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CHAPTER 66

Emerging from the water with Arlong's severed head in hand offered Kreegan some semblance of relief, yet the weight of his mission still bore down upon him. Vengeance and anger still coursed through his veins, chaining him to the ground even as he held the gruesome trophy. With a determined grimace, he pulled at Arlong's shark teeth, and like in the manga, a new set grew, but they didn't fully come out, maybe because he was dead.He carefully stowed the teeth and the severed head away in his item box.

The aftermath of the battle was a harrowing sight. Some of the mob had managed to flee, escaping the bloody conflict that had left the bay's waters stained red with pirate blood. Yet, amidst the chaos and carnage, Kreegan and his comrades had accomplished their grim mission. They had gathered almost every head with a bounty on it, each a testament to the fierce battles they had fought:

* Arlong, 35 million.

* Kuroobi, 22 million.

* Chew, 18 million.

* Kaneshiro, 15 million.

Ten heads in total, each a grim trophy worth a combined total of 100 million beli. Hatchan, with his 18 million bounty, had managed to slip away, thanks to Kuina's characteristic mercy during their encounter.

...

Before news of Arlong's demise could reach the Marines, Kreegan set his sights on the 16th branch of the East Blue Marines. In preparation, he slotted five Vanish spells at level 1, along with 2 Invisibility spells at level 2. These spells concealed him as he infiltrated the marine base, the strength of his enchantments varying with the number of people around him and the locations he traversed.

Silently, he moved through the base's corridors and rooms. When he was certain that Nezumi was alone, he located the captain's quarters. Carefully, he eased the door open and slipped inside. Nezumi, the captain, lay slumbering in his office chair, feet propped up on the table.

Kreegan wasted no time. He gripped his dagger and struck Nezumi with the pommel, jolting the man from his sleep. Disoriented and alarmed at the sight of the blade, Nezumi's fear was palpable. In an instant, Kreegan had him under control, thanks to the power of his Jolt ability.

Nezumi held the rank of captain, higher than Smoker, but beneath the veneer of authority, he was nothing more than a level 2 weakling. Kreegan's grip tightened around his neck as he spoke, his voice dripping with righteous vengeance.

"I am Kreegan D. Wucrane. You killed my father; prepare to die."

Kreegan's vengeance was swift and brutal. He drove the dagger into Nezumi's gut, causing the captain to writhe in excruciating pain. Paralyzed and helpless, Nezumi couldn't even scream as the agony consumed him.

"I am Kreegan D. Wucrane. You killed my mother; prepare to die," Kreegan declared before thrusting the blade into him once more. Each strike was carefully placed, avoiding lethal areas to ensure that Nezumi would suffer a slow and agonizing death.

Tears streamed down Kreegan's face as he continued his relentless assault. Nezumi's eyes were begging with terror, but he could do nothing to stop the relentless assault.

"I am Kreegan D. Wucrane. You killed my sister; prepare to die," Kreegan proclaimed with each stab, his voice heavy with grief and anger.

Kreegan's words were heavy with emotion as he continued his brutal assault on Nezumi's body. The dagger plunged into his half-dead body once more as he spoke with a mixture of sorrow and anger.

"I do not hate Arlong; he is a pitiful and insignificant being. His father abandoned him, and he grew up in an environment full of hatred. But you, you were my father's boss. You were supposed to be the one to uphold justice in those waters. I can never forgive a corrupt marine."

With Nezumi long gone, Kreegan retrieved Arlong's teeth from his item box, a gruesome reminder of the pirate's demise. He then turned his attention back to the lifeless form before him, using the shark's jaw, tearing at it with savage determination until there was nothing left but shreds of flesh and bone. As he tore flesh and bone, he put them into his item box to make it look like a predator attacked him.

Once satisfied, Kreegan dropped the mangled corpse, took one of Arlong's teeth, and forcefully embedded it halfway into one of the many wounds he had created. The act was a macabre statement, a testament to the justice he had delivered.

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Kreegan swiftly cast the invisibility spell and made his escape through a window. His athletic abilities, honed to level 5, allowed him to execute daring leaps from significant heights with ease. A fall of 20 meters posed no challenge for him. As he descended, he couldn't help but hear the blaring alarms from within the Marine base.

...

Upon his return to Cocoyasi Village, Kreegan had brought back some souvenirs from the pirate ship as an excuse for his absence. While the villagers reveled in their newfound freedom, he chose to remain on the periphery of the celebration. With a mug of alcohol in hand, he sought a solitary spot, sitting down to contemplate the full moon and the tranquil sea before him.

Tears welled in his eyes, and with a voice laced with emotion, he murmured, "I have kept my promise; I have punished the ones responsible."

