🎊🎊Happy New Year 🎊 🎊
"...Phew, my head hurts so much."
Inside the luxurious palace belonging to Golden Lion's Sky Island, Shin crawled out of the blooming bud of the Spirit Affiliation Machine.
He lay on a nearby opulent bed, his eyes closed, painfully rubbing his temples.
Controlling the Praying Hands from afar was not a simple task.
Dividing his consciousness into multiple streams while precisely controlling at least two units simultaneously caused immense mental agony.
If he hadn't been wearing the Poltorto's suit, which allowed his absolute, cold rationality to shield him from the negative effects of emotional, divergent thinking, his own mental capabilities wouldn't have allowed him to precisely control even a single Praying Hand.
However, everything has pros and cons.
Using the Spirit Affiliation Machine while wearing the Poltorto's suit inflicted a doubled, malignant impact on his emotional state.
Therefore, in a twenty-four-hour period, he could use the Spirit Affiliation Machine for a maximum of ten hours.
For the remaining time, he had to force himself to rest and actively think about emotional matters to reawaken his sensitivity.
"Unjust verdicts, wage slaves, the 996 blessing, house prices that are not allowed to fall, bride prices that cost half a lifetime's savings..."
He closed his eyes and recalled emotional triggers that had once stirred strong 'feelings' in him.
Although most were negative and unpleasant, he had no choice; recalling negative emotions was easier than recalling positive ones.
Negative emotions were still emotions; feelings don't distinguish between good and bad.
Anger and excitement were just a fine line apart.
The more he thought about these aggravating issues, the more negative emotions accumulated in his heart.
At this moment, he genuinely felt the urge to just throw in the towel and quit.
But fortunately, there was still a good memory he could recall: that calm, clingy girl, like a ragdoll cat.
Perhaps distance did make the heart grow fonder.
Having not seen her for a while, a lonely longing had risen in Shin's heart for her.
He liked her gentle personality, the sound of her voice, and her every movement.
When you miss someone, everything about them becomes a virtue.
This feeling must be love.
In the broad sense, that was indeed the case.
A boy and a girl, youthful infatuation, meeting each other, and developing a yearning and love for the opposite sex was perfectly normal.
However, love was one thing, and responsibility was another.
Being a couple also meant bearing a certain degree of responsibility, but Shin...
he didn't know if he could bear it.
He opened his eyes and looked at a bright luminous stone hanging from the gold and red dome, acting as a lamp.
The soft light it emitted was like a gentle veil cast by moonlight.
He let out a long sigh.
He should make it clear, one way or another, and give her an answer.
But if he said yes, he couldn't give a stable enough promise.
If he said no, he felt a little reluctant.
Indecisiveness was only human nature.
People always thought that maybe if they continued, things would get better, there would be a turning point, an opportunity.
However-even if he was indecisive, a decision had to be made.
Shin patted his face.
After this Pirate King evaluation world ended, regardless of the outcome, he had to make a decision.
Hmm...why was he thinking about these bad things again? Change the mindset, change the mindset.
"The home I can't return to, my parents and family whose whereabouts are unknown, the damned commission fees, the lousy system..."
Thinking about these overwhelmingly negative emotions made the negative feelings in his heart surge.
"Hey, hey, hey, don't keep mentally dissing me for no reason." The system complained.
"The commission isn't something I forced you to pay; it's the company's decision."
Shin ignored it.
He was already used to a voice suddenly popping up in his head to complain.
Praying Hand No. 7, in autonomous control mode, approached with today's dinner.
The movements of this Praying Hand, whose raw material was an old pirate, were extremely stiff, clearly a result of Shin's decreasing mental precision after his mental ability had declined.
The food delivered had been tasted by the Praying Hand to ensure it was absolutely non-toxic.
Shin was always meticulous about protecting his own life.
After finishing his silent meal, Shin let out a long sigh.
Just as he was about to continue meditating and recovering, a tremendous pain suddenly struck him.
His already aching head became even more unbearable under this sudden, intense pain.
It felt as though two sharp silver needles were constantly stabbing into his temples.
The overwhelming pain almost made him cry out.
