Chapter 27

...

After making the duo unconscious, he looked towards them. "According to the forms, the woman possesses the hair-fruit and the dude has the claw-fruit..." Amon said looking at the forms on his hand, it even had a photo of both people attached on it. 'Well, makes sense.'

Thinking this, Amon sat on the boat and directed it towards the Upper-yards sacrificial altar....

....

Soon enough, he reached the spot of the sacrificial altar, the place where Going Merry was stuck during the Skypiea Arc. Without wasting any time, Amon hid the boat nearby and then took the pirate duo inside, or more specifically, under the altar. This is a place only accessible by a hidden door, which Amon encountered after searching for a few days.

Previously in the altar, the room was vacant. However, now it was filled with all kinds of torture materials, shackles, and many different kinds of fruits. The fruits were fresh, as Amon had picked them up just around an hour earlier.

Soon after, he shackled the duo opposite to each other on two different walls. The shackles also weren't any ordinary ones, as they both of them were made of sea stone.

Like that time with the Jumble pirates, Amon keeps an eye out for sea-stones. In a lucky encounter a few months ago, Amon bought three shackles made of sea-prism stone from a merchant ship which was in the Sky for sightseeing, not before using a tremendous amount of cash obviously.... Just so he could use them in this type of situation, unfortunately he only got three of them.

...

A few minutes later, Amon was inside the basement. It was a single room with a heavy door made of gold.

Amon was sitting in a chair that was leaning against the wall, while he was also resting his chin on his left hand, with his elbow placed on a table filled with fruits that were on his left side.

A few minutes ago, he had used the antidote on the duo, so they would soon wake up.

Currently, Amon was thinking of something interesting. 'I found something fascinating in an underground hall of this island. It's... quite futuristic for a tribe.'

Shaking away all the thought, Amon then moved on to the two prisoners.

.....

"Mm..." A few minutes later, Raia was the first one to open her eyes.

"...?!" She was surprised seeing around her.

"You are up."

A childish voice sounded out. Raia looked in that direction, her expression was surprising at first, but soon it took the form of anger.

"What is the meaning of this?!" She shouted. "Kid, who are you?!"

The woman, Raia, tried to jump at Amon.

She swung her arms. *Jha!* *Jha!*

It took a few seconds for her to realize that both of her hands were shackled.

"...Huh?"

Releasing a confused yelp, she looked at her hands and then moved her eyes around the room.

There were knives, chainsaws, and stun-dials that she couldn't recognize, but strangely there were also many kinds of different foods, most of them of which she doesn't even know the name of.

"W-where is this? No. First, of all, who are you?!" Raia asked, frightened. "Where is Rhanes?!"

"Alright woman, calm down," Amon said while sitting in the chair.

"You have broken the law by trespassing the Upper-yard, the land of God,"

He said as he lifted and picked some papers from the table. These were the statement paper towards her.

"Normally, for this crime, you guys would just have been put in jail and become a slave of God for only 5 years or so. These years, you all would have helped the Shandians reconstructing the Upper-yard. However..." Amon then picked up the two forms that the duo filled earlier that day. "You two are unlucky-no. You two are lucky that you have been chosen as experiment material because of being devil fruit users."

Raia just looked towards him, dumbfounded. They were... chosen as experiment subjects? It was then when she understood what that old guy meant by, "The God values devil fruit users like you two."

She felt her veins popping up. "What bullshit are you spouting, kid?!"

The woman shouted all to Amon's displeasure.

She tried to free herself using her strength, but she realized these were sea-prism stones, stopping her from exerting any strength.

"Calm down," Amon whispered. "This is not a place where you shout."

So... was God's plan to capture them from the beginning? Did they step into an already existing trap, set by... God?

What was God?

According to her knowledge, God was a divine being. So why would God do experiments with mere mortals?

'Shit!' Raia cursed inwardly.

'So all the talk about gold was a trap? Did that blonde woman deliberately lie to us...? No, first, does God really exist?' Raia asked herself.

Though it didn't take her much time to understand, this was a scam. 'God' was just a name at this place.

However... it's true that a 'God', matters not if real or not, has caught her here.

While thinking, her gaze fell on the wall opposite to her, her eyes instantly arched up seeing the person in front of her.

In that wall, just like her, her soon-to-be husband, Rhanes, was shackled too, still unconscious.

"The dude has a weak body for someone who needs to fight hand-to-hand." Amon assumed someone with Claw-Claw fruit must be a direct fighter.

Meanwhile, Raia was unable to hear any of his words, her head was spinning.

She wanted to scream, but she felt that would only hurt her own throat.

'No... that won't do any good.'

Then clenching her teeth, she started to think. 'I have to find a way to escape with Rhanes...'