A profound transformation was taking place within him as the once all-consuming rage and hatred he harbored towards the pirates underwent a profound shift. He no longer wished for others to endure the pain he had borne. At that very moment, he resolved to relinquish his anger and embrace the concept of justice. If the world failed to deliver justice to the vulnerable, he would forge his own. His determination extended beyond affiliations; be it Marines, pirates, or the World Government, those who inflicted suffering upon the innocent would face retribution.

In this newfound realization, he felt liberated and elevated. Previously, his existence had revolved around a fiery vortex of anger, but now, he experienced a sense of serenity he hadn't felt since the fateful shipwreck. Raising his mug, he made a solemn toast, saying, "Farewell, Mom, Dad, and Big Sis. I will always miss you."

As he truly released his grip on his rage, he heard a resounding "Ding!" It was the sound of him leveling up. Initially perplexed by this sudden development, he soon pieced together the puzzle. The leveling up was a direct result of his mental liberation. Beneath his exterior as a magic swordsman, he had overlooked the significance of nurturing his mental faculties.

He couldn't help but chastise himself for the oversight. Martial artists and swordsmen throughout history have tirelessly emphasized the importance of meditation and mental fortitude. How had he been so blind to this fundamental truth? His master's words echoed in his mind, "A robust physique must be harmonized with a resilient mind."

It became increasingly evident that his anger had inadvertently acted as a double-edged sword. Unbeknownst to him, it had been cutting into his potential, preventing him from reaching the pinnacle of his abilities. This newfound awareness opened up a realm of possibilities he had yet to explore.

Indeed, he hadn't fully relinquished all of his hatred in a single magical moment, but he was resolute in his determination to do so. Although he still held disdain for pirates, it no longer burned within him like an all-consuming inferno. He had no intention of living a life consumed by hatred, similar to Arlong and many others. Over time, he aimed to release it entirely.

He had come to realize that his level-ups often occurred during challenging battles, but he now understood that these fights not only contributed to his physical development but also to his mental growth. A wry smile crossed his face as he contemplated just how much he had transformed, evolving from a solitary, brooding figure into someone with genuine friends. Therefore, if there were no other facets to his level-ups, they seemed to be the culmination of both his physical and mental progress.

With no new feats acquired from this level-up, he decided to allocate points to his skills. He bolstered Persuasion, Perception, Mobility, and Athletics, all of which reached level 6. Turning his attention to his three newly acquired abilities, he examined Prescient Attack. This ability proved to be a more potent iteration of Arcane Accuracy. By expending a single arcane pool, he could bypass 20% of a target's defense for a single strike. Kreegan pondered whether this might prove effective against logia devil fruit users and even contemplated its utility against armament haki.

Enduring Blade emerged as an exceptionally potent ability that would undoubtedly make Kreegan a formidable opponent as long as he had arcane pools at his disposal. It allowed him to extend the duration of his enchanted weapon by investing an extra point from his arcane pool, thereby increasing the duration by 1 minute for every level. Consequently, his elemental enchantments would now persist for 7 minutes, marking a significant shift in his combat strategy and presenting a plethora of new possibilities.

His final ability, Empowered Magic, represented a substantial magical enhancement for his spells. This ability granted him the power to amplify a spell's level by two, up to the maximum spell level he could cast. At present, with his ability to cast level 2 spells, he could boost a spell's level by 1. However, as he progressed to level 3 spells, he would be able to elevate his level 1 spells to level 3, infusing them with greater potency and destructive potential.

Now, it was time for Kreegan to select his spells. For his first spell, he opted for "Gust of Wind," a ranged magic that unleashed powerful winds. This spell had an area of effect spanning 3 meters (10 feet) in width and 20 meters (60 feet) in length. Kreegan believed this spell would prove invaluable when dealing with crowds or facing adversaries like Smoker. While Kreegan desired an amicable relationship with Smoker, he understood the necessity of accumulating spells to exploit the vulnerabilities of Logia-type fruit users.

Kreegan's second choice for a level 2 spell was "Animal Aspect." This spell granted him the ability to modify certain parts of his body to resemble those of animals. Essentially, it offered him a Zoan Fruit-like transformation, albeit without altering his overall shape significantly. He could imbue his arms with the strength of a gorilla for a 50% boost in arm strength, and he could enhance his legs with the speed of a raptor, providing a 20% increase in speed. The monkey aspect bestowed upon him the agility needed for climbing, while the raccoon aspect equipped him with padded feet for silent movement. However, it was important to note that the effects of this spell lasted only for a minute.

His "Coat of The Seven Seas" had also leveled up to level 3, now providing 15 additional AC. Additionally, it offered a new slotted spell called "Water Walk." As the name implied, this spell enabled him to walk on water for 30 minutes, with a cooldown period of 6 hours.