Chapter 307: The Secret of Awakening

Van Augur shook his head, signaling he was fine, though a lingering sense of dread remained in his eyes.

Given the situation just now, had Gao Wen and the other intervened even one second later, he would have already been struck by Doflamingo's attack.

Even if he didn't die, he would have completely lost his combat ability and become the latter's captive.

Fortunately.

Gao Wen and the other arrived in time; relying solely on Conqueror's Haki, they caused Doflamingo to completely lose the will to fight.

Clearly, the gap between the two parties had reached an immeasurable extent.

The Captain... he has grown stronger again!

Van Augur thought thus, and an inexplicable sense of stability arose within his heart.

Originally, as his companions gradually grew and widened the gap with him, Van Augur had slowly shifted his role from a combatant to a support position coordinating on the battlefield.

Relying on his sniping abilities to pick off elite units from long range or disrupt the battlefield.

But tonight's battle completely woke him up.

Without sufficient personal strength, one would only be crushed by opponents as easily as an ant.

Let alone coordinating with companions; he couldn't even achieve basic self-preservation.

Strength is the ultimate principle!

Power is everything!

If I were just a bit stronger, facing Doflamingo, I wouldn't have been powerless to resist, and Sanji wouldn't have been injured to such an extent!

At this thought, Van Augur quietly tightened his grip on the flintlock pistol in his hand, a flame seeming to burn in his eyes.

"Crew member Van Augur has undergone an Awakening of the Heart!"

"Potential increased!"

"Bai Yin Mid-Tier → Bai Yin Peak-Tier!"

The sudden system notification in his mind made Gao Wen pause slightly; turning his head, he saw Van Augur gripping the flintlock pistol in his hand even tighter.

After experiencing a crushing defeat, has he gained some enlightenment?!

Gao Wen nodded inwardly.

A subordinate awakening and increasing their potential naturally filled him with gratification.

Even though Van Augur's primary method was sniping, which offered little direct improvement to Gao Wen himself, it could still feedback benefits onto others.

It was essentially a guaranteed profit with no loss.

However.

The person most affected by tonight's events was neither Van Augur nor Sanji, who was the most severely injured.

It was Nami.

Even though the battle had already ended, and most of the slaves originally imprisoned there had fled amidst the chaos.

Nami remained somewhat dazed.

Standing aside, she looked at the headless corpse on the ground and the young whale-shark fish-man boy crouched beside it, wailing in grief, while she pressed her lips tightly together.

The whale-shark fish-man being blown to death by an explosive collar right before her eyes, along with the scene of that elderly long-arm tribe member begging her not to open the cage, had inflicted a shock upon her that was simply too great.

So much so that she still hadn't recovered her composure.

"Captain, I think I now somewhat understand why Arlong's hatred toward humans could be so intense."

Recalling the crazy and twisted postures of the nobles from all over the world at the auction just now, Nami gritted her teeth, her eyes turning red:

"I will not forgive him for everything he did to Cocoyasi and the nearby humans, but equally, I cannot accept what these nobles have done."

"But I don't understand..."

"How can a person smile while saying they want to turn their own kind into specimens!"

Gao Wen scanned the area, seeing only countless World Nobles who hadn't managed to flee in time, cowering in corners with faces full of panic and dismay.

"I... I have money, I have lots of money; if you spare me, I can give you everything!"

In a corner.

The noblewoman who had just bid on the fish-man father and son, publicly declaring her intent to turn them into specimens, now wished she could smash her own head to pieces, her voice carrying an indescribable terror.

Elegance? Strength? Noble etiquette?

When faced with matters of life and death, all of it vanishes without a trace!

Only staying alive holds any value!

Immediately, more survivors sensed something was wrong and knelt down one after another to beg for mercy.

The Haki Gao Wen had unleashed earlier had rendered many unconscious; only now were they coming to their senses.

Looking at this man before them who resembled a demon or god, they understood clearly that if he wished to kill them, he could do so in an instant!

This guy is so strong he seems like a different species entirely!

"That's right!"

"I am a prince of the Garcia Kingdom; I can grant you status, or even if you wish, I can give you this entire country!"

"I beg you, I still have a child, just..."

"He's about the same age as that fish-man!"

"Enough!"

Nami roared, bent down to pick up the flintlock pistol from the ground, yet she did not turn to walk toward those surviving nobles.

Step by step.

She walked toward the cage imprisoning that elderly long-arm tribe member.

Under the latter's surprised gaze, she opened her mouth and asked:

"Do you want to come out now, or continue remaining as a slave?!"

"I..."

Bang!

The gunshot rang out, and the shackles of the cage shattered in response.

