"Bodhisattva" Smoothie.
Kuke felt that this title suited Smoothie's current appearance well—far better than something like "Great Buddha" Smoothie, which didn't sound nearly as pleasant.
"Understood, Captain."
Smoothie couldn't hide her delight.
Compared to obtaining the Mythical Zoan model of the Great Buddha, receiving a name personally bestowed by Kuke made her even more elated.
"If you had a lotus pedestal as well, it would be even more fitting," Kuke remarked as he observed Smoothie in her Bodhisattva form.
A Bodhisattva seated on a lotus?
"That's Smoothie?"
Outside the garden, Katakuri and the others stared in a daze at the golden, radiant Bodhisattva Smoothie.
They rubbed their eyes.
Were they seeing things?
"Is that really Smoothie's ability?"
Katakuri turned to ask Daifuku and the others beside him.
"No way. Isn't Smoothie's power the Wring-Wring Fruit? She can absorb moisture from others and grow in size, but she's never emitted golden light or turned her body golden."
"This looks incredibly similar to the Great Buddha form that Sengoku once used."
They had all been spectators during the battle at Sabaody Archipelago.
They had witnessed Sengoku's ability firsthand.
And now that the Mythical Zoan Great Buddha Fruit had fallen into the hands of the Sun and Moon Pirates…
It was an immediate realization.
Katakuri's pupils dilated.
He stared in disbelief at Smoothie in her Bodhisattva form.
"This is impossible! How could Smoothie's ability have changed? How is this even achievable?"
Even the normally composed Katakuri found it difficult to accept.
This was something he had neither seen nor even imagined in his lifetime.
"All I can say is, the Sun and Moon Pirates are the Sun and Moon Pirates. Mysterious beyond comprehension. If they can change Smoothie's ability, then perhaps nothing is impossible."
Cracker and the others could only reach that conclusion.
They attributed everything to the enigmatic Kuke.
Their eyes brimmed with envy as they gazed at Bodhisattva Smoothie.
A Mythical Zoan Great Buddha form.
No one could remain indifferent before such a Devil Fruit.
"Talent and hard work don't matter. What matters is whether you're born a man or a woman. That's the real key."
Their envy deepened.
They couldn't bear to watch any longer.
The more they looked, the more their hearts ached.
"What kind of power is this? The aura is terrifying."
Reiju and the others could feel the imposing presence emanating from Smoothie in her Bodhisattva form.
They stared in awe.
"It must be the Devil Fruit she just obtained. A crew member must have eaten it."
Reiju quietly observed Smoothie.
Her eyes held a hint of envy.
But not because she coveted the Devil Fruit itself.
She envied the treatment received by the Sun and Moon Pirates' crew.
Obtaining a top-tier Devil Fruit was merely one of the many benefits.
Unknowingly, her heart began to lean heavily toward one side.
Judge had been paying close attention to Reiju's expressions.
The more he watched, the more his smile grew.
It seemed Reiju had finally made up her mind. She was completely tempted.
Now, the only concern left for him...
Was whether Kuke would find Reiju worthy.
"My daughter is excellent in all aspects. It should be fine, right?"
"Reiju, come with me to visit Kuke again," Judge suggested.
Reiju remained silent.
She simply nodded lightly.
…
Inside the garden.
"Smoothie, is there a way for you to maintain the Bodhisattva form without gigantifying?" Kuke asked.
She was too large.
If she could retain the form but stay at normal size…
That would be even better.
"Uh… Not right now, but I should be able to develop such a form." Smoothie was confident.
A captain's request.
She had to fulfill it.
Smoothie decided that her development path would now focus on this goal.
"Alright then."
Smoothie quickly reverted to her original form.
Kuke continued analyzing the changes in Smoothie's power.
At the moment of resurrection—
Smoothie's combat power had undergone a transformation.
Initially, her battle strength had decreased by around fifteen thousand.
Losing the Wring-Wring Fruit had significantly weakened her.
However, upon gaining the Mythical Zoan Great Buddha form—
Her power skyrocketed by over thirty thousand, nearing a forty-thousand increase in combat strength.
Smoothie had high endurance, strong Haki, and formidable swordsmanship.
She didn't require years of training to unleash the full power of the Mythical Zoan Great Buddha form.
At this moment, Smoothie's combat strength had surpassed one hundred thousand.
Reaching 123,861.
A true right-hand powerhouse.
And her potential had increased substantially. The coming years would be a period of rapid growth for her strength.
Everyone congratulated Smoothie.
Charlotte Linlin, feigning detachment, said, "Hmm, not bad."
"Mom… I mean, Linlin," Smoothie quickly corrected herself under Linlin's furious glare.
On the ship, if anyone dared to call Charlotte Linlin "Mom," she would certainly get angry.
"Linlin, I'll be moving into the room next to yours from now on."
Although Smoothie was speaking to Charlotte Linlin, her gaze was directed at Kuke.
She was changing rooms.
"That's fine." There were plenty of rooms aboard the Radiant Eclipse.
"What are you up to?" Charlotte Linlin suddenly had a bad feeling.
For seven years, she had slowly climbed her way up.
Step by step.
Only to finally secure a room on the same floor as the captain.
"And of course, I just want to keep you company, Linlin," Smoothie said with a smile.
Charlotte Linlin's eyes narrowed.
She didn't believe it.
She suspiciously glanced back and forth between Smoothie and Kuke.
Then realization struck.
Her eyes widened in fury as she glared at Smoothie.
Oh, I see.
So that's what you're after.
Trying to compete with me?
Before, when I urged you all to make a move, none of you dared.
Now that I'm making my move, you suddenly want to jump in?
Unforgivable.
"Fine," Charlotte Linlin gritted her teeth. "Between us, only one can remain."
She uttered a secret only known between mother and daughter.
Smoothie smiled faintly.
Galette and the others all stood behind Smoothie.
All the sisters supported Smoothie.
None sided with their mother.
Because if Smoothie won, the sisters would still have a chance—still have hope.
But if Charlotte Linlin won…
There would be no chance at all.
A silent battle had begun beneath the surface.
"Captain, I'm very familiar with Whole Cake Island. Let me introduce it to you."
Smoothie stepped in front of Kuke as Charlotte Linlin's eyes burned with anger.
Charlotte Linlin let out a cold snort. "Whole Cake Island was built by me. Who could possibly know it better than I do?"
"But we were the ones who did the construction. There are details that only we know."
Smoothie's smile remained fixed on Linlin.
Charlotte Linlin's temper flared.
She was fuming.
"Enough. You two can go amuse yourselves. I have other matters to attend to."
Kuke dismissed them.
Putting an end to the conflict.
For now, he had something more important to take care of.
He needed to check his achievement points.
"Shakky, does the outside world know about the battle in the Golden City?" Kuke asked.
He wanted to know—
How many achievement points this incident would bring him.
"Not yet, but it won't take long. There were too many witnesses at the Golden City battle. No one could possibly cover it up entirely—not even the World Government. At best, they can try to downplay the impact, but they won't be able to suppress it completely."
After answering, Shakky looked at Kuke with curiosity.
"Captain, the World Government has been secretly suppressing news about us for years. Do you really not plan to stop them?"
Shakky, always attuned to global shifts, had clearly sensed how the Sun and Moon Pirates' reputation had changed over the years.
At first, they were an unstoppable force, their name shaking the seas—known to everyone.
But now…
Their infamy had been gradually diminished.
Until they were seen as just another Emperor's crew.
All thanks to the World Government's years of effort.
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DONT FORGET POWER STONE
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