One Piece: Infinite Treasure Chest System.

"Moo!"

Seeing that Ben was still alive, the Ox-Serpent charged again.

"Bankai… Argh!"

Ben tried to force Senbonzakura's Bankai, but a sharp pain shot through his head, and the blade vanished from his hand.

"Boom!"

The Ox-Serpent's tail struck Ben again, sending him flying. This time, the blow landed squarely on his unprotected body, causing him to cough up blood as he tumbled through the air.

Miraculously, he landed in a nearby lake. Thanks to Water Dragon's Affinity, he avoided further injury, but he was far from okay.

Dragging himself out of the water, Ben collapsed on the shore, gasping for air like a fish out of water. The last attack had damaged his internal organs, leaving him barely conscious.

The Ox-Serpent, enraged that Ben was still alive, roared and charged once more.

Ben couldn't even lift a hand to defend himself. If only I'd eaten the Mera Mera no Mi earlier, he thought bitterly.

As the Ox-Serpent closed in, a streak of red caught Ben's eye.

"Is that… my blood?"

He noticed the bloodstains on the Ox-Serpent's body—his blood. Despite the prolonged battle, Ben hadn't managed to inflict any real damage.

"Heh… looks like the heavens aren't done with me yet. Water Dragon's Affinity: Blood Blade Kill!"

Summoning the last of his strength, Ben raised his ring-adorned hand and unleashed the ultimate technique of Water Dragon's Affinity.

The moment the attack landed, Ben passed out.

"Ugh… pain…"

Ben groaned as he regained consciousness. His head throbbed, and his body felt like it had been run over by a Sea King.

"Big Brother Ben, you're awake! I knew you'd be okay. That snake was huge! And the snake stew last night was amazing…" Luffy's voice reached his ears.

Ben realized he'd survived—and somehow, he'd taken down the Azure Ox-Serpent.

"Luffy, help me up," Ben said weakly, noticing his heavily bandaged body.

Luffy rushed to his side and helped him sit up.

"I'm starving. Get me something to eat," Ben said, his stomach growling louder than his injuries.

"On it!" Luffy dashed off and returned with a massive bowl of meat.

Ben's mouth watered at the sight, but he couldn't move. Luffy, oblivious, just stood there drooling.

"Thud!"

Dadan appeared behind Luffy and smacked him on the head.

"Someone who just woke up can't eat something so heavy. Ben, here's some congee. Eat this. Luffy, you finish that meat, or I'll beat you!"

Dadan shoved Luffy aside and began feeding Ben spoonfuls of congee.

Watching Luffy devour the meat while he was stuck with congee, Ben couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. If only I had the Gomu Gomu no Mi. Even wrapped in bandages, Luffy can still eat like a king.

"Kid, we found this ring in your hand when we picked you up," Dadan said, handing over a broken ring.

Ben sighed. If it hadn't been for Water Dragon's Affinity's final technique, he would've died. But the strain of using it had destroyed the Imperial Arm.

"System, recycle Water Dragon's Affinity."

The final attack, Blood Blade Kill, had used Ben's blood on the Ox-Serpent as a medium to trigger an internal explosion. Even a creature as powerful as the Azure Ox-Serpent couldn't withstand its own blood exploding from within.

"Kid, rest up for now. I'll go get something for you," Dadan said before leaving the room.

Meanwhile, Luffy continued chattering away at Ben, oblivious to the fact that his friend needed rest.

Ten minutes later…

"Thud!"

"Luffy, how many times do I have to tell you? Ben needs to rest. If I catch you here again, no meat for a week! You—"

"I'm going to find Ace!"

Before Dadan could finish, Luffy bolted out of the room. A week without meat was probably the worst punishment imaginable for him.

Dadan returned with a box that emitted a faint chill.

"This is the gallbladder of the Azure Ox-Serpent. You earned it, so eat it quickly. Even in an ice cellar, it can't be preserved for more than five days. If you'd woken up any later, I would've given it to Luffy and the others. Waste not, want not."

Ben took the box from Dadan, but the moment he touched it, he yelped, "Cold, cold, cold!" and nearly dropped it.

"Kid, hold it steady! Oh, right, you're injured. You can't even lift it," Dadan said, opening the box to reveal a pumpkin-sized gallbladder.

"How… am I supposed to eat this?"

Ben stared at the massive gallbladder, swallowing hard. If he wasn't mistaken, this was the Ox-Serpent's bile sac. Even before tasting it, he could imagine the bitter, foul flavor.

"How? It's simple."

Dadan pulled out a straw and stuck it into the gallbladder.

"Here."

Ben's eye twitched as he took the straw. This thing is like a coconut? he thought, horrified.

Despite his reluctance, Ben remembered stories from wuxia novels and cultivation tales where eating a snake's gallbladder granted immense power. Taking a deep breath, he sucked hard on the straw.

Instantly, a wave of bitterness, fishy stench, and metallic blood taste overwhelmed his senses.

"…"

"Don't you dare spit it out! This thing is great for your injuries," Dadan said, clamping a hand over Ben's mouth.

Under Dadan's stern supervision, Ben reluctantly finished the gallbladder. It was not a pleasant experience.

"Warning! The Silver Treasure Chest will disappear soon! Warning! The Silver Treasure Chest will disappear soon!"

Suddenly, the system's voice echoed in Ben's mind.

"How much time do I have left?" Ben asked urgently.

"Countdown: Ten minutes. Nine minutes and fifty-nine seconds…"

"What?!" Ben exclaimed.

He hadn't realized the treasure chest had a time limit. If he didn't claim it soon, it would vanish.

"You're not going anywhere. You need to rest, or you'll die," Dadan said sternly.

"Dadan, how long would it take you to get to the mountaintop from here?" Ben asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

"At full speed? About five or six minutes," Dadan replied, eyeing him curiously.

"What if you take me with you?"

"With your injuries? At least half an hour."

"I can't wait that long—"

"Thud!"

Ben tumbled out of bed, ignoring the pain from his wounds. He looked up at Dadan with determination.

"Fine, I'll—"

"Eight minutes! I have eight minutes left! Dadan, I left something important up there. It's going to disappear in eight minutes. Please, take me!"

In the end, Dadan relented. She scooped Ben up and raced toward the mountaintop.

Seven minutes later, they reached the cave.

"It's inside, about a hundred meters in."

Following Ben's directions, Dadan sped up.

A few seconds later, Ben saw it—the Silver Treasure Chest, glowing with a sacred light.

"Claim it!"