Not only that, but his blood pressure skyrocketed, his pulse became fast and frequent, and his heart pounded as if someone were beating a drum in his chest!
"Damn it, it's... it's happening again..."
Shin's lips were pale.
He bit down hard on his lower lip, scarlet blood oozing from it.
His hands, full of bulging veins, fiercely slammed against the edge of the bed.
This was withdrawal.
To deal with Kaido, he had injected himself with a dose of γ-Glycine mental stabilizing and strengthening agent.
This mental strengthening agent specifically for enhanced individuals brought about an extremely intense addiction.
It was an addiction more terrifying than any drug, as this agent acted directly on brain neurons, increasing dependence and addiction by several times!
The intense withdrawal reaction made him wish for death when the supply was cut off, and could even cause him to die of pain during the severe withdrawal.
Shin's fingernails dug deep into his palms, blood flowing from the wounds.
Trembling, he tore off a piece of the bedsheet, shoved it into his mouth, and bit down hard.
Veins bulged around his wide-open eyes!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The dull sounds of pounding echoed in the opulent room, growing louder and stronger.
"Woooo!!! Woooo!!! Wooo!!!"
Shin, biting tightly on the cloth, rolled his eyes back.
He felt as if he were in purgatory.
Every cell in his body was wailing, and the chaotic brain neurons created horrifying illusions around him!
He saw the people who had died from the weapons he sold, their vengeful spirits.
He saw countless grotesque demons dragging his legs, trying to pull him into hell.
His pupils were bloodshot, and he desperately held onto his conscious mind to avoid these terrible hallucinations!
However, the most difficult part was not the terrible torment brought on by the withdrawal reaction.
The most difficult part was the shortcut to relief.
As long as he put on the Poltorto's equipment now, the absolutely cold, rational mindset would drastically distance him from these terrifying illusions.
Even more directly, by spending a negligible price to exchange for a dose of the mental stabilizing agent, he could immediately relieve this awful state.
But no, absolutely not.
Shin was currently going through 'detox.' He had to rely on his willpower to overcome the addiction and withdrawal reaction brought on by the mental strengthening agent.
Only by enduring this on his own would he be truly safe.
Time passed unknowingly.
The sound of pounding on the bed edge in the silent palace gradually decreased until it was barely audible.
Shin lay sprawled out on the bed like a dead fish, his limbs spread wide.
The sweat that flowed had almost completely soaked the bedsheet beneath him.
Besides his heavy breathing, he couldn't even move a finger.
"Thirty minutes and forty-eight seconds. This withdrawal time was five minutes shorter than the last one."
The system silently emerged, speaking softly with what might have been congratulatory words.
"Keep trying a bit more. If you endure a few more times, you'll be able to overcome this side effect."
"But that's just treating the symptoms, not the root cause..." Shin struggled to lift his arm and cover his face, panting.
"Even if I successfully quit by willpower, the possibility of relapse later will greatly increase. And... even if I completely quit this agent, my nerves will suffer irreversible damage."
That was expected.
This agent, specifically for enhanced individuals, was designed to maximize their combat power.
As for side effects, suffice it to say that biological CPUs weren't entitled to human rights.
"I must... I must complete the second enhancement of my body as soon as possible."
Shin gritted his teeth, supporting his limp body as he propped himself up, inching toward the Spirit Affiliation Machine.
He had to evolve his body a second time, completing a more perfect and powerful evolution from an Adjuster to overcome this damned side effect.
Direct enhancement was impossible.
The enhancement from the last time he left the One-Piece world was a newbie bonus.
Now, even if he directly exchanged for it, he would only receive knowledge about the enhancement surgery.
To achieve a mature evolution of his body, he had to 'do it himself.'
The collaboration with Judge was already on the agenda.
No-he had to accelerate the progress, he had to speed up!
Shin, who had struggled back to the Spirit Affiliation Machine, lay down in the soft core of the flower.
He closed his eyes, and the power of the artifact linked to his brain, putting his body into a state of 'sleep.'
When he opened his eyes again, he was already in precise control of No. 6's body.
But the situation now seemed a bit off.
He felt this heavy body being held down, kneeling on the ground.
