One Piece: Marine Luffy, Garp regrets it

"Like you suggested," Vegapunk began with scholarly precision, "when a Devil Fruit ability is activated, it does indeed consume the user's physical strength. However, inanimate objects work somewhat differently—they still require energy, but they draw it directly from their users."

"Drain the user's energy?" Luffy's brow furrowed in surprise. "Is that even possible?"

Seeing Luffy's genuine interest, Vegapunk's demeanor shifted to a more serious tone. The topic clearly touched on one of his most passionate areas of research.

"Yes, my extensive studies confirm this. I wonder, have you ever heard the rumor that there's an actual devil residing within each Devil Fruit?"

"I've heard that theory before," Luffy nodded thoughtfully. "I've also heard that some scientists investigated it, but their research supposedly debunked it as just a rumor. They concluded Devil Fruits are simply magical plants with unusual properties."

As Luffy shared this information, his expression remained conflicted, as though he had more to add but was hesitant to voice it.

Vegapunk leaned forward eagerly when he noticed Luffy's expression. "What are your thoughts on the matter? Do you believe there's more to it?"

"Well," Luffy began carefully, "I don't necessarily think there's a literal demon living inside the fruits. But I also don't think they're as simple as everyone believes."

He crossed his arms"I've heard that the World Government has been searching for a particular devil fruitfor 800 years. Yet somehow, the fruit always seems to elude them. Whenever they get close to securing it, some 'coincidence' occurs, and it slips through their fingers."

Luffy's gaze met Vegapunk's directly. "So while I don't believe in actual demons inside the fruits, I think they possess some level of consciousness—maybe even rudimentary thoughts and intentions."

As Luffy spoke, Vegapunk's eyes grew progressively wider with excitement. By the time Luffy finished, the elderly scientist couldn't contain himself and broke into enthusiastic applause.

"Brilliant! That's an impressively bold hypothesis. I knew my assessment of your intellect wasn't mistaken."

After his brief celebration, Vegapunk's expression turned solemn. He addressed everyone present with the gravity of someone revealing a scientific breakthrough.

"You're absolutely correct. Devil Fruits do possess their own form of consciousness. Moreover, they sometimes actively select suitable individuals to wield their powers."

He paced slowly as he continued. "This was merely speculation at first. But after encountering the same question you just raised—how inanimate objects that have 'eaten' Devil Fruits consume energy—I conducted extensive research. My findings ultimately confirmed this theory."

Vegapunk approached Mansherry, examining the lily-adorned ring now proportionally sized on her human-scale finger. His eyes held a complex mixture of fascination and wariness.

"The ring itself is an inanimate object, but the Devil Fruit power bonded to it maintains a form of consciousness—or perhaps more accurately, instinct. This instinct allows it to identify precisely who is utilizing its abilities and draw energy from that person as compensation."

His voice dropped slightly, as though sharing a profound secret. "They're remarkably intelligent in their own way. These powers can even detach themselves from objects once they've been damaged beyond a certain threshold. They revert to their fruit form and wait patiently for another compatible user whose abilities align with their... preferences."

"Hissss!"

Kujaku, Violet, and the other women present gasped in collective shock. Vegapunk's conclusion was so unsettling it sent chills down their spines.

Those who possessed Devil Fruit abilities felt particularly disturbed. The thought that some alien consciousness might be residing within their bodies left them feeling deeply uncomfortable.

Only Luffy remained relatively composed, showing minimal resistance to this revelation. Of course, he'd already encountered similar information in his previous life. The Human Human Fruit model Nika was a prime example of a particularly difficult fruit to control, though most others were more manageable.

"Haha! Well, if it has consciousness, then it has consciousness," Luffy shrugged with characteristic nonchalance. "For hundreds or thousands of years, I've never heard of a Devil Fruit turning against its user. As long as its powers are useful to us, nothing else really matters."

Vegapunk smiled appreciatively at Luffy's pragmatic outlook. "That's precisely right. And the 'consciousness' we're discussing is merely relative. Compared to ordinary objects, Devil Fruits simply possess more sophisticated instincts. But considering their magical nature, such properties shouldn't be especially surprising."

As they shared a knowing chuckle, the tension in the room dissipated. The women listening to their conversation relaxed noticeably, no longer viewing their own abilities as potential threats.

Now that Luffy had accomplished what he came for and received answers to his questions, he saw no reason to linger. He was particularly eager to return home and properly examine Mansherry's squirrel-like tail—for purely scientific reasons, of course.

"Thank you for everything, Doctor," he said with a polite bow. "If there's nothing else, we should be heading back now. Until next time."

Luffy took Mansherry's hand in his, ready to depart. Despite being so unceremoniously dismissed after providing his service, Vegapunk showed no signs of offense. Instead, he waved them off with unmistakable enthusiasm.

"Yes, yes, off you go! And remember—work diligently on producing that baby as soon as possible~!"

Luffy's mental response contained a string of colorful expletives that would have made even the most hardened pirate blush. However, out of respect for the scientist's help, he managed to suppress his outburst.

"Just wait," he said through gritted teeth. "I have absolutely no plans to become a father anytime in the next few years."

Vegapunk's face immediately fell into an expression of profound disappointment. The thought of delaying such a fascinating scientific opportunity clearly pained him deeply.

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Marvel x Star Wars: Avengers in the Clone Wars

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