Chapter 141: Love

On the first floor of the castle, Adrian maintained his relaxed posture, half-lounging on the red sofa.

Following the successful completion of the S-rank challenge mission "Sengoku Buddha," another progress bar surfaced on the panel for a different task: [SS-rank Faction Mission "The God's Slumber," current progress 0.98%].

"It seems that the panel has recognized the persecution of Saint Rosward!" Adrian's eyes sparkled.

The reason for attacking the Celestial Dragons was to secure an "Immunity Card" against Sengoku. However, the subsequent intensified persecution was for the advancement of "The God's Slumber" mission.

After all, as the first SS-rank mission, Adrian was eager to discover the monumental rewards that would come with its full completion.

However, the extent of persecution only pushed the mission progress by 0.98%...

This was somewhat beyond Adrian's expectations. He had initially thought that the panel would grant a higher level of recognition for their first attack on the Celestial Dragons.

"Would the mission progress have advanced by more than 5% if I had directly killed Saint Rosward back then?"

Such a thought crossed Adrian's mind but was swiftly dismissed.

"Perhaps it's better this way. Provoking the World Government and the Marine Headquarters excessively before reaching a certain level of strength isn't wise."

"Merely teaching the Celestial Dragons a lesson, it tarnishes the prestige of the World Noble and the descendants of the Creator, although it has occurred before…"

"It won't cross the Celestial Dragons' true bottom line but if I were to openly kill Saint Rosward on the Sabaody Archipelago, there would be no turning back!"

"Let's take it slowly in the future…"

Putting the panel rewards aside, Adrian shifted his attention to the 'Substantial Gains.'

In addition to the panel rewards for the actions on Sabaody Archipelago, he also obtained several other valuable items.

Firstly, there was the half of Yarukiman Mangrove's Red Tree.

However, this half of the Red Tree needed to be discussed with Mr. Tom after returning to the Waters Seven to decide how to use it. For now, let's put it aside.

Then, it was the 21 Great Grade Blade, Shuxue!

Adrian removed this sword, which resembled a work of art, from the wooden rack. Holding the crystal-clear white scabbard in his left hand, he gently pushed towards the hilt with his thumb. With his right hand, he grasped the hilt and drew the sword from its sheath.

"It's really beautiful!" Adrian exclaimed in admiration, his eyes filled with appreciation.

"But this exquisite and luxurious great sword seems somewhat incompatible with my masculine energy…"

Adrian casually swung Shuxue a few times. The sharp blade of the sword sliced through the air, so swiftly that not even the sound of wind being cut could be heard. It was evidently a very light and fast sword!

After sheathing his sword, Adrian turned his attention to the three Devil Fruits he had just acquired.

Natural Logia: Swamp-Swamp Fruit.

This fruit would eventually end up in the hands of the pirate Wet Hair Caribou.

It was clear that another Celestial Dragon had bestowed this fruit upon a slave, only to kill them later. The fruit then respawned in the sea, where it was eventually picked up by a pirate.

The power of Nature-type fruits was widely known in these seas.

However, the Swamp-Swamp Fruit is different.

Due to the lackluster strength of the ability user, Wet Hair Caribou, the performance ranked at the bottom among a group of calamitous Nature-type ability users. This earned the fruit the title of 'Shame of the Nature Type.'

If the Swamp Fruit were developed to a sufficiently advanced level, it could become a formidable power. After all, the swamp could devour and absorb everything, making it exceptionally potent.

However, Adrian, who claimed to be a visual-type player, had a different perspective on the Swamp Fruit. In his prediction, the Swamp Fruit was at least on par with the Mochi Mochi Fruit!

The last one was the Zoan type, Fish-Fish Fruit, Swordfish Form.

Devil Fruits were universally restrained by the sea, an almost universally acknowledged truth of the seas. Even the darlings of the sea, Fish-men or Mermen, became helpless sitting ducks in the water when they consumed a Devil Fruit. They were just like any other, incapable of swimming and waiting for someone else to rescue them.

However, among the many Devil Fruits, there existed a very, very rare type - the Fish-Fish Fruit!

The Fish-Fish Fruit was an anomaly among Devil Fruits. Although it shared the characteristic of fearing seawater, it wasn't as pronounced as with other Devil Fruits. (Author's setting)

When the Hundred Beast Kaido consumed the Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan type, Azure Dragon Form, he was hailed as the strongest creature in the 'Sea, Land, and Air'!

The title of the strongest creature should not be underestimated; it applied equally well to the 'Sea'! This was also thanks to the fundamental properties of the Fish-Fish Fruit.

Creatures that consumed the Fish-Fish Fruit gained basic animal-like abilities on land, such as Zoan transformations, that greatly enhanced strength, and endurance, among others.

However, when they fell into the sea, unlike other ability users who completely lost their strength and couldn't move, they could still maintain the most basic level of mobility.

Although their strength might diminish, they wouldn't directly drown in the sea!

This is the primary reason why Adrian traded Saint Rosward for the Fish-Fish Fruit from the World Government!

As a Devil Fruit user with the Ghost-Ghost Fruit ability, the 'Curse of the Sea' couldn't be nullified, and falling into the sea was almost certain death.

