The shallow waters along the beach were strewn with massive amounts of shattered wood and glittering treasure.
These were the spoils the giant bird had scavenged from various places and hoarded in its nest. Due to the earlier impact, the debris and wealth that once formed its home had been scattered across every corner of the island. Now, this treasure had completely captivated the pirates' attention.
With a roar of cheers, the pirates poured off their ship, eyes gleaming with excitement as they scavenged for loot. These frenzied men seemed to have entirely forgotten about the burning island right before their eyes.
The giant bird had ceased its struggling. Flames erupted from within its body, turning everything in the vicinity into a raging inferno.
Such was the power of a Logia-type user! Even for Dunn, who had only just consumed the fruit, the flames he controlled were enough to kill such a ferocious beast.
No matter how powerful the bird's physique was, it had no resistance against fire erupting from the inside out.
Orange flames converged at the head of the burning bird. Suddenly, a hand thrust out from the massive beak, gripping the edge of the mandibles. Then, Dunn—his body wreathed in fire—crawled out.
The orange flames draped over him like a cloak. Under the heat's influence, his black hair appeared orange, dancing and swaying along with the flickering tongues of fire.
[Ding! Elite enemy killed. Digitization in progress...]
Dunn, who hadn't yet processed the whirlwind of events, was jolted awake by the prompt echoing in his mind.
Digitization?
"Is this a System?"
He was no stranger to the concept of Systems. Since he had already transmigrated, it was only logical for a System to tag along!
Elite enemy? Does it mean this big bird?
Dunn turned to glance at the still-smoldering carcass of the giant bird, a flash of understanding crossing his mind.
[Digitization successful. Would you like to open the Data Panel?]
"Yes!"
Another prompt sounded. Dunn didn't hesitate and confirmed immediately. Following his confirmation, a relatively straightforward panel appeared before his eyes.
[Body Digitization: Your body's vital points have disappeared. After being attacked, damage is converted into HP reduction. Panel attributes will change based on your actual strength. You will not die until your HP reaches zero.]
[Current Physical Age: 14 years old][Constitution: 1.7 (Undergoing rapid transformation due to certain influences)][Current HP: 91% (Recovering; eating can accelerate recovery)]
[Inherent Talent (Unyielding): When HP reaches zero, enter a brief empowered state. All physical attributes are increased tenfold; HP will no longer be deducted; all negative statuses are cleared. Current duration: 10 minutes. Cooldown: 1 day.]
[Abilities][Flame-Flame Fruit (Initial Mastery): A powerful Logia-type ability. Grants the power to become fire and manipulate it. Continuously strengthens the body.
Fruit drawbacks have been removed (Weakness and Resident Soul). Current development: Weak.]
"Is this essentially a built-in 'Cheat Death'?"
Dunn stroked his chin, focusing on his talent. The effect of Unyielding was incredibly potent—entering a ten-minute invincibility state upon receiving a fatal blow.
Most importantly, it gave a tenfold boost to his attributes for those ten minutes. This basically guaranteed a "clutch" turnaround at low health.
As for the disappearance of vital points, Dunn thought it over and realized it complemented his Logia powers perfectly.
While Logia users were already difficult to kill, they weren't safe against Haki users or elemental counters. That was where the lack of vital points would truly shine.
Regardless, Dunn's evaluation of "Body Digitization" could be summed up in three words: Too damn strong.
Entering an invincible state for ten minutes with a tenfold stat boost after a lethal attack was terrifying, and this talent would only become more monstrous as he grew stronger. Of course, digitization offered more than just that.
The removal of vital points was also extreme. An attack to a vital area would only result in a forced HP deduction; conventional weaknesses like the heart would no longer exist.
Furthermore, his HP recovered automatically, and eating could speed up the process. In just this short time, his HP had already recovered from 91% to 96%—it was about to be full.
Undoubtedly, there were more changes than just these, but he would have to figure out the details slowly. For now, what he understood made him very satisfied; in fact, it far exceeded his expectations.
If, not long ago, Dunn's only goal upon obtaining the Flame-Flame Fruit was to survive safely in this world, then now, with this foundation, he might just be able to go toe-to-toe with the top powerhouses of the sea.
A person's ambition always evolves alongside their strength.
Of course, the immediate priority was to figure out where he was and how to keep getting stronger. Dunn looked at the flames burning around him, smelled the charred scent of meat and thick smoke, and stepped forward.
One Piece world, here I come!
A moment later, Dunn walked out of the flaming zone and found himself staring face-to-face with a group of pirates who had come seeking the scattered treasure.
He hadn't deactivated his elementalization. The burning flames fluttered around him like a broad, orange trench coat. Seeing this, the pirates swallowed hard.
"A demon! It's a demon from the sea!"
Low-level pirates hadn't even heard of Devil Fruits. A man wreathed in flames was clearly beyond their comprehension.
"Shut up! What demon? He obviously found a treasure!"
A scruffy pirate clutching a gleaming cutlass walked over with a dozen lackeys, eyeing the flame-shrouded Dunn.
Dunn's gaze swept over them before looking past them toward the pirate ship anchored at the shore. These were the "specialties" of the One Piece world—endless pirates going to sea for various reasons. He hadn't seen the ship from the nest earlier; they likely were drawn by the fire.
Surprisingly, Dunn realized he could understand their language. Was it due to the digitization or just a side effect of transmigration? The thought flickered in his mind but didn't stay long—because a cutlass was now held against his throat.
"Kid, hand over the treasure you found. The Great Lord Doru will spare your life and let you join my crew."
"So, 'Great Lord Doru,' do you have a bounty?" Dunn asked calmly, looking at the blade at his neck.
"Of course! I'm a great pirate with a bounty of 2.5 million Berries! In this East Blue, I'm already one of the strongest!"
2.5 million Berries?
Dunn smiled.
His starting funds had just arrived!
*Bonus Chapter for every 40 Powerstones
*Bonus chapter for every 10 Reviews/Comments