Chapter 2: The Senses of a God
With a soft, disgusting "Pfft!" like overripe fruit hitting the ground, Crick's body lost all its structural integrity. He collapsed into a twitching, boneless heap against the wall, a puppet with its strings cut. The fearsome "Overlord of the East Blue" was now just a pile of meat and shattered pride.
"What Devil Fruit ability?" Ian murmured to the unhearing pirate, a faint, knowing smile on his lips. He stepped closer, the sound of his boots the only noise in the sudden silence of the tavern. "It's actually quite simple. The Human-Human Fruit."
He reached down and firmly grasped Crick's head, tilting it up. His eyes, usually alight with sarcastic humor, now held a terrifying, profound depth. They seemed to see not the surface, but the very blueprint of life beneath.
"I've always liked the saying, 'Everything has a core,'" Ian whispered, his voice low and focused. "Find the core, and you solve the problem with the least amount of fuss."
In Ian's enhanced vision, Crick's skull became semi-transparent. The complex tapestry of the brain—a web of pulsing nerves and delicate blood vessels—was laid bare before him. He wasn't just looking at a head; he was looking at a machine, and he could see every single critical wire.
"Sleep well, 'Overlord,'" Ian said, his tone almost gentle. "You are the last piece of trash on my list. From today onward, the East Blue will be cleansed of your filth."
A surge of invisible power—a refined and deadly application of Armament Haki—gathered in his palm. Instead of a blunt external force, he channeled it inward, a precise and destructive tremor that traveled through bone and tissue.
In an instant, a microscopic storm erupted within Crick's skull. Every vital neural pathway was severed with the finality of a guillotine's blade. The light in the pirate's eyes extinguished instantly, his body going completely still.
[Ding!]
A chime, audible only to him, echoed in his mind.
[Congratulations, Host, on successfully defeating the 'Tyrant of the East Blue,' Crick!]
[Reward Gained: 80 Enhancement Points!]
[Current Accumulated Points: 1050 Points!]
[Reminder: Every 1000 points can be used to enhance your Devil Fruit ability or overall physical prowess. Initiate enhancement now?]
Ian ignored the prompt for a moment, his mind flashing back through eight long years.
Eight years ago, he had awoken in a small, nameless town in the East Blue, his adult consciousness trapped in the body of a ten-year-old boy. The world of pirates, once a fantasy on a screen, was now his terrifying, exhilarating reality. In that moment of panic, the [Devil Fruit Enhancement System] had activated, his sole anchor in this chaotic world.
The beginner's gift package had promised a Devil Fruit. His heart had soared with dreams of controlling lightning like Enel, transforming into a mythical beast like Marco, or bending the world itself with a Paramecia's power. He had devoured the strange, swirling-patterned fruit without a second thought.
And then he saw the system's description.
Animal-Type: Human-Human Fruit.
No Model. No Suffix.
His hope had curdled into disbelief. Wasn't this Tony Tony Chopper's fruit? The one that turned a reindeer into a talking, thinking human? What did it do for someone who was already human?
From a purely practical standpoint, the effect was… underwhelming. He had gained one undeniable skill: the ability to drown. He had also unlocked three forms: "Human Form," "Human Form," and… "Full-Human Form." It was a cosmic joke.
What can I do? he had thought, a bitter taste in his mouth. I can't exactly reroll my character. In this world, death is permanent. I have to make this work.
He remembered the wisdom of a certain future emperor: "Haki reigns supreme." It wasn't a total loss. He still had his system, a cheat code the natives lacked.
For years, he was relentless. Before he turned fifteen, he completed every single daily task without fail. He brawled with local thugs, bandits, and two-bit pirates, scraping together meager points. He learned that stronger opponents yielded greater rewards, but for the weaklings, grinding daily missions was the only way.
He allocated his points in a 70:30 split, favoring his overall physical qualities over his seemingly useless fruit.
Back then, his system panel was far less impressive. The [Fruit Skills] section only showed two basic categories: [Physical Enhancement] and [Mental Enhancement].
But as he poured points in, the path of his fruit began to twist in bizarre and unexpected ways. New categories blossomed on his panel: [Visual Enhancement], [Auditory Enhancement], [Tactile Enhancement], and more. He was breaking the limiters of the human body, one sense at a time.
