"Another [Demon Ring]!"
Storm reached out and grabbed the silver-gray ring quietly floating in midair, excitement written all over his face.
"A six-star [Diamond Trophy] can grant a wish for a six-star [Demon Ring Replica]!"
Storm held his breath and carefully examined the specific effects of the [Demon Ring Replica].
Broadly speaking.
The six-star [Demon Ring Replica] retained the most basic function of the "ring."
That was, without eating a Devil Fruit, one could directly use the Devil Fruit's ability!
With just this alone, Storm felt that his wish on the six-star Diamond Trophy had been worth it!
However, the [Demon Ring Replica] was only six-star, after all.
Compared with the genuine nine-star item, the [Demon Ring].
The [Demon Ring Replica] had an obvious flaw: it lacked the nearly "infinite" Natural Energy available for consumption.
According to the [Big Trophy].
The [Demon Ring Replica] could provide energy no higher than Awakening level at most.
This meant that the [Demon Ring Replica] could only unleash six-star ability power at most!
Once the release power of a Devil Fruit exceeded the limit, going beyond six-star.
Then the [Demon Ring Replica] would risk being damaged.
The [Demon Ring Replica] did not have the genuine [Demon Ring]'s [Indestructible] effect.
Its resistance to wear was considerably lower than that of the real [Demon Ring].
Still, as a six-star item, the [Demon Ring Replica] had more than enough durability.
Just like the "supreme giant slipper" of a certain Sun God who preferred to remain anonymous!
Overall.
Storm was extremely satisfied with the [Demon Ring Replica]'s effects.
It was ultimately an item obtained by wishing on a six-star Diamond Trophy. Having this effect was already quite good.
At the very least, the [Demon Ring Replica] could unleash Awakening-level Devil Fruit power!
Across the entire sea.
The "Awakening" threshold had held back an unknown number of powerful people.
The [Demon Ring Replica] could directly unleash an Awakening-level Devil Fruit ability.
Without exaggeration.
This already surpassed ninety-nine percent of the people on the sea!
Without hesitation, Storm put on the [Demon Ring Replica].
He looked at the two [Demon Rings], then at the three Devil Fruits before him.
Now came the problem.
Counting the genuine [Demon Ring], Storm possessed only two "rings."
Yet the number of Devil Fruits he currently possessed had already reached four!
The [Clay Fruit], [Chameleon Fruit], [Nine-Tails Fox Fruit], and [More-More Fruit].
Even setting aside the [Chameleon Fruit].
Storm still had three Devil Fruits available for use.
The [Clay Fruit] had already been developed to six-star level. He could not possibly give up this "trump card."
As for the [Nine-Tails Fox Fruit] and [More-More Fruit].
Both were extremely powerful Devil Fruits, and Storm was unwilling to abandon either one.
Of course.
From an economical perspective.
Storm could also eat one Devil Fruit himself.
With the help of the two [Demon Rings].
Storm could then use three different Devil Fruit abilities simultaneously.
But whenever it could be avoided.
Who would willingly add a fatal weakness to themselves for no reason?
"So, children get to choose, but adults obviously want them all!"
Storm took a deep breath and immediately summoned the [Sanjuan Wolf] Diamond Trophy.
He had just used the [Catarina Devon] Blood Diamond Trophy.
The two remaining Diamond Trophies had originally been intended for his [Endurance] attribute.
But now...
"The Diamond Trophies are gone, but I can earn more later!"
Storm used the [Sanjuan Wolf] Diamond Trophy to make a wish without hesitation.
"Leaving powerful Devil Fruits unused—that's what an idiot would do!"
In no time.
A third [Demon Ring] appeared out of thin air before Storm.
It was also a six-star [Demon Ring Replica]!
Storm put on the third [Demon Ring] and skillfully absorbed the abilities of the two Devil Fruits before him.
Not long afterward.
Two brand-new Devil Fruit abilities appeared in Storm's ability panel.
[More-More Fruit: ☆]
[Nine-Tails Fox Fruit: ☆]
"Not bad! Really not bad!"
Looking at the two newly appeared Devil Fruit abilities, Storm summoned several five-star [Platinum Trophies].
"Big Trophy! Add points!"
One Platinum Trophy raised the Devil Fruit ability to five-star level.
Two more trophies raised the Devil Fruit level to Awakening!
Storm poured six Platinum Trophies into the two Devil Fruits, and they instantly became—
[More-More Fruit: ★★★★★★]
[Nine-Tails Fox Fruit: ★★★★★★]
Storm's ability enhancement journey was not over yet.
He still planned to save the only remaining [Diamond Trophy] for his [Endurance] attribute.
Because he did not have enough food reserves nearby, there was no need to rush to enhance his [Physique].
But there was no need to wait when it came to his other abilities!
