Bullets and Cero could both pierce the skull, but the latter possessed far greater power.
"This is…" Within Ian's soul-sensing perception, he detected not only the departing soul of the pirate captain but also a green lizard-like entity intertwined with it, attempting to flee. He swiftly captured it in his grasp.
It struggled briefly before going still.
It possessed only basic instincts, devoid of consciousness. Was this the "devil" within the Devil Fruit? A distinct life form entirely.
Fortunately, his powers were based on the Arrancar Ulquiorra Cifer, whose abilities revolved around souls, allowing him to detect and capture this entity.
"Soul Absorption!" He attempted to devour the green lizard, succeeding effortlessly. Within his mind, a small green sapling sprouted, growing slowly before bearing a green, patterned fruit. He could sense its power, the ability to utilize the lizard's abilities, but he found it unnecessary.
He already possessed Ulquiorra's powers, and developing a Devil Fruit ability would require time and effort. As if sensing his thoughts, the green fruit withered and merged with his body, boosting his fusion rate from 20% to 22% almost instantly.
His theory was confirmed. He could absorb the souls within Devil Fruits, and they were even more potent than ordinary souls. A single Devil Fruit user was equivalent to over twenty ordinary humans.
They were comparable to individuals with strong Haki or renowned swordsmen. If he desired, he could potentially acquire multiple Devil Fruit powers, but developing them would be a significant undertaking.
Therefore, he chose to absorb them to enhance his fusion rate. He suspected that if the green sapling within his mind matured, it would become a Devil Fruit tree. This provided a possible explanation for Blackbeard's ability to wield multiple Devil Fruit powers.
The darkness-manipulating Yami Yami no Mi already possessed the ability to absorb, albeit with limitations. It likely had a limit on the number of Devil Fruit powers it could hold. Ian, however, possessed the powers of an Arrancar, capable of directly devouring souls. Ulquiorra's released form, Murciélago, was a Devil itself.
His acquisition of Gecko Moria's Vivre Card and the map to Thriller Bark served a similar purpose. The Florian Triangle, where Thriller Bark resided, was a place teeming with souls. Moreover, Brook and Perona, with their Yomi Yomi no Mi and Horo Horo no Mi, respectively, possessed powers related to souls, presenting a valuable opportunity for research and potential absorption.
"In that case, Big Mom's Soru Soru no Mi, which manipulates souls and lifespan, and her territory, where even the land and forests contain fragments of souls… that's practically paradise for me!"
Ian's excitement grew. He had discovered another path to power. He could potentially rival Blackbeard in his pursuit of Devil Fruit abilities, either by hunting down users or waiting to claim them after Blackbeard had gathered them. He would teach him the true meaning of ruthlessness.
The thought brought him a grim satisfaction, but the surrounding pirates were oblivious to his inner musings. They outnumbered him significantly and were determined to bury him here.
Stolen novel; please report.
Whoosh! A heavy blade swung towards him. The attacker was Called Lord a massive, muscular pirate with a 20 million berry bounty, known for his brutality and the destruction of several villages in the South Blue.
Ian drew his katana, channeling his spiritual pressure into the blade. A green, crescent-shaped wave of energy, about a meter long, erupted from the sword, colliding with Lord's heavy blade.
BOOM! The heavy blade shattered, spiderweb cracks spreading across its surface before it broke in two. The energy wave continued unabated, slicing through Lord and several other pirates behind him.
Blood splattered as they were cleaved into pieces.
With his 22% fusion rate, Ian's power rivaled that of a pirate with a 200 million berry bounty. If 10-20% equated to 10-100 million, then 21-30% represented 100-500 million, and 30-40% would be 600 million to 1 billion. The power increase slowed down slightly between 50-60%.
At 70%, he would reach 6 billion, and at 80%, he could dominate the world of One Piece with a power level of 8 billion.
These levels corresponded to the power levels of Commanders, Warlords, Yonko, the Pirate King, Vice Admirals, Admirals, Fleet Admiral, and legendary figures like Garp. Even Kid would be forced to reconsider challenging him now.
"Devil…" The weaker-willed pirates were terrified, fleeing in all directions.
Ian didn't pursue them. Instead, he unleashed a barrage of Cero blasts. While their individual power was less than a Gran Rey Cero, their firing speed was twenty times faster, easily overwhelming the pirates' defenses.
With his soul-sensing abilities, he could pinpoint the location and number of remaining pirates. By adjusting his aim and incorporating those who had already collapsed, he had eliminated two-thirds of the pirates present.
Green flashes illuminated the auction house as each pirate fell, his fusion rate steadily increasing. By the time only a handful remained, his fusion rate had reached 25%, the island littered with blood and corpses.
Even those who attempted to attack him with firearms were easily dealt with. He could sense their intentions and movements through his soul-sensing, allowing him to dodge with Sonido, faster than Soru, and retaliate with point-blank Cero blasts or swift sword strikes.
They were truly terrified. In the eyes of ordinary people, pirates were Devils, but Ian was a devil, a force of nature. For the first time, they questioned their past actions.
But Ian had no intention of sparing them. He believed evil needed to be eradicated, not redeemed.
"How brutal…" Among the remaining pirates, Kid smirked.
It seemed he was targeting only pirates. Perhaps he had suffered at the hands of pirates in the past and was now seeking revenge. But Kid knew he couldn't remain idle. He might be the next target.
While he could easily escape, that wasn't his style.
"Repel!" He raised his right hand, and the weapons of the fallen pirates levitated, drawn towards him by a powerful magnetic force, coalescing in mid-air.
Ian observed with an impassive expression. This was Kid's Magnet-Magnet Fruit ability, similar in effect to Luffy's Gear Third Gigant Pistol, and he had even developed a "Punk Rotten" form, a metallic version of Gear Fourth. He was indeed one of the Supernova captains worthy of the title.
They were too similar. Both had challenged Kaido and suffered defeat, ending up as prisoners in Wano. However, Kid's downfall was due to his conceit, while Luffy's stemmed from his recklessness and unwavering sense of justice.
Kid's metal arm had even managed to block Kizaru's Pika Pika no Mi lasers.
Ian knew that a simple Cero wouldn't be effective against Kid. He was currently no match for Kizaru, who had effortlessly defeated several Supernovas in Sabaody Archipelago.
Moreover, even with Sonido, he wouldn't be able to outrun Kid's attack. Therefore, he raised his right index finger, a green glow flickering around it as he charged his own attack.
"Cero Oscuras!"