5 Chapter 5

[Sign-in Successful]

[Congratulations to the host for acquiring: Space Storage, Kendo (Talent), and 1Billion Bailey.]

Seph's eyes sparkled with delight as he reviewed his rewards:

a Space Storage: The Space Storage seemed to align perfectly with his needs, offering endless growth potential within its vast confines. Already boasting dimensions of 1000x1000x1000, it promised even greater expansion. 

Kendo (Talent): This ability stands on par with the Charm Concept bestowed upon him by Nami. It operates as a passive talent, dynamically enhancing his proficiency in the sword domain. As he delves deeper into the world of swordsmanship, his focus and perception will ascend to astonishing heights.

With maximum affinity for the sword, his mastery of swordsmanship will escalate rapidly and boundlessly. Even achieving levels beyond Great Swordsmanship can be accomplished within a mere few months if he dedicates himself moderately to training. Should he adopt the relentless dedication of individuals like Zoro, surpassing decades of Hawkeye's hard work could be achieved in a matter of week or even a days.

As for the billion bailey, it likely stemmed from Helmeppo's affluent lineage—a testament to his second-generation status.

Lost in thought, Seph was suddenly startled by a loud shout and a swift commotion. Glancing back at the scene, he witnessed Helmeppo and his cohorts sprawled on the ground, sporting sizable bumps and bruises on their heads and faces. Meanwhile, Luffy stretched his arms tens of meters while using the wall as a makeshift trampoline, propelling himself like a humanoid rocket toward the roof of the navy base.

"Luffy-san!!!" Coby's voice rang out in alarm, his eyes wide with fear as he watched Luffy's actions unfold.

Zoro, still bound alongside the little double-tailed girl, stared in shock, their eyes widening as they witnessed Luffy's abnormal antics. "Is this guy really human? Or a monster?" Zoro, having never encountered a Devil Fruit user, was deeply unsettled by Luffy's rubbery features, while the little girl's eyes sparkled with awe and delight, clapping her hands in excitement.

Seph sensed he had missed something but brushed it aside; he already knew the plot. He turned to Zoro and explained, "He's not a monster; he's a Devil Fruit user. Specifically, he has the Rubber-Rubber Fruit, which grants him a rubbery body, allowing him to stretch."

Zoro, finally understanding, calmed down. He glanced at Seph and then at the rice ball in his hand.

Seph chuckled and sent the rice ball flying toward his mouth, embracing the still-jumping little girl with a smile. Turning to Zoro who was munching, he couldn't help but wonder aloud,

"But really, are you that gullible? How could you believe his nonsense? It was clear he was lying to you..."

Zoro's expression darkened. "They are Marines..." he muttered, not needing to elaborate. In this world, the Marines were seen as the epitome of righteousness. Zoro might have believed that while he may be humiliated, it didn't justify killing anyone.

However, he remained naive; in Helmeppo's eyes, the dog might have been worth more than the lives of everyone in town.

It was a twisted reality where characters could be easily whitewashed and deemed "good." Even Garp would allow his father 'Morgan' to escape—a clear testament to the deformed nature of the world they inhabited.

Seph paid no heed to the things around him, drawn instead to a sword lying beside one of the fallen soldiers. Gently placing the little girl beside Zoro, he approached the fallen soldier and retrieved the sword.

The moment his hand gripped the hilt, he felt a connection, as though the sword were an extension of his own body. His mind cleared, and with each swing, he instinctively found the most optimal path for the blade. As he continued to practice, Zoro watched with growing admiration.

"Your foundation is remarkable! I didn't expect you to be a swordsman as well..." Zoro's tone was filled with respect and a hint of competitive spirit.

Coby and the little girl, too, were captivated by Seph's movements, which seemed more like an art form than mere swordplay—beautiful yet lethal.

With Zoro's praise, Seph became increasingly aware of the potential of his Talent. What felt like aimless swings to him were seen by Zoro as the foundation of decades of hard work.

Approaching Zoro, Seph drew the attention of the crowd with a single, peculiar swing of the sword.

Swift...

The cords binding Zoro to the crucifix were effortlessly severed. Zoro found himself liberated, his eyes gleaming with astonishment.

"I couldn't follow it! His sword is too fast for me to predict!" Zoro exclaimed, his gaze fixed on Seph with a mixture of awe and respect.

Meanwhile, Coby and the little girl watched in wonder, marveling at Seph's display of power.

"Seph-san, you're incredible!"

"Seph-kun, you're unbelievably strong!