Without needing to touch it, the door had already opened.

The auction hall fell silent.

Gao Wen and his group watched as Nami blasted away, shot after shot, the shackles imprisoning the slaves, remaining speechless for a moment.

After a long while.

Van Augur could not help but speak:

"Captain, you and Xiang Keluo have protected them too well."

"So much so that until now, neither Nami, Sanji, nor Chopper has ever truly faced the cruelest side of this world."

"Mm."

Gao Wen nodded:

"After this matter, those two should grow somewhat."

Very quickly.

The last cage was opened by Nami.

She immediately picked up the wailing whale-shark fish-man youth, turned, and departed with Gao Wen and the others, disappearing into the night.

As for the situation on Xiang Keluo's side, Gao Wen was not worried.

Although the exchange just now was brief, it was enough to see that Xiang Keluo's combat power was undoubtedly above Donquixote Doflamingo's!

Furthermore, possessing extreme speed, even if he could not catch up, there would be no danger whatsoever.

Inside the hall.

The surviving nobles and wealthy elites, watching Gao Wen and his group disappear, one after another displayed expressions of having survived a catastrophe.

"We... are saved? That monster didn't make a move?!"

Some were puzzled as to why Gao Wen had not acted against them, while others, seeing the crisis depart, exposed their true faces:

"To dare do such a thing to me is an insult to the World Nobles; no matter who you are, I will make you pay the price!"

"That's right!"

"We are the rulers of this world!"

"These swine should just obediently become our tools!"

Rustling sounds emerged from the crowd, growing louder and louder.

Even though they were already in a wretched state, many bearing wounds, they still put on an air of superiority.

As if doing so could salvage the dignity they had just lost.

But at that moment.

Bang!

The auction hall's great doors slammed shut, plunging everyone before them into darkness, and the sounds of cursing immediately fell silent.

It took several full seconds before someone recognized that the one who had closed the doors was precisely that long-arm elder from earlier.

At this moment.

On the long-arm elder's face, there was nothing but endless fury.

With a cold expression, he bent down, snatched up the flintlock pistol beside him, and pulled the trigger at the crowd in the auction hall!

Bang!

"This shot is for my clansmen!"

Bang!

"This shot is for my grandson, and also... for the homes you burned to the ground!"

Blooms of blood splashed up within the crowd as noble after noble and wealthy elite after wealthy elite collapsed in pools of blood, while everyone covered their heads, fled in panic, and cries of alarm rose from all sides!

Very quickly.

The bullets in the gun were completely expended.

The long-arm elder slumped to the ground, laughing bitterly and ferociously:

"So your blood is red too, just like that of my clansmen!"

"Hahahahahaha—!"

For a moment.

Within the auction hall, only the old man's unrestrained laughter remained.

The expressions on the faces of the nobles instantly froze, feeling nothing but immense humiliation.

How dare someone of an inferior race defy them?!

To them, this was an unforgivable sin, all the more so since the one acting was merely an old, frail elder.

For a moment.

Countless people swarmed forward, as if intending to tear the old man before them into shreds!

But merely in the next instant.

The expressions on their faces froze completely, for one dark figure after another emerged from the cages representing the slaves!

Furious beasts.

Had broken out of their cages!

Outside the auction hall.

Nami, holding the whale-shark fish-man youth in her arms, covered the boy's ears as panicked, desperate screams continuously emanated from the hall behind her.

Yet the corners of her mouth gradually curled upward at this moment.

She knew that what she was doing might be wrong, that hatred should not be perpetuated in such a way, but...

Who cares?!

The bright moon hung high.

Cold moonlight fell vertically from the sky, shining upon the water's surface with a shimmering silver-gray.

A ragged figure stepped onto a thread and leaped upward, vanishing into the clouds in an instant.

It was none other than Doflamingo, who had barely escaped from Xiang Keluo's grasp.

At this moment.

Doflamingo was utterly disheveled from head to toe, covered in glaring bloodstains, with one arm hanging limply at his side.

"Hundred Plans Xiang Keluo?!"

Though Doflamingo wore sunglasses that hid his eyes, his expression was twisted to the extreme!

Uncontainable killing intent erupted, dispersing the clouds and startling nearby birds from the sky!

"A truly dangerous fellow, and that gaze which seems to see through everything—it makes one inexplicably furious!"

"Knight Gao Wen's brilliance is simply too dazzling, causing everyone to subconsciously overlook the monsters under his command."

"It is not uncommon for a single person to grow rapidly in a short time, but for an entire group to grow so fast—that reeks of something sinister."

"Looking at it this way, that fellow and the one called Ah Jin were definitely acting during the Martial Arts Tournament; Knight Gao Wen has been hiding his strength all along."

