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Lightning surged upward into the clouds, continuing to climb without pause.
Suspended high above the world, gazing down upon everything below, Sven felt a thrill he had never known before.
It was no wonder people called flight a dream of mankind.
The sensation cleared his mind and stirred something deep within him.
In mere seconds, he reached the White Sea, ten thousand meters above the ocean.
Floating atop the vast sea of clouds, Sven pulled out the Eternal Pose pointing toward the Gold Country.
Once he confirmed the direction, his body transformed into lightning again and shot forward through the sky.
The thought of that golden pillar waiting for him filled him with urgency.
If he could, he would tear through space itself just to reach it faster.
The Gold Country had once been part of Jaya.
Four hundred years ago, a massive Knock Up Stream split it into two sections.
The part that remained below became Mock Town, while the section blasted into the sky formed what was now known as Skypiea, including Upper Yard, Angel Island, and the Golden City of Shandora.
The Shandians had protected the Poneglyph for generations, guarding the record of the Ancient Weapon Poseidon.
The last time Sven came here with the Roger Pirates, he had been forced to leave that golden pillar behind.
The regret had lingered ever since.
This time, no one would stop him.
Since Mihawk was still on the ship, Sven had come ahead alone.
His goal was simple, obtain the Musou Isshin.
As for taking control of Skypiea, that could wait until Mihawk arrived.
After all, losing to the locals while alone would be far too embarrassing.
Because of the system, Sven had already taken what should have belonged to Enel, consuming the Rumble Rumble Fruit.
Acting as the Thunder God of Skypiea did not feel inappropriate at all.
Taking one opportunity or two made little difference.
When the golden pillar finally came into view again, every nerve in his body seemed to ignite.
It stood exactly as he remembered, a massive cylindrical pillar of gold, ten meters in diameter and sixty meters tall.
It weighed roughly ninety thousand tons.
Enough to obtain what he had long desired.
Sven inhaled deeply, yet his breathing remained uneven.
His heartbeat pounded in his chest.
That was the Divine Artifact, the Musou Isshin.
With trembling hands, he opened the Trading Platform and located it.
His fingers brushed against the golden pillar.
Do you wish to spend 88,888 tons of gold to purchase the Divine Artifact, Musou Isshin?
“Yes.
Purchase it.”
Ding.
Purchase successful.
Detected that the Musou Isshin exceeds the tolerance of the current dimension.
It will be restricted to a Supreme Grade Blade.
As compensation, you are granted cultivation experience for Musou no Hitotachi.
A massive portion of the golden pillar vanished instantly, leaving only its base behind.
The blade was unsharpened, yet it carried an overwhelming presence.
Musou Isshin: Supreme Grade Blade, bound, automatically adjusts to the user’s height, Haki amplification 100 percent.
Sven’s eyes widened.
One hundred percent Haki amplification.
He swung the blade casually, releasing a flying slash that tore through the clouds.
A streak of violet energy split the sky apart.
The sensation that followed was indescribable, like drinking ice cold cola under a blazing sun.
He threw his head back and laughed.
“So, who’s showing off now?”
Letting out another low laugh, he gripped the blade tighter.
No matter how much he had paid, it was worth it.
Sven lowered his gaze to the weapon in his hand.
His eyes softened slightly, a rare expression of attachment surfacing.
Without hesitation, he activated the reward.
Use Musou no Hitotachi cultivation experience.
A warning immediately followed.
The cultivation experience is vast and may cause unconsciousness.
Please choose an appropriate time.
Sven scoffed.
“Unconscious?
Don’t joke with me.
Use it.”
The moment he confirmed, an overwhelming torrent of knowledge crashed into his mind.
His vision went black instantly.
His body convulsed violently as blood streamed from his eyes, nose, and mouth.
His nerves screamed for rest, begging him to lose consciousness.
The world twisted around him.
Lightning filled the sky.
Within it stood a vague figure, holding the Musou Isshin.
Only a silhouette could be seen.
A voice echoed endlessly.
No thought, no attachment, no desire.
Musou no Hitotachi is the ultimate strike, beyond dreams and beyond comparison.
The pressure that followed was suffocating.
It pressed down like an abyss, forcing Sven’s back to bend.
He could not raise his head.
Cracking sounds echoed as his bones strained under the force.
Blood poured from him as he struggled to stand upright.
“I am Beelzebub!”
Just as his consciousness teetered on the brink of collapse, a violent surge erupted from within him.
Red black Conqueror’s Haki burst forth, tearing through the sea of clouds and spreading across the entire island.
The Haki then contracted, wrapping tightly around Sven’s body.
His awareness returned.
He lay on the ground, gasping heavily, drenched in sweat.
Even in that state, his grip on the Musou Isshin never loosened.
“There will always be those who dare to face the lightning.”
He let out a rough laugh.
“Even a god won’t make me bow.”
His Conqueror’s Haki surged again, splitting the clouds apart once more.
This time, it did not spread outward blindly.
Instead, it coiled around him, flowing into the blade itself.
Advanced Conqueror’s Haki.
An absurd result.
Sven had yet to fully master Observation Haki or Armament Haki, yet he had already stepped into the advanced realm of Conqueror’s Haki.
It was unbalanced, but undeniably powerful.
A loud growl came from his stomach.
The night breeze passed over him as he quickly pulled out food and water from his system space and began eating.
He devoured enough to feed twenty people before finally stopping, letting out a satisfied breath.
The Musou Isshin rested securely in his hand.
Though it had been downgraded from a Divine Artifact, gaining Musou no Hitotachi made the exchange worthwhile.
His future path was now clear.
Swordsmanship, all three types of Haki, and his Devil Fruit ability.
After recovering his strength, Sven stored the remaining base of the golden pillar and continued collecting gold throughout Shandora until his system space was filled.
“No more room.”
He opened the Trading Platform again, scanning for anything worth exchanging.
There were a few minor items, but nothing remarkable.
It seemed there was only one fool willing to trade treasures like before.
No second opportunity presented itself.
Sven clicked his tongue.
“If only there were more people like that.”
Recalling the events of the Straw Hat crew during their time here, he estimated the value of the gold he carried.
Several billion Berries.
An idea quickly formed.
Exchange gold for Berries, buy Devil Fruits, then sell them back to the system.
A perfect cycle.
After confirming he had taken everything of value, Sven walked to the edge of Skypiea.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward.
His body plunged from ten thousand meters above the sea.
Clouds tore apart as he fell, the wind cutting against his face.
Instead of fear, excitement surged within him.
“Ahhh!”
His voice echoed through the sky, filled with exhilaration.
This was freedom.
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