Eli Winters sat cross-legged atop a broad slab of stone, his eyes closed, the wind tugging at his cloak. Around him stretched an unnatural silence. The beasts of the forest had long since fled, scattered by the sheer force of his Conqueror's Haki. Even the air itself seemed to tremble at his presence.
With a mere thought, a delicate leaf appeared in his hand. Its veins shimmered faintly, exuding an otherworldly aura. This was no ordinary leaf it was a gift from his mysterious system, the prize of his most recent sign-in: a leaf plucked from the legendary Enlightenment Tea Tree. Just holding it made his heart steady, his mind sharp.
Item: Leaf of the Enlightenment Tea Tree.
Effect: When infused in water or held in the mouth, it enhances understanding of one's abilities.
Eli chuckled quietly to himself. "The system really does know when to lend a hand. My Spatial Fruit has been stuck at ninety-nine percent development for far too long. This might just be the key to awakening."
Without hesitation, he placed the leaf on his tongue. A cool clarity rushed into his mind, washing away every distraction. Concepts that had once seemed tangled and obscure now unfolded before him as if they were the simplest truths.
He sank deeper into meditation, chasing the elusive boundaries of his Devil Fruit power. Time slipped by unnoticed. Hours bled into days, days into weeks. By the eighth day, his body still sat in stillness upon the rock, surrounded by a faint ripple of space itself. None of his companions dared draw near, for the distortion of reality around him was too dangerous to cross.
On the ninth day, strange phenomena began to ripple outward. In Chomia Village, families cried out as loved ones vanished from sight only to reappear moments later, utterly unaware they had even gone. To them, nothing had happened. To the villagers, however, the terror of vanishing and reappearing spread panic like wildfire. For four long hours, the village teetered on the edge of hysteria. Some clutched each other in fear. Others whispered fantastical hopes, daring to believe they had awakened some secret talent.
And then, at last, a thunderous laugh split the sky. Bold, exultant, and full of triumph.
"It's him!" Big Pan, who had been halfway through devouring a roasted chicken, froze in place. Recognition lit his eyes, and in the next breath, he abandoned both his meal and his coins, sprinting toward the clearing. Behind him, Felina dropped the book she had been browsing, Fiona stilled mid-swing of her sword, and Simon and Dote abandoned their training aboard the ship. All of them converged on the same destination: the stone where Eli meditated.
Atop the slab, Eli opened his eyes at last. His expression was radiant with satisfaction. With the help of the Enlightenment Tea Leaf, the bottleneck had shattered. The Spatial Fruit had awakened. A tide of new strength surged within him, begging to be tested.
He summoned his status panel with a thought:
Host: Eli Winters
Physique: Admiral-level
Speed: Admiral-level
Spirit: Admiral-level
Devil Fruit: Spatial Fruit (Awakened)
Spatial Mastery: 2%
Haki: Observation – Top tier | Armament – Advanced | Conqueror's – Advanced
Techniques: Spatial Slash, Chaotic Edge, Storage Space, Twin Kamui (Phasing, Transfer, Warp, Distortion), Teleportation, Spatial Lock, Spatial Walk
Swordsmanship: Swordmaster level – Draw Slash, Heavy Strike, Soaring Cut, Phantom Edge, Breakpoint Style
Overall Strength: Top-tier Admiral
Companion: Big Pan
Strength: Vice Admiral
Haki: Observation – Intermediate, Armament – Advanced, Conqueror's – Unawakened
Skill: Eight Desolation Staff
Eli's lips curved into a grin. He might not yet be unrivaled across the seas, but few alive could truly claim to hold him back. He had achieved the vow he once made upon entering this world: to stand tall enough to declare to anyone, I don't eat beef.
The abilities of his fruit had leapt to new heights. Spatial Slash now cut with such precision and force that even seasoned Zoan users would crumble beneath it. Two new skills had emerged as well: Spatial Lock and Spatial Walk.
Spatial Lock was a terrifying control technique. Anyone struck would be frozen in place, no matter how mighty. Only the most powerful Armament Haki could break free, and even then, not without effort. Against most foes, it was a death sentence.
