Aboard the Xebec's Sword, another restless day had begun.
Kyo and Shiki were at their usual daily fight, while Newgate would also spar with Rocks to improve his own strength.
The plump Charlotte Linlin stormed off, fuming at Ignis again, and headed to the kitchen to eat.
Barbel and Sunbell were also training their Haki and physical skills, unwilling to fall behind.
They were determined to become the strongest warriors on Fish-Man Island.
In Ignis's private strategy room.
"Streusen, do you want to live forever, to maintain eternal youth~"
Holding the Shichiseiken, which floated in the air, Ignis's voice sounded like a demon's whisper, lingering in Streusen's ear.
Streusen, now 37 years old, was the oldest member of the crew.
Oldest, shortest, weakest, and at the bottom of the hierarchy, alongside Sunbell, that was this chef's current situation.
Streusen, who had just entered carrying pastries, was startled by Ignis's sinister whisper.
"Live forever? Maintain eternal youth?"
A red light flickered in Streusen's greedy eyes.
"What do I need to do, Vice Captain?"
Torn between fear and greed, Streusen fell deeper under Ignis's control.
"Join the Glorious Evolution."
Ignis felt no psychological burden with the likes of Streusen. The eerie green glow of the Shichiseiken grew brighter.
Ignis intended to make Streusen his first test subject, transforming him into a vampire thrall.
His soul flame transformed into a vampire bat, flew to Streusen's neck, and bit down hard.
Streusen, eyes glowing red, didn't resist, allowing the vampire bat to reshape his body.
"Ah!!"
Streusen suddenly screamed and collapsed to the ground. The pastries fell from his hands but, under Ignis's gravity ability, floated in mid-air.
Ignis leisurely took a pastry and ate it, watching Streusen's transformation with interest.
Turning on one's own crewmates was an unforgivable line on other pirate crews.
But on the Rocks Pirates, it was nothing.
Especially since Ignis hadn't actually killed Streusen; he had only granted him eternal youth.
As the transformation was completed, Streusen's pupils turned completely red, and sharp fangs grew from his mouth.
"I feel an endless vitality!"
Streusen climbed to his feet excitedly. He cut his own arm with a knife, and the wound healed before his eyes.
He felt as if he had eaten a Mythical Zoan, gaining powerful regenerative abilities.
'Was Ignis's ability this exaggerated?'
'Did this mean Ignis could mass-produce vampire thralls no less powerful than Zoan users?'
"Go and adapt to your new abilities. Act as if nothing happened."
After finishing his pastry and observing Streusen for a few minutes, Ignis waved his hand, dismissing his new thrall.
This way, the most treacherous little dwarf had become his subordinate completely.
Even more obedient than Barbel or Sunbell.
Ignis wasn't trying to betray Rocks, to whom he owed his life and protection. He was simply eliminating potential dangers ahead of time.
He didn't want to see Rocks's crew fall apart either!
At least until Imu was dealt with, Ignis had no intention of leaving the Rocks Pirates.
To face Imu, Ignis truly needed Rocks's strength.
"Yes, Vice Captain!"
Streusen excitedly felt the power within him. He tried retracting his vampire fangs, returning to normal.
Even his pupils regained their original color, as if nothing had happened.
As Streusen left, Ignis stroked his chin. The development of his Vampire Fruit ability had taken another important step.
However, transforming a vampire thrall consumed a large amount of the blood energy Ignis had collected.
So, unless necessary, Ignis didn't want to create more thralls.
Unless he completely embraced being a demon, slaughtering on a large scale to collect blood.
Ignis suddenly realized he was becoming somewhat like that old monster, Imu.
He had multiple abilities and could create thralls. In the future, he might even have teleportation abilities.
Wasn't that just like the relationship between Imu, the Five Elders, and the God's Knights?
'Interesting. Will I really become the next Im?'
'Will the boy who slew the dragon become the dragon himself?'
Ignis chuckled to himself. But he wouldn't regret it or feel guilty. He would continue down this path.
Rocks wanted this world, but Ignis only wanted eternal life and power!
He wanted to break free from this world and explore the wider, unknown universe beyond!
"Too bad I still haven't awakened Observation Haki. I can't even pull off that cool, flashy move of summoning a meteor."
Ignis continued developing his Gravity and Vampire abilities.
He had also discovered that his Moonlight ability seemed to enhance his Vampire abilities in some special way.
This made Ignis pay even more attention to how his abilities complemented each other.
Abilities that could synergize and augment each other would allow Ignis to unleash stronger combat power and have more options against enemies.
Until he possessed Rocks-level mastery of the three Haki types and physical strength, these flashy Devil Fruit abilities were Ignis's greatest asset.
Fortunately, the Vampire ability supplemented his stamina; otherwise, developing three abilities would be a significant burden for Ignis right now.
...
In the kitchen of the Xebec's Sword.
"Linlin! Didn't the Vice Captain tell you to eat less!"
Streusen, having just returned to the kitchen, found Charlotte Linlin stuffing her face.
Ignis intended to change Linlin's habit of compulsive overeating, so Streusen was systematically reducing her sweets.
But the moment he looked away, Charlotte Linlin had already emptied half the kitchen.
"Your aura has changed..."
"And you can't control me!"
Charlotte Linlin stuffed food into her mouth. She immediately noticed the change in Streusen.
But she couldn't be bothered with this 'traitor.'
That guy Streusen only liked to flatter Ignis now. He was no longer the obedient Streusen of before.
"..."
"The Vice Captain has strengthened my power!"
"And you want the Vice Captain to predict information about Mother Carmel."
"You should spend more time with him. The Vice Captain is a good person."
Streusen looked at Charlotte Linlin, still in her plump form. No wonder Ignis didn't want to bother with her.
It seemed Linlin really needed to lose weight.
"Hmph, you think I haven't tried? Ignis just ignores me!"
Charlotte Linlin wiped her mouth and spoke irritably, her face puffed up in anger.
"Then you need to change yourself!"
Streusen's small eyes darted as he whispered advice to Charlotte Linlin.
He had always thought Charlotte Linlin was a once-in-a-millennium talent.
But now he saw a whole crew of monsters just as powerful as Linlin.
His perspective had been too narrow.
No wonder his original pirate crew was destroyed. The monsters in this world were truly countless.
Now, they needed to cling to the two pillars: Rocks and Ignis!
A few days later, a massive flying warship sailed into the waters of Elysium Island...
"Finally here!"
Wang Zhi licked his lips. How could he join the Rocks Pirates with dignity, without losing face?
Kuroki, the CP0 spy, showed a confident look, as if he had everything under control.
As long as he demonstrated sufficient strength, he had a 98% chance of joining the Rocks Pirates!