Settsetse! The Pirate Nemesis

In addition, since it wasn't any particularly important information, Kizaru said, "The maximum bounty before entering the Grand Line is 60 million, and the maximum bounty before entering the New World is 300 million... Although there are occasional exceptions, they don't exceed that by much."

"Redhead is indeed a bit troublesome... I came here after I finished chasing him, but I didn't catch him."

Exhaling a cloud of smoke, Kizaru was somewhat puzzled. If it were Shanks blocking Kizaru's way, that would be understandable. After all, he's a member of the Pirate King's crew; he'd have some backup plan against being captured by the Marines. But the thing that blocked Kizaru wasn't Shanks, but that damned vice-captain…

"Do you know what their first mate's name is?" Kizaru asked.

To this, Sett raised an eyebrow and said, "Are you a Marine or am I...? You're asking me? Isn't that what's written on the wanted poster?"

“The wanted poster is not allowed.” Kizaru shook his head and said, “The wanted poster only lists combatants, ship doctors, musketeers... I’ve never heard of any pirate crew having a vice-captain.”

This world values ​​strength above all else, so there's no such thing as a first mate. There are only simpler, more straightforward titles like the Four Sweet Commanders… After all, the captain is the captain, and their word is law on the pirate ship. The idea of ​​a first mate just popping up out of nowhere is irritating. It's neither here nor there, making it seem like the captain has to consult with everyone beforehand…

Pirates are savage and worship strength. They dislike complicated procedures. Therefore, the vice-captain of the Red-Haired Pirates is truly one of a kind—like Scorpion's father.

“Ben Beckman,” Sett said; “probably a gunman…never fought him, but he’s always carrying around a musket. What, got thwarted?”

Kizaru nodded, then lifted his shirt to reveal one side of his abdomen. It was wrapped in bandages, with traces of blood faintly visible—clearly, Kizaru had only given it a rough bandage before coming over to ask Sett, the guy who had been chasing Shanks for almost a year, what the first mate of the Red-Haired Pirates was called.

"My attention was completely on Shanks at the time, and that guy caught me off guard and shot me... But I reacted in time, otherwise I would have been shot in the heart."

As an admiral, Kizaru's Observation Haki is undeniable. If he hadn't been careless and ignored Beckman and the others, it wouldn't have been so easy for Beckman to hit Kizaru.

As for Yasopp... he also fired a shot, but he was a beat slower than Beckman, so Kizaru, who had reacted quickly, dodged it as well.

Looking back now, Kizaru still feels lingering fear... He thought he was just a small-time pirate, with everyone except Shanks, a former member of the Pirate King's crew, being small fry. But he never expected... that he was truly a hidden master.

"How did you run away? Even if you were shot, a superficial wound that didn't hit your internal organs shouldn't have too much of an impact, right?"

"He went underwater." Kizaru shook his head. "If it were Kuzan, we could give chase... but I can't go underwater."

Kuzan's power is the Ice-Ice Fruit, which allows him to freeze objects instantly. Entering water in front of him is tantamount to suicide. But against Kizaru... he can only unleash a beam of energy, and whether it hits is entirely a matter of luck.

"Ben Beckman...okay, I've got the name. I'll be going now, Grand Marshal Sengoku...I need to call me."

With that, he shook his head listlessly, looking bored, and without lingering, Kizaru turned and left, his steps exuding a nonchalant and carefree air.

"You'd hardly believe this guy is the next admiral. And the kind who just botched a mission."

Hearing Sett's teasing voice, Hawkeye casually picked up a cup of post-meal black tea and sipped it.

After finishing his meal, Hawkeye didn't linger. He waved to Sett and left the room.

If it were anyone else, Sett would definitely be stroking his chin, pondering how to get to Antwerp Island. But after spending so much time together, Sett knew Hawkeye's personality like the back of his hand—you can't force this kind of person. Forcing him to do anything he didn't want to do, no matter what it was, even death couldn't stop him from leaving. In short, stubborn. Of course, you could also say he's unwavering in his beliefs, refusing to budge an inch.