Suddenly, their lighthearted mood was shattered as heavy footsteps announced Morgan's approach. With a swish, the navy base door swung open, revealing Colonel Morgan accompanied by a small army of navy soldiers.

Coby trembled in fear, collapsing to the ground. "It's over! Colonel Morgan has come in person! There's no way to escape!"

"Seph-kun!" The little girl sought refuge behind Seph, finding solace in his presence.

Zoro regarded the imposing figure of Morgan with a grave expression, his demeanor reflecting the seriousness of the situation.

[A significant Person is found... Morgan 'Axe-Hand'. Would you like to sign in?]

[Sign-in Successful]

[Congratulations host for acquiring : Masamune]

For the sign-in, he didn't think much of it for now. Masamune, Sephiroth sword of choice wasn't surprising for him. It was just better than the famed sowrds of this world, not a very precious reward compared with Nami and Zoro.

Seph faced Morgan's ugly expression, realizing that Luffy must have deeply offended him. Yet, he wasn't afraid; rather, he saw an opportunity to test his current basic stats using Morgan as a benchmark.

Without warning, Seph appeared in front of Morgan, nearly shocking him. However, Morgan reacted swiftly, swinging his Axe-hand ruthlessly at Seph.

Seph observed the impending attack but made no move to dodge. The Axe-hand struck his body with force.

"Silver boy, be careful!" Zoro shouted in shock.

"Boy, you're dead!" Morgan grinned ruthlessly.

Boom!

A crisp sound reverberated as the mighty Iron Axe-hand shattered into pieces upon contact with Seph's body. Seph remained standing, his clothes still neat and tidy. The attack had barely scratched his defenses.

Brushing off the dust from his chest, Seph glanced at Morgan, who knelt in front of him, pain etched across his face. His body trembled, blood spurting from the remnants of his destroyed axe hand.

"Are you tickling me?" Seph quipped, eyeing Morgan with interest.

While he hadn't unlocked Superman-like abilities, his defenses, constitution, and damage-unfolding capabilities learned from observing Luffy weren't in vain.

In this world, beyond exerting power for devastating attacks, one could also use their body to unfold damage, making them difficult to kill easily.

Zoro stared at Seph in shock. "So powerful!"

Coby was speechless, while the little girl, who had cried in fear moments ago, now laughed happily.

The navy soldiers swallowed hard, watching as Morgan quivered in pain on the ground.

"Since you attacked me, it would be rude not to show my gratitude," Seph remarked playfully.

With a swift motion, he unleashed a powerful kick using techniques learned from Luffy. Morgan, sensing the impending threat of death, raised his guard.

Crisp.

The leg easily shattered Morgan's shoulders and torso, sending him flying hundreds of meters, knocking on multiple obstacles in his way.

The sound of his body breaking sent shivers down the spines of the onlookers.

'Wonderful,' Seph thought. He had only used a fraction of his strength, yet, thanks to techniques he had appropriated from Luffy, his body unleashed terrifying power.

Seeing Zoro's shocked expression, Seph smiled playfully. At that moment, Luffy arrived carrying three swords behind him, landing beside Seph.

"Good job, Seph!"

"My duty, Captain!"

The navy soldiers were even more terrified to learn that Seph have another captain above his head.

They hurriedly knelt down and surrendered.

A spectacle of justice and tyranny unfolded, but Seph had already departed. He wasn't interested in their excuses. If not for his aversion to trouble, he would have razed the entire navy base; in his eyes, no one was innocent.

Soon, Seph found his target rummaging through Morgan's vault.

"Nami-chan, fate is truly working hard to bind us!" Seph remarked with a smirk.

"Eiiih!" Nami shrieked in fright, her expression darkening upon seeing Seph.

"Your treasure has already been stolen by Buggy..." Seph mocked her, pointing to the sign left by Buggy in the vault.

Nami clenched her fists in anger.

"How about it? Join us. My captain is strong, and even the legendary pirate hunter Zoro has joined us. With our help, you could easily steal Buggy's treasure..."

Nami, on the brink of explosion, paused to consider. It wasn't because she wanted to spend time with Seph or because she found him attractive, definitely not.

After taking a deep breath, she spoke with determination. "Listen to me, we can cooperate, but I will never join any pirates!" Her oath was firm as she looked at Seph seriously.

Having witnessed Luffy's abilities during the Alvida incident and being aware of Zoro's fame, she didn't outright refuse the idea.

Seph nodded. "Okay, cooperation!"

Nami's face lit up with a sudden smile as she shook hands with him. "Happy cooperation!"