This Fish-Fish Fruit is Adrian's prepared trump card!

{You are a loner, bro! Who are you going to give… Although the story is 1/8th done, you just have a ghost sailor…}

Just as Adrian was contemplating how to use this Fish-Fish Fruit, a rustling sound suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

His brow furrowed slightly, and a crimson glow flickered in his pupils as he instantly activated his Observation Haki.

In Adrian's perception, within this sturdy fortress, a vaguely familiar aura had appeared at some point.

"Rumi!" Adrian called out the name of the castle's ghost, "Don't you plan on introducing the guest you brought up here?"

"Oh my! I've been found out!"

Rumi flew out, followed by a snow-white Mokomo Dukedom person. The figure kept its head down, so its face couldn't be seen. All that could be seen was its long, waist-length silver hair that shone with a silk-like luster.

Rumi flew up to Adrian and said, her hands nervously fidgeting in front of her belly, "This is…"

Adrian thought for a moment. "The little dwarf auctioneer at the Sophia Auction House mentioned her before. She's a mink girl from the New World, right?"

Rumi nodded. "Her name is Love!"

At that moment, the white furball finally raised its head and said timidly, "Thank you for saving me…"

The soft contours of her animal ears were revealed on the sides of her head. Her hair was tied into delicate braids that hung down in front of her chest. Her face was perfectly oval, with long, curved willow-like eyebrows and a beauty mark in the corner of her right eye. She was so beautiful that she could be described as a national treasure.

The only flaw was that the white furball's entire body was covered in short, shiny white fur. A long, fluffy white tail swayed behind her, further emphasizing her mink nature.

Adrian twitched his lips. "I'm not into furry!"

"Rumi, why did you bring this little fox into the castle?"

"Because Love is so pitiful…" Rumi explained, and with a wave of her right hand, a set of sturdy steel collars appeared out of thin air in her little hand. "And the little cats and dogs wouldn't want their people to be enslaved…"

"The little cats and dogs?"

Adrian thought for a moment, and then he understood who Rumi was referring to.

The Night King and the Day King of the Minks, Nekomamushi and Inuarashi, who had followed Oden Kozuki onto the Oro Jackson and adventured with the Roger Pirates.

Adrian nodded slightly, accepting Rumi's explanation. After all, as the ship spirit of the Roger Pirates, it was understandable to take care of the descendants of his acquaintances.

He turned his head to look at the little fox, about to speak, when she spoke first.

"Thank you for saving my life, my benefactor…" The little fox Love blushed and lowered her head. "I have no way to repay you, so I can only offer myself."

This so-called hero saves the beauty.

If the hero is handsome, the beauty will say shyly with a blush: "The grace of saving my life, I have no way to repay, only to give my body."

If the hero is average-looking, the beauty will say frankly: "The grace of saving my life, I have no way to repay, only to be a cow and a horse in the next life, to tie grass and clasp rings, to repay the kindness."

Adrian did not expect that this would actually happen to him. In his previous world there were lots of memes but to actually experience this…

But the Minks…

So much hair…

It simply does not arouse any interest…

"Rumi, since you saved this little fox, I'll leave it to you to deal with."

Adrian said simply.

"After we cross Fishman Island and reach the New World, let's see if we can find Zou, the Mokomo Dukedom, and then send her back."

Rumi looked at Love, who was looking at her with tears in her eyes, and nodded with some difficulty.

"Oh my… I understand."

"But Adrian, Love said she knows a lot of the special foods of the Minks' Kingdom…"

Adrian looked at the little fox and asked with some surprise, "You're a cook too?"

"Yes," Love nodded.

"How's your cooking?"

"I'm not sure, but everyone says my food is delicious."

"Let's give it a try. Rumi, take her to the kitchen."

"Oh, yes! No problem!" Rumi responded.

Not long after, Love reappeared, carrying a plate with a delicate dessert on it.

"This is 'Sunrise in the Whale Forest.'"

Love said softly, and at the same time placed the plate in front of Adrian with some nervousness.

{Bro, you wanna compete against BIGMOM now}

In the center of the pristine plate, a tea-cup-sized jelly dessert was inverted, featuring a deep-sea azure as its base color. Above it, a high-rising pale yellow sun, and beneath the azure sea surface, a gracefully raised white whale with its tail high, and atop the whale's head, a delicate green "fountain."

Every detail of the dessert reflected the meticulous thoughts of the creator.

Adrian extended a dessert spoon, gently scooped a bit into his mouth, and after savoring it for a few seconds, his attitude abruptly changed.

"Great! You are now the third-in-command of this crew!"

The little fox, Rumi, immediately displayed an incredibly joyful expression. In her fox eyes, there was a charming and tender emotion.

Adrian quickly finished the 'Sunrise in the Whale Forest' dessert, contentedly lying on the sofa, directing Rumi to set course for the capital of Seven Waters.

In the future, Rumi would be in charge of steering and handling the sails, the little fox would be responsible for cooking, and I would be responsible for eating, drinking, and having fun.

It was simply a perfect arrangement!

Adrian was finally about to live the laid-back life he had longed for, with everything at his fingertips!