luck always plays.

Link status.

Ding.

You've received a wooden chest for visiting Shimotsuki Village.

You've received a bronze chest for visiting Koushiro Shimotsuki's dojo.

You've received a silver chest for altering the course of history; Tashigi has found Koushiro.

Ding.

You've opened a silver chest and obtained the Neko Neko no Mi: Panther Form Devil Fruit.

You've opened a wooden chest and received eucalyptus seeds.

You've used five chest pieces.

You've acquired 47 chest pieces; you need one more to open a diamond chest, and seven more for a choice diamond chest.

...

-Brother, you got beaten up, - Gad said.

-It sure did! - Axel replied.

-Darn it, brother, when's my turn? Picture this, me and Jimbei, training in the waves, a bunch of fans cheering for the great Gad, wawawawawaw. I'm the perfect man, - Gad said.

-It'll take time; Jimbei is in the New World, and we're not ready to sail those waters yet. Soon we will be, keep working tirelessly. The more worthy Jimbei finds you, the more he'll teach you, - Axel said.

-Wawawawaw, I'll do it. Don't worry. But you know, I'm a man of action; I learn better through fighting, - Gad said.

-Well, Kuro will be available; he'll make a good leap in skill, - Axel said.

-Oh, and why does he say that? - Kuro asked.

-For this. I have a Neko Neko no Mi: Panther Form Devil Fruit in my possession, -- Axel said. -- It's a neko neko fruit; I couldn't find one that suits you better. -

-Panther form. A Devil Fruit. Where did you get it, Axel? - Deuce asked.

- got it on Animal Island, and saved it for the right moment. The bloodthirsty temperament of carnivorous Devil Fruits is the kind that changes people's emotions, - Axel said.

-I won't stoop to a Devil Fruit; I am my mind, - Kuro said.

-Well, then eat it, -- Axel said, offering him the Devil Fruit. -- I hope you know that even with a Devil Fruit, the changes you get are an ecstasy of power, but you remain weak, - Axel said.

-Ha, wait and see, fools. I'll master this Devil Fruit, and no one will stand before me, - Kuro said. He grabbed the Devil Fruit and took a bite. His expression became dignified, and a murderous rage unfolded.

-"HAHAHAHA. Be careful, kid; it perfectly suits me with great qualities, - Kuro said. He grew into a three-meter panther, entirely shadowy; the claws and ferocious forms accentuated his already fearsome appearance. In a moment, he mastered the human-animal form.

-A fight, one on one on the beach, cat, - Axel said.

-Ha, I hope you can endure a few rounds, - Kuro said.

-I'll endure as many rounds as needed; I just hope you can measure up. Three to zero so far, cat and my intuition tells me it'll soon be four to zero, - Axel said.

-Well, before anything else, dinner is ready. We'll have our measuring contest later. Try these dishes; I made a delicious plate of pasta. It's called Udon, although I added more beef than vegetables, a dash of soy sauce, and there you go, - Agatha said.

Axel could only shrug, and Kuro pounded the ground but went to the dining table to receive Agatha's food.

-Mmm, I love your food, Agatha, - Gad said. - Oh, by the way, Rubis said that if you teach him to cook, he's been eager to learn for some time now, something Emeruade mentioned about being useful on the ship. Muchmuchhh, - Gad said.

-Is it true, much much? This is fantastic, Agatha. It's the most delicious thing I've ever eaten, - Axel said. -- Another plate! -

-Haha, knew you'd like it. After all, I am the magnificent Agatha, - she said.

-Exactly! Another plate of Udon, - Gad said.

-Another plate here too, - Axel said.

Udon is a type of thick noodle made from wheat flour, served in a hot broth with various ingredients such as tempura, meat, or vegetables. This time, it's thick wheat flour noodles with plenty of meat in soy sauce, the meat marinated in spices, and a hint of tomato.

-Well, this meal is over; let's continue our one-on-one on the beach. I hope you don't make any more excuses, - Kuro said.

Axel understood Kuro's stance; Devil Fruits are stimulating to those who consume them. Some feel invincible after eating one and end up facing less friendly fates. The key is that the strength increase is real, but the mere power boost isn't always relevant in a fight unless the difference is significant. It's always possible to emerge victorious.

-Let's go to the beach, - Deuce said.

-Ahahaha, yes, the beach, -- Usopp said. -- Kick his butt. -

-Haha, this fruit makes me invincible, - Kuro said.

...