As it is now, we part ways amicably. If any problems arise in the future, just let me know and he'll come over—of course, he'll still say things like "it's such a hassle." But he'll definitely be there whenever I call. He's like a permanent, unofficial staff member.

Antuo Island can now be described as a gathering place for outstanding individuals.

Sett stroked his chin, thinking to himself. A high-level fighter chuckled. Sett, Mundo… well, Mundo was questionable. Because Sett wasn't quite sure what state Mundo was in right now. If he had mastered both types of Haki, then with Mundo's physique, defeating an Admiral would be difficult, but keeping him occupied would definitely be no problem.

That guy's vitality was so strong that he could continue to move even with his heart pierced. I wonder what kind of experiments the asylum in the background story did to cultivate such a top-notch freak.

The mid-tier fighting force includes the giant leaders of the Red Oni and Blue Oni pirate crews. There's also Urouge, and Enel… especially Enel; once he masters Armament Haki, his strength will reach that of a top-tier Vice Admiral, and he might even be able to exchange a few blows with an Admiral. There's no way around it, his Devil Fruit ability is just too powerful.

And then there's Robin... the Hana Hana no Mi's extensions in physical combat are terrifying. When she was on the phone earlier, Robin was already able to materialize six bodies of equal strength to her own, and she could cover them with Armament Haki and Observation Haki.

Without resource constraints and with her innate eagerness to learn, Robin's growth rate far surpassed that of the original story. In contrast, Enel's Devil Fruit ability and physical skills were extremely rudimentary. His earlier statement that even he and Urouge together might not be able to defeat Robin was no joke. After all, Enel had never received any systematic training.

Just as Sett was still thinking, a voice appeared in Sett's mind.

"Ding, system update complete, prize pool expanded."

Upon hearing the sound, Sett glanced at his twelve saved double prize pool draws and immediately opted for a ten-pull.

As expected, it was just some useless minor runes again. With all the armor runes applied, Sett felt his bones become even stronger. The pressure on his muscles decreased slightly; though not much, every little bit helps. The lack of overgrowth was expected and didn't surprise Sett at all.

However, Sett discovered something interesting while drawing from the skill prize pool.

"What is this random redemption?"

[Ding! Too many useless skills have been detected on the host. According to the latest system update, these useless skills can be randomly replaced with special "potions".]

A special compound?

Upon hearing this, Sett's eyes lit up slightly. Considering it was the first time he had encountered this, Sett cautiously clicked to redeem one of the skills first.

Immediately, Sett's eyes lit up—because this time he wasn't the only one who could see it. The moment he chose to receive it, Sett's hand felt a slight weight. Then, a delicate, sealed container appeared.

With a slight shake, one can vaguely see a mysterious solution inside, shimmering like mercury—this solution is much more viscous than mercury.

Steel compound ×1

Effects: "A rune concoction crafted using special arcane energy, unsuitable for those of weak strength (can be diluted). After consumption, it will enhance physical resilience to a certain extent for a period of time. The enhancement method will be divided into comprehensive enhancement and targeted enhancement according to the user's will. Comprehensive enhancement is applied to the entire physique, while targeted enhancement can enhance individual organs, tissues, etc., according to the user's will. The enhancement range is 5%-30% (depending on the concentration)."

Special effect: "When the user walks, they will leave behind dust of metabolized secret energy, and creatures walking on it will be able to enter a state of excitement to a certain extent."

It's the Steel Potion in the game!

Sett was very familiar with this thing. Five hundred gold, the bounty for a kill! And it only lasted for a short time. In the game, that's something you only get late game!

198·Steel Mixture Freedom

It has a physical form and can be given to others to consume...

Staring at the mercury-like potion in his hand, Sett's eyes were filled with astonishment—Sett had obtained many things from the system before. But no matter what they were, only Sett could ultimately see them. In fact, to others, once Sett entered the system interface, he would appear to be in a daze.

But now, the advent of the Iron-Steel Compound has broken this rule. The only question is, what exactly does it mean that "(the weak) cannot drink it" in the instructions... or, just how weak are these "weak" individuals?

Based on Aurelion Sol's strength, he's not that much stronger.

