One Piece: Rise of Valoria

The quiet evening at Shakky's Rip-Off Bar was filled with the clinking of silverware and the warmth of conversation.

"So, kid," Rayleigh spoke up as he took a sip of his drink, his sharp eyes focusing on William, "how long do you plan to be in West Blue?"

William, who had been slicing through his steak, looked up and gave the question some thought. "I'll be quick," he said, his voice steady. "A month at most, finding Robin is my priority. Once she's safe with me, I'll head straight to Rusukaina."

Rayleigh nodded, his expression thoughtful. "West Blue's a big place, but you seem confident. Take your time, though. Rushing things might put you and Robin in more danger."

With a soft chuckle, Rayleigh reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small strip of paper. He held it out to William. "This is my vivre card. Keep it with you, and once your business in West Blue is done, follow it. It'll lead you to Rusukaina. I'll be waiting there for you."

William took the vivre card and tucked it safely into his pocket. "Thanks, Rayleigh. I appreciate it."

As the conversation continued, William's mind wandered to something he had been meaning to address. He reached into his space pocket and carefully pulled out three Demon Fruits he had acquired from Callen's Treasure House. The fruits were strange and otherworldly, their unique designs hinting at the powers they contained. He placed them on the table, and all eyes were immediately drawn to the fruits, curiosity sparking in the air.

"I found these in Callen's treasure hoard," William said, his voice calm but laced with intrigue. "I've been holding on to them, but I think now's the time to figure out what they are."

Shakky, always prepared, slipped off her chair and walked over to a nearby shelf. She pulled out an old, well-worn book—the *Demon Fruit Encyclopedia*—and returned to the table. "Let's take a look, shall we?"

Flipping through the pages with practiced ease, Shakky found the entry for the first fruit—a pink, spiraled fruit with swirled patterns resembling a pig's snout. She scanned the text, then looked up at the group. "This one is a Zoan-type," she said. "It's the Pig-Pig Fruit. It allows the user to transform into a pig or a pig-human hybrid."

They all stared at the fruit, and the room fell silent for a moment.

William shivered, a look of horror flashing across his face. "Can you imagine if that pig Callen had given us this fruit instead of mine or Hancock's?" His voice was filled with dread at the thought.

A collective shudder ran through the group as they imagined the absurdity of such a scenario. The idea of one of them possessing a power as underwhelming as the Pig-Pig Fruit was laughable, yet horrifying in its own way.

Shakky moved on to the second fruit—a dark, bulbous fruit with deep, swirling ridges. After a quick glance at the page, she grimaced. "This one's a Paramecia type—Fat-Fat Fruit. It allows the user to control their body fat, manipulate it, increase it, or redistribute it."

William groaned, shaking his head in disbelief. "That's... horrifying."

Marigold chuckled. "I'm glad none of us ended up with that one."

The room filled with laughter as they all shared a collective sigh of relief. However, William's attention had already shifted to the third and final fruit, a dark crimson fruit with intricate, spiked patterns curling over its surface. The fruit gave off a different aura compared to the other two—something more primal, more dangerous.

William stared at it, his dragon instincts stirring deep within him. He didn't need a book to tell him that this fruit was something special. "I don't know what this one is," he admitted, his voice quiet but certain. "But my Dragon instincts are telling me this is no ordinary fruit. This one is a treasure."

The room grew silent as William picked up the fruit, turning it over in his hands. His gaze shifted toward the sisters, and finally, his eyes landed on Sandersonia. "Sonia, I want you to have this one."

Sandersonia's eyes widened in surprise. "Me? But we don't even know what it does."

William gave her a reassuring smile. "Trust me. My instincts haven't been wrong yet, and they're telling me this is something powerful—something rare. Don't worry about Marie. I have something else in mind for her."

Hancock placed a hand on her sister's shoulder, her gaze full of encouragement. "He's right, Sonia. If William believes in this, then I think you should trust him."

Marigold nodded as well. "If he says it's meant for you, then it's meant for you."

Sandersonia hesitated, but the faith her family had in her—and in William—gave her the courage to take the leap. With a determined look, she picked up the fruit and took a deep breath. "Alright, I'll do it."

With one final glance at her sisters and William, she bit into the fruit. The moment the flesh touched her tongue, her face twisted in disgust. "Aagh, it's horrible!"

She forced herself to swallow the bite, and almost immediately, a strange sensation rippled through her body. Her pupils narrowed into slits, her eyes glowing with a dangerous light. William's instincts screamed at him to react, and in the next moment, he felt an invisible force pressing against him—an energy trying to petrify him.

"Armament!" William barked, summoning his Haki to resist the force. His body tensed as he fought against the energy, barely managing to push it back. "Sonia! Close your eyes and change back!"

Sandersonia, startled by William's shout, quickly closed her eyes and shifted back to her normal state. The room was deathly silent, and everyone stared at her in confusion.

"What... what just happened?" Hancock asked, her voice filled with concern.

William exhaled, still feeling the lingering effects of the petrifying energy. "There was a petrifying force coming from her eyes. I could feel it trying to turn me to stone."

Sandersonia blinked, her expression thoughtful as she processed the strange sensations coursing through her. "I think I know what it is... It feels like I've become something called a Basilisk."

Shakky's eyes widened at the name, and said. "A Basilisk... It's a legendary creature from myth. A serpent king with the power to kill with a single glance."

The room fell into stunned silence once more. Even in the world of Demon Fruits, the idea of such a power was daunting.

William broke the tension with a laugh. "We're really lucky, aren't we?"

Sandersonia, still adjusting to the newfound power coursing through her veins, managed a small smile. "I guess we are."

Rayleigh, ever the observer, leaned back in his chair with a bemused grin. "A Basilisk, huh? another Mythical Demon Fruit!"

William nodded, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "this is really great."

The realization of the fruit's immense power settled over the group. Sandersonia had gained the power of a mythical serpent king, and their journey had just grown even more exciting.

As the evening wore on, the group continued their discussions, plans unfolding for the trials ahead. Sandersonia's new abilities, William's journey to West Blue, and the looming challenge of training on Rusukaina all lay ahead of them.

But for now, in this quiet moment, they were simply family—united by their shared struggles and strengthened by their unwavering trust in one another.

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