Storm cheerfully smashed four [Platinum Trophies] into his [Haki] attribute.
[Armament Haki/Observation Haki: ★★★★★★]
He glanced at his ability panel and, after considering for a moment, turned his attention to Rokushiki.
[Rokushiki: ★★★★★★]
The Platinum Trophies were consumed like running water.
Storm used up a total of twenty-two five-star Big Trophies in one go.
He looked at the four remaining Platinum Trophies, then scanned his ability panel once more.
"Spend them! Spend them! The old must go before the new can come!"
[Life Return/Swordsmanship: ★★★★★★]
After all that spending, Storm had used up every five-star Big Trophy.
But all of his basic attributes and abilities had been raised to six-star level!
If Storm had previously been merely a "triangular warrior."
Then he was now absolutely a "hexagonal warrior"!
Physique, Haki, Devil Fruits... he was powerful without a single blind spot!
"Hmm, I guess I can't really call myself a 'hexagonal warrior.' I'm still missing [Conqueror's Haki]!"
Storm looked at the still-unawakened [Conqueror's Haki].
"Then I'm a 'pentagonal warrior'!"
After successfully completing his ability enhancements, Storm did not plan to immediately adapt to or digest these improved abilities.
He had just finished a great battle and "escaped prison" from Impel Down. He wanted to rest for a while.
"Let's find an inhabited island first!"
Storm looked around.
Blue skies, white clouds, and an endless sea stretching as far as the eye could see.
"Where the heck am I!?"
Just as Storm was "lost at high altitude."
Elsewhere.
The news that "an unprecedented riot had broken out inside Impel Down" was rapidly transmitted to the World Government and Marine Headquarters.
Marineford, the headquarters building.
Someone hurriedly knocked on the door of the Fleet Admiral's Office.
Buddha Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters at the time, casually stuffed a secret document into the hands of the goat beside him.
"Come in."
A Marine messenger with green explosive hair hurried into the room.
"Oh, it's Brandnew?"
Sengoku recognized him and greeted him kindly.
"You're on duty today?"
"Reporting to Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
Brandnew respectfully saluted Sengoku, then hurriedly said.
"An emergency call from Impel Down! An unprecedented vicious incident has occurred inside the underwater prison!"
"Impel Down?!"
The relaxed expression on Sengoku's face vanished instantly.
"What happened there? Don't tell me another prisoner escaped from Infinite Hell?"
Although Impel Down was known as an "impenetrable fortress," with no prisoners ever escaping from it.
That was merely the official version.
According to the intelligence Sengoku knew.
Setting aside the distant past.
Over a decade ago, Golden Lion Shiki escaped from Impel Down!
Even Infinite Hell could not hold him!
Yet, for some unknown reason, during the following dozen years.
Golden Lion Shiki had never appeared on the sea.
The most "recent" piece of news related to him.
Was that after leaving Impel Down, Golden Lion Shiki had immediately gone to the New World and held a brief meeting with Whitebeard.
Then that vicious Great Pirate had seemingly vanished into thin air, disappearing completely from the public eye...
Now another vicious incident had occurred in Impel Down.
Could another prisoner have escaped from Infinite Hell?
Was it Douglas Bullet, Devil's Descendant?
Or Patrick Redfield, Lone Red?
The other small fry should not have been able to defeat Magellan...
"No one escaped from Infinite Hell."
Brandnew reported meticulously.
"But the current state of Infinite Hell is extremely tragic."
Sengoku looked confused.
"Tragic?"
"Judging from the result, most of the prisoners held in Infinite Hell were killed."
Brandnew said.
"According to the list sent over by Impel Down, fewer than ten Infinite Hell prisoners survived in the end..."
"How is that possible..."
Sengoku instinctively wanted to deny the information.
"Did Magellan go on a killing spree inside Infinite Hell?"
"Magellan did indeed release the 'Poison Giant Soldier' inside Infinite Hell."
Brandnew relayed the information.
"According to the post-incident examination, some prisoners died under the Poison Giant Soldier's super-poisonous attack.
"Magellan expressed deep remorse over this. If the government approves, he is willing to disembowel himself in atonement."
"Don't let him do anything foolish!"
Sengoku hurriedly said.
"But why would Magellan do something like that?"
"It was because someone else had already gone on a killing spree inside Infinite Hell."
Brandnew said.
"He was the one who cleared out almost all of Infinite Hell!"
"Who?"
"Vongola Storm!"
Sengoku vaguely felt that the name sounded familiar.
A moment later, he suddenly remembered.
Wasn't this guy a member of SWORD?
Aokiji had even arranged for him to infiltrate the pirate camp.
But...
Who told him to go undercover like this?!
Sorry for the late update...
It was actually because I was moving.
Moving in the middle of summer.
Hot.
Before you continue