If Kyokujitsujin really had power like that, Dunn couldn't imagine the destruction it would cause.
But the techniques he'd just used were all imitations, performed after activating Indomitable and drawing on the explosive increase in strength. They only looked similar; in truth, they had nothing to do with the real thing.
Strength might be temporary, but looking cool lasted a lifetime.
On the ship, Koshiro glanced at Dunn, who had sat down without saying a word, then turned to look at the island, now almost unrecognizable.
Even now, he could sense the terrifying power hidden within Dunn. Once unleashed, it would wreak havoc just as it had moments ago.
After a moment of silence, Koshiro collected himself and steered the ship back.
Dunn closed his eyes and focused on the power within him.
His abilities had increased tenfold across the board—not just his physical strength and Haki, but even his sensitivity to his Devil Fruit powers. He could also feel a special energy surging inside him, and it seemed his Devil Fruit abilities had changed as well.
But fifteen minutes could pass in the blink of an eye, or drag on forever.
In a fight against an enemy, fifteen minutes would be enough to kill them hundreds of times over.
After testing his abilities on the island and sitting aboard the ship for a while, Dunn felt the power Indomitable had granted him fade away.
[Health: 23% (Recovering; eating will restore it quickly)]
Indomitable activated once his health dropped to a critical level. But while it was active, his health continued to recover. In those fifteen minutes, it had climbed back to 23%.
Indomitable was incredibly powerful.
It was more than enough to rely on.
After experiencing the strength he gained from activating Indomitable, Dunn felt even more confident.
"But what was that energy I suddenly sensed?"
With Indomitable deactivated, Dunn kept his eyes closed and pondered the strange energy.
It felt somewhat different from Armament Haki. It seemed to be a kind of unusual spiritual energy.
Wait... Could it be?
Conqueror's Haki?
Did I have that kind of potential?
Dunn froze, then opened his eyes and looked down at his hands.
The original story had been vague about Conqueror's Haki.
It only said it was something one was born with, a kind of potential: you either had it or you didn't. It might even be inherited through bloodlines.
But could he, a man from another world, have this ability too?
Or was Conqueror's Haki itself a powerful form of spiritual energy, and had activating Indomitable enhanced him in every way—including his spiritual energy?
Whatever the case, he could try to draw it out. Then he'd know.
Dunn decided to add it to his upcoming training plans.
As for his other discovery about his Devil Fruit abilities...
Dunn didn't know whether it was Devil Fruit Awakening, but the flames he controlled had definitely grown much hotter—far hotter.
For now, though, he couldn't tell whether this was an awakened ability or simply a case of quantity giving rise to a qualitative change.
It was like poison: talking about its toxicity while ignoring the dosage was meaningless.
This might also explain why, in the original story, Sabo had gained such powerful control over the Flame-Flame Fruit after winning it in Dressrosa and eating it.
Regardless of which explanation was right, it was good news for Dunn.
Indomitable was so powerful that it had changed his outlook, and though he could feel the difference, he had no intention of changing it.
There was one more thing: Indomitable's boost was based on his own strength.
In other words, the stronger Dunn was in his normal state, the more terrifyingly powerful he'd become when Indomitable activated.
"Keep getting stronger!"
Dunn murmured to himself.
Hearing him, Koshiro, who was steering the ship, stiffened and turned to look at Dunn, who hadn't even changed his posture.
He's made some kind of decision, hasn't he?
Koshiro thought so, but remembering what they'd just witnessed, he couldn't help feeling awed.
He'd already imagined Dunn's talent to be astonishing, comparing him to the true monsters of the sea.
But what he'd just seen made him realize he'd still underestimated him.
The power Dunn had hidden was terrifying.
Dunn would surely become someone capable of affecting the course of the entire world.
That was what Koshiro thought now.
Silence settled over the ship again. Dunn didn't get up until they neared Shimotsuki Village.
[Health: 31%]
His health was recovering quickly. That was another thing he'd tested.
His current recovery rate was far faster than it had been when his stats first appeared. Even without eating to speed things up, he'd probably be fully recovered in a few hours.
Zoro and Kuina were already waiting at the harbor.
The trembling of the sea earlier had been felt even in Shimotsuki Village.
They'd also seen the fog that suddenly appeared over the ocean and the distant flames that seemed to set the sea ablaze.
When Dunn came off the ship bare-chested, the two of them gave him a once-over.
Koshiro looked even worse.
His clothes were torn and scorched, and much of his hair had been burned, leaving it yellowed and twisted.
But neither of them was surprised to see him like this.
Dunn and Koshiro had sparred before, and most of the time Koshiro ended up looking worse.
"Who won?"
Zoro couldn't hold back his curiosity and asked.
Koshiro looked down at Zoro and shook his head with a smile.
"I lost!"
"The fight didn't have a winner," Dunn said, and he meant it.
"But I still lost."
Koshiro said this as he set off toward Isshin Dojo.
"Dunn, slow down! How am I ever supposed to catch up to you?"
Zoro said, eyes wide.
"Kid, you're at least eight hundred years away from catching up to me."
Dunn rested the sheathed sword on his shoulder and headed toward Isshin Dojo.
Watching Dunn's broad back, Kuina parted her lips.
"Zoro, we'll have to work even harder. Otherwise, Dunn will leave us too far behind."
"Yeah!"
Zoro nodded, his face set with determination.
Dunn heard their conversation behind him and smiled.
Kuina had died young in the original story, so no one knew how far she might have gone.
But Zoro really had become a Great Swordsman. He was powerful, had Conqueror's Haki, possessed exceptional talent, and worked hard.
Knowing all that, Dunn had once wondered whether he'd be able to defeat Zoro one day.
Of course, the fact that he'd been beating Zoro up lately had nothing to do with that.
But now? Easy as pie!
Carrying Flame, Dunn walked with a spring in his step, anticipation in his eyes.
He'd originally planned to spend a few more years training in the East Blue, then enter the Grand Line after getting stronger. Now, he could consider going sooner.
But first, he had to take care of a few small matters.
For example, the Fishman who'd come to the East Blue intending to claim it, yet had taken control of only twenty villages in nearly ten years.
Of course, it definitely wasn't because he wanted to eat some tangerines.
To be honest, these things had nothing to do with Dunn. It was just that these were the few things he remembered.
Like Kuina's death, or Arlong shooting Nami's adoptive mother, Bell-mère. Or Red-Leg Zeff giving up his own flesh to help Sanji survive.
These were all scenes that had stuck in Dunn's mind.
Perhaps that was one reason he'd come to Shimotsuki Village. Of course, learning swordsmanship had been another important reason, and that had gone well. But his old plan to save the Flame-Flame Fruit as his final trump card had changed somewhat.
Compared with Indomitable, the Flame-Flame Fruit didn't seem worthy of being a trump card anymore.
After leaving Shimotsuki Village, Dunn planned to head to Cocoyasi Village.
As far as he was concerned, Arlong was nothing special now.
Besides, he'd need starting funds to set sail.
Arlong's bounty seemed pretty high. In fact, Arlong had been worth more than Krieg, who was covered in gold.
His bounty was definitely worth more than Dunn's starting funds—Doru. It might even be worth several Dorus.
After returning to the dojo, Dunn sat quietly, tapping his fingers on the table as he considered what to do after leaving.
Kuina and Zoro dutifully brought over the food they'd prepared.
Perhaps because Dunn was about to leave, even the usually overexcited Zoro had grown quiet.
Once his health was fully restored, Dunn swallowed the piece of grilled meat in his hand and stopped eating.
The other three, who'd been eating quietly, stopped too.
"It's time to go!"
Before you continue