Although Creed had shown terrifying strength—defeating Crocodile, Iron-Arm Zeph, and the 400-million bounty pirate Barem—Doflamingo still did not take him too seriously.
Even Crocodile, back then, was someone he merely considered recruiting, never an equal.
Of course, Creed's feats made him worthy of caution, not contempt.
What Doflamingo didn't know was that Creed had also defeated Shiryu of the Rain and the Red Count in Impel Down. If he had, he would never have dared to target Creed so recklessly.
...
At dawn, Creed sat cross-legged at the bow of his ship, eyes closed in meditation.
Most of his time was devoted to training; everything else was secondary.
This was why he had recruited Fujitora—leaving G-K Branch in his hands while he focused on becoming stronger.
Since realizing the massive gap between himself and the Four Emperors, Creed's training intensity had doubled.
This voyage was not only to scout the New World, but also to isolate himself from distractions and push his cultivation further.
With the Ope Ope no Mi, combined with his SSS-level stamina, SSS-level mental power, and beast control techniques, he had already mastered most of its basic and advanced applications.
But the fabled "Perennial Youth Surgery"? That remained a mystery.
The user's life would end upon casting it—yet Creed secretly wondered if, because he had extracted the ability through the system rather than eating the fruit, he might bypass that fatal drawback.
Still, his greatest ambition lay with awakening the fruit.
Even without awakening, its power was already godlike. If awakened, it might elevate him to the level of a Four Emperor—or at least close, perhaps SSSS-!
"Huuh…"
By noon, under the blazing sun, Creed ended his training.
The Ope Ope showed no new progress.
But his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan delivered a surprise: he had touched the threshold of a new power—Susanoo!
The so-called power of the gods.
A terrifying manifestation, with unparalleled offense and defense.
Of course, in his current state, he could only form a crude, incomplete version.
Sensing movement in the sea, he opened his eyes.
His pupils spun scarlet, windmill patterns whirling—Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan!
A faint hum rose.
Blue light erupted around him, shaping the half-formed giant figure of Susanoo.
At the helm, Ain rubbed her eyes in disbelief.
Had she not already seen so many impossible things from Creed, she would have screamed.
"Groar!!"
A colossal tentacle surged from the sea, wrapping toward their ship.
A Sea King!
Creed's will shifted.
Susanoo's massive arm extended, forming a thunderous sphere of rotating lightning in its palm.
The orb grew larger, blazing like a miniature sun.
"Go."
He hurled it.
The thunderball pierced hundreds of meters of seawater, slamming into the Sea King.
"GRAAAH!!"
Even from deep below, its screams and the crackle of electricity echoed.
Moments later, the giant octopus-like beast floated up, its body charred black.
Ain gagged, horrified.
Creed exhaled, dismissing Susanoo and the lightning.
A smile tugged his lips. This power was a surprise harvest.
By fusing his Susanoo with lightning release, he had extended its range and lethality.
It reminded him of Naruto's protagonists fusing Susanoo with beast or fire powers—sparks of inspiration he now adapted as his own.
The results? Promising.
As he turned to rest in the cabin, a flicker in the sky caught his eye. His brow furrowed.
He ordered Ain to find a small town nearby to dock and wait.
...
Orange Town.
A quiet island, named for its rich orchards.
Once ruled by a mid-sized pirate crew, it had become a well-known supply stop.
Creed and Ain docked, paid the fee, and headed to a tavern.
They sat down to a meal—but Creed's gaze stayed sharp.
Because he was expecting someone.
An uninvited guest was on the way.
Who would it be?
(End of Chapter)
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