:)Ch63

No. Nononono. I'm not gonna sit here and get into an introspective debate with a text screen.

My hand reaches down to dig around in my pockets. "You want philosophy [Game]? I've got one for you right here."

I raise my hand up, looking at the 10 Beri coin pinched between two fingers.

"Life is but a gamble. Let flipism guide your ramble." I snap the coin high into the air and watch it spin. It falls perfectly back into my waiting palm, I slap it on the back of my hand and…

"Heads it is."

[Path of Discovery: Self] selected. Congratulations! You have achieved a greater control of your own body!

The blue box lingers for a few seconds before collapsing away. Leaving me with nothing but a growing feeling of perplexment for company. "Is...is that it? Is something supposed to happen now or…?"

"…."

"…."

"Well this is a crock of shi-"

Ding!

Additional abilities have been unlocked! Seimei Kikan Lv. MAX

- This [Skill] is an advanced form of Bio

Feedback that allows the user to consciously control many normally involuntary aspects of their body.

-You gained 'Resistance to Hot and Cold.'

-You gained 'Resistance to Poisons and Toxins.' -Your [Perk] [Adrenalin Rush] may now be activated manually and it's duration has increased.

-Your [Skill] [HP Regen] has gained a permanent +4% bonus! (0.2% per minute) → (4.2% per minute)

My breath hitched deep within my throat as my expression widened in disbelief.

"...oh my god.." I eventually breathed out. "Oh my god!" I then shouted, making the only remaining Baterillian nearby briefly stare at me.

Am I reading these sentences right? Am I reading this LAST sentence right? 'Mental math, mental math! 4% of 2,300 current max health... plus a little extra for the .2 is…. 97? Just a little under?'

I whipped my eyes down, staring at the still open gashes on my thigh and forearm from the fight with Killer...and over the next 120 seconds...I watched them vanish.

"Ha.." a single laugh escapes me. "Haha...hahahahahahahahahahahaha holy crap!"

97 regenerated health a minute! 97! That's 1.6 a second. That's lying bleeding and broken on deaths doorstep and then being back at 100% in 20 minutes!

Nicks and small cuts are going to heal over practically instantly. Debilitating injuries like those I suffered against Masserida's gang and Jorgen would require nothing more than finding time for a breather.

And it's only going to get better. More points in VIT means more points in health means more healed per minute. Not to mention the percentage itself may go up again in time. The first jump occurred back at Lv. 25 so, it stands to reason, that Lv. 50 is going to be one hell of a big day for me.

I shake my hands a little. "Okay Jack. Calm down. You're getting too giddy. Calm down. Still more to take care of."

Before I make a decision on those last 14 points lets take a look at this [Seimei Kikan] business. What can I do with that? Kumadori used it to fight Chopper with his hair and digest food instantly. Rob Lucci somehow fused it with [Kami-e] to slim down his hybrid form and trade muscle for agility. Neither one has a direct equivalent for me but I'm sure with a little time I can come up with somethi-

"Jack."

The cold voice stops my thoughts flat. My head slowly cranes up to see Berwynne, now in the guise of 'Mr.B', walking closer down the ravaged street.

"We need to finish our conversation." The two of us are staring at each other. Each sitting on a barrel with a slightly hunched back and a frown firmly across our faces. "So you killed four and kept the First Mate busy." Berwynne chews over the words, testing how much they weigh compared to the fact I know his secret. "You're a tougher little twerp than I thought."

"Thanks." I reply tartly. "Should I take it your the one sent the captain scurrying away with his tail between his legs?"

"How can you be sure I didn't kill him?" The shop owner asks slyly.

'Because if Eustass Kid died here then he obviously wouldn't be a character in canon.' "Just a feeling." I reply.

Berwynne grunts and spits on the ground. "Well you're right anyhow. He was an uppity little shit that one. Used that damn Devil Fruit of his to rip the metal screws right out of my knee." He curses with a gesture to his pant leg, which I am only now realizing has blood stains running all the way down its back side.

"If not for that, I'd have kicked his ass all the way back to infancy. Maybe the second time around his parents can actually teach him some manners." Berwynne scowls again. "This is why I don't care for you Fruit users. You just make trouble everywhere you go."

My frown darkens intensely. "We both know that even on one leg you can toss me up and down this street like a child's plaything...but don't you ever fucking compare me to Eustass Kid again. You put me in the same category as that murdering fuck a second time and that's when the two of us are actually going to have a problem."

"Heh," Berwynne chuckles at my use of his own words from the cemetery and actually cracks a smile. "..well look at that. Turns out the kid actually has a pair of balls on him. Here I was thinking you had misplaced them."

A heavy silence descends over the conversation. We're both watching the other intently but neither of us knows the right way to restart now that we've hit a lull.

"….so are we good?" I eventually ask.

"Hmm? Oh no. No, you're still leaving. I don't want you in my town any longer than you have to be. You've bought enough goodwill to stay the night but after that?" The retired pirate jams his thumb over his shoulder. "Out."

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