She looked towards Amon. 'Though he was able to catch us off-guard, he is just a kid in the end. We should be able to trick him...'

Seeing her staring at him, Amon, released a sweet smile

Raia's body flinched. 'Dammit... There is something wrong with this kid.'

She thought. 'Shit! But, no matter what... even if I'm not able to escape, I have to let Rhanes out.'

She looked at the shackles holding her down. 'I can't use my devil fruit powers... so this must be a sea-stone shackle.'

She glanced at her shackles. From what she researched, she could recognize that the shackles were indeed sea-stone from just their looks.

Though her pirate crew wasn't that strong compared to Grandline standards, she did possess more than decent knowledge about the sea. That's why she was able to survive till now.

"Want an apple?"

Suddenly Amon asked as he reached out an apple. Raia frowned, she was being shackled down, how could she accept that? Or rather, why would she?

Seeing that she doesn't want to, Amon laughed and put the apple down. He can't damage these fruits, they are useful.

Looking at Amon, Raia started to think about ways to escape.

'If my crewmates come here then we could easily esca-no.' She sighed. 'They won't come. There is no way. After all, to them, the current us are the ones who were blinded by greed and came here, abandoning them... Ugh, dammit!'

Raia gritted her teeth in frustration.

It was then- "Indeed, you are right. They won't come, humans are greedy, but they are emotional as well."

Raia stared at him with an agape mouth. 'Did he read my... mind? A devil fruit?'

To make his image seem more dangerous, Amon opened his lips. "Yes, I can read minds. But it's not a devil fruit, rather, it's a power only God possesses."

Amon said as he crossed his legs, his words sounded completely truthful, just like a professional liar. And just like he wanted, Raia gulped in fear. This will help him make things smooth.

His words weren't completely false as well, as although he couldn't read minds, he could still feel the emotions of his target. Yet, those emotions are so accurate that it could be compared to a [Love Parameter] from dating-sim games...

It was then.

"Argh..."

Suddenly, hearing a grunt, Amon looked behind him.

The other guy, Rhanes was also slowly opening his eyes.

"You are finally up...?"

Amon then stretched a little, he has been sitting in the chair for too long.

"Now we can finally start with the important thing." Saying this, Amon picked up more paper sheets from the table.

He didn't want to waste more time talking with the dude.

"Anyway, now answer the questions..." Picking up an empty paper, Amon said.

However, the newly awake Rhanes didn't pay any attention to his words.

"Where...?!" Rhanes exclaimed his surprise as he looked at his surroundings, when his eyes met the chest naked Raya, his head throbbed with pain. "Raia?! What happened to you!!?"

"Calm down, dude." Amon said in a cold voice from beside.

"I don't have much time to waste, or the people will start searching for me."

Amon opened the drawer of the table and pulled out a shining metallic object.

"Huh?... Who are you, kid-"

*BANG!*

....

It was a gun.

"Shut the fuck up! Can't you understand simple words?!" Amon yelled as he shot his revolver just beside Rhanes' head.

"You are NOT supposed to talk unless I say so."

Amon glared at Rhanes. "Next time, the bullet won't miss."

*Gulp*

Both of the prisoners gulped in fright.

Putting the gun down on the table, and picking up the forms that they filled.

Amon stroked his hair. "Alright,"

He then pointed towards the woman. "Your name is Raia, right?"

Raia gulped again and nodded her head.

"And your devil fruit is [Sharp-hair Sharp-hair Fruit]?"

Raia froze for a second. 'What?'

Amon sensed her confused state and assumed it was because he knew what fruit she ate.

Soon, Raia nodded again.

He then looked at the man. "And you, your name is Rhanes, the holder of [Bone-claw Bone-claw] fruit?"

Rhanes couldn't hear what he said clearly, his ear was still unable to hear after the bullet hit the side on his head.

But after Raia's gesture, he also nodded.

Amon just ignored their gesture, he knew the man couldn't hear much right now.

Amon looked at the paper for a few seconds.

"Both of you are members of Karikiri pirates. Oh, the woman is actually the captain. Man, you betrayed your whole crew?"

While Raia looked down in shame, Amon put down the paper.

A short silence enveloped that place, Amon didn't move nor did the other two.

Finally, Raia opened her mouth with sweat dripping her cheeks. "Hey, little guy, what do you want? Is it something childish like blue-sea foods?" Raia asked since Rhanes might get hurt if he speaks. "Or is it money?"

"Money?" Ignoring her first question, Amon continued. "Money is my all-time favorite, but not today, Miss."

"The two of you two will grant me something more important." He said as he rested his chin in his hand. "It's knowledge and experience... You see, knowledge is power."

