Chapter 1626 The Body of Nether Sand and the March of the Dead

Lucci's intuition was absolutely correct.

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper was pleased that Lucci was able to keenly perceive the incompleteness of the Devil Fruit's power.

In this spatial gap isolated from the normal world, certain abilities that require specific environments to activate cannot be fully displayed for the time being.

Now that he had already signed a binding contract with Lucci, he didn't intend to hide this small matter.

The shopkeeper slowly raised his right hand, extending his index and middle fingers. "This fruit does indeed have two other abilities, both of which are extremely powerful."

"The first is called the 【Body of Nether Sand】."

"Secondly, it is called the 'March of the Dead'."

【Body of Nether Sand】: Can control a special type of dark golden sand produced in the underworld.

This sand can be filled in the form of energy and applied to the user's body, greatly enhancing defense and resistance to certain negative statuses.

Even if it suffers fatal damage, as long as its energy is not depleted, it can quickly recover and reshape its body by consuming Nether Sand.

In addition, the Nether Sand itself has the property of devouring life force and energy.

[March of the Dead]: Can awaken and briefly control recently deceased soldiers on the battlefield.

Its form is constructed from Nether Sand, endowing it with basic combat instincts, the characteristics of being unafraid of pain and ignoring some physical damage, transforming it into loyal Nether Sand guardians, which it drives to attack.

The stronger the deceased was in life, the greater the energy consumed and the shorter their lifespan, but their combat power also increases accordingly.

After the shop owner finished introducing the last two abilities, the entire space fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone remained silent, but the apprehension and even a hint of fear in their eyes were unmistakable.

The three abilities—[Heart Weighing], [Body of Nether Sand], and [Marching of the Dead]—are each powerful enough to create a strong individual on their own.

With the three combined, this is no longer just a mythical beast; it's practically a great demon born for judgment!

The shop owner didn't tell the whole story. The stronger the ability, the greater the burden. There's no such thing as a free lunch. If Lucci chooses this Devil Fruit, his life as a special agent will take a turn for the better.

The Celestial Dragons will be the ones who have a headache. They've cultivated a double-edged sword that has been used against others, but now it's finally going to be used against them.

Lu Qi felt a dryness in his throat. He swallowed hard, but found his mouth was still dry. A burning desire was burning wildly in his heart.

The Hundred-Armed Giant Fruit?

That pure, violent physical force seemed somewhat simplistic in the face of Anubis's triune, bizarre, and powerful composite abilities.

He no longer wanted to be a sitting duck who only knew close combat and lacked special skills; he craved more comprehensive strength.

A full minute of silence filled the shop before Lucci finally raised his head, staring intently at the shopkeeper and asking firmly, "What price do I need to pay if I want to exchange this Anubis Fruit?"

The shopkeeper tilted his head slightly, his tone calm yet carrying a sense of confirmation, "So you've already made your choice, to give up that Hundred-Armed Giant Fruit?"

Without any hesitation, Lucci nodded firmly, his eyes saying it all.

"Okay, let's go back and talk about it then."

Darkness surged forth from the shopkeeper again without warning, instantly engulfing everyone.

When they opened their eyes again, they were already in the shop lobby.

The shop owner was already standing behind the counter, his hands casually resting on the counter.

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze like the most precise scanner, carefully scrutinizing Lu Qi standing in front of the counter.

The look in his eyes wasn't like that of someone looking at a customer; it was more like someone scrutinizing an extremely valuable, rare item about to be sold, calculating how to extract every last drop of value from it.

The atmosphere became incredibly oppressive because of this silent scrutiny.

The shop owner slowly began, "This Devil Fruit is very precious; it's one of the top-tier fruits in my shop."

He looked at Lucci again, his eyes so deep they seemed to devour him. "Then exchange your soul for it."

A slight hissing sound echoed in the quiet shop.

"Only by paying the price of your soul can you be worthy of this powerful Devil Fruit. Of course, I will not take your soul immediately."

"I will only come to collect you after you are truly dead. You still have this life to squander!"

In exchange for a Devil Fruit, the soul will belong to the pawnshop after death.

These words struck like a thunderbolt, plunging everyone into an indescribable shock.

Lifespan, the future of offspring, and the integrity of the body—these costs, though heavy, are at least within a certain understandable range.

But the soul...

That is the most essential and core thing about a person's existence!

It is the sum of consciousness, memory, emotion, and will; it is the proof of reincarnation; it is the last reliance for possible existence after death.

What does it mean to sell one's soul?

It means relinquishing ultimate ownership of oneself, meaning that after death one will return to nothingness, becoming a permanent collection/servant of this bizarre pawnshop, with no future and no possibility whatsoever.

Lu Qi stood stiffly in place, his face appearing somewhat pale in the dim light.

"Lucci"!?

Kaku's voice, trembling slightly, abruptly broke the suffocating silence.

His face was pale and filled with deep fear. Regret crept into his heart; it was he who had pushed Lucci.

It was he who, with phrases like "a chance to change your destiny" and "you absolutely can't miss it," semi-forced Lucci into this deal.

He had thought that at most, he would have to sacrifice his lifespan or certain parts of his body, just like him, in exchange for powerful, visible strength.

Although the cost would be heavy, at least the existence itself would still exist.

But the price of selling one's soul for a Devil Fruit is simply too high!

It was larger than Kaku could have imagined, so large that it sent a chill down his spine!

He didn't want to see his comrades-in-arms, who had risked their lives for him and who was both his mentor and friend, embark on a path that could lead to utter ruin and the complete loss of themselves, all for the sake of power.

"Lucci, think it over carefully, don't make a decision so quickly."

Ada was equally concerned about her companions. "We know so little about the soul. What is it? What does it really mean to betray it? We have no idea!"

She stepped forward and stood beside Kaku, her tone firm: "In this situation of severe information asymmetry, the consequences could be completely unpredictable. We must never make a decision that would sell our souls."

The phrase "selling one's soul" carries a taboo, touching upon the horror of the very foundation of existence.

Unlike losing an arm or a life, the consequences of this are far more severe and unknown than they seem, enough to send chills down the spine of anyone with a modicum of reason.

Lu Qi could feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest, pounding against his ribs with a dull echo.

His soul—is it worth exchanging it for a Devil Fruit?