As it turns out though. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. Had the jump even succeeded, all it would have accomplished is send me crashing straight into the metal anchor I had failed to notice Eustass raising from the sea behind me.
An anchor that immediately flew forward at the behest of its summoner.
-368 HP! My mouth wrenches open as the multi-ton object slams into my back, re-tearing what little [HP Regen] had managed to stitch together in the past half-minute. I manage the briefest look to identify what just hit me and try not to scream at the bill hook in my leg. 'When the fuck did that get there!' The weaponized grapple continues to propel forward, aiming for a direct collision with the fireball and I squirm in vain to peel myself away.
'No no no no no no.'
Skill Lv. Up! Bullet Time Lv. (3/30) → (4/30)
-Your ability to perceive time at a slower rate while in combat. Slowed perception increased from (9%) → (12%)
'Oh fuck me.'
For the briefest moment I wonder if 'Resistance to Hot and Cold' will help shield me from this. I originally interpreted the ability to just mean my body was exceptionally good at maintaining homeostasis. A little biological quirk to help out when in desert or tundra-like environments. I doubt it was meant to help me against actually getting set on fire.
And as the flames wash over me and my flesh begins to sear, I realize I was absolutely right.
-15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP!
-15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP!
-15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP!
A gut-wrenching scream rips from my throat as my skin begins to cook. The hairs on my body ignite. The proteins in my flesh begin to denature. Exposed blood boils away.
And the blue notifications just won't stop.
-15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP!
-15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP! -15 HP!
I'm not sure when Eustass released the device from his powers and the plummet downward began. Somehow the directional change was lost on me while I was too preoccupied screeching in agony. But one second I was airborne and the next I saw the surface of the ocean right before slamming into it.
The sensation of my roasting flesh is extinguished but is immediately replaced by the oh so delightful feeling of having saltwater seep into every wound.
A small tiny speck of luck has my leg free itself from the anchors hook but all that does is slow my descent. My health is dangerously close to zero. There's no air in my lungs. Every drop of energy in my body has been burned away. And I am sinking deeper with every passing moment.
Already the sunlight is starting to dimmer. The light blue of the water around me is transitioning to twilight and my eyelids are impossibly heavy.
The last little scrap of oxygen I have left is spent uttering a single word.
"...[Status]..."
The blue screen is the sole light in my rapidly darkening world and a sluggish finger slowly extends to hold down the one button that might save me.
Points to spend (40) → (0) VIT (115) → (155) Max Health (2,300) → (3,100) A single great spasm rocked my body as the extra 800 health hit me like a revitalizing burst. Several of my more serious wounds healed instantly. The cells of my body began working harder to heal the one's that didn't as [HP Regen]'s effectiveness rose. The weights that were seconds away from closing my eyes forever evaporated and clear rational thought returned to me. And that rational thought had one very important thing to say.
'You're still drowning Jack.'
Both of my legs started kicking wildly. My arms shot upwards in broad paddling strokes. My descent to the 'Locker' instantly reversed course but it became immediately apparent that the surface was too far away. Already the lack of air was making the sandbags on my eyelids return.
'I'm not gonna make it. I'm not gonna make it! Go faster! Go faster! [Geppo]![Geppo]![Geppo]!' [Skill] Failed! You can not use this underwater.
[Skill] Failed! You can not use this underwater.
[Skill] Failed! You can not use this underwater.
'Bull-shit! Fuck you! If Sanji can do it, so can I!"
I push my legs harder. Trying to thrust them at the right speed despite the waters thicker medium.'[Gepp- wait NO! It's called... [Blue Walk]!'
The underwater version of CP9's technique activates and my body rockets through the ocean like a fired torpedo. A light blue window appears before me to tell me 'New [Skill] Acquired!' but I swipe it away like the annoyance it is. A geyser of water explodes next to the Victoria Punk as I breach through the sea and into the air. The crew all whip around to stare in shock and I take full advantage of their stupor. I pull my legs in and throw myself into a wild charge at the nearest target I can see.
Heat.
The scarred man takes an involuntary step back in surprise and quickly puffs his chest up to protect himself. The frantic fireball he throws out is weak. Unprepared.
And I certainly wasn't going to feel threatened by it.
'Get lost!' My body worked itself into a spin as I prepared something else. It had failed before in testing. I had no logical reason to believe it wouldn't fail this time as well. Except..I could feel it.
This time it would succeed. "[Rankyaku]!"
Ding!
New Skill Acquired!
Rokushiki Technique #4 of 6. (Rankyaku). Lv. (1/50)
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