Tiga Evolves

[Companion: Morgan (Yakumo Omori)]

[Aptitude: C]

[Level: 1]

[Experience: 0/100]

[Combat Power: 27]

[Total Aptitude: 270]

[Strength Aptitude: 90]

[Stamina Aptitude: 100]

[Agility Aptitude: 50]

[Mental Aptitude: 30]

That was Morgan's complete status panel after loading the character template.

"90 Strength and 100 Stamina. Those two stats are actually far higher than Tashigi's, even with her Zanpakutō equipped!"

"Looks like even C-rank characters aren't necessarily all trash!"

In Tiga's captain's cabin, Kael sat in his chair, his eyes flickering.

Like Tashigi, after loading Yakumo Omori's character template, Morgan had also gained an exclusive skill belonging to the character template...

The kagune that ghouls used for combat and feeding!

Because it was a skill bestowed by the system, Morgan himself did not possess a ghoul's physiological traits.

He would not crave human flesh, nor would consuming it grant him power.

Kael had already guessed as much.

Just as Tashigi had clearly gained spiritual power within her body.

Yet she had no idea how to infuse spiritual power into her Zanpakutō and awaken the hidden power within it.

Although they inherited the character template's power system and knowledge, they could not strengthen the power of the template through any means other than leveling up.

All the rules were entirely under the system's control.

Kael had once thought this setting was overly restrictive, preventing Tashigi from fully exercising her abilities.

But after obtaining Yakumo Omori's character card, he realized just how important that restriction was!

It was precisely because of the system's limitations that Morgan could perfectly inherit all the abilities displayed by a ghoul without bearing any risk!

Ever-changing kagune, the powerful regenerative ability of a ghoul's body, and the possibility of awakening as a half-kakuja in the future!

Though he was only a C-rank character, Kael was thoroughly satisfied!

He closed Morgan's status panel.

Then he turned to look out the window.

Brilliant sunlight scattered across the vast, rolling sea, making it glitter with gold.

And Tiga, like a tiny boat, rose and fell with the waves as it sailed toward its next destination.

Several hours had now passed since they had raided the G-153 Marine Base.

Kael had just spoken with Fleet Admiral Sengoku through the Den Den Mushi and reported the G-153 branch's situation in full.

As an outstanding agent, he could decide on his own course of action when circumstances were urgent.

But after the operation, he had to immediately report to his superior.

Even with the system's power allowing his pirate crew to begin taking shape, Kael still played the role of an agent perfectly.

The facts proved that Kael had made the right decision!

Because just moments ago...

Fleet Admiral Sengoku had actually promised to give him a Devil Fruit!

It had started like this...

Kael first gave Sengoku an embellished report on Morgan and the current state of the G-153 branch.

This Sengoku the Buddha, who worried for the world before anyone else, slammed his hand on the desk and rose to his feet!

Even through the Den Den Mushi's eyes, Kael could see the blazing fury in his gaze!

Sengoku had never expected...

That a pirate with a bounty of merely sixteen million Beli could toy with an entire Marine branch.

He had even inflicted immense psychological trauma upon an excellent Marine like Morgan!

Fortunately, Kael was capable enough.

He had discovered Morgan's abnormality in time, preventing things from becoming truly disastrous.

Everything Kuro had done was undoubtedly an enormous insult to the Marines!

So Sengoku immediately assigned Kael a new side mission...

Find Kuro of a Hundred Plans, who was hiding somewhere in the East Blue!

Searching the vast sea for a pirate who had been hidden for years was undoubtedly like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Therefore, Sengoku did not set too many requirements for this mission. He merely hoped Kael would do his best to complete it.

And he had also said that if Kael could truly find Kuro of a Hundred Plans, the man who had tarnished the Marines' honor...

He would personally reward Kael with a Zoan-type Devil Fruit!

Even though Kael already possessed the Storm-Storm Fruit's power, this Devil Fruit could still serve as a bargaining chip to secure his crew's loyalty!

