As Ivan acquired more and more character templates, he would inevitably display more abilities in the future. It was better to admit his identity as a Devil Fruit user early on and use it to conceal the true source of his powers.
As for why these abilities were so varied and seemingly unrelated?
Don't you understand Devil Fruit development?
Even the String-String Fruit could be developed into abilities like Birdcage and Sky Walk, so what was strange about a Gravity Fruit user developing abilities like Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue and Planetary Devastation?
Reasonable, perfectly reasonable!
When Ivan admitted it, Tashigi's face lit up with joy. She jumped up excitedly:
"Wow, that's great! With Lieutenant Ivan becoming a Devil Fruit user, his strength will definitely increase. Combined with defeating the Alvida Pirates this time, you might even get promoted to Lieutenant Commander!"
Ivan took a cigar from the drawer, lit it, and slowly exhaled the smoke.
His expression was calm, but he couldn't help but smile slightly at Tashigi's cheerful demeanor:
"Perhaps."
In the past, Ivan would have been thrilled with such achievements.
But after obtaining the system, Lieutenant Ivan felt somewhat unsatisfied.
How could a mere Lieutenant Commander rank be worthy of the White Dove? It had to start at Admiral!
…
The morning fog cleared, and sunlight shone on the sea, illuminating strands of golden foil.
Fragmented glimmers of light gently rose and fell with the waves, causing the warship on the sea to sway slightly.
Ivan took off his shirt, put on a pair of swim trunks, and lay on a beach chair to sunbathe.
Meanwhile, his adjutant Tashigi extended her delicate little hands to apply sunscreen on Ivan while checking his injuries.
On Ivan's shoulders were several severe bite marks—injuries inflicted by Arlong's teeth.
A few days ago, Ivan and his crew passed by the Konomei Islands and clashed with the Arlong Pirates. Although Ivan took the initiative to stay behind and intercept the enemy, minimizing the fleet's losses, he was severely wounded by Arlong.
Tashigi gently touched the gruesome scars, her voice trembling:
"Lieutenant Ivan, does it hurt?"
Ivan replied lazily, "It's nothing."
And it truly was nothing. Over the past two and a half years in the world of pirates, he had long grown accustomed to injuries.
The real pirate world was far less gentle than in the anime. Plundering pirates, cruel nobles, and the lofty Celestial Dragons—each of them weighed heavily on the common people, making it hard for them to lift their heads.
Ivan knew that only through relentless effort, striving again and again to grow stronger, could he find a way forward.
But clearly…
Ivan glanced at Koby, who had changed into a Marine uniform and was now cleaning the deck.
He didn't have a cheat like "two hundred times the effort," so even after struggling desperately for two and a half years, his strength remained weak.
But now, things were different.
Ivan looked at the system panel before him.
[Template: Gojo Satoru · Echo (Recognition: 22%)]
He possessed a cheat far more powerful than "two hundred times the effort"!
As for Ivan's response, Tashigi didn't believe it. How could such severe injuries not hurt?
However, she understood Ivan and did not argue. Instead, she said seriously:
"Lieutenant Ivan, there was something off about our earlier attack by Arlong. We were only scouting the outskirts and deliberately avoided the eyes of the Arlong Pirates. How could they have discovered us and attacked so precisely?"
Ivan nodded. "You're right, something was indeed off. I already know, so don't worry."
Ivan knew why the Arlong Pirates were able to pinpoint their location so accurately—it was undoubtedly due to the leak from Nezumi, the captain of the Navy's 16th Branch, who was colluding with them.
Thinking of this, Ivan frowned slightly. He had to grow stronger as soon as possible!
He needed to quickly eliminate Nezumi and Arlong and recruit Nami.
After all, a navigator with such exceptional skills was rare in the entire world.
Of course, even though he had just awakened his system, Ivan's current strength was insufficient, and he likely wasn't a match for Arlong.
So now, Ivan needed to quickly increase his recognition and improve his strength. Once he was strong enough, he would wipe out the Arlong Pirates in one fell swoop.
As for now, his goal was to return to Loguetown to recover from his injuries.
But suddenly, Tashigi stopped applying sunscreen and ointment. Just as Ivan was puzzled, she exclaimed:
"Lieutenant Ivan, there are several ships ahead, and some of them are pirates... Wait, that's the Baratie, the sea restaurant!"
"The Baratie?" Ivan murmured to himself, sitting up and looking with interest at the ship shaped like a giant fish in the distance.
Speaking of which, it was currently the year 1519 of the Sea Calendar. Luffy wouldn't set sail until next year.
Sanji should still be at the Baratie now, and Ivan planned to see if he could recruit this chef who could both cook and fight.
Of course, he didn't have high hopes, as Sanji's goal was to find the All Blue, and the Navy, governed by the World Government, couldn't help him achieve that dream.
Moreover, Ivan didn't have Luffy's persuasive skills, so he naturally couldn't convince him.
Even so, Ivan still wanted to try. What if it worked?
Even if it didn't, tasting the Baratie's food and taking out a few annoying pirates along the way wouldn't be a loss!
With that in mind, Ivan stood up and walked to the helm, ordering the sailors:
"Dock near the Baratie. We'll go there for a meal later... Oh, and it's on me!"
The sailors immediately cheered, "Long live Lieutenant Ivan!"
...
As a renowned restaurant in the East Blue, the Baratie had always been a gathering place for travelers. Moreover, with the formidable strength of its owner, Zeff, deterring troublemakers, few dared to cause trouble here.
This unique environment created a peculiar scene: merchants, pirates, bounty hunters, and even marines, though clearly separated into different areas, all tacitly set aside their conflicts, with no one daring to stir up trouble.
The sea breeze drifted in through the open portholes, rustling the edges of the tablecloths and dispersing some of the noise.
Just then, the restaurant door swung open, and a handsome marine with a height of two meters and neat black hair walked in, followed by a bespectacled woman with a pleasant appearance.
Seeing this, a scar-faced pirate in the corner of the restaurant spat, his brows furrowing fiercely as he cursed in a hoarse voice:
"Damn it, what rotten luck! Just trying to enjoy a meal, and we run into the stinking faces of the marines. I've lost my appetite completely!"
The crude voice caught the attention of Ivan and Tashigi. Tashigi immediately wanted to draw her sword and eliminate this despicable pirate who dared insult her idol.
But Ivan acted in time, stopping her.
Rather than directly taking action, killing the pirate, splattering blood all over the room, and ruining their appetite, it was better to temporarily remember the appearance of these pirates and deal with them together after the meal.
Tashigi was very obedient to Ivan. After being stopped by him, she snorted coldly at the pirate and sheathed her sword.
In the eyes of the scar-faced man, this was a sign
of cowardice.
He grew even more arrogant, laughing loudly and taunting:
"Hahaha, truly cowardly marines, not even daring to talk back when insulted. How can there be such cowards like you on the sea?"