Could an Admiral or a Yonko unleash such a devastating attack? She'd never witnessed their power firsthand.
An entire island obliterated in a single strike. While Whiskey Peak wasn't large, only spanning a few kilometers, it was still a bustling town, now wiped clean off the map.
( Ian Current Level is Tier 6: Tectonic - 6-C )
"Don't be so surprised. It wasn't completely destroyed. But an Admiral or a Yonko could probably pulverize this place with a flick of their wrist, a casual punch. And I just used my ultimate attack!"
"I'm still too weak!" He lamented.
"..." Tashigi was speechless. He had just destroyed an entire island, and he was complaining about being weak? What were the rest of them supposed to feel?
"But, Vice Admiral Ian, aren't you a Devil Fruit user? How can you use lightning attacks?"
She was confused. Weren't Devil Fruit powers unique to each individual? This clearly didn't align with what she knew.
"Mythical Zoan fruits can possess Logia-like abilities, right? Kaido can use both fire and lightning. What's so strange about me having those powers?" Ian explained, referring to Ulquiorra's abilities.
Ulquiorra's second Resurrección: Segunda Etapa, transformed his Lanza del Relámpago into a weapon capable of manipulating lightning. However, whether this power could be extended beyond the spear and utilized for physical attacks remained a mystery. Perhaps it was restricted to the weapon itself.
But its explosive power shared similarities with the Lanza del Relámpago, incorporating multiple attributes: explosive force, vibrations, sharpness, and weight. He had essentially unlocked a preliminary version of this ability. Ian had experimented with it and discovered that, while he could manipulate lightning, he couldn't achieve Logia-like elementalization. Other aspects, however, remained unchanged.
He wasn't concerned about this limitation. By utilizing his spiritual pressure as a form of Armament Haki, combined with his Hierro, his defenses were already formidable. He had no need for elementalization.
"I see." Tashigi quickly accepted his explanation. After all, his demonic transformation was a sight unseen in the world of One Piece. Developing unique abilities wasn't unheard of. Observing her naive acceptance,
Ian sighed inwardly. This girl was too trusting.
She was incredibly book-smart, her mind filled with theoretical knowledge, but she lacked real-world experience and understanding.
They stepped onto the flattened island. After utilizing his soul-sensing abilities to survey the area, Ian felt a sense of relief.
He had feared that his Lanza del Relámpago attack might have damaged or dissipated the souls on the island. However, his scan revealed no significant changes, though the souls were slightly weaker.
Moreover, they were now purer, devoid of any impurities, making them easier to absorb. Lightning, it seemed, was a form of energy closely tied to the soul.
Whiskey Peak was no more, replaced by a barren expanse. The air, however, felt cleaner.
"This is… excessive. There's nothing left!"
Tashigi pouted. This had been a paradise for bounty hunters. While she didn't know who had plundered it, there should have been a substantial amount of treasure left behind. Now,
Ian had obliterated it all.
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Marine wages were notoriously frugal. Those stingy old geezers in the World Government were always wary of a powerful military, fearful of a potential uprising. Hence, the exorbitant exchange rates at the Marines' Merit Exchange.
The rest of their income came from defeating pirates. During their Skypiea expedition, Ian hadn't hesitated to claim a large portion of the gold, though he had left the Golden Belfry untouched.
It was a symbol of Skypiea and Jaya. In the original story, the Straw Hat Pirates, in a moment of true pirate spirit, had looted the Shandorians' gold while they were distracted. However, to their surprise, the Shandorians had intended to gift them the far more valuable Golden Belfry. A classic case of gaining a handful of gold while missing out on a mountain of treasure.
"No, be prepared. A tough battle is about to begin. Look at the other side of the island. There are survivors." Ian absorbed the remaining souls from Whiskey Peak, alerting Tashigi to the approaching threat.
"Those are the symbols of Donquixote Doflamingo and Crocodile!"
Tashigi exclaimed, her eyes widening in alarm. Several large ships were docked at the edge of the island, some partially submerged from the recent explosion, but two remained intact.
She immediately recognized the emblems emblazoned on their sails. "First, it was Gecko Moria and Thriller Bark, then Jaya, and now Whiskey Peak. What are those two Warlords plotting? A meeting between Warlords is a major event in itself!"
Tashigi was furious. As a true Marine, she vehemently opposed the Warlord system.
...
"Cough… Who the hell unleashed that attack on my territory? I'll skin them alive!"
As if on cue, a gruff voice echoed across the barren landscape. A section of the ground transformed into swirling sand, and several figures emerged, their anger palpable.
Sir Crocodile, with his slicked-back hair, a long scar across his face, an earring dangling from his right ear, a golden hook replacing his left hand, and a cigar clenched between his teeth, stepped forward.
Beside him stood Mr. 1, a tall, muscular man with a shaved head, a tattoo of the number "1" emblazoned on his chest, his attire resembling that of a Shaolin monk.
Ian hadn't expected to encounter Crocodile and Mr. 1 here. Based on the timeline, they were likely responsible for eliminating the bounty hunters.
Crocodile and Mr. 1 possessed the strength to easily conquer Whiskey Peak.
For Crocodile, those who defied him, those who posed a potential threat, were swiftly eliminated. But it seemed that even those bounty hunters who had submitted to his rule had been caught in the crossfire of Ian's Lanza del Relámpago attack.
"Black-Winged Demon!" Crocodile growled, spotting Ian and Tashigi, his teeth clenched in fury.
"Boss, should we fight or flee?" Mr. 1 whispered, seeking guidance on their next course of action.
Their opponents numbered only two, while they had… Perhaps they stood a chance. Nico Robin wasn't present. She was likely stationed in Rainbase, Alabasta.
He wondered if eliminating Crocodile and Mr. 1 here would alter Robin's fate. She would likely survive, but he wasn't sure if she would encounter Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates.
If she did, he wouldn't hesitate to suggest that she take Shusui and rendezvous with Brook at the Twin Capes, awaiting Luffy's arrival, and then set sail with them.
He wanted to help her. The original storyline had been completely disrupted. With Gol D. Roger's former doctor, Crocus, residing at the Twin Capes, Robin would be safe there.
Crocodile's Sand-Sand Fruit and Mr. 1's Dice-Dice Fruit were both on his list of targets. He was curious about the potential of earth-based Devil Fruits..
Imagine each grain of sand imbued with the weight of a thousand tons. The sheer destructive force would be terrifying. Mr. 1's Dice-Dice Fruit granted him the sharpness of wind, but the Wind-Wind Fruit belonged to Monkey D. Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army. Even the explosive Flame-Flame Fruit was Ace's. And those two individuals
were not villains. This was proving to be a dilemma.
He would have to improvise. He could always absorb their powers and convert them into fusion rate. Ulquiorra's abilities were his primary focus. And
Big Mom's Soru Soru no Mi, with its ability to manipulate souls and lifespan, and her territory, Totto Land, where even the land and forests contained soul fragments… That was practically a paradise for him.
As he grew stronger, confronting them was inevitable. However, water-based Devil Fruits
posed a challenge. But there were options. Aside from Aokiji's Ice-Ice Fruit, there was Monet's Snow-Snow Fruit, Doflamingo's secretary. While it was considered a weaker version of the Ice-Ice Fruit, it still held potential.
The true strength of a Devil Fruit depended on the user. Miss Valentine's Kilo-Kilo Fruit and Machvise's Ton-Ton Fruit were technically weaker versions of Fujitora's Gravity-Gravity Fruit, but Ian had utilized them to far greater effect than their supposed superiors. Which brought him to a rather amusing observation.
were incredibly similar…