"Rare Devil Fruit?"
Upon hearing Bai Yu's words, Koby and Helmeppo gulped nervously, eyes fixed on him with anticipation.
Seeing their reaction, Bai Yu slowly reached behind his back.
With a thought, he summoned the Dragon Fruit from the system interface.
The fruit appeared in his hand—its crimson surface etched with swirling spiral patterns. A subtle pressure radiated from it.
"Is this the rare Devil Fruit you mentioned, Colonel Bai Yu?" Koby asked, his voice filled with curiosity and awe.
With Bai Yu's nod of approval, both Koby and Helmeppo took turns examining the fruit in their hands.
Just like Bai Yu had when he first obtained it, the two were baffled.
"Colonel Bai Yu, is this a Logia-type Devil Fruit?" Helmeppo asked instinctively, assuming its rarity must mean elemental powers.
"It's not a Logia-type," Bai Yu corrected, shaking his head gently. "This is a Zoan-type Devil Fruit."
"An Ancient Zoan, to be precise—the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Model: Pteranodon."
He repeated the classification shown by his system.
Although not a Mythical Zoan, Ancient Zoan fruits were still exceedingly rare and valuable.
"While Ancient Zoans aren't as legendary as Mythical Zoans," Bai Yu continued, "they grant their users immense physical enhancements—especially in durability, strength, and combat potential."
"They're extremely useful in close-quarters combat."
"Of course, like all Devil Fruits, this comes at a cost—you'll lose the ability to swim and become a hammer in water."
"I won't force either of you. Whether to eat it or not is entirely up to you."
Though Bai Yu left the choice to them, his motivations weren't entirely selfless.
Helping Koby or Helmeppo grow stronger would not only bolster their effectiveness as comrades—it would also count toward his system's "trusted subordinates" progression.
But their will had to be their own.
Hearing Bai Yu's explanation, Koby and Helmeppo exchanged glances, both falling into deep thought.
A long silence followed.
Eventually, Koby's expression firmed, as if he'd made up his mind. Just as he raised a hand to decline—wishing to grow strong through his own training—Helmeppo suddenly interrupted.
"Colonel Bai Yu!" he declared, eyes burning with resolve. "I've decided!"
"I want the Dragon Fruit!"
Koby turned to him in surprise.
"I know my own limits," Helmeppo said solemnly. "I don't want to hold anyone back."
"If there's a chance to get stronger—strong enough that no one can look down on me—I'll take it, no matter the cost!"
His words weren't impulsive.
As the son of the disgraced former Marine captain Morgan (Ax-Hand Morgan), Helmeppo had lived under the shadow of his father's tyranny.
Despite working hard to reform himself, many in Marine Branch 188 still saw him as a joke or a liability.
If he wanted to break free from that stigma, he had to prove himself—by gaining real power.
Now, with this rare fruit in front of him, Helmeppo had no intention of backing down.
"You're sure?" Bai Yu asked again, his tone softer, knowing Helmeppo's burden.
"I'm sure!" Helmeppo nodded firmly.
"Good." Bai Yu smiled. "Don't worry. If you follow me, you'll become far stronger than you ever imagined."
He handed the fruit to Helmeppo.
Gulp—
Helmeppo swallowed nervously, then steeled himself. With gritted teeth, he took a large bite.
"Ugh—! That's disgusting!"
His face twisted in horror as he chewed.
No surprise—Devil Fruits were infamous for tasting revolting, regardless of their power.
Still, Helmeppo persisted. Bite after bite, he forced it down.
Soon, the entire fruit was gone.
Buzz—
Suddenly, his body stiffened.
His eyes flew open, limbs trembling uncontrollably as a massive wave of energy surged within him.
Krrrk—! Crackle—!
Muscles bulged, bones cracked and reformed, and gray-brown scales began to spread across his skin.
His body swelled, transforming rapidly in a grotesque yet majestic fashion.
Roar—!
A deafening roar shook the air as Helmeppo completed his transformation—into a massive, taupe-colored pterosaur. Wings extended wide, claws sharp, beak fearsome.
"W-What's going on?!"
Alarmed by the roar, nearby Marines rushed over, rifles in hand.
"What the hell is that?!"
"A dragon?! A flying dinosaur?!"
Seeing the terrifying creature, some soldiers instinctively raised their weapons, aiming at the beast.
Fwoosh—!
With a powerful flap of his enormous wings, Helmeppo whipped up a powerful gust of wind, knocking several Marines off balance.
Then, with practiced grace, he soared into the sky, circling above.
"You don't need to panic," Bai Yu called out, calmly stepping forward. "He's one of ours."
"O-One of us?!"
The Marines stared in disbelief, then turned to Bai Yu for confirmation.
"If there's nothing else, return to your posts," Bai Yu ordered.
"Y-Yes, sir!"
Still stunned, the Marines hesitantly lowered their weapons and withdrew.
Whoosh—
Moments later, the pterosaur descended from the sky, flapping down in front of Bai Yu.
"Colonel Bai Yu!" Helmeppo's voice rang out from within the beast.
"I can feel it—this incredible strength flowing through me!"
"That's expected," Bai Yu said, giving an approving nod.
From a frail young man to a beast of prehistoric power—the change was dramatic.
"But you'll need to train hard to fully control it. Devil Fruit powers aren't mastered in a day."
"Yes, sir!"
Helmeppo responded enthusiastically.
Then, after a pause, he hesitated and asked, "By the way, Colonel… how do I change back?"
"…"
Bai Yu scratched his head, looking suddenly awkward.
"I've never eaten a Devil Fruit, so you'll have to figure that part out yourself."
"Worst case… I'll just beat it out of you."
He laughed.
Animal-type users typically reverted to their human forms when exhausted or seriously injured.
Bai Yu figured if Helmeppo got stuck, he'd just knock him out. Problem solved.
"No no no! Please don't!"
Helmeppo's head shook violently.
He'd seen Bai Yu in action. Taking a few hits from him? That wasn't "help"—that was a death sentence.
"I'll figure it out on my own!"
Flapping his wings nervously, Helmeppo took to the sky again, eager to practice his new abilities.