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The sky was clear, and not a single cloud marred the horizon.
The azure sea lay eerily still, its silence almost oppressive.
There wasn't even a trace of wind here. No waves rippled across the surface, making the scene profoundly unnatural.
"Splash splash…"
Suddenly, an enormous sea king with the head of a bull emerged from the tranquil waters. Its colossal form dwarfed most other sea kings, and as it leapt into the air, carving an arc through the sky, it clutched a smaller, seven- or eight-meter-long sea creature in its jaws. The sharp teeth sank deeply into the flesh of its prey before both vanished back beneath the waves, leaving behind only a crimson stain on the water's surface.
A massive sea slug, bearing a towering war fortress on its back, slowly advanced into this dreaded Calm Belt.
Even though Germa's "Warship" had been equipped with the latest technology—sea stone installed at its base to emit an ocean-like aura—it couldn't entirely eliminate the risk of being attacked by giant sea kings.
Of course, as long as they didn't linger for too long, the likelihood of such an encounter remained relatively low.
"It's so hot, Captain…"
Bepo, the polar bear who couldn't stand the heat, collapsed limply onto the deck after a morning of training. He panted heavily, his tongue lolling out. "Not even a breeze… I think I'm going to die…"
"Quiet down, Bepo…"
Drenched in sweat, Law continued to swing a heavy dumbbell nearby, working on his arm strength and swordsmanship. His movements were strained, but he gritted his teeth and persisted. "In this Calm Belt, the more you complain, the hotter you'll feel."
Given that his Devil Fruit ability required coordination with swordsmanship, Ichi advised him against focusing solely on physical combat techniques like Soru and Geppou. Instead, he emphasized building stamina and honing his sword skills first, postponing training in Observation Haki and Armament Haki until later.
Over the past two months in the Germa Kingdom, Law felt he had progressed more than he had in the previous six months combined. He couldn't help but lament how much time he'd wasted before.
With Germa's advanced technology, fans and other simple appliances were readily available. However, determined to temper his willpower, Law resolutely declined using them.
At the same time, he didn't want his loyal companion, who had followed him for years, to fall too far behind, which explained why poor Bepo looked so pitiful right now.
"And compared to Lord Ichi, our efforts are nothing," muttered Law under his breath.
During his stay at Germa headquarters, Law had been utterly astonished by Ichi's grueling training regimen. To think he trained by leveraging the crushing pressure of the deep sea—it sent shivers down one's spine. If it were anyone else, their body would have collapsed long ago.
"Tsk tsk~~~ It seems Doflamingo has truly been enraged…"
Seated on a large chair at the bow of the ship, reading today's newspaper headlines, Ichi chuckled softly. Wearing a white shirt and gray casual pants, his shoulder-length red hair swayed slightly in the faint motion of the ship. "Just these past two months alone, he's already taken down three or four pirates with bounties exceeding two or three hundred million Berries."
More than two months ago, the "demon" of Germa clashed inconclusively with Doflamingo, the "Heavenly Yaksha" among the Shichibukai—a battle that sparked no small amount of heated discussion.
After all, while the World Economic Press often hyped up Germa's prowess, seeing was believing, and hearing was suspect. Many unruly pirates in the New World doubted that a mere teenager could be all that formidable.
This skepticism led to widespread questioning of Doflamingo's strength as a Shichibukai.
In recent weeks, numerous pirates sought to challenge his position, including some with bounties reaching three or four hundred million Berries—no weaklings by any means.
Enraged, Doflamingo unleashed a bloody rampage, brutally crushing those who dared oppose him. This ferocious display served as a stern warning to others harboring similar ambitions.
After nearly two months, the ensuing turmoil finally began to subside.
"He was captured alive by you, yet he shamelessly claims it was inconclusive…" Gently massaging Ichi's shoulders, the beautiful Diliah pouted cutely in dissatisfaction. "Those reporters at the World Economic Press are writing nonsense—it's despicable!"
"Silly girl, Doflamingo isn't someone to be underestimated. If not for exploiting his momentary carelessness, coupled with the limitations imposed by fighting on the open sea where his Devil Fruit abilities couldn't fully manifest, the outcome of that battle might have been very different…"
Ichi laughed lightly, amused by her naivety.
With a playful smile, he reached up with his left hand and pinched Diliah's adorable cheek.
"Otherwise, a slippery character like Morganse, the editor-in-chief of the World Economic Press, wouldn't have given him such an easy pass…"
For this expedition to the West Blue, Ichi brought along only one Warship and five hundred Germa soldiers.
The primary reason was that after completing this mercenary mission, he planned to stay in the New World for a while.
Physical conditioning wasn't something that could be rushed. Even reaching his current level of physical prowess at such a young age was already extraordinary—and that was with his naturally monstrous physique.
Having waited so long, it was time for him to seek out a Devil Fruit and begin laying the groundwork for his plans. Time waits for no one.
Thanks to his "precognitive" information, Ichi had already identified a particularly powerful Devil Fruit that currently had no owner and was highly likely within his reach. That fruit would become his top priority.