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"Gum-Gum Fruit? Rubberman?"
Zoro looked at Luffy in disbelief.
Such a thing as a Devil Fruit actually existed.
"You bastard, how dare you hit me! My old man will kill you!"
Helmeppo clutched his face, which was incredibly swollen from Luffy's punches.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Luffy's fists were Helmeppo's only reply.
"Stop, stop! If you keep hitting him, you'll really get yourselves killed!"
The two Marine soldiers nearby, who had just been stunned by Luffy's Gum-Gum Fruit ability, seeing Helmeppo almost losing consciousness from Luffy's beating, quickly tried to intervene.
"Could you please not interrupt our captain's business?"
Rune smiled faintly, a black and red light flickering in his eyes.
"Buzz!"
The next moment, an invisible wave swept over the two Marine soldiers. Their eyes rolled back, and they instantly collapsed, unconscious.
"This... this is..."
Looking at the man named Rune, who had merely narrowed his eyes, Zoro's instincts could clearly sense a terrifying power surging from this man, and then the two Marine soldiers instantly lost consciousness.
Zoro, having never witnessed such power, was filled with disbelief.
"This is called Conqueror's Haki. Weak individuals cannot maintain consciousness under this Haki."
Rune's eyes, now devoid of the red and black light, introduced with a faint smile.
"Conqueror's Haki?"
Zoro murmured the unfamiliar term.
After setting sail, due to lack of money, he became a bounty hunter, exchanging pirates for bounties.
With his powerful strength, he earned the title of "Pirate Hunter," but he had never seen such a bizarre power.
Neither the "Gum-Gum Fruit" used by the man named Luffy, nor the power of the man named Rune.
The sea was indeed vast beyond imagination.
"Much better. You deserved that, you scumbag."
Luffy exhaled comfortably, looking at the now unconscious Helmeppo.
"Check entries."
Rune looked at the unconscious Helmeppo, thinking inwardly.
Entry (Helmeppo): Redemption Power-up (Light Purple)
Redemption Power-up (Light Purple): Can be redeemed. After redemption, strength is increased.
This kind of character actually has a Light Purple entry.
And this scumbag, relying on his father's authority, has harmed many civilians.
He can inexplicably be "redeemed" and become stronger. The original author is sometimes truly baffling.
However, even though it's a Light Purple entry, such an entry is useless to me.
As Rune was thinking this, a light screen appeared.
"Entries of Purple level or higher can be converted into fixed upgrade entries, usable for upgrading existing entries."
Looking at the light screen before him, Rune confirmed it, a slight curve on his lips.
So that's how the entry system's upgrade function worked.
This could be considered "waste utilization."
"Plunder."
Helmeppo's entry was instantly taken by Rune.
"Convert."
Looking at the Redemption Power-up (Light Purple) entry, Rune thought inwardly.
"Converted. Current number of Potential-type Light Purple entries (1)."
After using this function, Rune completely understood it.
Simply put, it meant he could convert some entries he didn't need into upgrade tools, to upgrade the entries he did need.
However, White and Blue level entries couldn't be used for upgrading. Indeed, white clouds and blue skies were always cheap everywhere.
And it had to be a fully plundered entry. Entries loaded from pirate crewmates, for example, were like mirrors;
Although they fully belonged to Rune after loading and could be used without any restrictions, because they weren't fully plundered entries, they couldn't be used as upgrade materials.
Only entries of Light Purple level or higher, and fully plundered, could be used as upgrade materials for Rune's existing entries.
Combat-related entries were divided into Potential-type entries and Strength-type entries.
For example, the Faction Luck (Super Gold) plundered from Coby was a Potential-type entry.
Luffy's Sun God (Super Gold) also belonged to Potential-type entries.
And Rune's already lit Conqueror's Haki (Light Gold) entry, which could be used directly for combat, was a Strength-type entry.
Like Luffy's Superhuman Physique (Deep Purple) and Zoro's Demon Beast Physique (Deep Purple), these were also Strength-type entries.
Strength-type entries like "physique" only showed the entry level corresponding to the current strength the user's physique could exert. It had no bearing on the ultimate limit that such a strength-type entry could reach in the future.
This was also true for strength-type entries like Zoro's Three Sword Style (Deep Purple) and Luffy's Gum-Gum Fruit (Deep Purple).
Potential-type entries could only be used to upgrade Potential-type entries, not Strength-type entries.
Seeing this, Rune felt a bit of regret. If he could upgrade directly, Rune would have wanted to use Faction Luck (Super Gold) to upgrade Conqueror's Haki.
Although Faction Luck (Super Gold) had huge potential, it was still far inferior to completely mastering Conqueror's Haki - Coating (Super Gold).
