บท 43: 43. The New Evolutionary Personnel, Chopper
"We're running low on time to restock up at Sabaody, so let's restock at Fish-Man Island as quickly as possible, then head to the New World to find Whitebeard," Rayleigh reminded from the deck.
"Then I'll go get ingredients and fresh water," Sanji said calmly, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. Despite being in the mermaid country he had longed for, he understood Luffy's uneasy mood and the urgency of the situation, so he wasn't too impatient. Even as he walked through the streets, he couldn't help but be captivated by the countless mermaids passing by.
"Then I'll go buy medicine, and Zoro and I will go," Chopper said.
"Robin and I are going shopping for clothes," Nami announced as she disembarked.
Leaving Luffy, Brook, and Usopp alone, Franky remained on the ship along with Rayleigh.
"By the way, the points we earned from the previous battle should be enough to upgrade a crew member again. Usopp, do you want it?" Luffy asked casually as he glanced at the panel from their earlier exploits. He had accumulated a significant number of points. Sanji's evolution was already complete, and there were still over 2,000 points left. Clicking again, the count increased to 12,000. Luffy examined the log of earned points more closely.
Most of the points were earned during the battles on the Sabaody Archipelago. Each of the two Pacifistas provided 500 evolution points. Zoro defeated the bear and gained 3,000 points. His victory over Kizaru directly earned him 6,000 points. But defeating either Kizaru or Kuma alone would surpass the strength of all the foes they had faced before. Such exceptional strength warranted the accumulation of so many evolution points.
"Evolving points?" Rayleigh looked puzzled.
"Oh, it's an ability I acquired earlier. I earn points through battles and use them to enhance my abilities," Luffy explained, not hiding anything. Luffy considered Rayleigh a partner and always trusted him implicitly.
"You possess such a remarkable ability. Could it be that your current strength is a result of this ability?" Rayleigh asked, a bit surprised, recalling the extraordinary strength of Luffy and his crew, far beyond what was expected for their age.
"Yes, I used to be very weak, struggling against Gekko Moria. But I've reached my current strength, along with Zoro and Sanji, in just these ten days," Luffy said with a laugh.
"It's quite an extraordinary ability, much like your personality," Rayleigh remarked, his brow furrowing slightly. The ability seemed overly dominant and exaggerated, capable of elevating a rookie pirate to Admiral-level combat prowess in a matter of days. However, Rayleigh didn't dwell on it too much. After all, he had seen far stranger things in his life.
People who travel through time inhabit a unique space where time flows differently from the outside world, with inexplicable phenomena abound.
While Luffy's ability is undeniably remarkable, it remains within the realm of understanding.
"Can this evolution process raise everyone to Admiral-level strength?" Rayleigh asked curiously, contemplating the potential advantage they would have in the upcoming war if this were the case.
"I'm not sure. Zoro and Sanji haven't evolved yet," Luffy replied, explaining the situation to Rayleigh.
"No wonder. The physical prowess of those two is much lower compared to their mastery of Haki and combat skills," Rayleigh mused.
In this sea, physical strength is often linked to one's mastery of Haki. Typically, higher levels of Haki correspond to greater physical prowess, barring cases where age weakens Haki. The awakening of Armament Haki is closely tied to physical conditioning and vice versa. Some individuals are natural Haki prodigies from birth, or so Rayleigh had assumed about Zoro and Sanji before learning of their pending evolution.
"Each person requires different amounts of evolution points, and the rate of improvement varies. But based on Zoro's potential, once fully evolved, he should firmly reach Admiral-level strength, which should suffice," Rayleigh concluded, acknowledging the potency of this ability.
With ample evolution points, the Straw Hat Pirates could boast Admirals among their ranks, a force to be reckoned with. The collective strength of members reaching or approaching admiral level would undoubtedly surpass that of any of the current Four Emperors' crews.
"Since evolution takes time, I suggest you use the evolution points you have now to enhance another person immediately. This way, by the time of the war in four days, you'll have another fighter close to Admiral-level strength," Rayleigh advised solemnly.
"The upcoming war is serious business. Since you've decided to join and rescue Ace, you must understand that you'll be up against the full might of the Marines," he continued, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
"This isn't like dealing with government lackeys at Enies Lobby. The Marines, as the World Government's premier military force, will be fully mobilized. Their strength cannot be underestimated," Rayleigh cautioned.
"I see," Luffy nodded in understanding.
"But that's not for me, Luffy," Franky interjected, pushing up his sunglasses. "My path to strength isn't reliant on physical enhancement or Haki."
"Same here, Luffy," Brook chimed in. "I won't waste this opportunity because I don't have a physical body to improve," he chuckled.
"Nor will I, Luffy," Usopp added after a moment of silence. "As a sniper, I face less direct danger on the battlefield. The evolution would be better suited for Chopper and the others."
Usopp knew that allocating the evolution quota to himself would be the biggest waste. Physical enhancement and Armament Haki didn't align with his sniper style.
After a few hours, when all the Straw Hat Pirates had returned, Luffy briefed everyone on Rayleigh's proposal, urging them to choose a candidate for evolution as soon as possible.
Except for Zoro and Sanji, who had already evolved, Nami and Robin naturally passed on the opportunity, as they weren't primarily fighters.
Chopper, being the fourth strongest fighter behind Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, was the most suitable candidate. Before Franky and Brook joined, the quartet stirred up quite a commotion at Franky's base in Water 7.
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