Chapter 331: Drake's Astonishment

Suddenly noticing someone slumped asleep beside his bed, Drake lowered his voice to a whisper.

Who was it?

"You're awake?" Kenshin walked in slowly, his tightly furrowed brows smoothing out the moment he saw that Drake was fine.

"Kenshin, it's you."

Kenshin casually took a seat on a wooden stool in the cabin. "You'd better thank her properly. Ever since you lost consciousness, she hasn't left your side for a single second."

"Even when we tried to make her rest, she refused."

"And last night, the second she finished that strategic council with the Revolutionary Army, she rushed straight back here. I honestly have no idea what she sees in you to treat you with such devotion." Kenshin rolled his eyes playfully; in his view, Drake's redeeming qualities when it came to romance were pitifully scarce.

Of course, that applied strictly to his standards as a prospective partner.

As a captain, Drake was exceptionally dutiful and reliable—a leader Kenshin was willing to protect and stand beside for the rest of his life.

"She..." Drake looked down at the sleeping Weitian, his gaze softening into gentle warmth.

In truth, what could happen to him? With the System around, purchasing a few Senzu Beans would clear up minor injuries in no time.

In his experience, getting injured in the world of pirates was practically a daily routine; there was never any need to make a fuss over it.

Look at Luffy—he had been battered into comas more times than one could count, yet he always woke up grinning as if nothing had happened.

To a man, what did a little physical pain amount to? Only women would fuss over it so dramatically.

Even so, being cared for like this felt undeniably comforting... It had been a very long time since he had experienced such warmth.

A faint smile touched Drake's lips.

"By the way, what meeting were you talking about just now?"

Kenshin glanced at him, detailing the joint council held the previous night between the Revolutionary Army and the Neo-Marine leadership, along with everything that had unfolded after Drake fell unconscious.

"WHAT?!" Drake's eyes widened in sheer shock. "You're telling me Luffy's Devil Fruit awakened, his strength spiked through the roof, and Im is currently locked away in a prison cell?!"

"That's right." Kenshin nodded, admiration evident across his face as he brought up Luffy.

Truly, when Luffy underwent that bizarre transformation enveloped in divine steam, everyone on the battlefield had been left speechless.

Kenshin had naturally been no exception.

An adversary whom even veteran powerhouses like Whitebeard struggled to hold back had been suppressed and toppled by Luffy in overwhelming fashion the moment he stepped onto the field.

It was absurdly powerful!

"Luffy... became that strong?"

Devil Fruit awakening?

"What kind of ability is it?" Drake asked eagerly.

He had anticipated Luffy's awakening for a very long time—far more than he had ever anticipated his own.

"Uh..." Kenshin paused for a second, not expecting Drake to react with such intense excitement. "Well, I heard that the true name of Luffy's fruit isn't the Gum-Gum Fruit at all."

"Hm?!"

"What did you say?!" Drake cried out in astonishment. Catching sight of Weitian shifting slightly beside the mattress, he immediately swallowed the rest of his voice.

"Hurry and explain, what's going on?"

Seeing Drake's burning curiosity, Kenshin recounted the events of the battle and repeated the exact words spoken by the Five Elders.

Hearing the true name of Luffy's Devil Fruit, Drake wore an expression of pure blankness. "Zoan-type?"

"Yes! Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan Type, Model: Nika!" Kenshin nodded.

"To think that the Gum-Gum Fruit was actually an exceedingly rare Mythical Zoan... No wonder Luffy's strength exploded so dramatically."

"That makes no sense!" Drake rejected the notion immediately.

How could this be? A Mythical Zoan? You're telling me right at this moment that Luffy is a Mythical Zoan user?!

Didn't that imply all that rubber nonsense was a complete facade? How could such a thing happen?

Luffy had literally developed Gear Second, Gear Third, and Gear Fourth entirely by exploiting the physical properties of rubber!

If all of that was attributed to raw talent, then this Mythical Zoan reveal was practically handing him an outright cheat code.

"I need to go see what's actually happening for myself." Drake eased himself off the bed, gently pulling the blanket over Weitian's shoulders before stepping out of the cabin with Kenshin.

"Drake, your injuries..."

"I'm fine. It was never anything serious to begin with," Drake waved it off.

His primary concern right now was Luffy's ability—was it truly that Mythical Zoan form?

Watching Drake stride forward full of vigor, Kenshin was left entirely bewildered. He clearly remembered Drake being almost completely paralyzed in a near-death state yesterday.

How was he walking around like nothing had happened?

"Drake!" A booming voice called out from the distance, causing Drake to pause in his tracks.

A group of silhouettes was striding toward them from across the ruins.

"Ace!"

The newcomers were Ace and members of the Whitebeard Pirates, and towering beside him at over six meters tall was Edward Newgate himself.

"Uncle Whitebeard?" Drake stared in wide-eyed surprise. When on earth did Whitebeard arrive? Why didn't he know about this?

It seemed an immense amount of events had transpired during his brief coma.

"Long time no see, Drake, you brat!" Whitebeard and his crew came to a halt before Drake.

Kenshin stepped up behind Drake's shoulder.

"Uncle Whitebeard came as well... What brings you guys over here?" Drake looked toward Ace with a puzzled expression.

Ace smiled warmly. "Drake, Pops mentioned he had some crucial matters to discuss with you—specifically concerning that Im."

At the mention of Im, Drake's expression turned solemn. Although Kenshin claimed she had been subdued and locked away, Drake couldn't shake the intuitive feeling that matters were far from simple.

"Understood. Let's..." Drake froze mid-sentence, suddenly snapping his head toward Kenshin. "Kenshin, Ain... did she succeed?"

Drake's voice trembled faintly. Kenshin understood the reason behind his agitation and sympathized completely.

"Rest easy. She is currently resting aboard the Demon Warder, and her condition is completely stable."

"Is that so..." Drake let out an audible sigh of relief. Was that woman truly his mother...?

Should he go see her right now?

No, the situation directly in front of him had to take priority. Looking back toward Whitebeard, he said, "Let's speak inside the Demon Warder. Discussing things out in the open isn't ideal."

"Alright."

Before long, the group gathered inside the inner cabins of the Demon Warder, sitting in a circle alongside Whitebeard and Ace.

"Whatever we discuss in here is completely secure. No one on the outside will hear a word," Drake said, glancing across the room.

"Yeah." Ace gave a firm nod toward Whitebeard.

"In truth, during the time I went missing, I first returned to my homeland. Some events occurred during that journey that brought back certain things Roger told me in the past."

"That is precisely what led me to the Holy Land of Mary Geoise atop the Red Line..."

The cabin fell silent as everyone listened intently. Drake listened with deep contemplation; he knew Whitebeard must have uncovered some monumental secret concealed by the World Government.

He only wondered whether it was the same truth he and Kuzan had stumbled upon.

"Not long ago, I uncovered a secret—one that even Roger and his crew never knew!" Whitebeard's expression turned more grave than anyone had ever seen before.

"That Im... might not even be human anymore!"