Chapter 2

Only until yesterday, when the system upgraded to lv2, could Luo Xing finally invent the important item known as the Monster Cell, which can directly alter human form and greatly increase combat power.

Plague Quin examined the purple flesh in Luo Xing's hand.

"What is this thing? A bomb? Poison? Food?"

"None of those. It is a cell capable of enhancing the user's strength."

"Enhance strength?!"

Quin was startled, then shook his head, clearly looking skeptical.

In the World of Pirates, there is only one thing that can enhance a person's strength out of thin air, and that is the Devil Fruit.

Could this strange piece of flesh invented by the Imperial Son-in-Law rival a Devil Fruit?

How is that possible?

Seeing Quin's disbelief, Luo Xing smiled and offered no explanation.

"Very soon, you will know the power of this thing."

2. The Incredible Monster Cell

To test the Monster Cell, Luo Xing and Quin arrived at the garrison of the Gifters.

Gifters are those who have consumed the artificial Devil Fruit Smile and obtained Zoan abilities.

Creating an army entirely of Zoan users was one of Kaido's goals in occupying Wano Country.

The four or five hundred Gifters before them were the result of Kaido's cooperation with the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Doflamingo, over the past decade.

"You, come here."

Luo Xing pointed to a tall, burly man with a lion's head growing from his belly.

"Greetings, Imperial Son-in-Law!"

The burly man's name was Holdem, a True Sword under the command of the Drought Jack, and a user of the artificial Devil Fruit: Lion Form.

"You, come here too."

Luo Xing pointed at another person.

Compared to Holdem, this fellow was skeletal, looking like a monkey cub.

"Imperial Son-in-Law, if you have orders, just tell this humble one."

The thin man hunched his back, wearing a face full of ingratiating smiles.

Holdem's glance toward the thin man was filled with disdain.

"Imperial Son-in-Law, this kid Billy is my subordinate. He is at the bottom of the strength hierarchy in the Gifter army. What do you want with him?"

"Oh, that's perfect." While tossing the Monster Cell in his hand, Luo Xing said to the thin man Billy: "Do you want to defeat Holdem and become a True Sword as well?"

The internal hierarchy of the Beasts Pirates is strict: from top to bottom, it is Viceroy Kaido himself, followed by the Three Calamities, then the Tobiroppo, and next are the True Swords, who possess considerable strength.

Below the True Swords are basically just small minions.

Billy was undoubtedly at the level of a small minion, with a strength gap of a hundred thousand miles compared to the True Sword Holdem.

"No, how could this humble one be a match for my lord Holdem?" Billy shrank his neck in fear.

Seeing this, Plague Quin sneered:

"I say, Imperial Son-in-Law, jokes aren't told like that. How could a small minion possibly defeat a True Sword? Our True Swords in the Beasts Pirates are no pushovers; out there, their bounties are at least over one hundred million!"

A bounty over one hundred million, set two years prior in the original story, was solidly Super Newbie strength!

Luo Xing smiled without speaking.

He was not joking.

It must be known that the Monster Cell in his hand was not an ordinary cell, but a Tiger-Level Monster Cell.

In the world of One-Punch Man, monsters are classified by strength into five levels: Dragon, God, Demon, Tiger, and Wolf.

The Monster Cells invented by Luo Xing also have these levels.

If one consumes a Tiger-Level Monster Cell and can withstand its side effects, one can instantly possess the strength of a Tiger-Level monster!

Is defeating a True Sword not a piece of cake?

Luo Xing said to Billy:

"You are certainly not a match for Holdem right now, but if you eat this Monster Cell, you will have a chance to defeat him. Whether to eat it or not is up to you."

As soon as the words fell, they immediately caused a wave of commotion among the Gifters.

Eating a piece of purple flesh to let the weak Billy defeat Holdem? That was a bit of an alarmist claim, wasn't it?

That was not a Devil Fruit.

Moreover, even if it were a Devil Fruit, they, as Smile users, could not eat it.

No one believed what Luo Xing said, and Billy himself did not believe it.

However, given the Imperial Son-in-Law's status, there was simply no need to lie to him.

Should I take a gamble?

Billy decided to take the gamble without much hesitation.

In this world where the strong devour the weak, especially in the Beasts Pirates where strength is valued above all, no one could resist the temptation of becoming stronger, even if the chance was only one in a thousand.

Billy closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and swallowed the entire Monster Cell.

The taste was actually okay; at least it was much better than a Devil Fruit.

The next moment.

Billy suddenly collapsed to the ground and screamed in agony.

"What's happening? Is Billy poisoned? Was that thing poisonous just now?!"

"Nonsense! How could the Imperial Son-in-Law poison Billy for no reason?"

Everyone was shocked and uncertain.

Even Queen wore a suspicious look.

Only Luo Xing showed not a trace of surprise.

Having just swallowed the Strange Human cells, he would certainly have to endure a period of agony.

Endure it, and he'd be reborn, his strength multiplied.

Fail to endure it, and off to meet King Yama he goes.

"Ah!!"

Billy's scream grew ever more shrill and terrifying, his body twisting like a hemp rope.

At the same time, the cells on the surface of his body began to proliferate and swell wildly.

A few minutes later.

The screaming stopped.

Billy, curled up on the ground, stood up.

Seeing Billy's current form, everyone sucked in a cold breath.

"How did Billy suddenly get so tall!"

"His limbs have gotten so thick and sturdy too — nothing like that skinny monkey from just now!"

"What on earth is going on?"

Queen's eyeballs nearly popped out, his mouth hanging open; he didn't even notice the pipe clenched between his teeth clatter to the ground.

"Th-this… this is the effect of the Strange Human cells you invented, Imperial Son-in-Law? It's too unbelievable!"

Indeed unbelievable — to turn a skinny monkey into such a burly man in just a few minutes, even a Devil Fruit couldn't do that.

"The even more unbelievable part is still to come."

Luo Xing smiled mysteriously.

"Billy, how do you feel right now?"

Billy clenched his fist, astonishing power gathering within.

"I feel… unprecedentedly powerful!"

"Do you have the confidence to defeat Holdem?"

"I do, Imperial Son-in-Law!"

"Good, then let me see."

Luo Xing ordered everyone to step back, clearing a fighting area.

Holdem stared dumbfounded at the Billy before him.

Was this still the skinny monkey from his memory?

He was practically a different person!