[Ding! Current role-playing completion rate +5%!]
[Ding! Current role-playing completion rate has reached 20%. Status threshold met! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a portion of Hawkeye Mihawk's power.]
As the system's notifications echoed, a violent, scorching torrent of pure power suddenly erupted within Ryuu's body, surging through his veins like an untamed river!
With the onset of this warm current, a profound sensation of overwhelming strength surged within him. Simultaneously, a rapid succession of vivid memories flashed across his mind at the speed of light.
It was a boy with sharp, hawk-like eyes.
One fateful day, he obtained a longsword. It was a completely ordinary weapon, yet the boy treated it like the ultimate treasure, swinging and practicing with it every single day. While other children his age played innocently without a care in the world, he endured grueling, unyielding training, the sweat from his daily efforts pooling on the ground beneath his feet.
Spring turned to autumn, winter yielded to summer...
Ten years passed as if it were a single day!
Finally, the boy grew into a fiercely handsome young man. Bearing his sword upon his back, he boarded a small sailboat and set course for the vast, unforgiving sea, embarking on his grand journey!
The visions snapped to an abrupt halt.
In that exact instant, the entire aura radiating from Ryuu underwent a dramatic transformation. Where there was once merely a hint of sharp composure, a majestic, razor-sharp presence now burst forth. He was like a long-forgotten masterpiece of a blade suddenly wiped clean of dust, instantly baring its deadly edge!
Most striking of all were those hawk-like eyes, which suddenly flashed with an intensely piercing, terrifying light.
Before this, Ryuu's transformation into Hawkeye was flawless in appearance but lacked true substance. Now, his posture and gaze bore an undeniable, authentic soul.
Of course, the most staggering transformation was reflected on his status page.
[Role-Playing System]
Host: Ryuu
Strength: 50
Agility: 50
Spirit: 50
Physique: 50
(Note: 10 is the average attribute score for an ordinary human.)
Current Character Template: Hawkeye Mihawk
Current Role-Playing Completion Rate: 20%
Current Character Power Unlocked: Basic
Acquired Ability: Shapeshift
Now that his completion rate had reached 20%, his power tier was no longer listed as "None"—it had advanced to "Basic."
But naturally, when scaled against the monumental standard of Hawkeye Mihawk, even a "basic" level was anything but ordinary!
At this moment, Ryuu's core attributes had skyrocketed from an average of 10 to a whopping 50 across the board! A massive five-fold increase in an instant!
What a terrifying leap in power.
Yet, the most critical acquisition was his mastery of the blade. Yes, swordsmanship! While it wasn't explicitly spelled out on the interface, Ryuu could distinctly feel a sublime, profound expertise guiding his movements. Holding the dagger, the weapon no longer felt alien or awkward in his palm; instead, it felt like a natural extension of his arm.
Flawless combat techniques and sword forms flowed seamlessly through his consciousness. Without a doubt, Ryuu had crossed the threshold from a total novice to an incredibly formidable swordsman.
And this was merely a fraction of Hawkeye's true potential!
Realizing this, Ryuu couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
As expected of the World's Strongest Swordsman! To possess such absolute discipline from childhood, forging himself into a master at such a young age... You truly are a monster, Mihawk!
Needless to say, the memories flashing through his mind were the formative years of Hawkeye growing from a boy into a young traveler. He truly deserved his legendary reputation, having mastered a terrifying level of swordsmanship entirely through self-taught, isolated dedication.
Those memories were deeply etched into Ryuu's consciousness. Though they weren't originally his, his mind processed them as if he had lived through every grueling hour of training himself. Right now, he possessed the exact level of power Hawkeye wielded when he first set sail into the grand line!
With this realization, Ryuu's spirit soared, and an absolute wave of confidence filled his heart. He was no longer a defenseless variable in this world.
On the other side of the clearing.
Vaccine Man finally snapped out of its shock, and its bewilderment instantly turned into a raging fury!
This wretched human insect had dared to call it a fragile creature?
Had called it pathetic?!
And claimed that a pathetic little kitchen knife was more than enough to deal with it?!
"Die!!!"
Vaccine Man's purple face distorted with sheer rage. Without a moment's hesitation, it unhinged its jaws and unleashed a furious roar.
Vroom—!
A blinding, condensed beam of azure energy erupted from its mouth, tearing through the air as it streaked directly toward Ryuu below!
While this attack lacked the cataclysmic, charged mass of the blast that had leveled half of A-City, its destructive force was still immense. As the azure beam tore forward, the very air groaned under the pressure, humming violently.
Fubuki's face paled instantly.
"Watch out!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.
Subconsciously, she attempted to manifest her psychokinesis to summon a gale and pull Ryuu out of harm's way. However, a sharp, stabbing pain flared through her mind, feeling as though a needle was piercing her brain. She had completely exhausted her psychic reserves in the previous clash; she couldn't muster a single spark of energy.
Realizing her helplessness, the color drained entirely from her face.
It's over!
She could only watch in absolute horror as the azure light barreled closer and closer, poised to vaporize both her and the strange swordsman.
Yet, right at that terrifying threshold, an event occurred that defied all of Fubuki's expectations.
Faced with the overwhelming momentum of the energy beam, Ryuu didn't even attempt to dodge. Instead, he calmly took a single step forward. With an effortless, fluid grace completely devoid of panic, he raised the dagger and casually swung it forward!