One Piece: The Strongest Trait System

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Buggy Traits: Cannonball Expertise (Blue), Chop-Chop Fruit (Deep Purple), Powerful Connections (Special), Conqueror's Haki (Unawakened) (Pale Gold), Born of the Sea (Apex Gold) (Discarded).

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A golden light, easily as dazzling as Luffy's Sun God Trait, flared brilliantly for an instant before strangely dimming.

Buggy's Traits were now displayed before Rowen's eyes.

Cannonball Expertise (Blue) represented Buggy's ability to create his special Buggy Balls.

The Chop-Chop Fruit (Deep Purple) wasn't particularly noteworthy to Rowen either.

Like Luffy at this stage, Buggy could only skillfully use the most basic applications of this Paramecia Devil Fruit—splitting his body apart to attack.

Currently, Buggy's use of this fruit, aside from granting immunity to slashing attacks, was quite ordinary.

Even if awakened, the fruit's ultimate potential seemed limited to splitting apart the surrounding environment—like instantly dismantling a warship.

While an awakened Chop-Chop Fruit might be effective in chaotic battles, for Rowen, a Devil Fruit of this caliber wasn't worth significant attention.

As expected. Buggy, just like his fellow Roger Pirates apprentice Red-Haired Shanks, possessed Conqueror's Haki, though it remained unawakened.

After all, this was the man who, after stumbling into becoming an Emperor through sheer luck, could still rally his subordinates by asking, "Remember why you set out to sea?! Don't your lives cry out?! Go take it! The ONE PIECE!"

And based on information revealed later in the original story, Buggy's origins might also be quite special.

So, Rowen wasn't surprised to see Buggy possessed Conqueror's Haki.

Powerful Connections (Special): As a former member of the Pirate King's crew, possesses an extremely strong network of connections, allowing him to turn misfortune into fortune.

This Trait was the key to Buggy becoming a Warlord in the original story, and later, an Emperor through a series of coincidences.

While one could say Buggy was lucky, without his status as a former Roger Pirate and Shanks's friend, he never would have become a Warlord, let alone an Emperor.

In the One Piece world, strength alone wasn't enough to rise to the top; connections and circumstances mattered greatly.

Consider Eustass Kid in the original story—lacking powerful connections, despite having a 3 billion Beri bounty like Luffy after the Onigashima raid, he was instantly defeated by Red-Haired Shanks.

Before their final clash, Shanks specifically requested intelligence on Kid. He wasn't interested in Kid's latest achievements or Devil Fruit advancements.

Instead, Shanks checked Kid's network and background—the kid who dared provoke him repeatedly. After confirming Kid had no significant connections and was just a hotheaded nobody from an ordinary background, Shanks dispatched him with a single Divine Departure slash.

But none of that was truly important right now. What made Rowen's eyes light up was the final Trait.

Born of the Sea (Apex Gold) (Discarded): Born for the sea! Possesses unparalleled swimming talent, supreme in all the oceans. Simply by swimming in the sea, can enhance one's own Kingly Disposition! Thereby strengthening Haki! (Discarded due to eating a Devil Fruit and being rejected by the sea).

Rowen stared intently at this Trait, his eyes practically turning bloodshot.

A super Potential-type Apex Gold Trait! Its potential ceiling might even be more ridiculous than Luffy's Sun God (Apex Gold)!

No wonder Buggy, like Shanks, became an apprentice on the Pirate King's ship! No wonder he left such a deep impression on Whitebeard!

No wonder 'Dark King' Rayleigh himself said Buggy's future swimming ability would surpass his own!

No wonder, before eating the Devil Fruit, Buggy was arrogant enough to face Whitebeard and boast about dyeing his mustache red!

The reason for all of it—lay in this Born of the Sea (Apex Gold) Trait!

In the One Piece world, the significance of the sea was self-evident. And a strong individual's 'Kingly Disposition' was key to the strength of their Haki within the power system.

Yet this Born of the Sea (Apex Gold) Trait not only granted Buggy unmatched swimming talent but allowed him to continuously increase his Kingly Disposition—and consequently, his Haki—just by swimming in the ocean!

While Armament Haki strength might be linked to physique, and Observation Haki strength to mental fortitude,

Conqueror's Haki—the 'Disposition of a King' that couldn't be strengthened through conventional training—almost exclusively grew stronger by sailing the Grand Line, defeating powerful enemies one after another.

It was like a brutal culling process, using the failures and blood of enemies to temper and enhance the user's own Kingly Disposition.

But this Born of the Sea (Apex Gold) Trait allowed its user to strengthen their Kingly Disposition—and thus their Conqueror's Haki—just by swimming!

The potential of such an ability was simply staggering!

If Buggy hadn't eaten the Devil Fruit, if this Trait hadn't been discarded...

Perhaps the man renowned today for having the strongest Haki wouldn't be Red-Haired Shanks—it would be Buggy!

This Born of the Sea (Apex Gold) Trait... it was basically a cheat code for Haki training! Get stronger just by swimming!

No wonder Buggy was so arrogant and confident before eating the Devil Fruit. In a world where the sea reigned supreme, possessing such an ability, not being confident and arrogant would have been strange!

But this Trait was both his making and his downfall.

After eating the Devil Fruit and being rejected by the sea, the Trait was automatically discarded.

The Kingly Disposition that could be infinitely enhanced just by swimming—the moment the Trait was discarded, it backlashed against Buggy.

The supremely confident and arrogant apprentice from the Pirate King's crew transformed into the cowardly Buggy the Clown.

No wonder Buggy was so spirited and fearless during the clash with the Whitebeard Pirates!

But then, just a few months after eating the Chop-Chop Fruit, during the Edd War between the Roger Pirates and the Golden Lion Pirates,

Buggy became the cowardly loser whining about wanting to run away.

Such a drastic personality change in just a few months—it was the backlash from the discarded Born of the Sea (Apex Gold) Trait affecting Buggy himself!

Everything... makes sense now.

Rowen's eyes blazed as he stared fixedly at Buggy.

This Trait—Rowen absolutely MUST obtain it!

In terms of physique, once he finished equipping Luffy's Superhuman Physique (Deep Purple) and Zoro's Demonic Physique (Deep Purple),

Rowen's physical potential would rival Kaido's, perhaps even eventually matching the monstrous Big Mom.

In terms of Devil Fruits, with his Trait Plunder System, Rowen didn't need to worry about lacking powerful abilities.

And if he could acquire this Born of the Sea (Apex Gold) Trait? Then in terms of Haki, Rowen would undoubtedly stand at the absolute pinnacle of the One Piece world!

Furthermore, with the Strongest Trait System, Rowen could use plundered Devil Fruit abilities without suffering their side effects.

Meaning, even if Rowen acquired Devil Fruit powers, he wouldn't be rejected by the sea like Buggy, causing the Born of the Sea (Apex Gold) Trait to become discarded!

Physique, Haki, Devil Fruit—the three most crucial aspects of the One Piece power system potential...

Rowen's potential in all three areas could become the strongest in the world!

'Buggy... you really didn't disappoint!'

'This Trait... I want it!'

"Y-You bastard! Do I know you? Why are you staring at me like that?" Buggy suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

This guy's eyes were bloodshot, looking like he wanted to devour him whole!

His name... was Rowen?

Wait... Rowen?!

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