With Ope Ope no Mi in Multiverse

"Seiryu," Will called out, but Seiryu, clad in her black armor, continued her merciless slaughter of the bandits, ignoring the pleas of those who surrendered. As most of the bandits had already been killed, the few survivors dropped to their knees in surrender. Will, also wearing the black armor of the Grand Chariot Imperial Arm, was about to step forward and stop Seiryu when Run, his companion, held him back with a silent shake of his head. Will hesitated but ultimately remained still, watching as Seiryu finished off the remaining bandits.

"Well done," Dr. Stylish praised Seiryu as he stepped forward to examine her and her Hecatonkheires Imperial Arm, "Koro." This was Seiryu's first time using her modified body and weapons in battle, and the results were impressive. Although Dr. Stylish could not yet create Imperial Arms, his modifications to Seiryu had made her even more powerful than many who wielded them.

Despite the compliment, Seiryu's expression softened into one of modesty, a stark contrast to the bloodthirsty smile she had worn moments ago. Her demeanor was almost childlike, a far cry from the ruthless killer she had just been.

"Boruto, take care of the cleanup. We'll move on to the next location afterward," Esdeath ordered as she observed the aftermath of the battle. Pleased with her team's performance, she directed Boruto to incinerate the bodies with his Purgatory Flame Imperial Arm, before leading the Jaegers to another bandit hideout near the capital.

For several days, Esdeath led the Jaegers in a campaign against the bandits around the capital. As their reputation spread, the remaining bandits quickly fled the area. Once the bandits were dealt with, Esdeath turned the Jaegers' attention to the Danger Beasts threatening the capital.

In the Jaegers' rest area, Black Stain (Kurome), one of the team's members, clung tightly to her snack pouch as Daniel Davis approached her. Kurome's eyes were wary, her expression clear: she wasn't about to share her treats.

Nearby, Wave noticed Daniel's approach and tensed up. The young Imperial Arm user, hailing from a fishing village, seemed to have fallen for Kurome at first sight. During their missions to exterminate bandits and Danger Beasts, Wave had stayed close to Kurome, trying to protect her from harm. Unfortunately, his feelings were unreciprocated.

Wave's anxious demeanor didn't escape Run's notice. The strategist observed the scene with a slight shake of his head. It was clear that in terms of appearance, status, and strength, Daniel far outclassed Wave.

"If you keep eating that, you won't survive another year," Daniel said calmly, not reaching for Kurome's snacks. He had used his Ope Ope no Mi abilities to examine Kurome during their first encounter and knew that the "snacks" she was consuming were actually potent drugs, necessary to keep her body functioning.

Thanks to his control over Minister Honest and the knowledge he had acquired, Daniel understood the dire situation Kurome was in. To combat the growing threat of the Revolutionary Army, the Empire had formed a Special Assassination Squad, selecting children from across the nation and subjecting them to brutal training. The survivors were divided into two groups: the Elite Group and the Enhanced Group.

The Elite Group, consisting of seven members, was provided with Imperial Arms and given the best training. Their mentor had been Gozi, a former member of the Rakshasa Demons and the previous wielder of the Murasame Imperial Arm. Kurome, however, was part of the Enhanced Group.

The Enhanced Group was treated as expendable. The Empire used drugs to quickly bolster their combat abilities, but this came at the cost of their life force. Few members of the Enhanced Group survived beyond two years after their first mission. Of those who trained alongside Akame, Kurome was one of the few still alive, and even she was barely holding on, thanks to the drugs.

Kurome's survival had only been possible due to her sister Akame's betrayal. After Akame defected, killing Gozi and the head of the assassination unit, the Empire panicked and decided to use Kurome as a means to control Akame. However, Kurome's health had been deteriorating, requiring more and more drugs just to function, creating a vicious cycle.

"What did you say?" Wave's voice was filled with concern as he jumped to his feet, reacting immediately to Daniel's words.

"I know," Kurome replied, her voice steady and emotionless, as though discussing someone else's life.

"You need to stop taking them," Wave said, stepping forward to grab the drugs from Kurome. But before he could, Kurome delivered a swift punch, sending him flying.

"This is my problem, not yours," Kurome declared coldly, her gaze hard as she looked at Wave.

"But—"

"Wave, calm down," Run interjected, holding Wave back before turning to Daniel. "If the vice-captain has brought this up, I assume you have a solution in mind?"

"There's no way to completely cure her condition at the moment, but I can extend her life," Daniel replied. He moved swiftly, pressing a pressure point on Kurome's neck before she could react. Kurome's body went limp, and Daniel caught her gently.

"She can't continue fighting in her current state," Daniel said, lifting Kurome as though she weighed nothing. Her fierce determination to confront her sister had kept her going, but Daniel knew that if the two met now, it would end in tragedy. The best solution was to prevent their confrontation altogether, at least until things were resolved.

Kurome's condition, though serious, wasn't beyond Daniel's ability to treat. While Dr. Stylish could only provide temporary relief, Daniel had the knowledge and skills to address the root of the problem. He placed Kurome in a state of suspended animation, planning to replenish her life force later, once they returned to his base.