Soldiers were pinning his arms, and the smiling Foreign Minister was on his left.
He was currently in the palace of Rabbit III.
On the golden throne in front, the big-headed dwarf, Rabbit III, was sitting pompously, announcing something.
"You sold such dangerous weapons to the wicked Germa 66, causing our brave and fearless Antonhal warriors to suffer unnecessary losses. You deserve to die!"
"But due to the mercy of the Royal Family, you are hereby sentenced to imprisonment, and all debts owed to the Anaheim Company are completely waived, to compensate for the sins you have committed!"
"The Emperor is brilliant! The Emperor is mighty!!!"
The fawning Foreign Minister and many nobles in the palace immediately cheered.
The Foreign Minister even walked up to No. 6, roared, and slapped him.
"Why aren't you thanking His Majesty for his mercy!"
This slap woke up Shin, who was still a bit groggy.
He paused for a moment, recalling the memories of this body in autonomous mode, and immediately understood what was happening.
When the Spirit Affiliation Machine came online, his mind was too exhausted, so he fell into an autonomous sleep for No. 7 hours.
Within those No. 7 hours, the entire situation had undergone a drastic change.
First, Germa 66 had retreated.
The huge snails dragging warships left the vicinity of Antonhal.
Although they hadn't announced a withdrawal, the ground full of cloned corpses and their silent attitude seemed to declare their defeat.
Antonhal cheered throughout the city.
Rabbit III proudly proclaimed that he had defeated the notorious Germa, the Army of Evil, under his brilliant leadership.
Then, they arrested No. 6.
He was arrested under the guise of selling dangerous weapons to Germa, but it was clear they just wanted to default on the debt.
No. 6, in autonomous mode, could neither argue nor respond, and was cluelessly brought here.
Thinking of this, Shin didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
He knew that the average intelligence of people in the Pirate King world wasn't high, especially these nobles, but he hadn't expected someone this stupid.
Even if it was a case of "the rabbit dies, the hound is cooked," cooking it so early was too foolish.
"Anaheim's debt isn't that easy to default on."
No. 6 raised his head and coldly glanced at the Foreign Minister.
This fawning man was startled.
How did the guy who was just standing there like a wooden puppet suddenly become so lively?
"Rabbit III, you will immediately pay the price for such a stupid and short-sighted action."
Rabbit III froze for a moment, a look of fear appearing on his face, but he hardened his expression and shouted loudly, "We could repel Germa, and we can repel the pirate behind you! What's a Warlord? We..."
"You repelled us with the weapons we gave you?" No. 6 interrupted Rabbit III directly, mocking him with a cold laugh.
"How much ammunition do you have stored? Is it enough for one battle? Without our supply of ammunition, those weapons are just glorified sticks for setting fires!"
"We can replicate your bullets and ammunition!" Rabbit III retorted triumphantly.
"Don't underestimate the metallurgy technology of our Antonhal! They are just bullets and cannonballs. Our skilled craftsmen can replicate them just by looking at them!"
No. 6 was already too lazy to argue with this idiot.
Furthermore, Germa retreated? What a joke.
Even if Judge's brain was kicked by a donkey, he would never retreat at this time.
If they acknowledged their defeat and left so shamefully, their Army of Evil would never be able to survive in the underworld again, and their mercenary business would be greatly affected.
Judge would fight this war even if it cost him his life savings!
Besides, Germa's strength still crushed Antonhal, not to mention that Judge had never utilized the tactics Germa truly specialized in-
Suddenly, a painful scream came from among the nobles.
Rabbit III and the nobles looked over in unison, only to see a person wearing a blue combat suit holding a noble in his hand.
Blue electric arcs sparked on the noble's body, bringing agonizing pain while paralyzing his body structure.
"Having a victory celebration here in the middle of the night? It's really lively. How about I join in?"
Niji laughed maniacally, dropping the noble who had been electrocuted into a charred corpse.
He extended his right hand, and a blade shimmering with electric light appeared in his palm.
"Guards, guards!!!"
Rabbit III shrank back in horror on the throne, screaming for the guards to come.
"Stop shouting. Those trash are already dead."
