Chapter 20

The once-grand island sank, its massive landmass reduced to fragments floating in the sea like scattered vessels. In the span of just half a day, an island as vast as Alabasta was transformed into a patchwork of broken terrain.

Some sections were cleanly sliced with swords, while others became frozen wastelands of ice, and some were scorched by molten magma. The clashes between numerous powerhouses had ravaged the landscape, causing most of the land to either sink beneath the waves or crumble into dust amidst the ferocious battles.

On a floating fragment of land, the Straw Hat crew lay there, breathing harshly. Their outfits were disheveled, and their entire bodies were drenched in sweat. Luffy, who appeared the most battered among them, clutched his chest as he spoke.

"I never thought Grandpa was so strong! And that rogue dragon is really shameless. He actually attacked without any warnings and his attacks always make me dizzy. And that golden old man, he was so cunning. Every time I'm in danger, he would hit me with a shockwave of power.

But the most insidious and mean one is that magma-breathing monster! He actually sneak attacked me and almost killed me several times! Thankfully, my body is resilient, and his magma can't hurt me much. I will definitely pummel him next!"

Seph, reclining beside him, chuckled softly. "Yes, compared to them, Shanks is really a gentleman. Yet, I was also attacked by that magma guy. However, I wasn't touched at all. Although I still haven't gained any special abilities, armament, observation, and conqueror haki were successfully awakened. I believe you are experiencing the same."

Luffy nodded happily from the side.

Zoro sat down, placing his sword in his lap. The other two swords were destroyed in his battle with Hawkeye.

"Only now do I understand the value of the serum you gave us. I took a direct hit from that magma devil fruit, yet other than scalding pain, the wound was soon healed, and my body gained resistance. Even Hawkeye's swords can't do much harm when my Willpower is used for defense."

Sanji took a drag from his cigarette. "Yes, I particularly liked that field of comprehension you used. We easily mastered the basics of Will. I even awakened a special ability—it's almost like time stop. That yellow monkey is like a snail in my perception."

Seph, Zoro, and Luffy looked at him in surprise.

Ussop hurriedly chimed in, "Me too. I awakened the ability of God's perspective. If it weren't for that ability, I would have been pummeled to death by that crazy white mustache! He is really a monster. Fortunately, my body is so resilient, and later I awakened a very powerful perspective. I finally managed to run away from that old man's attacks."

Nami complained from the side. "That old man didn't move from his place from the start. He was just teasing you at most. What are you bragging about?! That damn pink woman actually dares to steal glances at Seph. She really deserves death!"

Nami's face was full of hostility as Nojiko patted her from the side with a speechless expression and said with a smile, "Okay, Nami, didn't Seph say that these people are just virtual, not real? What are you so pissed about? However, this battle session is really interesting. I've never fought before, and I just gained power, but I had a lot of fun. Although I still feel a little cold."

As the crew happily shared their gains and experiences, Seph looked at Luffy beside him with interest.

Until now, Luffy hadn't taken the road of gears. Instead, in his fight against those powerhouses, he learned how to accumulate all his powers in a certain body part exploding with super speed and attack/defense, much like Garp's Love Fist.

These techniques were more powerful than Gear 2 and gigantification.

Actually, Seph always had a bad feeling towards Luffy's devil fruit. How to say? Since the start of the series, Luffy always traded his vitality for power. Gear 2 is a vitality burner, and even G3 and G4 are the same. G5 is even more unscrupulous.

In Impel Down, he lost half of his lifespan fighting against the poison, and the conditions to activate awakening the devil fruit is death?!

Even though it was said that his devil fruit is phantom-type and full of vitality, it's vitality, not lifespan. But the most chilling scene that he never forgot is the section where Kaido asks Luffy to confirm his identity.

The giant elephant appearance. Maybe from an anime perspective, those are awesome background pictures, but the more Seph thought about this, the more he found a big problem.

Now, he was even using his Will to scan Luffy's body, but he failed to detect any dormant will in his body, which meant that the Will of his devil fruit was stronger and more special than his massive Will.

Was this the specialty of a God? There was actually a section in the Will arts that suggested Will would usher a certain transformation when it reached a certain size and quality.

However, because his Will was massive and still growing, and had not reached its limits, there was no way he could start transforming his will. That would be a fool's errand. Anyway, with his serum and almost thousand-year lifespan, even Nika would have big troubles making Luffy lose his vitality and approach death.

However, he still didn't speculate much. Maybe Luffy is the reincarnation of Joy Boy, who knows? But anyway, if he gained enough willpower, he would definitely seal that will or even destroy it and turn it into a stream of resources for Luffy.

After the revelations of demons and magic circles, and the peculiar existence of IM, he felt more and more that this world was more than just physical prowess and Haki.

Demons and Gods were both sides of the same coin. Both demanded sacrifices, and Will in this world is the supreme way.

Indeed, despite possessing the ability to sink continents and potentially bring about the destruction of the world, Seph remains calm and continues to seek even more power.

What if IM's capabilities extend to the point of being able to annihilate an entire planet? In the face of such immense power, it becomes imperative to remain honest and humble. Seeking greater power must be done cautiously and responsibly, always mindful of the potential consequences.

Until one has the ability to influence an entire planet, it's essential to focus on personal growth and development, striving for greater strength and understanding without overreaching or succumbing to unchecked ambition.

The staggering destructive potential of the motherflame attack was actually considered a failure in Im's eyes. Despite its immense power, it fell short of meeting Im's expectations or serving their ultimate purpose.

If it were to be unleashed without limit, Seph and his crew will defintely remain unscathed, but the entire world would face devastation on an unprecedented scale.

The unchecked power of such an attack could wreak havoc on civilizations, ecosystems, and the very fabric of the planet itself. The consequences of its unrestrained use would be catastrophic.

Hence, Seph consistently maintained his composure, never allowing his overwhelming power to cloud his judgment.

Observing that the crew members had successfully recovered their depleted stamina and were now brimming with newfound energy, Seph rose from the ground.

"Next, I will grant you authority in this space. It mirrors the real world in every way, complete with numerous powerhouses, peculiar islands, and delectable food... You will grasp the details once you access the information provided with the authority. Additionally, if you wish to return, the portal will transport you to any location you previously visited."

The crew looked at him with surprise evident on their faces.

Nami asked inquisitively, "Where are you headed?"

"I'm going to invite Kaya," Seph replied.

Nami pouted, "More like having another session of steamy sex..."

Nojiko while shocked, looked at Nami, with wide-open mouth.

Meanwhile, the others were already mesmerized by the authority they had gained.

Luffy exclaimed in shock, "So much food!"

In front of him were tons of delicious meats from various creatures. Zoro found himself surrounded by huge jars of wine and exclaimed, "So many sword masters, not inferior to Hawkeye. And some even look strong? Why does this Ryuma look like me?"

Sanji and Ussop disappeared; Sanji went to meet cooks from various times to learn cooking techniques, while Ussop searched for materials for his next boastful invention.

Nojiko touched Nami's arm, surprised by her pouting expression. "Nami, with this portal, we can meet whenever we want. Even if you go to sea, we will never be separated."

Nami nodded in agreement, finding many intriguing things in this virtual world. She grabbed Nojiko's wrist and exclaimed, "Let's go shopping!"

Nojiko happily agreed. This world, though virtual, felt like another realm where Seph acted as a creator god. Here, food, clothes, and battles were plentiful.

Especially food and clothes could be brought back to the outside world. Here, even if they died, they could resurrect, retaining their true bodies upon entering this world.