Chapter 130: The Barrier People

The battle had effectively come to an end.

Bogard could parry Coby’s vertical slash with ease, so a simple horizontal sweep stood no chance. Once Bogard had secured both of his legs, Coby’s defeat was inevitable.

"You performed quite well. The improvement since two months ago is truly remarkable," Luo Lan said, approaching Coby to comfort the dejected boy.

Bogard patted Coby’s shoulder as well, adding, "Kid, did you really think you could become my match after only two months of training? Let me tell you, you have a long way to go."

"Only when you reach the level of someone like Luo Lan will you stand a chance at beating me."

Coby understood these words, yet after the skirmish—aside from the Rankyaku that Bogard had been forced to block—he hadn't managed to land a single strike on Mr. Bogard. How could he be happy? Throughout the fight, even though he had been the one initiating the attacks, the rhythm had been firmly controlled by Bogard. That was what frustrated him.

"Here is the Devil Fruit I promised you."

Luo Lan handed the fruit to Coby. "This is the Paramecia-type Barrier-Barrier Fruit. Once you eat it, you will become a Barrier Human capable of manifesting barriers."

"A Barrier-Barrier Fruit?"

Coby held the fruit in both hands, momentarily stunned. He might have understood other terms, but what did "barrier" mean in this context? Was it meant to be taken literally?

"The Barrier-Barrier Fruit allows you to summon an indestructible barrier out of thin air after placing your hands in a specific gesture. As for the shape, that depends on your own development," Luo Lan explained.

"An indestructible barrier? Does that mean it can be used to protect others?"

Upon hearing Luo Lan’s explanation, Coby’s eyes suddenly brightened. This was exactly the kind of power he had been looking for. What was his purpose in joining the Navy? It was to uphold justice and protect others. Now, the Devil Fruit Luo Lan had found was one that could shield people from harm; the ability was a perfect fit for him.

"If that is how you intend to use it, then yes, that is exactly what it is for," Luo Lan said, nodding slowly as he recalled the fruit's potential from his memories.

If one were to create a sphere, it could indeed completely enclose and protect others. As long as the user’s stamina did not run dry, the barrier would remain impenetrable; nothing could shatter it. According to the established lore, that was how it worked. Even Diamond Jozu could block Mihawk's slashes, so the Barrier-Barrier Fruit should be no different.

"Then, Colonel Luo Lan, I will eat it now."

Coby nodded earnestly and took a bite. Having never eaten a Devil Fruit before, he expected it to taste like an ordinary fruit, perhaps a bit sour or astringent at most. But as soon as he bit down, he found the flavor was absolutely vile. If not for the fear that spitting it out might cause the fruit's power to vanish, he would have vomited on the spot to soothe his wounded stomach.

"That's enough. You only need one bite of a Devil Fruit. Anything after that is just pure torture," Luo Lan said, quickly stopping Coby as he prepared to take another bite. He had eaten one himself and had no desire to recall that repulsive taste, nor did he want others to endure it.

"Is one bite really all it takes?" Coby asked, feeling somewhat skeptical. If one bite was enough to grant the power, why did the fruit grow so large? Was it just for show?

"If you don't believe me, put your hands in this gesture, and visualize a barrier appearing in a certain location and form," Luo Lan instructed, patiently demonstrating the hand sign Bartolomeo used.

"Like this?"

Coby carefully placed the remains of the fruit on the ground, mimicked Luo Lan by crossing his middle and index fingers, closed his eyes, and concentrated. The next moment, he felt a portion of his stamina drain away. Simultaneously, a square, pale green barrier about one square meter in size materialized in front of him.

"Is this the power of the Barrier-Barrier Fruit?" Zoro watched the flickering green barrier in amazement. Was this the power of a Devil Fruit? Creating something out of nothing.

"Is this my power?" Coby opened his eyes slowly, gazing at the pale green wall, and smiled happily. "Zoro-san, please try to cut it! I want to see if this barrier is truly indestructible!"

Coby was excited. He didn't ask Luo Lan or Bogard to test it because he was still a bit worried. He feared that if those two struck, they might not only shatter the barrier but accidentally injure him as well. He wasn't afraid of being hurt in battle, but getting injured while testing a Devil Fruit's ability was unnecessary.

"Fine!" Zoro, eager for a challenge, drew Wado Ichimonji and stared intensely at the pale green barrier. If this thing was as tough as Luo Lan claimed, it would be an extra layer of security against future dangers.

"Get ready, here I come!"

Zoro shouted. Coby couldn't even see the blade move; he only saw sparks erupt against the barrier before vanishing in an instant. The next moment, Coby stumbled backward and landed hard on his bottom. The barrier vanished at the same time.

"Luo Lan, it seems you weren't entirely accurate. This thing was broken by a single swing of my sword, wasn't it?" Zoro grumbled to Luo Lan, feeling a bit aggrieved.

"I didn't lie to you. Bogard can testify—the barrier wasn't destroyed when you struck it; it sparked against your sword," Luo Lan replied with a shrug, looking innocent. "The reason it disappeared was that Coby lacked the stamina and balance; when you hit him, he fell, broke his hand gesture, and thus the barrier dropped."

Not far away, Bogard nodded. "Just as Luo Lan said. The barrier vanished because Coby broke the gesture, not because you destroyed it."

"Is that why?" Coby sat on the ground, looking at his hands. Indeed, the moment he fell, he had instinctively reached out to break his fall, breaking the gesture without realizing it.

"It seems that just having the Devil Fruit isn't enough for me to become a protector of others. If the barrier disappears so easily, how can I protect civilians when I encounter real danger in the future?"

Coby’s expression hardened with resolve. He stood up, looked at Zoro with a serious gaze, and said, "Zoro-san, if you are willing, I would like you to accompany me in practicing the Barrier-Barrier Fruit's power for a while. My grasp of this ability is too shallow to bring out its true potential. To ensure this doesn't happen on the battlefield, I want to train until I can maintain the barrier without faltering, no matter the situation."