On the merchant ship bound for Shimotsuki Village.
[Constitution: 5.1 (Undergoing rapid transformation due to certain influences)]
Dunn stared at the updated information on his data panel, a thoughtful expression on his face. He hadn't wasted a single second during the voyage, constantly researching the powers of the Flame-Flame Fruit and the limits of his Body Digitization.
The panel was incredibly intuitive, showing his mastery over various abilities and even adding new ones as he acquired them. For instance:
[Flame-Flame Fruit (Proficient)][Swordsmanship (Initial Mastery): You have mastered basic sword strikes and training methods.]
The addition of the "Swordsmanship" skill was the result of his persistent training with a blade during this period, and the rating for his fruit ability had also evolved. However, what fascinated Dunn most was the change in his Constitution.
In the world of One Piece, top-tier powerhouses were all physical monsters. When he first activated the panel, his Constitution was a mere 1.7. In just about a month, it had surged to 5.1.
He had tested the results: his speed, strength, endurance, and even his ability to take a hit had all drastically improved—at least compared to his former self.
Is it because of the Devil Fruit, or something else? Or perhaps, simply being in this world allows the body to naturally adapt and grow stronger? He speculated.
Regardless of the reason, it was a good thing. In this world, a powerful physique was the bedrock of strength. He just didn't know how long this rapid growth would last.
By his estimates, he currently possessed about five times the strength he had before transmigrating. Of course, compared to the true monsters of this world, five times an ordinary man's strength was still laughable.
Even on this ship, a burly sailor could easily hoist a wine barrel weighing hundreds of pounds.
But Dunn didn't dwell on that for long. He had discovered a terrifying hidden perk of his "Body Digitization."
Normally, over-training causes exhaustion and muscle strain. In Dunn's case, the "Body Digitization" interpreted this post-training strain as physical damage—meaning it was converted into a deduction of his HP.
He could actually see his health drop during extreme workouts. However, the fatigue and physical wear-and-tear would completely vanish the moment his HP was restored through eating.
On Earth, the human body has a ceiling. Here, that ceiling was incredibly high—if it even existed. This meant he could use his recovery ability to train with an intensity that would break anyone else, essentially "grinding" his way to the top through sheer effort.
Realizing this, Dunn felt that the distance between him and those world-shaking powerhouses wasn't as vast as he'd feared.
He wasn't afraid of hard work; he was only afraid of work that yielded no results. If every drop of sweat gave him a clear, tangible return, he was ready to be the ultimate "grinder."
The "King of Grinding" was officially online.
Dunn stood up abruptly, walked to the corner of his room, and hoisted a massive barbell off the floor.
Thud! Thud! Thud! The heavy vibrations and muffled sounds of metal meeting floor echoed through the cabin. On deck, several crew members glanced toward Dunn's room.
"He's at it again."
Everyone on the ship knew Dunn's identity by now: the bounty hunter who had single-handedly captured dozens of pirates.
He was powerful, and though they didn't know exactly how powerful, he was clearly in a different league. To these merchant sailors, pirates were terrifying predators, and anyone who could round them up like cattle was a figure of awe.
"No wonder he's so strong. The man is a maniac."
"That's it! I'm going to train hard too! I'll become a bounty hunter!" a lanky teenage sailor shouted, pumping his fist with determination.
Smack! A hand clipped the back of his head.
"Bounty hunter, huh? Is the deck scrubbed yet?" a gruff voice barked. The crew jumped and immediately buried themselves in their work.
The teenage sailor turned to see the Captain and quickly offered a fawning smile, bowing as he scrambled to scrub the floor.
"A bounty hunter? That's a life that ends in blood, kid. If you aren't prepared to die, don't even think about it," the old Captain muttered, watching them work.
He had seen the chaos that followed the Pirate King's execution—the slaughter, the pillaged islands, the lawless seas. It wasn't a world for ordinary people. In these turbulent times, being able to live a quiet life until old age was a blessing.
He glanced back at Dunn's door. "Only people like him are meant to walk that path."
Dunn didn't waste a single moment of the remaining voyage. He trained relentlessly every day, and his food consumption skyrocketed to match.
The ship, which was supposed to sail directly to Shimotsuki Village, had to stop at several islands along the way just to restock its supplies.
After two months and twenty days, they finally arrived at their destination around noon.
"Sir, that's Shimotsuki Village ahead."
In the distance, an island emerged from the sea.
"I see it," Dunn nodded slightly. The ocean was truly vast; during their entire trip, they had only encountered a few other vessels. Perhaps that was just the nature of the East Blue.
Dunn rested his hand on the railing, a spark of anticipation in his eyes. He opened his panel one last time:
[Body Digitization: Vital points removed. Damage is converted to HP reduction. You will not die until HP reaches zero.]
[Age: 14]
[Constitution: 9.9 (Rapidly evolving)]
[HP: 100%][Flame-Flame Fruit (Proficient): Mastery 9%]
[Swordsmanship (Proficient): Mastered basic strikes and advanced training.]
His physical constitution was now nearly ten times that of a normal human from his previous world. He felt like he could lift a ton with ease.
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