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A rush of adrenaline surged through Castle as he instinctively followed the strange sensation, his mind racing to make sense of it.
And then—it happened.
Before his very eyes, his right hand shifted, the flesh and bone seamlessly reshaping itself, morphing into cold, solid steel. In an instant, his fingers melded together, forming the distinct barrel of a firearm.
A gun.
Castle's breath hitched. His usually stone-cold demeanor cracked slightly as he flexed his transformed limb, watching the mechanical structure move in perfect sync with his thoughts.
"This... this... this..."
Frank Castle was stunned for the first time in a long while.
He turned his arm over, inspecting it from every possible angle. It felt real—was real. His nerves, his muscles, and everything else were still there, just... different. There was no illusion at play, no sleight of hand. His body had genuinely changed.
His mind reeled. 'How was this even possible? My hand... actually turned into a gun?'
His pulse quickened, a rare thrill coursing through his veins. This wasn't just some gimmick or cheap trick—this was power.
He needed to test it. Now.
His sharp eyes darted toward the store entrance, quickly locking onto a tree standing just beyond the shop's threshold. Without a moment's hesitation, he raised his transformed limb, aimed, and—
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
Three deafening gunshots rang out in rapid succession.
*Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!*
The bullets tore through the air with lethal precision, embedding themselves deep into the tree trunk outside the shop. The force sent a faint tremor through the bark, and wisps of smoke curled from the fresh bullet holes.
Frank Castle lowered his newly transformed weapon-hand, his breathing steady but his mind reeling.
He strode toward the tree, inspecting the damage with a critical eye. Three perfectly placed shots—no different from if he had fired a high-caliber pistol. But that was the thing. He hadn't used a gun. He had become the gun.
"This is real…" he muttered, running his fingers over the smoking bullet holes. The residual heat from the impact confirmed it—this wasn't some illusion or a cheap magic trick. The transformation, the gunfire, the damage—it had all been real.
A rush of exhilaration surged through him. Castle had seen all kinds of insanity in his war against crime—mutants, enhanced soldiers, tech-powered assassins. But this? Experiencing such a power firsthand was something else entirely.
He turned back to the shop, his eyes filled with something rarely seen in a man like him—genuine amazement.
"This is unbelievable, Shopkeeper. Simply unbelievable."
A small, knowing smile tugged at Rosh's lips. He had seen this reaction before. The disbelief, excitement, and hunger for more were always the same when a hardened warrior discovered the power of Devil Fruits for themselves.
"I take it you're satisfied with the demonstration?" Rosh asked smoothly, arms crossed in quiet amusement.
Castle exhaled sharply, shaking his head as if he still couldn't believe what had just happened. "Yeah. More than satisfied."
His mind raced, piecing together the sheer possibilities this power offered. He wouldn't need to scavenge weapons or reload magazines with the Arms-Arms Fruit. He could summon firepower at will—rocket launchers, sniper rifles, shotguns—anything he needed to wipe out the filth poisoning the city.
No more limitations. No more compromises. He would become the ultimate arsenal.
Castle's gaze sharpened, locking onto Rosh with newfound determination.
"Alright then," he said, his voice firm, unwavering. "How much for the Arms-Arms Fruit?"
Before Rosh could utter a response, Castle's sharp eyes had already landed on the price listed in the fruit catalog. His expression tensed.
Two thousand kilograms of gold.
The number alone made his stomach tighten. That was roughly fifteen million U.S. dollars—a staggering sum. But even if he had access to that kind of cash, acquiring such a massive amount of gold was an entirely different challenge.
Two thousand kilograms wasn't just an expensive purchase but a logistical nightmare. It was practically impossible to move that much gold, store it, and even find a way to exchange regular currency for it without raising red flags.
It could have been a hundred times that amount for a man like Castle.
Because, at the end of the day, no matter how many criminals he had put down or how much justice he had delivered...
Frank Castle was broke.
His war against crime had never been about money. He didn't steal from the scumbags he killed, and he certainly didn't have secret offshore accounts or hidden caches of wealth. Every dime he came across went straight into guns, ammo, and the occasional meal.