As for the budding feelings between Wave and Kurome, Daniel had no intention of intervening.

"From now on, you're going to undergo strict training. Your current strength is insufficient," Daniel informed Esdeath later. Kurome's situation didn't halt the Jaegers' missions, but Esdeath had other matters to attend to—like her training.

Compared to when Daniel had first arrived in the world of One Piece, Esdeath's physical prowess was vastly superior, making her a formidable force even in this dangerous world.

"This is the training method used by the Imperial Fist Temple. Although it might seem basic to you, it will lay a solid foundation," Daniel explained, handing Esdeath a concoction made from the Kraken, along with the training techniques used by the Rakshasa Demons.

With Esdeath's current power, she didn't need an Imperial Arm to defeat the Rakshasa Demons, but mastering their body control techniques would enhance her future training. If Esdeath could achieve the level of control that the Rakshasa Demons had, her training in the Six Powers would be much more effective.

"This is the Water Breathing technique," Daniel continued, introducing Esdeath to the breathing techniques from Demon Slayer. Although these techniques didn't grant supernatural energy, they were invaluable for increasing lung capacity and endurance, crucial for martial artists.

The Water Breathing technique, with its balance of offense and defense, was particularly suited to Esdeath's ice abilities. With her current strength, she could quickly master the breathing technique, which would significantly enhance her power in a short period.

As Esdeath quickly grasped the basics of Water Breathing, Daniel couldn't help but think of Akame. If Esdeath could learn these techniques so rapidly, perhaps Akame could as well. With the right training, Akame could also become a formidable force, potentially reaching the level of a Marine Admiral in time.

Back in the Jaegers' rest area, Wave looked troubled. "Night Raid strikes again," he muttered, his face pale. The previous night had seen more casualties, with multiple bodies showing signs of curse poisoning—undoubtedly the work of the Murasame Imperial Arm.

"Innocent?" Daniel chuckled at Wave's words. Night Raid didn't target innocent people, and his naive comment reminded Daniel of an incident from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., where a group of "innocent" civilians had been overlooked, despite being heavily armed with machine guns and rocket launchers.

"Vice-Captain, where's the Captain? Night Raid is getting bolder—we need to act," Wave insisted.

"The Captain is occupied right now. As for Night Raid, we'll deal with them once we locate their base," Daniel replied. Esdeath was too focused on her training to worry about Night Raid at the moment. If Daniel hadn't needed the Empire's resources, Esdeath would have already urged him to leave this world behind.

"Something's wrong—Seiryu and the others are in danger!" Wave suddenly exclaimed as several bright flares lit up the western sky—distress signals from the Jaegers.

Without hesitation, Wave activated Grand Chariot and rushed toward the flares. Run followed suit, using his Hawksmile Imperial Arm to soar through the sky, quickly outpacing Wave on the ground.

Despite their differences, both Wave and Run were deeply concerned for their comrades. When danger struck, their first thought was for the safety of Seiryu, Dr. Stylish, and Boruto.

The Jaegers, now down to five Imperial Arm users due to Kurome's condition, were split into two groups for patrols. Today, it was Seiryu

, Dr. Stylish, and Boruto's turn.

"For three Imperial Arm users to be in danger, it must be Night Raid," Daniel thought as he prepared to move. He sensed a familiar presence approaching the battlefield.

"Vice-Captain, you're here!" Boruto, appearing before Daniel, called out. But Daniel immediately noticed something was off—Boruto's Purgatory Flame was missing.

"What happened?" Daniel asked, his tone calm.

"It was Night Raid. They ambushed us. I detonated my Imperial Arm to buy time, but we got separated," Boruto explained, panting heavily.

"Let's go check it out," Daniel replied, leading the way. Boruto followed closely behind. As they walked, Daniel suddenly stopped and turned to face Boruto.

"I've told you before, relying too much on your Imperial Arm is dangerous if your own strength is lacking," Daniel said, his voice steady. Boruto's expression faltered as Daniel continued, "No matter how perfect Gaea Foundation's transformations are, there are some things it can't change—like muscle density, movement patterns, or even the sound of footsteps."

Daniel's words caused Boruto's eyes to widen in shock. Before he could respond, Daniel reached out and lightly touched him, revealing his true form—Chelsea, the assassin.

"You joined the Empire?" Chelsea accused, her tone laced with disbelief as she stared at Daniel. The news of Daniel becoming the Jaegers' vice-captain wasn't a well-kept secret. In fact, the Revolutionary Army's network of spies in the capital had been nearly wiped out because of him, forcing them to activate backup plans. As punishment, Chelsea had been ordered to assassinate Daniel to redeem herself.

"It's not that I joined the Empire—I want to take it over. But that's a long story," Daniel replied, appearing behind Chelsea in an instant. Before she could react, he had already struck a nerve point, incapacitating her. He took her Imperial Arm, Gaea Foundation, and wrapped her in his Utility Belt, effectively capturing her.

With Chelsea now out of commission, Daniel prepared to deal with the real threat that lay ahead.

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