Firelight illuminated half the sky.
[Deadpool] sat atop the towering clock tower, legs dangling in mid-air, swaying back and forth.
Below was a dense swarm of zombies, like a group of tireless ants, clearing out the last living things on this island.
"Forty-two thousand five hundred points..."
Beneath the mask, Bai Yu's voice carried an irrepressible excitement.
This wasn't just a number; it was a ticket to the road of invincibility.
"System, don't play dead. Give me something exciting."
Bai Yu snapped his fingers, his red-and-black gloved hand grasping at thin air.
"Initiate Advanced Gacha, three times! All in!"
This was a truly massive expenditure, with each Advanced Gacha costing 10,000 astonishment value points.
But to live more comfortably in this World rampant with monsters, this investment was necessary.
A massive virtual roulette wheel appeared before his eyes, its golden radiance nearly blinding his titanium alloy eyes.
The pointer spun wildly before slowly coming to a halt.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining: A-Rank Character Fragment × 1 (Collect 5 to randomly synthesize an A-Rank character)]
Bai Yu curled his lip.
"Fragments? You're actually playing the fragment synthesis game with me? Are you from the Penguin factory?"
He endured it.
The second draw, the wheel spun again.
This time, the light turned an eerie purple.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Ultra Divine Water!]
[Source: "Dragon Ball" World]
[Description: The legendary water from Korin Tower, highly poisonous. If the drinker can survive the toxic erosion, it will draw out all their hidden potential, causing their strength to skyrocket. If they cannot survive, they will die on the spot.]
Bai Yu looked at the ancient little pot that had appeared out of thin air in his hand, his eye twitching.
"Playing for such high stakes? This is asking me to bet my life."
Although he complained, he had a plan in mind.
The blacklight virus was least afraid of poison.
Even with highly toxic substances, as long as it was on a material level, the prototype could adapt and assimilate it.
This thing was practically a tailor-made supplement for him.
"Again! Last one!"
The pointer spun for the third time.
This time, the golden light flared brightly, even overshadowing the firelight shooting up from Iron Fang Island.
A card radiating a violent aura slowly emerged.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining: B-Rank Character Card — Banner Bruce!]
[Source: Marvel World]
[Description: Usually a gentle physics doctor, he transforms into a green monster with infinite strength when angry — Hulk. Strength grows with anger, possessing extremely high physical defense and regenerative capabilities.]
Bai Yu stood up abruptly, crushing the tiles beneath his feet into powder.
"It's actually him!"
Hulk!
Although the system rated him as B-Rank, this was a monster with an extremely high ceiling.
As long as he was angry enough, he could smash everything to pieces.
In this Pirate World where Haki ran rampant, Hulk's pure, extreme strength and defense would absolutely be everyone's nightmare.
"With this trump card, even if an Admiral shows up in person, I dare to clash with them."
Bai Yu took a deep breath, calming his excitement.
The remaining 12,000 points would just gather dust if left alone.
"System, Intermediate Gacha, ten consecutive pulls! Spend all the remaining change for me!"
The special effects for the Intermediate Gacha were much more modest, with blue and white lights interweaving.
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Steel Katana × 3]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Delicious Burger Meal × 2]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: 5 million Berries in cash]
...
A series of junk notifications flooded the screen.
Bai Yu rolled his eyes and was about to close the panel when the last two notifications made him freeze.
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: C-Rank Character Card — T-800!]
[Source: "Terminator" World]
[Description: Cyberdyne Systems Model 101, living tissue over a metal endoskeleton. A tireless, absolutely loyal killing machine. Comes with a heavy Gatling gun and infinite ammo box.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Child-Mother River Water (One bucket)!]
[Source: "Journey to the West" World]
[Description: A specialty of the Women's Kingdom of Western Liang. Regardless of gender, after drinking it, the womb will immediately conceive a fetus, and the child will be born in three days. Note: This is not only a miracle of life but also a collapse of ethics.]
Bai Yu looked at the large wooden bucket that had suddenly appeared in his hand, his mouth twitching wildly.
"What the hell?"
"System, are you serious?"
The T-800 was a decent thug; although its combat power wasn't top-tier in this World, it was definitely enough for clearing out cannon fodder or guarding a gate.
But this bucket of water...
An image of Akainu or Sengoku with a bulging belly instantly flashed in Bai Yu's mind.
The image was too beautiful to contemplate.
"This thing... is practically a causality weapon."
Bai Yu chuckled and carefully stored the extremely wicked bucket of water into the system space.
If anyone ever pissed him off in the future, he would just pour this water down their throat.
Whether you are one of the Four Emperors or an Admiral, you'll all have to go on maternity leave for me!
After organizing his haul, Bai Yu sat back down on the ruins.
He took out the small purple pot containing the [Ultra Divine Water].
"Well then, time to evolve."
Without any hesitation, Bai Yu looked up and drank the purple liquid in the pot in one gulp.
Gulp.
The liquid entered his throat, ice-cold and bone-chilling.
But the next second.
Boom!
A terrifying heat exploded in his abdomen, instantly sweeping through his entire body.
Pain!
Excruciating pain!
It felt as if countless red-hot knives were churning madly in his blood vessels, and every cell was wailing and disintegrating.
"Pfft!"
Bai Yu spat out a mouthful of black blood, curling up on the ground, veins bulging all over his body, as if countless little snakes were slithering beneath his skin.
If it were an ordinary person, they would have already turned into a puddle of pus.
But the blacklight virus in Bai Yu's body was instantly enraged.
Provoked by the foreign poison, the previously dormant virus surged wildly, and black-red tentacles erupted from Bai Yu's pores, wrapping him into a giant black cocoon.
Devour!
Assimilate!
Adapt!
The domineering characteristics of the blacklight virus were fully revealed at this moment.
It did not allow anything to destroy the host's body, not even the so-called "Divine Water."
The poison was decomposed and converted into pure energy.
The damaged genetic chains were reorganized in an instant, becoming tougher and more perfect.
Time passed second by second.
Above the ruins, the black-red cocoon pulsed like a heart.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
With every beat, the surrounding air trembled.
Half an hour later.
Rip—
A crack appeared on the surface of the black cocoon.
A fair, slender hand, yet containing explosive power, reached out.
Bai Yu, shirtless, walked slowly out of the cocoon.
His figure hadn't changed much, but his muscle lines had become smoother, and a faint black light flowed across the surface of his skin.
He clenched his fist.
The air was squeezed, making a crisp popping sound.
"Is this... what it feels like to have potential developed?"
Bai Yu felt the surging power within his body.
If he had been relying on the virus's characteristics to fight before, now his basic physical fitness had improved at least tenfold.
His senses were even sharper.
"Hoo..."
Bai Yu exhaled a breath of turbid air and glanced at the system panel.
Only 2,500 astonishment value points remained.
But he didn't feel a shred of heartache.
Because what came next was the real main event.