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Zyhark sighed deeply. Once again, he found himself at a crossroads with the Wishing Pool's options, much like dealing with the unpredictable Aqua—extremely powerful, yet always managing to drop a bombshell on him.
He started by evaluating the first ability. In the context of The Seven Deadly Sins, Full Counter was undoubtedly a god-tier skill, allowing its user to reflect any attack, regardless of the power difference.
This could be incredibly useful against overwhelming attacks like Kaido and Big Mom's combined move, "Hakoku," which could potentially turn the tide of battle entirely.
However, in the world of One Piece, where fights can last for days, such a tactic might not be as effective.
And with advanced Observation Haki that allows the user to foresee the future, a surprise attack like Full Counter would only work once. Not to mention, the twice-a-day limitation made it far less practical.
Given that he already had the "Time Reversal" ability, adding Full Counter would seem redundant.
He decided to pass on the first option.
Next, he considered the second ability, Mental Invasion. If Full Counter was like an upgraded Barrier Fruit, then this ability was akin to Charlotte Pudding's Memo-Memo Fruit, which could manipulate memories. It could be incredibly useful for intelligence gathering, brainwashing, or even turning enemies into allies.
However, just like the previous ability, it had its downsides. Against top-tier opponents with strong wills and Conqueror's Haki, it would be challenging to affect them.
Even if he could influence their minds during a battle, the cost—losing his emotions—was too high. What was the point of gaining power if it turned him into a soulless machine?
The choice was clear.
The third option, Plunder, enhanced physical strength and endurance—his current weaknesses. The ability to grow stronger during a fight was perfectly suited to the battle-centric world of One Piece.
The more he fought, the more powerful he would become, fitting right in with the relentless nature of high-stakes battles.
Even though the Wishing Pool would likely limit the speed of absorption, it still offered a significant boost to his stamina, something crucial for survival in prolonged battles against foes like the Yonko or Admirals.
And while the backlash after a fight would cause severe pain, he could always rely on Aqua's healing and resurrection abilities to help him recover.
Plus, his current strength was already approaching that of an Admiral or Yonko, meaning fewer opponents could push him to the point where he'd need to use Plunder.
[Option selected. Initiating physical enhancement.]
As the emotionless voice echoed in his mind, Zyhark once again felt the overwhelming power surge from his cheat device.
Energy flowed through him, originating from his heart and spreading to his limbs, causing every cell in his body to rejoice, basking in the extraordinary amplification.
While his Observation Haki hadn't yet reached the highest level, his amplified Goro Goro no Mi allowed him to sense the changes in his body more clearly than ever.
Strength increased. Stamina increased. His overall combat capabilities took another significant leap forward.
"Not a bad feeling at all…"
Zyhark clenched his fist, the electricity crackling around it, exuding a powerful aura.
He could feel it—he had finally stepped past the gatekeeper role of a Yonko's first mate and entered the realm of Admiral and Yonko-level power.
Feeling a sudden urge, Zyhark walked over to the greenery on the side of the deck, picked a cherry blossom petal from a tree Aqua had planted, and tossed it into the air.
As the petal gently drifted to the ground, Zyhark's eyes narrowed, and he activated his Time Reversal ability.
Buzz, buzz, buzz.
Invisible ripples spread out, forcing the timeline back by several seconds.
"The petal landed thirty centimeters away from its original spot. That means my stamina has nearly doubled after the enhancement!"
Zyhark leaned against the tree trunk, his chest heaving slightly, unable to hide the excitement in his eyes.
It was well known that cherry blossoms fall at a speed of five centimeters per second. His enhanced Time Reversal now allowed him to rewind time by six seconds!
In battles between top-tier fighters, victory could hinge on just a moment. It was clear that a six-second rewind could be invaluable.
Before Zyhark could fully explore the changes to his other abilities, the mechanical voice rang out in his mind.
[Summoning complete. Next summoning condition:]
[The One Piece]
"…"
"???"
"!!!"
You've got to be kidding me! I just reached Admiral-Yonko level strength, and you're throwing me into hell mode already?!
Even with Zyhark's calm demeanor, it took him several seconds to fully process the Wishing Pool's latest condition.
During that time, he couldn't help but check multiple times to confirm.
Sure enough, the next target was the One Piece hidden on the final island of the Grand Line, Laugh Tale.
Unable to contain himself, Zyhark mentally cursed the Wishing Pool countless times in his native language.
But as expected, the cheat device remained silent, offering no response.
It seemed he'd be relying on his own strength for a long time…
Accepting this reality with a sigh, Zyhark began to see the logic. After all, with his current crew and power, what else could be as challenging as the One Piece or the World Government's national treasure?
"Good thing I took a moment to record the contents of the Red Poneglyph," Zyhark thought, feeling a small sense of relief.
At the time, he had done it half-jokingly, thinking it might come in handy later.
And now, his hunch had proven right—the Wishing Pool had laid out the plan!
To find the One Piece hidden on Laugh Tale, he'd need to gather all four Road Poneglyphs and find someone who could read the ancient script.
The latter wasn't too difficult. He just needed to track down Nico Robin or Kozuki Sukiyaki from Wano.
But getting the Road Poneglyphs would be a challenge, especially with the ones held by Big Mom and Kaido. Those two wouldn't hand them over peacefully!
—These two weren't the kind to give up their treasures without a fight!
Zyhark's thoughts quickly coalesced, and a fierce determination burned in his eyes.
"A Yonko showdown to claim the title of Pirate King… how exhilarating!"