Spatial Walk, on the other hand, was freedom incarnate. Enveloping himself in the essence of space, Eli could strengthen his defenses and step upon the very air, traversing the sky as though walking across solid ground. "The Golden Lion once ruled the heavens with this," he thought with a smirk. "Now I can too."
Even his Observation Haki had evolved, merging seamlessly with his spatial mastery. He could now perceive everything within his range in exquisite detail. It wasn't mind-reading, but it was close like seeing through walls, through lies, through the very fabric of reality. Compared to this, the so-called Clear-Clear Fruit was laughable.
Before awakening, his phasing could be interrupted by supreme Armament Haki or world-shaking powers like Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit. But now, when he stepped into the void between space and reality, nothing could touch him. Unless someone could command the very laws of the world, he was untouchable.
Eli tested his craft further, fashioning blackwood into rings. Ten gleaming bands lay before him, each infused with a cubic meter of storage space. Larger vessels demanded sturdier material; with a thicker piece of blackwood, he carved a bracelet capable of holding five cubic meters. He intended it for Felina the group's treasurer. It would serve as the vault of their adventuring company, the Dreamer's Expedition.
A booming voice shattered his thoughts. "Brother! You're finally done!" Big Pan arrived first, charging into the clearing with his usual lack of subtlety. The others trailed behind, each with their own expressions of relief and curiosity.
Eli stood, laughter in his eyes. "I've been in seclusion nine days. Did anything happen while I was away?"
Big Pan puffed up his chest proudly. "Two days ago, a gang of pirates tried to steal our ship. I handled it myself! Too bad their captain was only worth three million berries."
Felina rolled her eyes. "Handled it, sure but you've eaten through over two hundred million berries' worth of supplies these last days. At this rate, you'll eat us into bankruptcy."
"Felina, don't scold him," Eli interjected lightly. "Big Pan's body has grown stronger. Didn't you notice? He's taller nearly four meters now. His Armament Haki has broken through to advanced level. All that food has been fueling his growth."
Felina blinked, then laughed sheepishly. "Now that you mention it, I didn't even notice how much bigger he's gotten."
Eli turned to her. "And you? Have you mastered Soru yet?"
Her cheeks reddened. "Almost. Just a little more." In truth, she had spent most of her time browsing Chomia's bookstores instead of training.
Eli's brow furrowed. "That won't do. Starting tomorrow, I'll personally oversee your training until you've mastered it."
"…Alright," Felina muttered, pouting.
He looked next to Fiona. "And your swordsmanship?"
Fiona tilted her head, her tone deliberately casual. "I broke through to Swordmaster."
Eli grinned. "Well done. But don't let it make you arrogant. Swordsmanship is only the beginning. Focus on Haki true strength lies there."
Turning to Simon and Dote, he asked, "And you two?"
The fishmen bowed their heads slightly. "Captain, we've mastered Soru as well, and our Fishman Karate has improved. But we still haven't awakened Haki."
"Don't despair," Eli reassured. "For you, the key may be in mastering Tekkai. I don't yet have the full training method, but I'll find it for you. For now, focus on strengthening your karate."
"Yes, Captain," they chorused.
Satisfied, Eli drew out the black rings and distributed them one by one. "These are spatial rings. Each holds one cubic meter. Place a drop of blood upon it, and it will bind to you. Only you will be able to access the space within."
Eyes lit up around him. The crew eagerly pricked their fingers, marveling as items vanished and reappeared at a thought. Like children with new toys, they couldn't stop experimenting until Eli chuckled and waved them down.
"Enough play. Fiona, this bracelet is yours. It can hold five cubic meters. You'll be in charge of storing our valuables from now on."
Felina's eyes sparkled as she accepted the gift. "Don't worry, Eli. I'll guard it with my life."
He looked over his companions, pride swelling in his chest. They had all grown stronger, all come further than he'd once dreamed possible. "It's time," he declared with a wide grin. "We've lingered here long enough. Let's set sail for new horizons."
"Yes, Captain!" they roared in unison, their voices carrying across the clearing and into the boundless sky.
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