One Piece Solar Rift Conqueror!

The Marine base was a stark contrast to the stormy seas. Officers in uniform marched in lines, and the air was thick with the scent of gunpowder and salt. Solian could not help but acknowledge—it was a bit surrealistic to enter a Marine base to claim a pirate's bounty.

He approached the bounty office, a small building reinforced with steel bars and wanted posters plastered on the walls. A bored-looking Marine officer sat behind the counter, idly flipping through paperwork.

Solian tossed One-Eyed Drego's unconscious body onto the ground with a thud. The officer jolted upright.

"I'm here to claim the bounty."

The officer blinked, glancing between Solian and the downed pirate. "You… took down Drego?"

"Yeah."

The Marine looked skeptical, but a few moments later, he checked the bounty and handed Solian a small sack of 2 million berries. The weight of the coins felt satisfying, but Solian knew—money alone wouldn't make him stronger.

The officer eyed him curiously. "For a bounty hunter, you don't seem like much."

Solian smirked. "Give me a year. I'll be stronger than you can imagine."

And so, he stepped out of the base, weighed down by both his new money and the hard truth that he was still too weak.

Painful Truth: Still Too Weak

On the merchant ship, Solian leaned against the railing, watching the waves go by. The fight he had just had was replaying in his mind.

He had won—but it hadn't been easy.

Even against a petty pirate like Drego, he had been weakened. What the remote power was limited by, as well as flames not hot enough, and his stamina really draining so fast in battles.

If I had fought a stronger, I would have lost.

The Grand Line was filled with monsters—Warlords, Vice Admirals, Yonko Commanders, and even the Yonko themselves.

And I, who can barely handle small fries, and how the hell am I supposed to stand at the top?

He took a deep breath and brought up his system panel.

Current Stats

Devil Fruit Mastery: 11%

Devil Fruit Points: 11

Constitution: 9

Strength: 6

Agility: 6

Endurance: 5

System Points Available: 2

He needed to work harder.

His current Devil Fruit Mastery had him in control of his flames, but the attacks did not have any actual destructive force. His Devil Fruit Points determined the raw power of his abilities, and he had yet to use them to their full extent.

And physically, though he was stronger than a normal person—he wasn't strong enough.

"I need to train harder."

The captain of the ship, a stout man with a gray beard, overheard him. "If you're wanting to train, why not do it here? We've got cargo that needs shifting—heavy things. You can use it as weight training."

Solian's eyes lit up.

"Yeah. That's a good idea."

He opened his system again.

System Task Issued: Strength Training

Lift and carry 500kg of cargo across the deck (0/500kg)

Run 100 laps around the ship (0/100)

Withstand 10 minutes of combat training against multiple opponents (0/10)

Rewards:

+2 System Points

Increased Endurance and Strength

A smirk spread across his face. This was exactly what he needed.

It was time to push his limits.

And the next time he faced an opponent… he wouldn't struggle.

He'd overwhelm them.