Chapter 97: When did he become a devil fruit ability user?
Saint Lakeman, energized and invigorated by the experimentation with his newfound abilities, emerged from the night with unflagging vitality, his Steal-Steal Fruit abilities bringing fresh insights with each passing moment.
As he stood in the morning light, his sharp blood-red eyes glinting, he felt the weight of the night's discoveries settle within him—countless techniques and potential moves waiting to be developed.
Inside, Lily, Hancock, and Robin lay in deep slumber, finally succumbing to exhaustion after hours of intense practice at day and assisting him with his trials at night. They had stayed by his side, their efforts unwavering even as dawn approached, and now they rested, their breathing soft and steady.
Lakeman took a deep breath, the morning air cool and crisp on his skin. He headed out, focusing on refining and testing his fruit abilities. As the system steadily fed him experience points, he felt his strength and expertise building, his senses sharpening as each new inspiration flowed seamlessly into his consciousness.
"Guard, bring me a Seastone handcuff," Lakeman ordered a CP agent patrolling nearby, a sudden idea forming in his mind.
The guard hurried away and returned shortly, presenting the handcuff to him.
The instant Lakeman grasped it, a wave of weakness surged through his body. His Devil Fruit abilities stifled and slipped from his control, and even his Haki and physique felt noticeably diminished. He frowned, letting the sensation linger for a moment before handing the handcuff back. Power flooded back to him, sharp and complete, and he dismissed the guard with a slight nod.
Lakeman mused over the experience.
"The strength a Devil Fruit brings is incredible, but this vulnerability... Seastone leaves me exposed. Should I take a cue from Luffy in the Wanokuni arc and train under this restriction?" He considered the idea of building resistance to Seastone by training while bound in shackles.
Then he chuckled, dismissing the thought. "No need for that when I have the genius binding system on my side."
If he could gain feedback from those bound by his system, perhaps he could cultivate a type of resistance to the Seastone factor itself. It was a tantalizing possibility, one that his mind raced to explore.