Chapter 13

Seph, awaiting the crew's final transformation alongside Kaya, glanced at Merry, who appeared deeply absorbed in thought, her expression serious and cute.

Kaya, too, tilted her head, noticing Merry's adorable seriousness.

"Seph-sama," Merry began, "the captain and the others are on the verge of gaining strength, and I'm contemplating my own journey toward becoming stronger. My mind is filled with various weapon models, and I'm deliberating which one would be most suitable to construct."

Seph's lips twitched. As a 'ship girl' (a reference to Azure Lane) and an enhanced concept class, Merry harbored a plethora of inheritances within her mind, capable even of planetary destruction, a matter not to be taken lightly.

Fortunately, the current materials were insufficient for constructing such extravagant weaponry, prompting a sigh of relief from Seph as he offered his encouragement.

"Merry, your dedication is admirable. What about laser weapons and advanced energy artillery?"

Merry nodded helplessly. "With the materials at hand, our options are limited..."

Merry appeared quite dissatisfied; after all, possessing potent weaponry but lacking the means to materialize them proved frustrating. Seph, in part, was responsible for this predicament, refraining from supplying advanced materials. Otherwise, any notion of adventure would be moot – just one artillery piece from Merry, and the world would be at its end.

Kaya observed Seph's relieved countenance and Merry's resentful gaze, offering a warm smile. She understood Merry's desire to grow stronger and not be left behind.

Suddenly, a resounding shout reverberated throughout the surroundings.

"Recovered!!!!"

Luffy's voice, brimming with energy, starkly contrasted his previous helpless demeanor. Simultaneously, a potent aura began to emanate alongside his exclamation.

Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and Nami. Seph, Kaya, and Merry could sense four intense, powerful auras emanating from different parts of the ship.

Kaya exclaimed in astonishment. "So strong! They all surpass me in strength!"

Seph wasn't taken aback. Although Kaya's physique rivaled that of an admiral, it lacked combat techniques, and she was once just a normal human. Only Nami could be considered on par with her.

However, Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp possessed exceptional genes, resulting in immense vitality and raw destructive power. Even their basic attributes far exceeded those of anyone in the world.

With the arrival of the four, a newly transformed Luffy emerged, adorned in a fresh outfit, joyfully bounding about the ship, unaffected by the seastone field.

"Seph, I'm completely unaffected! And I've become incredibly strong!" Luffy exclaimed.

Behind him, Usopp stood with newfound dignity. His once feeble form now boasted compact muscles and a courageous aura.

"Hmph, from now on, I'll be the captain of this ship!" Usopp declared boldly.

"Haaa! Usopp, damn it! How dare you covet my captaincy again?!" Luffy retorted.

Zoro, with sword hilts at his waist, struggled to conceal his excitement. He sensed that compared to his former self, he was now thousands of times stronger. Even his skill in kendo seemed to have ascended, transcending into the realm of great swordsmanship.

He looked at Seph with gratitude.

Nami, clad in a revealing green bikini bra and blue jeans, approached aggressively, seizing Seph by the collar.

"You pervert! What's with this revealing outfit? And how did you get my measurements? You can't suppress your evil thoughts anymore!"

Seph helplessly endured her grip, relishing her ample and soft bosom.

"I'm sorry!" he conceded.

He surveyed the three energized individuals before him, curiosity evident in his gaze as he inquired, "How does it feel?"

Usopp ceased his pretense and responded objectively, "It's hard to describe. My mind is incredibly clear, my strength and reflexes are thousands of times sharper, and my senses have been heightened. I don't even feel fatigue anymore..."

Zoro nodded in agreement, chiming in, "My swordsmanship has advanced by leaps and bounds, and I sense that further improvement will come effortlessly. It's as if there's no limit. And strangely, I feel rejuvenated."

Meanwhile, Luffy continued to exclaim enthusiastically, "My regular punches now pack a thousand times more power than my strongest rubber techniques! I feel like if I use my rubber fruit, I'll become even stronger!!"

Nami, still gripping Seph's collar, added her observations while tracing the now-clean shoulder where her Arlong flag tattoo used to be. "I can sense changes in weather more keenly and predict with ease... This serum not only enhances our physical attributes but also amplifies our innate talents. Our senses and even our ability to heal and regenerate have been vastly improved."

"I even feel smarter," she added with a touch of bitterness.

Nami muttered her disappointment, her words audible to everyone on the ship, eliciting puzzled and concerned looks from the others. Eventually, she released Seph, shaking her head. "It's nothing... just some hateful nonsense. With my current strength, dealing with him in the future will be easy."

Filled with confidence, Nami believed that if Arlong represented ten times human strength, she now surpassed her former self by thousands. She was certain that tenfold strength wouldn't be enough to challenge her, especially with Seph and the others by her side. A genuine smile adorned her face for the first time, radiating relief and happiness.

Her newfound sincerity didn't go unnoticed by Luffy and Zoro. They could sense that this version of Nami was more genuine than ever.

Seph affectionately patted her head, and this time, she welcomed his touch without her usual tsundere demeanor.

Meanwhile, Luffy continued his antics, exclaiming, "I'm starving! I feel like I'm a thousand times hungrier than before!"

Merry looked at Nami skeptically and asked, "Are you sure your brain has been enhanced?"

The others struggled to maintain composure, realizing that Luffy's brain seemed to operate on an entirely different level. Even a miraculous serum couldn't remedy his innate silliness.

...

Under Kaya's persuasion, the crew reluctantly agreed to stay for one more day, indulging once again in a sumptuous feast.

As night descended and the crew retired to their quarters, Kaya stealthily made her way into Seph's room.

Throughout the night, the room echoed with wet, slippery sounds, the slap of skin against skin, and seductive moans.

Thankfully, Seph managed to contain the sounds within a reasonable range. Little did he know, Kaya wasn't the only one harboring such desires. Nami, who happened to witness Kaya's clandestine visit and hear the ensuing noises, left with a sense of resentment. She even entertained the notion that she should have made her move sooner. Now, Kaya had stolen her opportunity, leaving Nami to sulk throughout the night.

With a sigh, Nami resolved to reclaim her rightful place.

"Hmph, I'll ensure Seph is mine for the entirety of our journey. I'll forgive her just this once!"

With that determination, Nami drifted into sleep, her dreams taking on a tantalizing edge, her lips curving into an excited smile.