To that, Kael had this to say...

"Loyalty? Does that even need securing? Isn't it something crew members come with?"

Of course, he would not stupidly reject Sengoku's offer!

Even if the Devil Fruit was useless to him, he could still sell it for over a hundred million Beli!

This money was practically free!

Who could refuse!?

As for Kael raiding the G-153 branch, although he had casually mentioned it during the call, Sengoku did not care at all.

They were all on the same side anyway. Those resources might even be more valuable in Kael's hands.

"Tiga, call everyone out."

After taking stock of his current resources, Kael headed straight to the deck.

At the moment, his crew was still in the cabin on the second level below the deck, busy sorting through the spoils they had moved from the Marine base.

Since they had been in too much of a hurry at the time, and the Marines had apparently not been particularly enthusiastic about their work...

Everything had been tossed haphazardly into the cabin.

Now, his three crew members were sorting it into categories.

At Tiga's instant summons, Tashigi and the others soon arrived on deck.

"Captain, what is it?"

Tashigi, the first to emerge, blinked curiously.

To make it easier to work, she had rolled both sleeves up past her elbows, exposing her slender wrists and fair skin.

"You'll find out in a moment!"

Kael kept them in suspense first, letting out a light chuckle.

Only after Coby and the newly recruited Morgan also emerged from the cabin did he clear his throat twice.

"Cough, cough."

"Everyone, as you all know, I'm an Imagine-Imagine Fruit user."

"Today, I successfully used my imagination to modify Morgan's body."

Kael extended one hand.

Everyone's gazes immediately focused on Morgan.

Coby's eyes filled with envy as he looked at the red-scaled tentacle extending from Morgan's waist like a third arm.

While they had been working just now, that tentacle had fully demonstrated its practicality.

No matter how narrow the gap, it could reach inside, moving in and out.

When will I be able to receive Captain Kael's modification too...?

Coby fantasized inwardly.

Kael had once told him that he was still too weak to withstand the power of imagination, so he now trained day and night.

Coby believed that one day, he too would gain that powerful and magnificent power of imagination.

Clap. Clap.

Two crisp claps pulled Coby back from his fantasies.

Kael wore a confident smile as he said:

"In a moment, I'll use my ability to make some modifications to Tiga."

"Because the modification process is unpredictable, you can rest on deck for the time being."

"No problem, Captain Kael."

The three crew members immediately replied.

Kael nodded with a smile.

This time, he had directly looted around eighty million Beli from the Marine base, along with fifty million Beli worth of valuable treasures, as well as weapons and cannonballs in various quantities.

Among them, the valuable treasures, weapons, and cannonballs needed to be taken somewhere suitable to be fenced.

But the eighty million Beli had genuinely entered Kael's little treasury.

This time, he planned to spend every bit of it on upgrading Tiga.

Now that the Dusk Pirates had begun to take shape, Tashigi was too embarrassed to continue sleeping in Kael's room.

So that the number-one workhorse aboard his ship could remain in peak condition, keep training, and continue contributing combat power to him...

Kael decided to spend a fortune on two crew cabins for his employees.

Since the system could not upgrade while people were inside the cabin, he had called everyone onto the deck.

With a thought, Kael entered the system's shipyard interface.

Upgrading Tiga from Level 1 to Level 2 required 50 experience points, or a full fifty million Beli!

Had he not made such a rich haul from raiding the Marine base this time, he would never have been willing to invest that much money.

After all, his recent gacha pulls had turned out pretty well...

Fifty million Beli might even be enough to get him another character card.

However...

Considering that upgrading the training room could guarantee a one-hundred-percent increase in his crew's training speed...

Kael still chose the safer option.

Once he sold off those valuable treasures, he would have another fifty million Beli anyway!

After making up his mind, Kael moved his consciousness directly to Tiga's experience bar. In an instant, fifty million Beli in hard cash vanished from his little treasury.

And at the same time.

Tiga's hull was suddenly enveloped in a mystical glow!