Meanwhile…
Vincent Fox stood once more in the familiar void of the dimensional space, completely unaware of how much the Navy now feared his name. The very moment Sengoku had declared the war over, the trial's timer had run out, and Vincent was pulled back into the neutral realm.
Now, he waited for his reward.
"Congratulations! Your performance in this forbidden trial has been extraordinary, altering the very course of the Summit War…"
"You have achieved the highest-tier mission reward!"
"You are awarded 200 free attribute points, assignable at will!"
"For completing the highest-tier task and slaying a Marine Admiral, you also receive: Conqueror's Haki, Armament Haki, and Observation Haki!"
A brilliant tri-colored light materialized in the air, cascading down upon him. Vincent closed his eyes, letting the radiance seep into his body.
When the glow faded, he could feel the difference immediately. His will, once intangible, now had weight. A single thought and his arm gleamed with an invisible armor.
Armament Haki.
Vincent clenched his fist. He knew well how crucial this ability was. If not for the Admirals' mastery of it, his battle would have been far easier.
As for the other two forms of Haki, he could not test them here. In this void, he was utterly alone.
Even so, a rare smile tugged at his lips.
He had hoped for a flying-type Devil Fruit to balance his weakness in aerial combat. Instead, he had been granted all three colors of Haki one of the most broken powers in the world of pirates.
Better still, like his innate Flameborn Gift, his Haki would grow stronger as his mental strength rose.
Without hesitation, Vincent dumped all 200 free points into Spirit.
His stats shifted before his eyes:
Name: Vincent Fox
Race: Human
Constitution: 3253
Spirit: 1166
Strength: 3249
Agility: 3011
Bloodline: Saitama Physique (Awakened)
Innate Talent: Flameborn
Skills: Descent of the Demon God (Upgradeable), Conqueror's Haki, Armament Haki, Observation Haki
He flexed his left arm, coating it with Armament Haki, and drove his right fist into the ground.
Boom!
A small explosion rippled outward, and Vincent hissed, shaking his numb hand.
"So… Armament, amplified by my physique, can reach this level."
He recalled what the system's knowledge had taught him: Conqueror's Haki, at its peak, was the mark of a true king. Beyond intimidation, it could exert a tangible will suppressing others outright.
Observation Haki, at its pinnacle, could touch the very thoughts of others, even bend their minds, forge bonds of resonance, or shatter convictions entirely.
The two combined… terrifying. Enough to break an enemy's will and turn him into an ally.
The thought thrilled him. With this power, fighting Akainu again would be a different story. Even if he couldn't one-shot him, several solid blows would do the job.
And with Spirit now beyond a thousand, his Flameborn Gift had evolved again. Fire coiled around his hand, hotter and sharper than ever before. A test confirmed it he could now partially elementalize his body, even if only a hand at a time. Still, it was terrifying progress.
At the exit of the Fourth Trial Ground, the waiting room was packed. Merchants thronged the place, their faces lit with greed. Everyone knew the Fourth Trial was called the Land of Fate for within, Devil Fruits could be found.
Yes, the curse of the sea came with them, but the power they offered was worth any price. Many of these merchants had been sent by great families to secure fruits for talentless heirs, to transform them into geniuses overnight.
Suddenly, a cry rose from the crowd.
"Look! Golden Legend!"
All eyes turned to the exit. A radiant golden light flared, dazzling, unmistakable. It was the mark of the highest possible evaluation.
The room went silent. Breath held.
And then, out from the light stepped a tall, sharp-eyed figure.
"He's out!" someone screamed. Instantly, the crowd surged forward.
"Sir, do you have a Devil Fruit? Sell it to me! Any price, I'll pay!" A slick merchant opened his coat, showing rows of checks.
"Brother, sell to me! Name your price, I'll match it!" barked another, a broad-shouldered man with a booming voice.
"Hey, I came first. I'll give you a permanent ten percent discount on all my wares."
"Ten percent? Cheap bastard. I'll give twenty!"
"Thirty!"
"Fifty!"
The bidding war escalated, drawing laughter and curses alike. Devil Fruits were priceless on the black market families would throw fortunes for just one.
But the merchants hadn't noticed. Their prize had already slipped away.
"Hey… where'd he go?"
"He left while you two were bickering."
Faces paled.
"Find him! Ten thousand to whoever brings me word first!"
"Twenty!"
"Thirty!"
"Forty!"
Vincent Fox, however, was already gone. Using his agility, he slipped through the mob with ease. He had no Devil Fruit anyway.
Checking the time, he muttered to himself.
"Past seven. About time for dinner."
His gaze hardened.
"The real priority now is the Fifth Trial Ground. They say it's less dangerous than the Fourth… but nothing about these places is ever easy."
With that, Vincent boarded a carriage and vanished into the city night.
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
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