Stealing two thousand kilograms of gold? That wasn't just difficult—it was outright impossible. He could clean out every drug den, mafia stronghold, and cartel hideout in Hell's Kitchen, and he still wouldn't come close.
'Yeah. Not happening.' Castle exhaled through his nose, his jaw tightening.
"What a damn shame…"
There was a rare flicker of regret in his usually unshaken demeanor. He had tasted that power—felt it in his bones—and now, it was slipping away.
But there was no point dwelling on what he couldn't have.
Castle turned his attention back to the catalog, flipping through the pages with renewed focus. If he couldn't afford the Arms-Arms Fruit, then he'd have to consider something else—something that wouldn't cost him a fortune in gold.
Luckily, the catalog was packed with an astounding variety of Devil Fruits, each boasting unique and powerful abilities. Even the more affordable ones had the potential to change the game.
Frank took his time, flipping through the pages, carefully analyzing each option. Some powers were flashy but impractical for his style of combat. Others were tempting but required too much adjustment to his current skill set.
Then, his eyes landed on something that made him pause.
Clear-Clear Fruit: Grants the ability to turn the user and anything they touch completely invisible.
Frank's grip on the catalog tightened slightly. 'Perfect.'
If he couldn't afford the Arms-Arms Fruit, then the next best thing was making sure no one could ever see him coming.
With his level of training, invisibility would make him the ultimate predator—an absolute nightmare for criminals. No more firefights, no more drawn-out battles. He could eliminate his targets in total silence, leaving behind nothing but corpses and confusion.
But that wasn't the only advantage.
As much as he despised it, Castle wasn't just at war with criminals—he was also on the run from the law. The cops, the feds, even S.H.I.E.L.D. had him on their radar. And no matter how good he was, there were times when he'd been backed into a corner, forced into desperate shootouts with law enforcement.
Even the deadliest hunter makes mistakes.
His sheer combat ability and relentless determination had always been enough to get him out. But if he had the Clear-Clear Fruit?
That changed everything.
He wouldn't need to rely on sheer firepower anymore. He could walk right into a criminal hideout, execute every last piece of scum inside, and slip away without leaving a single trace. No more security cameras catching a glimpse of his face. No more high-speed chases. No more having to run.
He'd become an invisible reaper, a ghost of vengeance—justice striking from the shadows.
And the best part?
The price.
He glanced at the listed cost. Only 50 kilograms of gold.
It was still expensive, but compared to the Arms-Arms Fruit, it was achievable.
"Shopkeeper, how long does the invisibility last?" Frank asked, needing to clarify every detail before making a final decision.
"There's no time limit," Rosh answered with a knowing smile. "If the user wishes, they can remain invisible for a lifetime."
Frank's eyes gleamed. 'No time limit? Hell yes!'
For the first time in a long time, he felt genuine excitement. This wasn't just useful—it was a game-changer. He nearly slapped his thigh in satisfaction but managed to keep his composure.
Still, he wasn't done asking questions. There were details that needed confirming.
"One more thing," he said, keeping his tone measured. "Can the Clear-Clear Fruit conceal me from security cameras, infrared scans, or X-ray detection?"
"Standard cameras won't pick you up," Rosh explained. "But X-rays will still detect your skeleton, and thermal imaging or other advanced spectrums can register your body heat."
Frank absorbed the information quickly, nodding in approval.
X-ray and thermal scans? Sure, those were potential issues—but they were rare, even in high-security zones. He could count on one hand the number of times he'd actually encountered that kind of surveillance.
The important part was regular security cameras. If he could bypass those, then the rest barely mattered.
And even if cameras were an issue, it wasn't like he hadn't dealt with them before.
Disabling surveillance was second nature to him. Half the time, he didn't even need to bother—by the time authorities checked the footage, he was already gone, leaving behind nothing but bodies and bullet casings.
At worst, it would be a slight inconvenience.
At best?
It would make him completely untouchable.
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Next Chapter: The Ambush on Tony Stark and the Dawn of a New Era
Next Next Chapter: The First Battle Between Devil Fruit Users
Next Next Next Chapter: The Ultimate Showdown
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