"My, my... that was a bit harsh, wasn't it?" Aokiji muttered, staring at the massive object that had suddenly appeared before him. He leaped into the air, mid-descents firing two streaks of ice toward the sea.
"Your crew might be nameless now, but letting you grow any further would surely turn you into a major headache for the world."
Half of Aokiji's face frosted over as his expression turned cold. "Ice Age!"
Drake's heart sank. Does he have to be this ruthless?! Just as he thought they were done for, the Protector shuddered violently.
[BEEP!] [Warning: The Protector has detected imminent danger. Automatic Warp System engaging. Initiating instantaneous transfer. Captain and crew, please hold on to the bulkheads to avoid injury...]
Hum—!
A wave of intense vertigo washed over Drake and Kenshin. For a split second, their consciousness went black.
"Wait, what...?" Aokiji blinked, unable to believe his eyes. A submarine of that size had simply vanished into thin air right in front of him.
"What kind of ability was that?"
Faced with such a bizarre phenomenon, Aokiji's first thought was a Devil Fruit power. It was a logical conclusion; after all, this was the world of pirates.
Ten miles away, a hundred meters beneath the ocean's surface, the Protector sat in silent suspension.
"Hiss..." Drake let out a sharp breath. He hadn't expected the Protector to be this powerful—instantly jumping ten miles away and deep underwater. Even an Admiral like Aokiji was powerless against them now.
With this, reaching Marineford would be a breeze. The system's products truly were top-tier.
[Ding! Host, do not be misled. The Protector's Warp System consumes a massive amount of energy. The only fuel source for the Protector is the 'Guardian Stone'!]
"Guardian Stone?" Drake asked. "What the hell is a Guardian Stone?"
[Ding! Such an ignorant question. Please consult the database yourself.] The system went silent.
Drake: "..." You son of a...!
With no other choice, Drake opened the status panel and clicked the information icon in the top right corner. After a bit of reading, he got the gist of it.
Guardian Stones were system-exclusive items used to power high-tech machinery. Checking the gauge, he saw the Protector only had 20% energy remaining. At this rate, they wouldn't last long.
"System. Hey, dog system," Drake called out.
The familiar interface flickered into his mind. Drake quickly corrected his tone. "System, I wanted to ask: if I choose Conqueror's Haki, will I be able to use 'Infusion' immediately?"
The Haki reward had been weighing on his mind. In the world of One Piece, Haki was the ultimate power alongside Devil Fruits. It was split into three types: Observation, Armament, and Conqueror's. Armament, specifically, was the essential tool for dealing with Logia users who could turn into elements.
Earlier, if Kenshin's blade had been coated in Armament Haki, he might have actually dealt some damage to Aokiji's true body instead of just shattering ice.
Conqueror's Haki, on the other hand, was a rare gift found only in those with the "qualities of a king." It was primarily an overwhelming aura, and only a handful of the world's strongest could use it for direct attacks—known as Conqueror's Infusion.
[Negative. Conqueror's Infusion, advanced Ryuo, and Future Sight are all high-level applications. Once your proficiency reaches the required level, you will be able to perform them.]
"I'll take Armament Haki then." Drake had already made up his mind. He was about to face several Logia users; Armament was the practical choice.
[Ding! Host has acquired Armament Haki! Please check the Status Panel for specific levels.]
[Additionally, a Side Mission has been triggered: 'A Brother's Bond.' Your second older brother, Sabo, is currently a high-ranking officer within the Revolutionary Army, but his memories are lost. The Host must restore his memories and bring him to Marineford to save your eldest brother, Ace! Reward: 100 Guardian Stones, 1 Senzu Bean from the Dragon Ball World.]
[Item Granted: Sabo's Vivre Card.]
[There is no penalty for failing this mission.]
Drake was overjoyed. When he watched One Piece in his past life, his biggest regret was that Sabo hadn't been able to do anything before Ace was gone. This time, he could make it a perfect ending.
"Open Status Panel."
[Host]: Vale D. Drake [Cultivation]: Swordsman Master [Skills]: Basic Armament Haki (100/1000) [Items]: Mera Mera no Mi, Goro Goro no Mi, Rainbow's Remnant (Sword) [Vehicle]: The Protector [Crew]: Kenshin (Swordsman Master)
Drake blinked at the crew section. He finally had a read on Kenshin's true strength; it seemed they were roughly on the same level. Based on the fight with Aokiji, Drake estimated "Swordsman Master" was roughly equivalent to Zoro's level around two years ago.
However, Drake lacked Zoro's repertoire of named finishing moves. Zoro had an endless supply of techniques with high-status names that were as poetic as they were powerful.
Still, with Armament Haki, Drake's combat effectiveness had jumped significantly. He felt much more confident facing Logia types now. It looked like Haki levels were raised through experience points, just like skills.
After planning his next moves, Drake looked at the two Logia fruits in his inventory. Both were among the strongest in existence. During the fight with Aokiji, he had been tempted to eat the Mera Mera no Mi just to stand a chance, but he had held back.
He had decided to save the Mera Mera no Mi for Sabo. That was the only way this would truly feel like the world of One Piece.
As for the Goro Goro no Mi—the Rumble-Rumble Fruit—he had already decided to give it to Kenshin.
Two days later.
Near a coastline, a dark shadow emerged from the water. Smooth as an eggshell, the strange oval vessel broke the surface. It was the Protector. Inside, sparks of electricity occasionally flickered across the walls.
"Kenshin, you need to learn to control that power quickly," Drake said with a grin, looking at Kenshin, whose body was currently leaking stray bolts of blue lightning.
"Drake..." Kenshin still felt like he was dreaming. A priceless Logia fruit—and Drake had simply handed it to him. In a daze of confusion and awe, he had eaten it. Now, lightning surged through him instinctively; it felt as if he had become the lightning itself.
Kenshin nodded slowly, peering through the Protector's reinforced glass at the approaching shore. "Is your brother really here?"
"Yeah..." A look of nostalgia crossed Drake's face as the memories of this body surged forward.
Four brothers, causing chaos together, doing whatever they pleased, living with absolute freedom. The memories of that small mountain village felt like a warm, distant dream.