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Chapter 5: Limitless V

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Nah, more than that, it was mostly for the hunt because as Yovan came to deduce, the creatures of this world were very strange, and their effect on him was even stranger.

Yovan first swam to the top, feeling his abnormally large fuel tank, also an effect of Limitless. It got to the point where he can freely move underwater for about ten minutes straight.

When taking into consideration how fast he moves underwater, faster than some of the very swift creatures, it only makes the accomplishment more unbelievable.

More movement requires more oxygen as the heart pumps more blood to the muscles doing the work, especially with how restricted movement is underwater. It would be a wonder if he can stay underneath even half that time.

Yet here he is, only taking a dozen seconds or so to regain his breath before diving it once again, directly swimming into the depths. He wasn't far from the island though, so it wasn't too deep.

His target was marked, but despite noticing him, it didn't seem to have an interest in his flesh, but Yovan certainly did.

He pulled his spear out and grasped it tightly in his hand before pushing forward like a bullet, swimming with a speed he once believed to be impossible for a human.

The shadowy figure became clearer to him as he approached, and it was exactly as he expected, a shark but not just any shark, 'This should be easier than expected, but what is it doing here?'

Yovan's doubts were left aside from now as he focused on his foe... A foe that sought to avoid him. Indeed, Yovan knew it was gonna be easy once he saw what type of shark he was dealing with, Basking Shark.

They're one of the largest sea creatures, in his last world at least, capable of growing to nearly 39 ft long. 

The one before him wasn't so big though, it was only about 16 ft. Yovan naturally assumed as a result that it was still a baby, but still big enough to feed him for months.

Yovan couldn't see it in Limitless but he was sure there is an option for his spearplay because what he can do with it at this point cannot be explained with logic.

He was breaching limits he never knew existed just like a limit he broke not long ago. The muscles of his right arm shrank as he clutched the spear in his hand tightly before piercing it toward the shark. 

The shark had just started swimming away, but not fast enough. Its top speed is certainly much faster than Yovan's, but the latter had a headstart. He was already in motion while the shark just initiated motion.

The water pressure didn't seem to exist as he stabbed with the spear, forming what appears to be a sharp shockwave.

It was like the sheer pressure of the stab was strong enough to manifest a piercing force that went on to wound the shark.

But Yovan wasn't done yet as he hastily swam closer and drove his spear directly into the wounded shark, again and again without any mercy.

Basking sharks are harmless. Despite their colossal size and their terrifying appearance, they don't eat humans, but it was a matter of survival for Yovan, so he couldn't reciprocate its generosity.

He hastily pierced a hole through its massive mount before untying a long rope around his waist and hooking it around the gap.

The rope was quite long, allowing him to swim away for a while towards the Island until he reached an area where his feet could feel the ground, permitting him to use all of his force to pull the sea creature.

The rope was extremely strong. It was something he had worked on for a long time, splitting palm fronds into very thin threads, numerous threads which he weaved together.

All his hard work wasn't for nothing as it allowed him to pull such a massive creature with relative ease. 

Granted, sharks sink to the bottom of the sea when dead, so it wasn't strange for the creature to get stuck while he was pulling it, leading him to go back into the water and solve the problem personally.

"Pose? What are you doing here far from Zeus? That's rare." Yovan raised his eyebrows at the figure of Poseidon drifting along the shore, getting absolutely wrecked by the raging waves.

Yovan however didn't seem affected by the waves or the cold weather. In fact, he seemed rejuvenated as he dragged the shark with great difficulty. 

He assumed it to weigh more than a thousand pounds. Indeed, he had become that monstrous.

"Jus wai..." He wanted to assure Poseidon, but he had a lot of meat to take care of as he needed to take care of the shark with swiftness. Preserving it is of most importance.

'Poseidon is the god of the oceans anyway, so he will surely be fine.' Yovan easily convinced himself before bringing the shark to a container made of wood.

He pushed the colossal shark into the container using all of his power, allowing the meat to bask in salt, massive amounts of salt he had collected across the last months through the distillation process.

Yovan couldn't help but slap the meat with a bright smile, the shark meat of course, "You know bud, I'm becoming more and more grateful for my mental fortitude. None of this would've been possible if I ate the fruit, if I listened to my desires... Ah, wait, I need to get Pose."

The childish man hastily tan towards the shore, saving Poseidon from his own domain.

"Man, aren't you like the god of the sea? Why do you look to be a bit in shambles? Perhaps because you enjoy the embrace of the raging waves? Hmm, wouldn't Zeus be jealous? Well, we're friends, so I won't tell."

Yovan patted Poseidon reassuringly before taking him back home and Zeus followed them through his own initiative. He was definitely not forced to join Poseidon on the same bed.

"Phew, what a day, isn't that right, Athena?" He soon joined Athena at the campfire, feeling the heavy but sweet raindrops falling on his hair and shoulders like reassuring pats.

"Hmm? You like the rain too? Didn't know that. I took you more for a loner who never steps out of the house and is absolutely useless. I mean, at least Zeus became so happy with Poseidon's company that he made it rain."

It was almost like she was talking to him, but no one else can see it. In his mind, however, she nodded her head, but she didn't seem offended at his last words.

"Hmm, interesting. I'm the opposite. I like the dance in the rain. I love to feel the heavy rain on my skin, and look at the darkness of the sky. It makes me feel alive and dead at the same time... Very odd, isn't it."

Such conversations were very common for him. As they say, if you do it long enough, you may come to believe it. That of course didn't happen to him... Hopefully.

"A month. Hopefully, just a month and I will head out, but I need to push myself like never before. Only then can I be a little assured. I have to exhaust myself to the point I can consume the entirety of that meat by the end of the month."

Yovan faintly eyed the surroundings with a trace of reluctance, "Should I even leave? What if I end up dying in the middle of the ocean without experiencing the beauty of nature? Without spreading my wings?"

He was evidently hesitant as he looked at Athena as if seeking her wisdom, "There are still so many sceneries I want to paint. There are places I want to explore, but..."

He remained silent for a while, focusing on Athena as if she was truly responding, "You... You're right. My rationality is what kept me alive for so long. Did staying here for so long made me attached to it? Or am I just afraid of what lies beyond the horizon?"

He let out a chuckle as a bit of brightness returned to his inky eyes, "You know, I used to preach to my dad about freedom, about my desire for letting my wings flare because if there is something I hate more than anything, it's responsibilities, yet here I am, chaining myself to a fucking island as if... Hah."

Yovan let out a sigh, finally regaining clarity. It was certainly not the first time something like this happened, and no amount of willpower seemed to be able to resist it simply because of the kind of person he is, a free soul.

Poseidon and Zeus were his comedic relief, the light at the end of the tunnel, his hope. Athena was much more important because she is someone who has no need for hope, his sense of reasoning.

"I guess I have to take the fruit after all. It might just save me from Poseidon's wrath if my assumption of its power is true... if it's that kind of devil fruit, then it suits me best."

His pitch black eyes were reflecting the scenery before him, the peace yet wildness of rain... Until that changed as it suddenly started to reflect something else only he can see, "Limitless."