The ghost ship vanished into the mist as the morning sun finally broke through. Kai collapsed on the deck, his heart pounding like a drum. He had absorbed nearly a dozen vengeful spirits, and his soul felt bloated, heavy, and chaotic.
[Warning: Unrefined Soul Energy detected!]
[Status: Soul Poisoning (Mild) — Your internal age has temporarily increased to 60 due to energy strain.]
"You look terrible," Silas said, looking at Kai's trembling hands. "You took more than you could chew. Souls of the dead are full of madness. If you don't clean that energy, it will eat you from the inside."
Kai gritted his teeth. 'System... open Rank 2 Shop.'
The new interface was glowing with a violet hue. He saw the item he needed.
Soul Filtering Furnace (Passive Tool): Automatically purifies absorbed souls, removing 'madness' and 'malice'. Converts raw energy into pure Soul Coins and EXP.
Price: 40 Soul Coins.
Kai checked his balance. Between Garett, the minor pirates, and the ghost ship harvest, he had exactly 43 Soul Coins.
"Buy it! Now!" Kai whispered.
[Ding! 40 Soul Coins deducted. 'Soul Filtering Furnace' installed in your Soul Sea.]
Suddenly, a sensation of intense heat flared in the center of his chest. It wasn't painful; it was like a warm fire on a cold night. The chaotic whispers of the dead pirates in his mind fell silent. The grey, murky energy inside him was being sucked into an invisible furnace and coming out as pure, golden light.
[Purification Complete.]
[Internal Age Restored: 53 Years Old.]
[Bonus: 500 EXP gained from purified spirits.]
[Level Up! Level 1 —> Level 3.]
Kai stood up, feeling a surge of genuine physical strength. For the first time, his muscles didn't feel like they belonged to an old man. They felt firm, ready for combat.
[New Skill Unlocked (Level 3 Reward): 'Soul Blade Projection'.]
[Description: Coat any weapon—or even your hand—with a thin layer of soul energy. Can damage both physical bodies and spiritual entities.]
Kai looked at the rusted dagger Silas had given him. He focused, and a faint blue edge appeared along the blade, humming with power.
Silas narrowed his eyes, a look of genuine interest crossing his face. "It seems you've found a way to digest the ghosts. Good. Because we've just entered the Grand Line's influence... and there's a Marine patrol ship on the horizon."
Kai looked up. A massive ship with a seagull symbol on its sail was heading straight for them.
"Let them come," Kai said, his voice no longer raspy, but sharp and confident. "I need more coins."