Axel

Level 4

Experience Points: 605/800

Physical: 1351 - 1451

Mental: 1100 - 1130 - 1310

Luck: 25

Persistence: 5

Advanced Archaeologist

Intermediate Low Navigation

Swordsman: Intermediate 27% - 29% - 31% - 34%

Water Breathing

Forms: 1. Surface Cut 2. Water Wheel 3. Dance of the Currents   4. Tidal Strike 5. Rain After   Drought

Bullet Time

Marine Style: Soru

Poison Resistance

45 chest pieces

50 million berries

….

Well, I've played all my cards. My kendo has improved thanks to the sparring with Koshiro. He's a great master, and during the battle, I felt how he pushed my limits gradually, almost casually. Advancing with light and measured strikes, he added speed to each blow. Rising in mastery during the combat allowed me to break my limits. With a system that evaluates my practice, it absorbed all the training of this month, resulting in a gradual increase. My progress has been slight, but with Koushiro, it won't take much time to reach the lower intermediate level, Axel thought.

"So, the first one to surrender. Deuce will step in when he takes pity on you," Axel said.

"Grrrr..." Kuro growled, extending in size using his beast form as soon as we jumped to the beach.

"Dark Step," Kuro said.

His speed was almost on par with mine - Axel thought, unsheathing his sword and slashing forward. The beast form leaped, positioning itself behind him to deliver a rapid attack with its claws.

Ding.

Link status.

Final crew.

Kuro: Strategist.

Physical: 800-900.

Mental: 890 - 840.

Characters fluctuate due to the Devil Fruit.

Abilities: Lower Intermediate Strategist.

Devil Fruit: Neko - Neko: Panther Form Model - 25%

-Soru Silent Form - A Soru variant with silent steps allows movement at the same speed as Soru without making any noise. The movement is smoother and can be optimized in different directions. "Dark Step."

25 million berries.

...

-What a sudden increase, almost 400 points in one go. It's just a Zoan, Panther Form. And the progress is considerable, - Axel thought.

-Well, you've improved, - Axel said.

-First form, - Axel said, mixing it with a quick step and slashing Kuro's chest. He dodged it; his instincts have increased. The beast hidden in the Devil Fruit is of another caliber.

He danced with another Dark Step. The form allowed him reflexiveness when using the Soru variant. A panther's physique is built for speed; panthers have a muscular and elegant body adapted for stealth and hunting. Their speed is enabled by the power of their hind limbs.

-I'm going to give you a good bite. I hope you withstand my new claws, - Kuro said with a deep voice.

-Quite arrogant. The third form, Water Dance of the Currents, - Axel said. Numerous strikes swirled in front of the cat. Unable to avoid the blows, Kuro crossed his arms defensively. But Axel's sword strike was sharp and dangerous; the large cut outlined his arms.

The pain destabilized his posture, and Axel took advantage to position himself in the first form. In a second, he fanned and made a diagonal slash, sending a sword intent, followed by the first form of breathing.

The strike was a blink of an eye, in a millisecond, Kuro fell defeated and embarrassed for the fourth time. Although his improvement is considerable, it takes a lot of talent to manipulate a Devil Fruit, and even more. The increase in power is not necessarily parallel to a person's actual combat skills.

-Deuce, what do you think? He needs your medical attention, - Axel said.

-He does indeed. You went a bit overboard. The last cut is deep; he needs at least a month of rest for his wounds to close completely, with numerous medical encounters, - Deuce said.

-It's not necessary. I'll give him three days, -- Axel said. -- Zoan fruits give the user superhuman resistance; that cut won't do much harm, - Axel said.

-You've improved again. And yes, I hope what you say about Zoan fruits is true, - Deuce said, nodding, especially about what Axel mentioned.

-I am. Keep training. Your Devil Fruit is worth a billion berries; you're 960 million short to pay for the fruit's use, - Axel told him.

-Haha, only you would be this crazy. To be offered such a huge reward, it must be because I committed an unforgivable crime, - Deuce said.

-Who knows, there are so many kingdoms that deserve to be rescued. Maybe we'll run into one and upset some big shot up there, - Axel told Deuce.

-You're insane; I'll attend to Kuro! - Deuce said.

-The day has been long; I'll get some sleep, - Axel said.

Gad could only watch in amazement as just a moment ago, Kuro reached inconceivable levels. However, his surprise didn't stop; upon seeing Axel's improvement, his fists clenched, for even though it might not be apparent at first glance, he has the heart of a warrior.

...