"The whole world has been played by this guy!"

"Tsk!"

Doflamingo couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of bloody foam; the killing intent in his eyes grew even stronger, yet the more critical the situation, the calmer he became!

"The strength displayed by Gao Wen's group tonight can already rival a Yonko-level pirate crew; with my current power, it is insufficient to contend with them."

"However..."

A playful smile curled at the corner of Doflamingo's mouth:

"I heard earlier that Lord Tai Zuo has already set out for Britannias, though his purpose remains unknown."

"Big Mom, one of the Four Emperors, has also been missing for a long time, and if I recall correctly, her ability comes from a fruit that manipulates souls."

"Now, even Knight Gao Wen has set his sights on the Fairy Tribe of that Britannias."

"Could it be that legend regarding flesh, blood, bones, heart, and soul?!"

"If it can attract the attention of these several factions, perhaps it is true after all."

"That brat Law is nowhere to be found; unable to locate the Ope Ope no Mi, the method of immortality in Britannias might serve as an alternative."

"En heh heh heh heh—!"

Yet Doflamingo was equally aware of just how great the danger within this situation truly was: "Still, with both Big Mom and Knight Gao Wen involved, the waters of Britannias run far deeper than imagined! After all, defeating that old bastard there might be beyond even a Yonko's capability. This matter requires careful deliberation; I must first gather sufficient intelligence before deciding whether to intervene!"

With this thought in mind.

Doflamingo suddenly accelerated his speed.

Within a few breaths, he merged into the clouds and vanished without a trace.

On the other side.

When Gao Wen and his party returned to the dock, Xiang Keluo was already waiting there, his expression quite displeased.

"Lost him?"

Xiang Keluo nodded, a hint of confusion revealing itself in his eyes as he couldn't help but ask:

"That fellow's ability is quite troublesome; although it is a Paramecia type, it can affect the surrounding environment."

Gao Wen understood immediately:

"This is the change that occurs after a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit awakens, allowing one to influence the environment in which they stand."

"A Paramecia-type... Awakener?!"

A slight brightness flashed in Xiang Keluo's eyes; he couldn't help but recall his Kamaitachi Fruit, which was on the verge of awakening yet always lacked that final thread, and asked:

"Then what characteristics appear after a Zoan-type awakens?!"

"Flame clouds and ribbons will wrap around the body, and both physical resilience and recovery speed will reach another level."

Gao Wen explained:

"Furthermore."

"Within Zoan-type Devil fruits, another will often resides—namely, the will of the fruit itself."

"Perhaps the process of awakening is one of mutual devouring between the user and the will within the fruit."

"Either one is devoured by the will within the fruit, or one devours the will within the fruit to complete oneself."

As he spoke.

Gao Wen couldn't help but recall Straw Hat's decisive battle against Kaido in Wano Country.

When Straw Hat awakened mid-battle, revealing the form of his Fifth Gear Awakening, Kaido demanded, "Who exactly are you?"

This question could be understood in two ways: first, that Kaido failed to recognize Straw Hat whose appearance had changed drastically; second, that Kaido sensed another will within Straw Hat's body.

The evidence lies in the fact that facing Kaido's question, Straw Hat clearly lost focus for an instant before announcing his name!

This perhaps indicates that even Straw Hat, at that legendary level, was affected during the process of merging with the will within the fruit.

And since Xiang Keluo is also a Mythical Zoan type, the same situation is highly likely to occur when he awakens.

Gao Wen reminded him:

"The compatibility between the Weasel-Weasel Fruit and you exceeds imagination; in developing the fruit's powers, you have advanced rapidly and are already nearly touching the threshold of Awakening."

"But precisely at such a time, greater caution is required."

Xiang Keluo nodded, his face gaining a touch more solemnity.

If one merges with the will within the fruit, one will inevitably be influenced; but then, would that self still be oneself?

A self containing other components? Or perhaps an entirely new life?

No one could answer this question.

Thus, the most cautious and safe approach was to directly assume an aggressive stance, completely devour the will within the fruit, and make it one's own nourishment!

Too many changes occurred this night; Gao Wen and the others soon returned to the cabin to rest, while Chopper also rose to treat the wounds on Sanji's body.

The light in Nami's room stayed on throughout the entire night.

The porthole stood open, the branches and leaves of that tangerine tree rustling loudly in the wind, clearly indicating that her heart had yet to find peace.

Xiang Keluo sat blankly on the deck all night, pondering the path of Awakening he must next traverse; he had a premonition that if he completely devoured the will within the fruit and fully merged it with himself, he might perhaps reach the same level where Gao Wen stood.

(End of Chapter)