Rhanes frowned hearing him. "Alright... and why did you capture us for tha-"

Again-

*Bang!*

"Ugh! You bastard!"

"RHANES!"

Both of the prisoners screamed.

Again, Amon shot his gun.

This time, it wasn't a bluff, as Rhanes' thighs got penetrated.

"Oops..." Amon covered his mouth in fake fright. "Not my fault... I told you not to talk, your voice is trash."

"..."

Amon removed his hand and shook his head. 'Acting like this isn't fun'

-

-

-

A few minutes had passed, and the duo was pretty submissive now. After all, why won't they? They were being threatened by constant gunshots, as now Rhanes had 1 more bullet wound.

"So, some last questions." Amon has asked them many questions already.

He then looked at Raya as he leaned in his chair. "What fruit did your devil fruit look like?"

Finally coming to the important part, Amon's eyes went serious.

Raia frowned. "Why-" Not letting her finish the words, Amon just pointed his gun towards her head with a cold expression on his face. "I thought you were smart..." He said. "Can't you see, I'm the one asking questions here?"

Looking at him for a second, Raia released a mocking smirk. "Heh... Well, this information seems quite important to you, then what if I don't tell you?" Raia said as she smirked. She knew this kid won't kill her, or at least not yet, as he didn't shoot her even once. "I know I will die sooner or later, if that's the case, why would I help my enemy-"

Before she could finish her words, Amon shifted his gun towards Rhanes. As Raia's calm and calculating face froze.

If the woman is fearless, then poke at her sore spot.

Without waiting for anything, he fired the gun. *BANG!*

"AAAHHHH!"

His bullet hit Rhanes in the shoulder, as he screamed in pure pain.

"NO! NOT RHANES!" Screaming, Raia tried to jump up, but she was still unable to.

"You are fearless, like someone who fights hand-to-hand. There is something fishy here..."

After a few seconds, Amon just shook his head.

Meanwhile, Raia looked at him with pure anger. "I will get you for this..."

Meanwhile, Amon's face went completely emotionless and serious.

"Woman, this is not a game, but if you'd like to, see it as one."

"If you see it as a game, you are the mob monsters and I'm the game master, out of your reach" He said in a cold voice. "Answer my questions smoothly, and I will prepare a painless death for both of you. After that, you can role-play Romeo-Juliet in hell all you want."

It doesn't matter that in this situation, Amon is the villain. But after the two's death, they would go to hell. They are not pure cherry blossoms, not at all.

Raia bit her lips hard as blood from the lips and tears from the eyes started to fall.

....

A few minutes passed.

"So, the woman's fruit looked like a pineapple and the dude's looked like an Artonicat?" Amon wrote down the fruit names as he looked around the room.

There were many kinds of fruit in all the corners, as Amon prepared them just for today... "Alright, there are 3 pineapples, so that's good. But only 1 Artonicat."

Artonicat is a rare fruit, even in this old forest, Amon only found one after searching for days.

He said as he made a thinking posture. "Hmm, Let me bring some more Artonicat from the forest," Amon said and got up from his seat. He didn't want to take a chance.

He thought luck was on his side, he thought the two's fruit would look like easily findable fruits... but he isn't someone with plot armour.

Glancing at the duo, Amon walked out.

-

—

-

As Amon left, Rhanes looked at Raia. Her shirt was unbuttoned and her boobs were showing. Around her, some electrical worse were laying. She got electrical shocks through her nipples after not listening for the upteenth time.

Rhanes smiled.

"Hehe... Hey, babe can I have my last drink?" He asked with a chuckle.

He didn't know what the kid wanted to do, but he knew one of them would die today, and one on a later day. And from Amon's behavior towards him, he felt he is the one who would die today.

"Shut up." Raia grinned after a chuckle.

"Today isn't the day of your last drink, you can drink all you want later." She said, as she barely moved her head towards the left, pulling out a small knife from under her left side's hair.

Biting it with her teeth, she threw it towards Rhanes as he caught it with his own mouth with wide eyes.

With a grin in her mouth and a cut around her lips from the knife, Raia continued. "You didn't hear it? He thinks I have the Hair-Fruit and you had the Claw-Fruit..."

As Rhanes heard this, his eyes grew.

"You were right, it was suspicious." She recalled what Rhanes said to her when the Chief asked about their fruits.

She then pointed her chin towards his shackles.

"While both of my chain shackles are sea-shackles, he only shackled you with one normal and one sea-cuff...." She said with a smirk. "He probably didn't have enough shackles, so he put the most dangerous with most protections."

