To be fair.
The five rewards for this S-level challenge were genuinely top-notch, each one a highly desirable ability.
This time, even the "Conqueror's Haki," which had been evading him, was included among the options.
The problem was, none of these five choices were particularly meaningful for Adrian.
BIG MOM's Conqueror's Haki was not an option for Adrian; he was still waiting for his golden leek to reach its full potential.
The effects of "Monster Strength" was useless, with the latter being slightly weaker in terms of strength enhancement to 'Dragon Power'.
"Gluttony" was limited to sweets, and Adrian didn't have Charlotte Linlin's appetite; he'd get sick of it after a couple of bites.
The only valuable ones were "Cell Vitality" and "Haki Frenzy."
After some thought, Adrian made his choice.
[You have acquired the Expertise "Cell Vitality"!]
Hmm!
This was because Adrian already had enough burst skills and didn't need further enhancements.
Moreover, he already possessed several specialties that increased his swordsmanship power and didn't need more.
It wasn't just because he was tempted by the regeneration effect or reproductive effect of Cell Vitality!
A constant, painful swelling erupted within his body, and Adrian focused inwardly, feeling the intense changes happening inside.
After about ten minutes, the pain finally subsided, replaced by an abundance of restless energy.
Adrian felt the immense vitality coursing through him, somewhat surprised.
The boost from "Cell Vitality" wasn't just the superficial "HP +150%" stated in the description; it definitely included hidden increases in stamina, energy, and more.
On that note, this ability was indeed very fitting for Charlotte Linlin.
Adrian wondered what other interesting effects it might have on himself.
He instinctively touched his sides, feeling as if he had 207 bones now.
Stepping out of the cabin, Adrian called for Rumi, and the little fox Love followed along.
"Rumi, let's dive to deep sea for a while, then head towards Wano Country."
Rumi was surprised. "Oh! We're going to Wano Country again?"
"Yes, I have a premonition that a big change will occur in Wano Country in the coming years," Adrian casually explained.
"When I was in Shimotsuki Village in the East Blue, I accepted a task from Master Koushirou. He hoped I could protect the Shimotsuki family in Wano Country."
The [Shimotsuki Family] task involved the [Black Sword Forging Technique] passed down by Koushirou's family.
Adrian was quite eager for this technique.
Wielding a great sword was impressive, but wielding a black sword was undeniably cool!
When Adrian left Wano Country, he thought his work in place was over.
Except for occasional trips for ice cream, he had no plans to return.
Adrian had little interest in the Kozuki family or their followers, so he didn't leave any contact information back then.
This time, he learned from Charlotte Linlin that the refresh rate for S-level challenge tasks was once a year.
So, by now, the A-level challenge task should be available again, right?
…
After some time of sailing.
The Abyss arrived once more in the seas surrounding Wano Country. The scenery remained like a scene from "The Great Wave off Kanagawa," with turbulent seas and cloudy skies.
This time, Adrian did not encounter a drunken Kaido, which was a bit disappointing.
He decided to handle his business first and then find Kaido for some fun later…
Not wasting time and effort capturing the special carp beneath the seas of Wano Country, Adrian had Rumi store the Abyss in the castle and then entered his ghost form, effortlessly flying over the turbulent waterfalls surrounding Wano Country.
The divided islands of Wano Country, each with different climates, lay before him, with the uniquely shaped Onigashima standing isolated.
Adrian stood silently in the sky, surveying the various regions of Wano Country, each with its unique climate.
"Wano Country is really quite bizarre," he mused. "It's not just the the people here, who have different kinds of bizarre behaviors, but also the island's wildly varied climate zones."
"Typically, islands on the Grand Line have distinct seasons, with each island having only one type of climate, hence the distinctions of Spring Island, Autumn Island, Summer Island, and Winter Island."
"Even Rusukaina Island, where Luffy trained diligently for two years, only had a rapid succession of seasons. At least its climate was clear at any given time."
{Rusukaina is an island in the Calm Belt that is to the northwest of Amazon Lily. It is a harsh island that has forty eight seasons a year which change almost weekly}
"But Wano Country is different. This single island is divided into multiple small regions, each with its own climate."
"I don't know if some big secret is hidden in Wano's unique climate change."
Shaking his head, Adrian decided not to dwell on such trivial matters.
Without disturbing the inhabitants of Onigashima, Adrian flew directly towards the Hakumai region, heading for the Daimyō's palace with a clear goal in mind.
Thanks to his ghostly speed, Adrian quickly arrived at the palace of the Shimotsuki family. Using his Observation Haki, he sensed a somewhat familiar presence and descended from the sky, successfully locating the room where Shimotsuki Yasuie was.
It had been a year since they last met, and Yasuie still sported his signature look: deep blue afro and a kimono with dark green circular patterns.
At that moment, Yasuie was diligently attending to various matters of the Hakumai region.
Oden may have been irresponsible, but Yasuie was not.
"Lord Shimotsuki, long time no see," Adrian greeted softly, breaking the silence of the room.
Startled, Yasuie's hand trembled, accidentally drawing a dark ink line across the document in front of him. Seeing who it was, he sighed in relief.
"So it's you, Lord Adrian!" Yasuie put down his brush and stood up with a surprised smile. "What brings you back to Wano Country?"
Before Adrian could respond, Yasuie continued, "How was your last meeting with Kozuki Sukiyaki, the swordsmith? Was it pleasant?"
Adrian's lips twitched, recalling the deeply hidden otaku swordsmith. He wondered if his collection had grown over the past year.
"Actually, Lord Oden and I were just talking about you the other day!"
Yasuie went on, "The 'Sage Necklace' you gave to Momonosuke has worked wonders. He's starting to show signs of becoming a wise ruler!"
A wise ruler? With the melancholic ghostly influence of the Sage Sapphire Necklace, Adrian could only hope Momonosuke won't be mentally crippled…
Adrian quickly explained his purpose, not wanting Yasuie to drift further off-topic.
"I see, you're running errands for the Shimotsuki family again?" Yasuie looked at Adrian with admiration, seeing him as a noble and selfless warrior.
"Indeed, these are personal letter from Shimotsuki Kozaburo and Shimotsuki Koushirou. Please confirm it, Lord Yasuie."
Adrian handed over the letter. After reading it, Yasuie invited Adrian to a banquet.
"Last time, you left in such a hurry that you missed out on our special banquet," Yasuie said. "Onimaru has been blaming me for not being a good host."
Adrian accepted the invitation. Given that the Shimotsuki family was divided into different branches across Wano Country, it was crucial for him to meet the other members, particularly those in the Ringo region, for his future plans.
About an hour later, a distinguished guest arrived at the Hakumai Daimyō's palace.
Seeing the Daimyō of Ringo, Shimotsuki Ushimaru, Adrian was taken aback.
Was this really Shimotsuki Ushimaru? Or a user of the Copy-Copy Fruit pretending to be Roronoa Zoro?
At first glance, Ushimaru and the green-haired swordsman looked almost identical!