"God above, Holy Mary, eternal powers of the heavens… please let me win the prize I want!"
As if moved by his plea, the pointer on the lottery wheel began to slow… until it finally came to a stop.
Under Damon Varkos's tense gaze, the pointer landed on the column of Eight Extraordinary Abilities.
[Sixfold Immortal Thief]: The ultimate body-forging technique. It tempers the large intestine, small intestine, stomach, triple burner (metabolic system), gallbladder, and bladder, forging a body immune to all poisons. Furthermore, by perfectly absorbing the energy from food, it gradually enhances physical fitness. Once mastered, it can even rapidly heal physical injuries.
The Sixfold Immortal Thief—also known as the Saint Thief.
As long as the saint endures, the thief never rests.
From its very inception, this technique was meant to seize the life force of heaven and earth and claim it for oneself.
As the lottery concluded, a flood of knowledge about the Sixfold Immortal Thief surged into Damon Varkos's mind.
As if it were instinctive, his body began to operate the technique automatically. With each breath, his abdomen rose and fell rhythmically. He could feel the turbid air within him being expelled, while pure energy from the world flowed into his body, leaving him refreshed.
However, after just one cycle, Damon Varkos felt even hungrier.
Those who cultivate the Sixfold Immortal Thief are, without exception, voracious eaters.
He immediately returned to the campfire, grabbed the switchblade Sabo had handed him, and—without caring that the fish was only half-cooked—sliced off a chunk and swallowed it whole.
"Hot! Hot! Hot!"
The steaming fish burned his mouth, yet it was fresh and tender.
As the meat slid down his throat into his stomach, his entire digestive system sprang into action, rapidly breaking it down and extracting its essence. Threads of energy began circulating through his limbs and meridians.
A warm current rose from his abdomen, invigorating both his body and spirit.
The two massive salmon Ace and Sabo had caught each weighed over ten kilograms. They were skewered on more than a dozen wooden sticks and roasted over the fire.
As Damon Varkos devoured the fish, it immediately stirred the appetites of the others. Soon, the three of them joined in, abandoning all restraint as they fought over the remaining meat.
In his previous life, a single salmon of that size could feed an adult for days.
But in the world of One Piece, human physiques were far superior. Not to mention Luffy, Ace, and Sabo—exceptional individuals who could probably devour an entire cow if they wished.
In no time, the four of them reduced the fish to nothing but clean white bones, which crackled in the fire.
They sprawled across the sand, each in a different spot, their bellies swollen like small hills. With fish bones in their mouths, they lazily picked at their teeth, looking utterly content.
Friendship between men can sometimes be very simple.
You fight together. You climb walls together. You share meals.
Luffy, Ace, and Sabo were still young. Though Ace and Sabo appeared far more mature than ordinary children, they were simple in this regard. Sharing a drink and a hearty meal was enough to call someone a friend.
Without realizing it, Damon Varkos had already become part of their group.
At that moment, however, his focus was entirely on the changes within his body.
After consuming such a large amount of food, not only was his hunger satisfied, but under the nourishment of the circulating energy, his previously damaged organs—worn down by years of starvation—began to repair themselves.
Prolonged hunger first damages the stomach, then the internal organs, and finally the flesh and bones.
The energy flowed gently, like a soothing massage over these weakened areas, causing a faint tingling sensation.
Moreover, the original owner of this body had once eaten spoiled food while scavenging, leading to food poisoning. The toxins that had accumulated were now being expelled.
During this process, Damon Varkos had to relieve himself twice behind a nearby shaded reef.
At one point, he even noticed a crab crawling toward the pit he had dug. After coming into contact with the waste, it immediately foamed at the mouth and fainted.
If those toxins had remained in his body, he likely wouldn't have survived more than a week.
Once the toxins were cleared, Damon Varkos felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted.
Blue skies. White clouds. A gentle sea breeze.
As the salty wind brushed against his face, he felt better than ever before.
"I know the story. I have a system. As long as things go smoothly… I'll carve out a place for myself in this new world!"
Gazing out at the endless ocean, excitement surged within him.
Who grows up without dreams?
Who doesn't long for freedom?
Yet reality often forces people to set those dreams aside—for studies, for family, for stability—until they eventually settle for ordinary lives.
But here, things were different.
Still, Damon Varkos needed to think carefully about his next steps.
In his previous life, he had been an overworked high school senior, buried in studies with little time for entertainment. Most shows were forgettable, and he had never bothered memorizing anything in detail.
Now, trying to recall useful knowledge wasn't easy.
Just as he was lost in thought, the sound of approaching footsteps broke his concentration.
Before the figures appeared, their voices arrived first.
"Hahaha! Finally found you brats! Bring you back, and the captain's reward will be mine!"
At once, Luffy, Ace, and Sabo sprang up from the sand.
Damon Varkos reacted a moment slower and turned toward the sound.
Three ragged pirates approached with wicked grins.
Years at sea had left their skin dark and rough, their hair greasy and unkempt, and their clothes filthy and foul-smelling.
They were sturdy men, their muscles lean but solid. Beneath their roguish appearance lay a dangerous aura—clear signs of seasoned fighters.
Damon Varkos narrowed his eyes.
He recognized their leader: Borsalmi, a member of the Borsalmi Pirates.
A minor crew, really. Their captain's bounty didn't exceed ten million Berries, and most members ranged between ten thousand and one hundred thousand.
But that depended on who they faced.
For an ordinary child, these men were more than enough to crush him.
As Borsalmi approached, Ace and the others formed a triangular formation, muscles tense and ready.
Running?
Impossible.
They could never outrun seasoned pirates—especially ones carrying flintlock pistols.
Turning your back on a gun was the fastest way to die.
With his back to Damon Varkos, Ace spoke in a low voice:
"Damon Varkos, they're after us. This doesn't concern you. Run."
"Go as far as you can."
A flicker of hesitation crossed Damon Varkos's eyes.
Objectively, staying meant becoming a burden. His body was still weak, far inferior to the others.
If he chose safety, he could hide, grow stronger with the system, and eventually rise to power.
But… was that what he wanted?
He remembered how Ace and the others had accepted him. Without them, he might not have survived alone in this ruthless world.
Damon Varkos lived by a simple principle:
Respect given should be repaid tenfold.
They had given him a chance to live.
He wouldn't abandon them now.
Moreover, he knew the truth—these weren't ordinary kids. Their backgrounds and training made them far stronger than they appeared.
Three minor pirates couldn't kill them.
With that resolve, Damon Varkos stepped forward.
"Ace, Sabo, Luffy… I won't abandon my friends and run!"
He stood beside them.
A faint smile curled on Ace's lips, a trace of approval in his eyes.
It had been a test.
Had Damon Varkos fled, Ace would have understood—but they'd remain nothing more than acquaintances.
By staying, he had proven himself worthy of being called a brother.
Seeing them chat as if he didn't exist, Borsalmi's expression darkened.
He stopped, drew his flintlock pistol, cocked it, and aimed at Damon Varkos with a cruel grin.
"Start with the weakest one."
"Die, brat."
⸻
What does it feel like to be shot in the head?
Damon Varkos didn't know.
From the moment Borsalmi fired, his eyes couldn't keep up with the bullet's speed.
He couldn't see it.
He couldn't dodge it.
As the bullet closed in on his forehead, Borsalmi's grin widened.
Victory seemed certain—
"Don't you dare touch him!"
A small figure suddenly leapt forward.
Luffy inhaled deeply, his rubber body expanding like a balloon. His swollen belly stretched outward, completely shielding Damon Varkos.
Bang!
The bullet struck Luffy's soft stomach, denting it—but failing to penetrate.