Yonji casually threw a guard's corpse with a pierced heart out of the doorway, sneering, "They are indeed just trash. Not many of them, just a bunch of ants."
"I have to say you did give us a headache. Germa has never suffered such massive losses as today in recent years."
Ichiji's arrogant yet relatively elegant voice rang out next to Rabbit III.
Turning his head, the cyborg in the red combat suit was playing with flames in his palm, looking at him playfully.
"Rabbit III 'Your Majesty,' you have brought great shame to our Vinsmoke family."
"No-please spare me! Antonhal is yours, give it to you, please spare my life!"
Rabbit III screamed in terror, shaking as he hugged his throne.
"No. Father's command is-he wants to use your fifth head to decorate his throne. After all, you are a 'powerful' enemy of our Germa Kingdom."
Ichiji sneered. Niji, holding the lightning blade, instantly crossed the entire throne room and appeared before Rabbit III.
The blade fell, and the well-preserved head wearing a crown, filled with horror and resentment, fell into Ichiji's hand.
What followed was a merciless massacre.
Screams accompanied splattering blood.
No. 6 watched everything indifferently.
There was nothing surprising about it.
Germa's decapitation tactics were well known in the industry.
These three cyborg brothers were the perfect combination of strategy and strength.
He had never believed that the greatest selling point of the weapons he marketed was 'high-tech.' Although those guns and artillery were indeed products that surpassed pirate weaponry in destructive power, compared to a force like Germa, those things could not be called 'high-tech.'
An MG42 could indeed shred a strong person using Tekkai (Iron Body), but no strong person would be stupid enough to stay put while being sprayed by an MG42 for half a day.
Similarly, those weapons could indeed break the defenses of these strong individuals and cause damage, but relatively, they, possessing various incredible powers, could still slaughter ordinary people.
Germa's high-tech cyborgs possessed the ability to easily assassinate the head of a nation even in modern society.
Just the complete light refraction invisibility technology attached to Sanji's invisible black combat suit was already technology that was as black as it could get.
However, being able to break defenses meant a threat.
A group of miscellaneous soldiers could also use their blades to touch the edges of the sea monsters.
The cutting-edge technology of the Pirate King world was never lagging behind; in some aspects, it was extremely 'black.' It was just that they were lagging in the generalization of technology.
In about half a minute, all the nobles and officials in the entire throne room, except for No. 6, had been completely slaughtered.
Other than the shivering Foreign Minister and No. 6, there was only scattered flesh and blood everywhere-charred, blackened by electricity, or smashed into pieces.
Shin controlled No. 6 to use his muscular strength to tear off the ropes on his hands.
He stretched his wrists, looked at the Vinsmoke brothers who were grinning maliciously at him, and said flatly, "Let's go. Take me to see His Majesty Judge. It's time to talk about our business."
"Kid, you made me look so pathetic before. Maybe I should get some revenge on you."
Yonji clenched his wrists and walked over with a sneer.
He still remembered the smell of G3 poison gas.
Just thinking about nearly dying from that stuff made him furious.
As for Reiju, who was now unconscious and whose life was uncertain after saving him? Oh, that didn't matter.
"Do you think taking me back intact or half-dead is more beneficial for the business between Anaheim and Germa?"
No. 6 looked at Yonji without fear.
He knew these three brothers disliked him.
But no matter how much they disliked him, they wouldn't violate Judge's orders.
These cyborgs had no complete emotions whatsoever.
They could laugh freely even after being ambushed and nearly killed on Whole Cake Island.
A person who didn't care about their own death certainly wouldn't care about others.
"Hmph, we'll settle the score after you're done talking."
Yonji snorted, dragged the Foreign Minister, and walked out of the palace.
No. 6 checked his watch.
It was 8 PM. It was time for dinner.
⚔️ Level Up This Fanfic! ⚔️
Every 500 Power Stones = 2 BONUS CHAPTERS! 🚀
Want faster releases? Show your support—drop those Power Stones, leave a review, and light up the comments! Your engagement keeps this story going strong!
Let's make this novel unstoppable—Power Stones, comments, and reviews are the ultimate power-up! 💥