Sett opened the bottle and dipped a little with his finger, placing it on the tip of his tongue. The mercury-like liquid transformed into pure arcane energy the instant it entered his mouth. Before Sett could even react and savor the taste, it vanished without a trace.

No response? That's not right.

After a pause, Sett closed his eyes and thought, "Targeted enhancement, skeletal enhancement."

The next moment, as his will extended, Sett could clearly feel a strange energy spreading outwards along with his heart, eventually adhering to his bones.

The effect wasn't noticeable. Thinking this, Sett tilted his head back and took a large gulp, about a third of the amount. Then, Sett could feel the energy spreading with each heartbeat growing increasingly powerful. His bones, which had felt somewhat tired from the muscle pressure, seemed to be infused with new vitality. Density, hardness. Under the effect of the steel-like compound, his bones were like they were coated with a hard plating. The pressure from his muscles was greatly reduced, and Sett couldn't help but groan in relief.

Isn't this way more fun than soda?!

Bone strength increased by about 15%. And this was only one-third of the amount. If Sett drank the whole thing, he estimated it would increase bone strength by 30%—in which case the muscle stress would be completely relieved!

At the same time, having personally experienced the potion's energy, Sett also gained a clearer understanding of those who were weaker.

In the game, potions can only be purchased at level nine. In the real world, it's roughly equivalent to Urouge's level to directly consume undiluted potions. It's not that insufficient strength will cause one to explode and die after drinking it; it's simply that the effects of the potion are directly linked to the user's constitution. Someone like Sett can receive a significant boost simply by drinking it. However, for a weaker person, it won't have much effect... unless diluted to a level that even a weaker body can absorb simultaneously.

For powerhouses like Hawkeye and Issho, about a third of the dose is enough to reach maximum effect... after all, their physical strength isn't particularly noticeable. For Urouge and Enel, about a tenth is sufficient. Titans require a bit more, but not by much, about two-fifths, given their physical size.

If we're only considering normal, ordinary humans, one dose of Steel Potion can be diluted with water to produce a thousand doses. As for the mystic dust produced through metabolism... in the game, that dust's effect is the Steel Road, which increases the speed of friendly units walking on it by 15%. In reality, that's the effect of stimulants.

While it may appear to increase strength, it doesn't actually do so. The Iron Elixir raises a person's potential, while the Arcane Dust's stimulating effect is limited to boosting enthusiasm and intensifying emotions. Simply put, it increases morale.

"It's quite a treasure." Looking at the mercury-like liquid, he smacked his lips. Unlike the effects in the game, which only lasted a few minutes, the enhancements in reality could last for about six hours. Especially for Sett, the muscles wouldn't affect the flexibility of his bones for six hours, and this indescribable ease made Sett slightly intoxicated.

At least I've experienced this feeling of complete physical and mental ease, and it would be hard to go back to that state... It's kind of addictive, isn't it?

Thinking this, Sett shook his head listlessly. He couldn't care less about any of that. It was like painkillers; whether they worked or were expensive was another matter, but not using them was truly uncomfortable.

Sett was pleasantly surprised by the Iron Elixir, and without hesitation, he clicked to redeem the rest.

A moment later, Sett received 3 Flavor Potion of Wrath, 4 Flavor Potion of Arcane, and 4 Flavor Potion of Steel.

In the game, you can only consume one type of potion at a time; consuming multiple potions will cancel each other out. However, this isn't the case in reality—at least, the item descriptions don't state that only one potion effect can exist at a time. So, Sett used the same trick again, drinking a mouthful of both Arcane Potion and Wrath Potion.

The first thing Sett felt was the Rage Potion—he felt a pang of regret, because the instant he swallowed it, he could feel his muscles swell, his blood surging like he'd been injected with hormones, and his bones, which had previously relaxed, felt an unspeakable pressure again due to the Rage Potion's compression. At the same time, as if sensing something, Sett activated Armament Haki, and one could clearly see that the Armament Haki, which had originally gleamed with a dark, metallic sheen, now had a crimson aura…

It's very faint, but it's definitely there. The hardness of the Armament Haki has been improved to some extent.