She was right. Amon assumed Hair-Hair fruit would be dangerous the moment she gets out, after all, if she can make people's hair spiky, it would be an insta kill as hair on a person's head will penetrate their brain!

A few seconds passed, as Rhanes chuckled, she was right. Maybe, this small precaution would save their lives.

"Well, that's quite natural for him. After all, we fooled professional people like marines with it too... It was only natural he would fall for this." He said while inspecting both his hands.

Based on their swapped devil fruits in the forums, and also now in front of Amon,Raia, a long-haired woman having hair-fruit, and Rhanes, a gruff-looking short-haired guy having claw-fruit made sense.

"We overkilled the kid."

Chuckling, Rhanes' closed his eyes.

Clenching the knife with his jaws. "Though the kid is smart, he is over smart..."

Without waiting for anything, with his eyes closed, Rhanes moved his mouth holding the knife towards his left wrist, the left arm is the one where is feeling weak from, the arm that is sea shackled. He didn't mind cutting one wrist for her and his life.

It was painful, but he will do it. For both of their sake.

If only the Chief didn't laze around and asked for a demonstration of their fruit like Amon had said...

«...*...»

After an hour of quick search, it was already dawn.

Currently, Amon was walking towards the Altar. He had a bag filled with Artonicat fruit. He stumbled upon a parasite tree which grew in another big ancient tree, the parasite tree was filled with this fruit.

Today, he was going to test the 'Devil-fruit reincarnation' theory. Though it was already proven in the show, he still had many factors that he was unaware of... like would the fruit only reincarnate in the closest fruit?

While walking, he soon reached the secret door, it was a large tree a few meters from the altar's lake. To the basement, this was an underground route.

Looking around, he then activated his [Observation Haki] to its fullest. Always be cautious.

A frown appeared on his face.

'The Claw-guy is trying to cut his wrist?' Amon still believed the man is supposed to have Claw-fruit, after all, the Chief won't lie.

Soon after, Amon then jumped inside the tree, quickly sliding in the tunnel-like ground, he reached the basement's golden-door.

Then sensing that the guy had already finished freeing himself, Amon prepared for battle as he took out dials that would help him to oppose his claw-ability.

However... 'Let's take out some other dials too. I should always be cautious.'

Opening the golden door that he locked from outside, Amon threw the dials towards the guy, however, surprising him, the dials were all caught mid-air by... hair?

Suddenly, Amon felt his forehead become cool.

"!!!"

Before he could get a hold of himself, he sensed an attack coming from his back.

Yet, unlike how he was expecting a wolverine to jump at him, a group of long brown-hair came flying towards him, choking his throat.

"Argh! Fuck... chief, we need to talk after this!"

Amon was struggling, meanwhile a man was laughing.

"You little bastard! You think you are so smart?!" It was Rhanes who's bullet injuries were healing by being stitched by the hair, while the bullets were being pulled out by his 30 meters long hair.

'Fuck!' Amon struggled.

He tried hard to get out of his grasp, however, he wasn't even able to move.

'Bastard lied to me! Fuck you chief!' In his struggling moment, he then thought of another possibility. 'Or they swapped each other's fruit names and wrote it into each other's form! But why didn't the chief ask for a demonstration?!'

Amon thought as his body lacked oxygen. 'And this!... This is no spike hair! This is hair-manipulation! A nerfed Doflamingo...!'

Without any other way, he used [Tekkai] to harden his body, especially his throat.

"LITTLE FUCKER!"

Rhanes yelled as he started to choke Amon stronger than before.

"You won't be able to get out even if you struggle! Not only can I control hair, but I can also make them iron-hard!"

Currently, Amon had his two arms tied together behind his back, so he was completely unable to exert any kind of strength.

"Hahaha! How does it feel now?!"

Rhanes slapped Amon with his hair.

'Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck...' Meanwhile, Amon could only curse in pain, however, even that was soon to come to an end.

As a few minutes passed, while the dude was not attacking him in any other ways than choking... he wanted to give Amon a painful and long death!

The space around Amon became dizzy, as his breathing became unstable.

His [Tekkai] was also giving up as his senses were perishing. 'Fuc...fu...f....F. Am... I am going through... near-death... experience... for the 3rd t...time?'

The world went dark, and he was feeling the same warmth of darkness that he once fell... Even Viper didn't make him experience this.... 'So?.... The.... End?'

'Well... I did expect this as well... but how do I throw the dials?'

In the end, he barely flicked the dial he had in his hands. His hands broke from the pressure.

-

-

-

-

-

A light brought Amon back from his dark world.

'In the end, this was not bad. I gained things that I didn't expect... Experience.

'But I'm not gonna let this happen... ever again.'

"¡!!!¡"

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This chapter was proofread by @Reticulum.

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