"[Ding] Investment in the Ancient King Gilgamesh initiated. Would you like to accelerate it?"
"Accelerate. Boost it by forty years."
Forty years should be enough. Gilgamesh didn't live all that long to begin with, and with power scaling, that timeframe should do the trick—maybe even more than enough.
But Vane had learned something: when investing in certain individuals, time alone wasn't the only factor. For instance, investing further into Captain Yamamoto required not just time, but Devil Fruits.
Between vector manipulation and the King's Treasure, Vane was far more intrigued by the latter. Sure, vector manipulation could theoretically grow boundlessly powerful, but he wasn't fond of overly complex abilities.
The King's Treasure, on the other hand, offered straightforward overwhelming might—destructive force, excellent accuracy, ranged capability, and a wide area of effect. More than that, it contained countless Noble Phantasms—mystic relics plundered from the Golden City—with ridiculous powers. It was, without exaggeration, a literal arsenal of legendary weapons.
Most notable among them was the Star of Deviation—an artifact that acted as both the keystone to the treasure and a weapon with world-cutting potential. It derived power by interpreting the rules of the world, and the stronger those rules were, the more devastating the weapon became. Of course, reading those rules took time—and the stronger the world, the slower the interpretation.
That's where the Omniscient and Almighty Star came in, enhancing the speed and precision of rule-reading. Without it, even the Deviation Sword had limits.
"[Ding] Acceleration complete."
"[Ding] Investment in Ancient King Gilgamesh finished. Commencing income inventory."
"[Ding] Acquired King's Treasure and the Star of Deviation. Future additional investment is recommended."
So the Omniscient Star was part of the future path.
"Success."
Vane smiled slightly. Not only had he acquired the King's Treasure, but the Star of Deviation as well—though technically part of the same arsenal, the sword had become iconic enough to stand on its own.
Activating the Star of Deviation meant analyzing the world's framework. The stronger the world, the longer the analysis. In the world of One Piece, with its layered systems—Haki, Devil Fruits, Sea Kings, and more—the rules were undoubtedly intricate. It would take time.
And each use of the Deviation Sword required reading those rules anew. Without the Omniscient Star, activating it was clunky and slow.
Still, Vane was more than satisfied. Just wielding a single artifact from the treasure made him dangerous—let alone the full arsenal.
The system now offered further investment options for both Gilgamesh and Yamamoto. The former needed the Omniscient Star and Golden Rule traits. The latter likely required his Zanpakuto's true form—and perhaps more. These deeper investments came at a higher cost, often demanding Devil Fruits or rarer energy types. So far, Vane had only encountered one such energy: the life force of the Sunlight Tree Eve.
Thankfully, Devil Fruits regenerated upon a user's death, returning to circulation. The Devil Fruit Tree—or whatever force governed that process—seemed to be a world law itself.
"King's Treasure..."
Vane murmured the words as golden ripples shimmered to his right. The room, previously bathed only in moonlight, lit up with ethereal brilliance.
Two golden portals formed, ancient runes spinning within their boundaries. Through the magic circles, two weapons materialized: an ancient spear and a gleaming sword. At his will, either could be launched like a high-powered missile.
The sheer luxury of the treasure's light filled the once-dark room, reflecting gold off every surface.
Then, as quickly as it appeared, Vane dismissed the summoning circle. There was no need to test them now.
With this power, he wouldn't need basic swordplay anymore. He could dominate the battlefield just by unleashing the armory. Of course, this applied only against ordinary powerhouses. Against agile top-tier opponents, the summoned weapons might lag behind.
And not all of them could be overwhelmed with summoned blades.
Still, for now, the King's Treasure was a terrifying trump card.
After spending a bit more time familiarizing himself with it, Vane lay back on the bed, closed his eyes, and slipped into sleep.
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