A Beginner Insight Talisman?
Lucas raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Normally, receiving a few attribute points from a check-in was already a decent reward.
But this was the first time he’d received a special item simply for checking in at Marine Headquarters as a Vice Admiral.
"Ha ha! Lucas, you finally made it!"
Garp burst into laughter, stuffing another rice cracker into his mouth before turning to the others.
"See, Sengoku? I told you! Lucas is a disciple I trained personally. His sense of timing is impeccable."
"I said he’d be here at nine, and here he is at nine."
"Shut up!"
The muscles in Sengoku’s face twitched as he smacked Garp on the back of the head.
"Everyone’s been waiting for an hour, and you still have the nerve to call that punctual?"
At that moment, Lucas noticed three more figures jumping down from the balcony behind Sengoku.
It was obvious that the hour-long wait had been torture for them as well.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Garp, Chief Instructor Zephyr, Vice Admiral Tsuru."
For once, Lucas took the initiative to salute.
Sengoku’s stiff expression softened slightly.
As the highest-ranking officer in the Marines, what he feared most were talented but uncontrollable subordinates.
Seeing Lucas behave so appropriately eased his concerns.
"So you’re Lucas."
Sengoku sized him up before speaking.
"Garp and Zephyr have been talking about you so much these past few months that my ears are practically calloused."
He then gestured toward the three men behind him.
"These are the current Admirals—Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan."
"Let’s skip the formalities."
Sakazuki stepped forward with his usual icy expression.
"This is the first time I’ve ever waited an entire hour for a rookie."
"You should already know that Chief Instructor Zephyr and Vice Admiral Garp jointly recommended you for Admiral Candidate."
"My original plan was to fight you personally and determine whether you truly deserved that position."
"But Fleet Admiral Sengoku anticipated that and specifically ordered me not to resolve this through force."
"So I came up with another method."
As he spoke, Sakazuki slowly raised his right arm.
Jet-black Armament Haki rapidly spread across it, coating the entire limb in a metallic sheen that radiated overwhelming solidity.
"According to Garp, you haven’t yet mastered the two standard forms of Haki."
"Therefore..."
"I’ll personally instruct you in Haki."
"If you can master both Armament Haki and Observation Haki, then you’ll have earned the qualifications to become an Admiral."
Zephyr’s expression changed instantly.
"Sakazuki!"
"Even for someone as talented as Lucas, mastering both forms of Haki would take at least several months—possibly half a year or more!"
"You’re exploiting a loophole in the assessment!"
Sengoku and Tsuru also frowned.
Neither had expected the usually straightforward Sakazuki to devise such an evaluation.
"Hmph."
Sakazuki snorted.
"Chief Instructor Zephyr, I’m doing this to prevent someone from sailing under the title of Admiral before he’s ready and embarrassing Marine Headquarters."
"Don’t misunderstand."
"I’m not saying he lacks the potential to become an Admiral."
"He simply needs more time."
"The day he masters both forms of Haki, I’ll have no objection whatsoever to his promotion."
"Of course..."
"If Fleet Admiral Sengoku or you believe my assessment is unfair, someone else can take over."
"I’m simply concerned that others won’t accept the outcome."
Zephyr and Sengoku exchanged troubled looks.
Sakazuki’s words were admittedly blunt.
Yet they were impossible to refute.
His method was both the safest and the fairest.
If Lucas earned Sakazuki’s approval...
No one in the Marines would question his qualifications.
Replacing Sakazuki now would only provoke more criticism.
For a moment, everyone’s eyes fell upon Lucas.
"Chief Instructor Zephyr. Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Lucas adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses without the slightest hint of concern.
"Please don’t worry."
"Admiral Sakazuki is only doing this so that everyone at Marine Headquarters will acknowledge my strength."
"Besides..."
"He already said that as long as I master the two standard forms of Haki, I can become an Admiral."
"That’s practically opening the door for me."
"Who knows?"
"I might suddenly have an epiphany tomorrow, awaken both forms of Haki, and become an Admiral the very same day."
Lucas wasn’t unfamiliar with Haki.
Over the past year, he’d repeatedly attempted to awaken it under Garp’s guidance.
He simply had never managed to grasp the key.
Garp’s conclusion had always been the same—
He lacked sufficient real combat experience and needed more time.
Lucas had never been particularly bothered by that.
After all...
As someone blessed with a system, he firmly believed awakening Haki was only a matter of luck arriving sooner or later.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, he remembered the reward he had just received.
With a thought, the information panel for the Beginner Insight Talisman appeared before him.
Item: Beginner Insight Talisman
Effect: Grants the user extraordinary insight into martial arts, combat techniques, and secret manuals, greatly accelerating comprehension and mastery.
Duration: 30 minutes
Martial arts and secret manuals?
Lucas was slightly surprised.
Could this reward have originated from some entirely different world?
If so...
Would it allow him to rapidly comprehend Haki in this world as well?
"Lucas."
Sakazuki turned to leave as he spoke.
"I still don’t agree with Zephyr and Garp recommending you for Admiral."
"But since you know your limits, I won’t say any more."
"I hope you master both forms of Haki as soon as possible."
Many of the onlooking Marines sighed in disappointment.
They had gathered here expecting to witness a clash between a rising prodigy and one of the current Admirals.
Instead...
The excitement had fizzled out before anything even happened.
The contrast was almost comical.
Zephyr and Sengoku also fell silent.
As veterans of the Marines, they naturally hoped the organization would gain another top-tier combatant as soon as possible.
Unfortunately...
Sakazuki’s reasoning was flawless.
In the New World, raw strength alone wasn’t enough.
Mastery of Haki was equally indispensable.
As long as Lucas couldn’t use either Armament or Observation Haki, there was simply no convincing argument against Sakazuki’s decision.
"Admiral Sakazuki."
Lucas emerged from his thoughts and spoke calmly.
"I’m sorry..."
"But I think I’ll learn both forms of Haki very soon."
He then turned toward Zephyr.
"Chief Instructor Zephyr..."
"Could you demonstrate the two standard forms of Haki for me once?"
"Demonstrate Haki?"
Zephyr blinked in surprise.
"Lucas..."
"Don’t tell me you’re planning to learn both forms of Haki after watching them just once?"
"Garp has already explained the fundamentals to you."
"Awakening Haki requires countless battles, accumulated experience, and the tempering of one’s will."
"Trying to cram at the last minute is..."
He paused before finally sighing.
"...Very well."
"Since you’ve made up your mind, I’ll use this opportunity—with everyone present—to give a complete demonstration."
"But don’t get your hopes up."
"As for becoming an Admiral..."
"It doesn’t matter whether it happens today or later."
"You don’t need to place so much importance on it."