"It can absorb the abilities of other fruits, and its form is as sticky as darkness itself…"
As the rapid attack closed in, that was the fruit Zixu instinctively thought of.
"Orochimaru's always been obsessed with human experiments. A malleable, ever-changing body? Fits perfectly with the Dark-Dark Fruit…" Blood-steamed off Zixu's skin again. But this time, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The opponent's attacks were fierce—brutal, even—but ultimately ineffective. Zixu's speed had already surpassed their reaction time. If not for his absurdly durable body, just the sheer force of his movements would've shredded the flesh off an ordinary man.
But then, nearly invisible silk threads shimmered into view, strung directly across his path like a death trap. At his current velocity, even brushing past them could slice him to pieces.
Still, Zixu didn't stop. He wasn't slowing down for anything. He needed to get close to the shadowy figure ahead. It might not be Orochimaru's true body, but if the guy did possess the Dark-Dark Fruit… then Zixu's explosive physical strength might be the only way to break through.
If the original Dark-Dark Fruit user had to endure double the pain from damage, what kind of agony would someone suffer after stacking multiple devil fruit powers into one body?
Tiny insects—barely visible—began crawling along the silk threads ahead. They weren't chewing fast enough to break the threads; their mandibles couldn't match the threads' unnatural toughness. But Hatsuizumi wasn't out of tricks. The bugs suddenly morphed—rapidly changing shape—and new variations emerged from their bodies. These new types spat corrosive acid onto the threads. Slowly, finally, the path cleared just in time for Zixu to charge through.
Meanwhile, Zixu's thoughts spun, analyzing the unfolding situation. Something about this felt… off. This chaotic monster couldn't have been Orochimaru's intended creation. It felt too unstable—too wild. Zixu suspected a disagreement had broken out between Orochimaru and the White Snake Sage. A betrayal, maybe. Infighting. Snakes turning on each other over how to divide the spoils.
"It's like Orochimaru hasn't fought in a while," Zixu muttered to himself. "And if he's using the Dark-Dark Fruit… did he get it a long time ago?"
Too many questions. He remembered their first meeting—Orochimaru had been terrifying, but contained. Cunning. When they met again, Zixu had used his own devil fruit powers to make Orochimaru wary. But since then, something had changed. The guy had clearly gone back to the lab and discovered something, because now his intentions were unreadable.
As Zixu drew closer to the black figure, the attacks became more frequent. The figure didn't seem to have full control over the fruit abilities it used—only a few were manifesting so far, all ones Zixu had seen before. Even so, each was dangerous in its own right.
Then, within ten meters of the figure, Zixu stopped cold.
His instincts screamed at him—don't take another step.
Over countless battles, Zixu had sharpened his Observation Haki to the point of brief future sight. And just now, he'd seen what would happen if he moved forward:
A wall of sand would erupt from the ground, cutting off his path. Upon contact, his body would crack and dry out, all moisture and vitality sucked away. Simultaneously, darkness would smother him like a tide, pulling his mind into an abyss of nothingness.
Zixu didn't hesitate. He launched himself backward and swapped places with a shadow clone.
As predicted, the clone was immediately skewered. The area beneath the black figure transformed—spikes of sand rose, silk threads burst from the ground like a spider's den, and darkness oozed across the ground like bottomless ink.
A domain. In the span of seconds, a terrifying personal territory had formed beneath the shadow's feet.
From afar, Kaguya watched the scene unfold. Her expression darkened.
"That aura… it's the Sacred Tree." Her voice trembled with fury. "That bastard absorbed its power."
Kaguya's breath turned erratic. She had been used. This thing—whatever it was—never cared about her resurrection. It wanted the Sacred Tree's chakra all along.
Infuriated, she launched a relentless barrage at the black figure. Though she couldn't get close, Kaguya's Light Gate could bend space itself.
The crimson eye on her forehead opened, and a black gateway appeared in front of the figure. A pitch-black Truth-Seeking Orb shot out, aiming straight for its face.
Kaguya had hoped to see both Zixu and the black figure injured—ideally killing each other. But now, she was losing control. Her rage made her reckless.
And then, the orb passed right through the shadow.
"Intangibility…" Zixu's eyes widened. "Shit. If that thing can go completely intangible, then the pain-amplifying side effect of the Dark-Dark Fruit might not even apply to it."
But even that terrifying fact had a silver lining.
"Good news is, it's lost its mind…" Zixu exhaled slowly. "That's probably the only reason we're still alive."
He returned to where the others were regrouping.
"Chinano, how's your chakra?" he asked.
Chinano's complexion had improved slightly. She raised a hand, signaling for Karin to stop healing her.
"I'm okay now," she said, though her voice was still weak. "I've recovered enough for maybe a few more attacks."
She gave a wry smile. "Not like I had much chakra to begin with…"
"Hatsuizumi can feed her chakra bugs," Zixu replied, "but you've gotta squeeze everything you've got. We'll cover you."
He gathered the others in a huddle.
"Listen carefully—this might be our only shot," he said. "We hold that thing down and land a single, decisive hit. If we don't finish it then… well, let's just say there won't be a next time."
A heavy silence fell.
"But even if we succeed," Zixu muttered under his breath, "I'll still have to face Kaguya…"
His expression darkened.
If it comes to that, I'll open the Death Gate… and go all in.
Kaguya's assault was becoming frantic. She was no longer composed—she didn't even notice she was taking damage herself. The black figure's attacks were hitting her. Real pain returned to her body, driving her even further into madness.
And overhead, the giant serpent that had coiled around the battlefield began to change. Its massive body split and cracked as dark, blood-red branches burst outward. The branches pulsed, responding to Kaguya's rage.
One by one, the flowers bloomed.
And something darker began to awaken.
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I didn't realize the Discord Link I shared had an expiration date, so I've updated it. Here's the new link
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Check my Pâtreon for (40) advanced chapters
Pâtreon .com/Fanficlord03
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Discord Link Here:
https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9