One Piece: Dream of Immortality

Chapter 342: Soul Fusion



It has only been a handful of minutes since Cherry started her breakthrough and Robin was already starting to get antsy. It didn't help that Cabernet was fidgeting nervously, as the ship girl was far more in tune with Cherry's state than she was.

That things were so calm on the outside was particularly nerve racking. If there were a storm of biblical proportions raging around Cherry, then at least she could see how well she was doing.

*silence*

World silencing black lightning struck again, and then again and again in rapid succession. No visible harm seemed to come to Cherry as she sat in the center of the clearing peacefully, as though there was nothing happening to her at all.

The black lightning was a subtle thing, but that subtlety belied its true danger and violent nature. An attack directly on the soul.

Just as soon as it started, it ended. The wind picked up around the trees once more, mysterious energy flowing to the center of the clearing and bathing Cherry in light.

Cherry stretched her arms up like she was waking up from a pleasant nap and took a deep breath with a yawn.

"I almost forgot how good it feels to be whole." Cherry said, standing up to stretch her legs. "You weren't whole before?" Robin asked as she approached her for a hug.

Cherry nuzzled her face into Robin's neck. "Not truly. That's just how mortals are, and it's not really a bad thing. It's like your soul is always ready to abandon ship in case your body dies, for its own self preservation. Always being on edge, preparing to die... that's not really living, is it?"

"No, it isn't." Robin answered immediately. She was intimately aware of what it was like to live that way, though she still couldn't quite imagine what that's like on a metaphysical level; and she supposed that she wouldn't, unless she reached this realm as well. "It's still a life worth living though, if only for the hope of things getting better."

Cherry squeezed her tight and rubbed her back in slow circles comfortingly. "I'm the happiest now than I have been in a long time, perhaps more than I ever have."

Robin smiled sweetly at her. "Me as well."

Cabernet scooped them both up is a back breaking embrace. "Me too!"

Robin and Cherry chuckled at her innocence.

"There are some new things I can do as a transcendent too, though." Cherry spoke excitedly. "The soul and body fusion means that even if my body is utterly annihilated, then it will be restored in time so long as my soul is fine. In addition, I'll be able to perform physical feats that don't quite make logical sense, and I suspect that there will be some influence on my haki, too. However, the main thing is in regards to the name of my cultivation method; the Ethereal Star method."

Cherry started to shine and she seemed to transform into ghostly white, semi-transparent flame.

"This is a form of intangibility superior to that of Logia devil fruit. Haki attacks will likely still hit me, as well as soul focused attacks, but I'm not exactly weak to those." Cherry said, floating slowly through the air upside down.

Robin was giving her a skeptical look.

"What?" Cherry asked.

"And what ability will my Mythic Beauty method confer to me, hm?" Robin raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well... aside from the, ahem, obvious effects, you will be able to mesmerize people who perceive you through sight. It's a good combo with your devil fruit." Cherry said, failing to meet her eyes with Robin's.

"Uhuh, sure." Robin smirked. She was rather intrigued by the prospect though.

...

"I can't believe I agreed to do this..." Pekoms sighed. He was grateful to them for saving his people, of course, but to go back into the lion's den willingly? Madness, and the Straw Hats were even crazier for going as well.

"Are you sure you guys don't want to take the Thousand Sunny? We can always just fly on Cabernet." Cherry said.

"A captain can't be separated from his ship, after all." Franky said, as if it were natural. One could still see he was a bit sad to part ways with his masterpiece though.

"Alright, then." Cherry acquiesced. "What about you, though, Pedro? No offense, but we've got this covered on our own, you don't need to come with us to help."

"I can't let our saviors go on a dangerous quest into enemy territory without helping them, whether you need it or not. I also have a history with Big Mom, so I can definitely be of assistance." Pedro said.

"I see. I won't stop you, just know we aren't necessarily responsible for your safety." Cherry warned.

"I understand, of course." Pedro bowed his head in acknowledgement.

"Actually, Cherry... I want to go with the others to Wano instead..." Cabernet spoke up.

Cherry was surprised at that. "Oh no, Robin, she's entered her rebellious stage- Whatever will I do?"

Robin chuckled and Cabernet puffed out her cheeks adorably.

"I'm not rebellious! I just want to explore on my own for once!" Cabernet defended herself.

It was certainly true that Cabernet has been by Cherry's side for almost the entirety of her life, with only brief moments of separation. While the idea of parting ways with a blood bound weapon over such great distances was an odd one, Cherry didn't have the heart to reject her desires.

"Okay, go do as you wish. Just don't cause trouble for the others and try to be as inconspicuous as you can, not that that will be easy at all with those wings of yours." Cherry said, with a slightly sad smile.

"I can handle that. She can pose as a bird type zoan fruit user easily enough. I've got a plague doctor's beak mask somewhere on my submarine." Law suggested helpfully.

"Oh, that'll do nicely I imagine." Cherry nodded.

"Let's go already!" Luffy wrapped his arms around Nami, Cherry, Chopper, Brook, Jinbe, Pekoms, and Pedro, then yanked them down off the back of the elephant.

"""Ahhhhhhh?!?!"""

Cherry waved goodbye cheerfully as the others screamed for their lives and disappeared over

the edge.

Luffy thankfully had the consideration to not let them hit the deck hard or fall into the ocean, but their landing wasn't exactly pleasant either.

"Damn it, Luffy!" Nami angrily waved her fist in his general direction, since she wasn't able to stand with her shaking legs at the moment.

Everybody but Luffy, Jinbe, and Cherry were a bit shaky on their feet from that fall actually.

"Why are you two like this?" Cherry asked Nami and Chopper. "The trip up to and back down

from Skypiea was worse than this, no?"

"We're only human, you freak!" Nami countered.

"Reindeer." Chopper correctly sluggishly.

"Remind me to have Cabernet take you two on 'joy ride'... Usopp too." Cherry said.

"Nooo! I'm sorry I called you a freak! I take it back!" Nami whined.

Chopper looked like he was going to hurl.

Pedro had recovered somewhat enough to say, "The children were fine with her 'joy rides', are

they really that bad?"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"There is a significant difference between what the children think is fun and what Miss

Cabernet thinks is 'fun'." Brook added helpfully.

"Her top speed gets faster every day!" Cherry said proudly. Chopper hurled.