He became powerful. His bones grew dense as steel, his skin tough as iron. He could see the imperfections on a coin from a hundred yards away. He could hear a whispered conversation from across a town. He once joked to himself that he hadn't eaten the Human-Human Fruit, but the "Calabash Brothers" Fruit.
At fifteen, seeking greater challenges and a clearer path to power, he used his clean record and a mayor's recommendation to enlist in the Marines at Branch 16 in the East Blue.
In a sea known for its weak pirates, Ian was a cataclysm. In just over two years, his string of victories was so absolute he was promoted to Commander of the branch, his rank soaring to Captain.
It was then, at the peak of his physical and mental control, that his Human-Human Fruit experienced its Initial Awakening.
The ability to control his own senses evolved. It expanded outward. He learned to project his will, to manipulate the senses of others.
He had stepped onto a path few could comprehend: "I am the master of my own reality, and through me, I can shape yours."
Back in the tavern, Ian focused on his system panel.
[Devil Fruit Enhancement System - Main Panel]
[Host: Jock Ian]
[Age: 18]
[Height: 290cm]
[Devil Fruit: Animal-Type, Human-Human Fruit]
[Development Level: B+ (Initial Awakening)]
[Enhancement Options: Fruit Skills / Overall Prowess]
[Fruit Skills: Physical Enhancement, Mental Enhancement, Visual, Auditory, Tactile, Gustatory, Olfactory, Cardiac...]
[Overall Prowess: Conqueror's Haki, Armament Haki, Observation Haki, Rokushiki, Martial Arts, Swordsmanship...]
[Daily Mission: Execute 100 Power Strikes (Incomplete). Reward: Enhancement Points.]
[Current Accumulated Points: 1050!]
Sticking to his "70-30" rule, he allocated this batch of points to his [Overall Prowess].
[Ding!]
[Observation Haki Enhanced. 1000 Enhancement Points Consumed!]
[Observation Haki proficiency has significantly increased. Current Level: Intermediate!]
A new layer of perception washed over him. He could now feel the presence of every Marine outside the tavern, their individual energies flickering like candles in his mind's eye. He could sense the restless sea at the port, the lingering fear of the townsfolk.
"Tch," Ian clicked his tongue, snapping out of his reverie. "The pirates in the East Blue are still too weak. A so-called 'Overlord' was only worth 80 points? Not even enough to buy a decent bottle of rum."
He fished in his pocket, pulled out a 500-Berry note, and slapped it onto the counter to cover the damage and the drinks. Then, he strode out of the tavern.
The sunlight outside was bright. A full platoon of Marines had formed disciplined ranks, keeping the curious crowd at bay.
"Salute!" a sergeant barked.
The sound of hands snapping to brows in unison was sharp and precise. "CAPTAIN IAN! OUTSTANDING WORK, SIR!"
Ian scowled, shoving his hands into his pockets as he scanned the lines of soldiers.
"Salute, salute, is that all you know?" he grumbled, his voice laced with familiar, almost theatrical irritation. "If you lot moved your feet half as fast as you salute, I wouldn't have to do all the heavy lifting myself! A troublesome bunch! Report! What's the status of Crick's remaining crew at the port?"
His sharp eyes scanned the ranks. "Nami! Where is she? Don't tell me she's slacking off again!"
"Captain Ian! I'm here! Coming through!"
A voice, bright and energetic, called out from the back. The Marine ranks parted, and a young woman with vibrant, short orange hair hurried forward, adjusting her standard-issue cap. She had a petite but toned frame, and her large, intelligent eyes sparkled with a keen, analytical light.
A year ago, Ian had personally dismantled the Arlong Pirates, liberating Cocoyashi Village and the surrounding area from years of terror. The locals had hailed him as a hero.
Nami, whose hatred for pirates ran deeper than the ocean itself, had seen in Ian a true force of justice. To follow the hero who had saved her home and to fight for a world free of the scum that took Bellemere from her, she had chosen to enlist in the Navy.
"I'm here, Captain," Nami said, snapping a crisp salute, a confident smile on her face. "The navigational charts for our next patrol are ready. Just waiting on your orders."
End of Chapter