That was direct access to Emperor-level power.
However, despite the regret, it was also expected. Potential, after all, was just potential, not strength.
If it could be used directly to upgrade strength-type entries and give oneself immense power, that would be like creating something out of nothing, breaking the absolute law of conservation of matter.
At this moment, Rune had a deeper understanding of being in the real One Piece world. This was a real world. Even with such a powerful system, he still had to follow the conservation of matter.
To truly reach the pinnacle of this world, the system only provided him with a passport to the top. To become the strongest, he still had to rely on himself.
Rune's lips curved slightly. This way, it's more interesting.
He wanted to see how far he could go.
"Capacity increased. Conqueror's Haki intensity increased."
A line of light screen appeared.
As expected, the intensity of Conqueror's Haki was linked to the so-called "capacity" in the original work.
Rune looked at the light screen and thought inwardly.
This also proved the correctness of his decision to make a high-profile appearance and proclaim the title of "King."
In the One Piece world, only by being renowned, turning the blood and failures of enemies into nourishment, could one truly stand at the very pinnacle of this vast sea.
It seemed that in the future, he would need to be even more high-profile and get his bounty even higher.
Anyway, backed by Luffy, he didn't need to worry about attracting pirates and Marines he couldn't handle.
Rune thought inwardly.
Having clarified his future, Rune continued to check the upgrade function.
Ten entries of the same level were needed to upgrade one level.
For example, this Potential-type Light Purple entry obtained from Helmeppo required ten such entries to upgrade one Potential-type Light Purple entry to a Potential-type Deep Purple entry.
Compared to others who could only train slowly, this method was already extremely fast.
At least Rune was very satisfied. In the future, if he encountered some entries above Purple level but useless to him, they could still play a significant role.
And having lost this most important Light Purple entry, Helmeppo was completely ruined.
"You're pirates, aren't you? Why are you getting involved in this mess?"
At this moment, Zoro asked, completely bewildered.
"When you see scum like that, of course you have to punch them away," Luffy said matter-of-factly, grinning, then looked at Zoro.
"Will you be my nakama?"
Luffy extended the invitation.
"Why would I become a bad guy?"
Zoro, somewhat confused by Luffy's thought process, refused.
"But I've already decided that you're going to be my nakama."
Luffy said with certainty.
"Hey! Can you listen to me properly?!"
Zoro roared.
"But if you don't agree, you'll just wait here to die, won't you? A man like you should have an ambition you must achieve, right? Are you truly willing to die here?"
Rune said with a faint smile.
"..."
Zoro fell silent.
Die here? How could he be willing?
If he were willing, how could Zoro have survived twenty days without food, relying solely on his willpower?
To become the World's Strongest Swordsman, to make his name heard even in heaven—this was his promise to his deceased childhood companion, Kuina.
And it was Zoro's ambition!
"Oh right, you're a swordsman, aren't you? Where's your sword?"
Luffy suddenly asked.
"That guy took it."
Zoro looked at the unconscious Helmeppo.
"Hmm? Then I'll go get your sword back for you. If you want your sword, then be my nakama."
Luffy grinned, and with that, he grabbed the unconscious Helmeppo and left.
"Hey! Wake up quickly! Where's Zoro's sword? If you don't tell me, I'll keep punching you!"
Luffy yelled, slapping Helmeppo's face.
"Luffy, the Marine base is over here."
Rune called out to Luffy, pointing in the opposite direction from where Luffy had gone.
"Oh, right, thanks, Rune."
Luffy quickly turned back and then charged off again.
"This guy really doesn't listen to a word anyone says."
Zoro watched the departing Luffy, his lips twitching.
"I can't believe you actually accept this guy as your captain."
Zoro looked at Rune, who remained behind.
"Luffy can be a bit air-headed sometimes, but he's very reliable when it counts," Rune chuckled, then looked at Rika.
"You should go back first, Rika. Things are about to get chaotic here."
Rune said gently.
"But..."
Rika looked at the slightly cool rice ball in her hand.
"Give it to me," Zoro suddenly said.
Rika was slightly stunned, then a bright smile bloomed on her small face.
"Here, Big Brother."
Seeing Zoro wolfing down her rice ball, Rika's smile grew even brighter.
"It's delicious. I'm full."
Zoro ate the last bite and smiled.
"I'm so happy. Thank you, Big Brother."
Rika looked at Rune. She understood that it was because of Rune that Zoro had eaten the rice ball she made.
"So, how about it? Isn't a child's sincerity more precious than gold?"
Rune chuckled, looking at the scene.
"Ah."
A smile also appeared on Zoro's face.
"Boom!!!"
Just then, a loud explosion echoed.