"Hey, Zyhark, what's got you so worked up?"
A voice full of mischief suddenly called out from behind him.
Hearing the unmistakable voice, Zyhark's excitement instantly cooled.
Damn it, I almost forgot about Aqua, the walking disaster!
"It's nothing, Aqua. Why are you still awake so late?" Zyhark asked, hiding his complicated emotions.
"What are you talking about? The great Aqua, the Water Goddess, doesn't even need sleep!" Aqua boasted, puffing out her chest proudly.
"Woke up because you had to pee, didn't you?" Zyhark responded flatly.
Aqua's confident demeanor shattered instantly. Stomping her foot in frustration, she shouted, "I told you, I never need to use the bathroom!!!"
"Meaningless goddess pride," Zyhark said, hitting the nail on the head.
"You don't get it! I'm a goddess, and I don't need to use the bathroom."
Aqua flicked a lock of her blue hair from her forehead, her expression haughty.
"Is that so? Then maybe I should use Observation Haki to keep an eye on you 24/7, just to verify that claim."
Aqua was startled, clutching her chest as she backed away. "Are you some kind of pervert? You're totally a pervert!"
"Actually, you're already cool enough without such a strong curiosity."
She was backpedaling now.
"Is that all?" Zyhark couldn't help but laugh.
"So, what new ability did you get from this summoning?" Aqua asked, quickly changing the subject to escape her predicament.
As the first companion, she was already well-versed in how Zyhark's cheat device worked.
After a moment's thought, Zyhark replied, "It's something every man dreams of having."
Growing stronger in the heat of battle, fighting until the other side was exhausted—yes, it was every man's dream.
Aqua's expression turned odd. "…" Why does that sound increasingly creepy?!
"Fine, don't tell me then."
With a wave of her hand, Aqua turned to head back to the cabin.
"Hey, you're going the wrong way. The bathroom's to the right."
"Oh."
Aqua nodded and corrected her direction.
After a few steps, she suddenly realized something was off and whipped around. "I told you, I'm not out here to use the bathroom!"
With that, she stomped off toward the cabin.
"By the way, it's been hours since the bathroom was cleaned, right? Such a challenging task is perfect for the great Aqua."
Zyhark finally gave her an out.
If the Water Goddess died of embarrassment on his ship, it would be a huge blow to his reputation as captain.
"Happy to help~"
Hearing the word "great," Aqua immediately perked up, using her newly learned "Soru" technique to zip away as a blue blur.
"That idiot…" Zyhark muttered, shaking his head in exasperation.
As the Endless Dream sailed smoothly through the night, time passed quietly.
The next morning, as the first rays of the sun peeked over the horizon, the temperature around the ship inexplicably rose several degrees.
In the sweltering heat, the crew slowly began to wake up.
"Are we entering some kind of high-temperature sea, nya?"
Meowth was the first to step outside.
Yawning, he made his way to the deck, only to have his fur stand on end as the intense heat jolted him awake.
"Who goes there?! How dare you set foot on our ship so brazenly, nya?!"
Meowth arched his back, his sharp claws gleaming as they extended.
Following his wary gaze, a muscular figure stood on the deck—a stranger radiating heat like a desert.
The mysterious heat source that had awakened them all came from this man!
"Huh? Are you… Meowth, sir?"
Hearing the voice, Escanor turned around.
Gone was the frail figure from the night before. Without his old-fashioned glasses, he stood nearly two meters tall, his eyes full of arrogance.
His muscular upper body had turned the previously loose shirt into a tight fit, exuding overwhelming power.
This was Escanor in his morning form!
"This familiar mustache… Could you be Escanor, nya?"
Recognizing the mustache, Meowth slowly retracted his claws.
But his brows furrowed as he scrutinized the proud figure before him.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't reconcile this imposing figure with the weakling from last night.
"Ah, Escanor, you're already awake?"
Zyhark's voice came from behind, dispelling the last of Meowth's doubts.
"Yes, Zyhark. I always feel a surge of power during the day."
Escanor looked at his clenched fist with mixed feelings. "I should really keep my distance from you."
Though his words carried a sigh, there was a distinct difference when spoken in this form.
"If you're referring to the heat, there's no need to worry."
King stepped out next, his scarred face as calm as ever.
"Not bad, King. Speaking so arrogantly," Escanor said, glancing at the tall, strong man before him.
Even in this form, he couldn't help but be impressed by King's natural aura.
During last night's feast, he had learned from Aqua and the others just how powerful King was.
However, what Escanor didn't realize was that King's nonchalance was due to the fact that their ship housed a certain water-purifying, air-conditioning goddess!
"It's so hot! What kind of messed-up place is the New World?!"
Aqua burst onto the deck with messy hair, complaining loudly.
Having been awakened from a pleasant dream by the heat, she was in a foul mood.
Following her was Kanna, dressed in her bear-themed pajamas, yawning sleepily.
With everyone now on deck, Zyhark walked forward and stopped in front of the sweltering Escanor.
Although they had shown some of their power the night before, Escanor was still afraid of hurting them with his own strength.
In a way, this fear was its own form of arrogance.
But given how powerful Escanor became at noon, he had earned the right to that arrogance.
So, to put Escanor at ease and to give the crew a better understanding of their new companion…
"I guess I have no choice, Escanor. In that case, we'll just have to defeat you at noon!"
"Aqua, go show our new prideful yet self-conscious friend a little taste of what you can do!"
(End of Chapter)