-Dark Fruit, to ascend beyond his already godlike strength.

But now, as he crushed enemies with ease, he wondered—

Did he even need it?

And amidst this chaos, one warrior stood out.

Kaido.

Young, eager, and overflowing with raw power, he fought like a beast desperate to prove himself.

His mace swung with terrifying force, cracking the air itself as he crushed anyone unfortunate enough to stand before him. His savage, relentless approach starkly contrasted the more composed, confident movements of the veteran captains.

Rocks took note.

If they survived today—Kaido deserved a promotion.

But just as that thought formed—

The sky tore apart.

A black-and-red slash ripped through the heavens.

And then—

A voice, ringing with absolute power.

"Divine Departure!"

Rocks' pupils shrank.

His body reacted before his mind could even register the attack.

He immediately released his grip on his opponent, pushing off with immense force, leaping away just in time.

The ground where he once stood split apart, a shockwave tearing through the battlefield.

Dust and debris erupted into the air, blanketing the scene in a swirling haze.

And then—through the clearing dust—

A figure emerged.

A red-cloaked warrior.

He landed with effortless grace, his fearless grin unwavering.

Garp's eyes widened at the sight.

Then, a grin of his own spread across his face.

"Roger! You bastard, it's about time you showed up!"

Roger only chuckled. His grip on his sword tightened as he raised a balde, his expression sharpening.

His gaze locked onto Rocks, eyes filled with undeniable resolve.

His voice, steady and commanding, echoed across the battlefield.

"Rocks. You're far too dangerous to be left unchecked."