Chapter 51

"Follow me. I've already arranged your lodging."

Luo En followed behind him, walking toward the residence the Navy Headquarters had arranged for him.

After arriving at the lodging.

Luo En had just set down the famed blade Lei Qie on his back and the bundle containing his luggage and clothes.

The system's prompt sounded in his mind.

【Beep. Detected that the host is currently in the area — Navy Headquarters, Marineford. Sign-in conditions are met. Sign-in can be performed to obtain sign-in rewards. Sign in?】

"Sign in."

【Sign-in successful. Obtained sign-in reward: Qi and Blood +10.

Obtained sign-in reward: Armament Haki level increased.】

Luo En instantly felt some changes occurring within his body.

The Armament Haki hardening of his flesh, which he had previously been unable to do, now seemed possible.

"System, list my current attributes."

【Okay.】

【Host: Luo En.

Age: 11.

Qi and Blood Value: 623.

Swordsmanship: Intent Realm (Initial Entry)

Sun Breathing mastery: 67%.

Weapon: Great Grade Sword, Twenty-One Crafts — Lei Qie.

Permanent buff: True Meaning of Tempering Through Trials (Binding…)

Armament Haki: lv3.

Observation Haki: lv0.

Conqueror's Haki: lv0.

Skill: Mechanical Mastery.】

……

(PS: Begging for some flowers, ratings, and bookmarks…)

A quick chat.

This chapter counts as this author-bug's detailed response to the issues currently appearing in this book.

First, regarding chapters nine and ten, where those pirates were let go.

At the time, the protagonist had taught them a lesson many times while on their ship. The reason he didn't kill them was that he needed them to sail the ship. When he left, he also took all their money and food. Even though the protagonist didn't kill them, they had no way to survive on the sea. Perhaps this author-bug didn't write it clearly enough, but he absolutely wasn't being a saint.

Second, regarding chapters eight and nine, where no trouble was sought against those who spread rumors and talked nonsense.

The people on the small island were all weak. As long as they could protect themselves, good people could do bad things. You could say they were a pitiful, pathetic bunch. In the protagonist's eyes, the one who led the heckling was the same. Looking at them only strengthened his resolve to grow stronger. It just so happened the protagonist himself planned to leave this small island, so he took this opportunity. He wasn't a saintly do-gooder.

Third, Sun Breathing.

Sun Breathing is from Demon Slayer. Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the ceiling of combat power, created Sun Breathing himself based on the principles of the Breathing techniques he had mastered.

Sun Breathing is the origin Breathing, the ancestor and foundation of all Breathing techniques.

Sun Breathing alone, or rather Hinokami Kagura, was learned by the protagonist when his Sun Breathing mastery reached 1%. As the protagonist's mastery of Sun Breathing continued to increase, he drew closer and closer to Yoriichi Tsugikuni's level, and what he grasped was no longer just Sun Breathing alone, but the entire Breathing technique system.

Fourth, previously saying he wouldn't join the Navy, now proposing to become a Navy intern — isn't that double standards?

This book is this author-bug's first One Piece fanfic. In this author-bug's view, there is no true justice or evil in the One Piece world. Even Blackbeard can say things like "A man's dream… will never end!" The Navy and pirates are opposed to each other, but justice and evil are mixed together.

The protagonist isn't trying to form a gang and dominate the sea, nor is he joining the Navy to shoulder justice and change all this. He only wants to become a traveler pursuing freedom and doing as he pleases, while firming up his resolve to grow stronger. This point absolutely will not change.

What the protagonist, who is still in his growth period, is considering now is how to grow stronger, and how to grow stronger quickly.

Since he can rely on Garp to obtain a shortcut to growing stronger, then he'll just grab it.

Becoming a Navy specially-recruited intern will let him see more strong people, and with the warships he can also travel to various places.

Some commenters worry that becoming a Navy specially-recruited intern will restrict his freedom, that he won't be able to leave Marineford.

I think after the protagonist demonstrates his own value.

The Navy upper echelons will only consider how to firm up his sense of justice, so that he chooses to actively and firmly join the Navy for proper reasons. They won't set restrictions on his freedom; on the contrary, they'll treat him with all kinds of benefits.

Fifth, not referencing the readers' opinions from the comment section.

Um… actually, these chapters are all saved drafts, already written, and can't be heavily revised. I also didn't expect there would be so much opposition to becoming a Navy intern.

The issues I've seen for now are these. Consider this a summary.

This author-bug has already written up to about chapter seventy in the drafts. The protagonist has already left Marineford.

This author-bug still really likes One Piece. In One Piece, it's not just about growing stronger and dominating; there are also all kinds of clashes of beliefs. I find it all very interesting.

So this book doesn't want to be written as that somewhat monotonous all-the-way bulldoze, recruiting powerful companions, punching down Admirals, kicking the Four Emperors, dominating the sea (of course there will definitely be such plot later), but writing only that kind of stuff would feel a bit dull.

Later I also plan to come up with some interesting plot. If you have suggestions, you can also leave them under the suggestions building. I'll read them.

Although I don't know how this book will perform, I still want to write it well…

Um… that's about it,

The handsome bros reading this in front of the screen can just take it as a casual read,

If you want to flame, the comment section welcomes you. I won't delete comments, but please go easy on the venom ==

Finally, begging for flowers, ratings, bookmarks, and monthly tickets.

These past two days I haven't really moved, I don't have much motivation to write anymore…

43, Smoker: Don't be ridiculous! (1/5)

"Armament Haki has reached level 3, huh."

Luo En raised his right hand, clenched it into a fist, and with a single thought, his entire arm instantly turned pitch-black, hard as steel.

"This is… Hardening!"

Luo En gently clenched the arm reinforced by Armament Haki, feeling the power contained within. Compared to before he had used Armament Haki to harden it, both his defense and attack power had grown several times stronger.

This was still only his initial entry into Armament Hardening.

It was hard to imagine what kind of destructive force a powerhouse who had cultivated Armament Haki to its peak — like Garp — could unleash with a full-power punch backed by his blood and qi.

Wiping out a small island probably wouldn't even be a problem…

Luo En then tried again.

He discovered that his current Level 3 Armament Haki could only harden a single arm; he couldn't reinforce both arms at the same time.

Freely reinforcing his limbs, let alone his entire body, was still a distant goal.

"I'm still far from becoming a true powerhouse, as expected. I need to keep cultivating…"

Luo En gazed out the window, his fist clenched tight.

"It starts right here, Marineford!"

…………

He had just graduated from the Marine Academy.

Young chain-smoker Smoker, holding the rank of Lieutenant Commander, had just returned from a mission and hadn't even made it back to his quarters to rest.

A Marine from his graduating class came looking for him.

"Smoker, the Fleet Admiral wants you to come by."

"Huh? What is it?"

"No idea. You'd better head over quick — Vice Admiral Garp seems to be there too."

Smoker, a cigar clamped between his lips, scratched at his silver short hair combed back, looking a bit annoyed at the trouble, but still said:

"Got it. Heading to the main building, right?"

"No, seems like he wants you at the Marine Academy."

"Huh? The Marine Academy?"

Smoker was somewhat puzzled.

Carrying his doubts and confusion, Smoker arrived at the Marine Academy.

In the underground arena built specifically for students to spar and compete at the Marine Academy, Smoker saw Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Hero Garp, Marine Chief of Staff and Vice Admiral Tsuru, and Smoker's teacher at the Academy — Admiral Zephyr.

The four of them wore cloaks of justice, and just standing together, the pressure they exuded was more than an ordinary person could bear.

In the vast underground arena, aside from these four great figures.