Sett pursed his lips, then uncorked the bottle and took another swig of the Iron Elixir. Only then did he feel more comfortable—the enhanced strength felt alright, the effect was noticeable. But whether it was noticeable or not was one thing, and whether it felt comfortable was another. At least, Sett would never touch the Rage Elixir again unless he encountered a particularly difficult battle.

Fujitora and the others would probably like it, because the sense of power from this direct enhancement is very obvious.

So what are the special effects of the Anger Elixir?

Effects: Bloodlust; users will experience a certain degree of immune pain and activate the secretion of dopamine and endorphins.

In the game, Bloodlust grants 15% physical life steal, while in reality it reduces pain and increases the excitement of combat... like a potent painkiller and a potent stimulant?

Shaking the blood-red liquid inside, Sett threw the Potion of Wrath into a pocket to the side.

Last but not least was the Arcane Elixir. Sett took a sip and fell silent. After a moment, Sett raised an eyebrow hesitantly. Then he picked up the deep blue, ocean-like Arcane Elixir and examined it closely—he had indeed drunk it, so why didn't he feel anything?

Remembering the enhancement of his Armament Haki after consuming the Flask of Wrath, Sett unleashed his Observation Haki. Sure enough, under the effects of the Arcane Flask, the range and accuracy of his Observation Haki were greatly improved. Upon closer inspection, Sett could even vaguely sense a trace of spiritual energy… Was this the world through Issho's eyes?

Sett was somewhat surprised.

Previously, Sett's perception was limited to sensing the trajectory, angle, direction, and range of attacks—already a very powerful form of Observation Haki. Now, thanks to the Arcane Elixir, Sett's mental acuity has been greatly enhanced. Especially within the range of his Observation Haki, Sett can even perceive some general outlines and the colors of their spirits… While not as precise as Issho's ability to distinguish every individual, it surpasses the vast majority of Observation Haki users!

And then... and then that was it.

Sett flexed his hands and found that, apart from that, the Arcane Potion didn't seem to have any other effects. The Special Effects section for Sorcery was also grayed out and not activated…

Is it because I'm not a scholar?

Thinking this, Sett seemed to sense something and glanced outside—it was Kizaru's departing figure. Standing on the cannonball, he transformed into a streak of light and flew past. Watching the golden trail of light, Sett slapped his forehead.

"System, does the effect of the sorcery potion apply to Devil Fruits?"

【Yes. 】

Having received an affirmative reply from the system, Sett clicked his tongue in slight annoyance.

Clearly, the purpose of the magic potion is to enhance the user's mastery of Devil Fruits and strengthen their Observation Haki. For Sett, both the Steel Potion and the Rage Potion are useful. The Steel Potion, in particular, can alleviate Sett's daily burdens. The Rage Potion, on the other hand, provides a powerful boost to offensive capabilities during battle.

In comparison, the magic potion is only slightly better than nothing, increasing the accuracy of Observation Haki... but its most important ability, the enhancement of Devil Fruits, seems to be something Sett can't enjoy.

Sett declined the idea of ​​being unable to swim...

In that case, I should take the Arcane Elixir back when I have time. Sett thought to himself, at least Robin and the others could use it. But then he remembered he still had the Lifeform Disintegration Ray?

Scratching his head, Sett kept one of each of the three potions except for two of the Steel Potion. He then packed the rest up and called the Marine branch to have them delivered—only Sett could summon the Marines with a single phone call. Any other bounty hunter? Heh, forget about it.

Off to do a mission!!

The daily tasks reward three lottery points. Before, Sett wasn't very motivated because he was just trying to overgrow the game—after all, he hadn't gotten anything after trying for so long. But now, with the lure of the Steel Elixir, Sett feels incredibly motivated!

He took a sip of the diluted drink—"Sigh, not pure enough."

He shook his head somewhat angrily. However, considering that the effects of the Rage Potion hadn't worn off yet, Sett could only suppress his impatience and finish packaging the rest—there wasn't much stock yet; he'd wait until he made more money.

Sett's only goal now is Steel Potion Freedom.