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"Captain Ikki, your eyes are about to pop out," Nojiko remarked with a soft smile.
"Or do you mind me borrowing your clothes?"
Despite Ikki's gaze, she made no effort to cover herself further.
"I don't mind at all. Please feel free to dress like this in the future," Ikki replied, giving Nojiko an enthusiastic thumbs up and nodding emphatically.
Seeing this, Nojiko couldn't help but smile, the corners of her eyes curving like beautiful crescent moons.
Observing this exchange, Nami couldn't suppress a jealous pout.
"By the way, both of you are ready to advance to the next stage of training," Ikki announced.
"From now on, we'll incorporate these C-level nutritional potions into your practice regimen."
After confirming Nojiko's enhanced attributes following her victory over Tanjiro Kamado's shadow, Ikki raised his hand and retrieved four remaining bottles of nutritional medicine from his system space. He placed two bottles each into Nojiko's and Nami's hands.
"Are these new nutritional potions more effective than the previous ones?" Nojiko inquired, pursing her lips.
"Haha, you'll discover that for yourselves after using them," Ikki laughed.
"Trust me, once you've absorbed the effects of these two bottles of nutritional potions, you'll be fully qualified to enter the Grand Line."
In truth, if the full effect of a single C-level nutritional potion was realized, it could increase a person's health points by 500. Currently, both Nami and Nojiko possessed 500 health points each. After consuming two bottles of C-level nutritional potions, their Life Force points would reach 1500 points.
By that stage, Ikki believed that with their enhanced health points and sword skills, they could potentially compete even with Mr. 1, Crocodile's strongest Baroque Works agent.
"Thank you, Captain Ikki," Nojiko nodded gratefully.
Having developed a solid understanding of Ikki's character, she accepted his gift without hesitation.
She rolled her eyes playfully and smiled as if struck by an idea.
"Captain Ikki has been so kind to us; it wouldn't be right not to show our appreciation."
"No need for any gifts or special thanks..."
"That's not acceptable!" Nojiko interrupted Ikki.
She adjusted her sitting posture, kneeling before Ikki. Then, she raised her hands and pressed gently on his shoulders, causing him to lie back onto her lap.
'Is this... a lap pillow?' Ikki raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Looking up at Nojiko's slightly flushed face above him, his heart skipped a beat.
"Although I may not be very skilled at this, allow me to give you a head massage," Nojiko offered.
She raised her hands and placed them gently at Ikki's temples, applying gentle pressure.
"Hmm... not bad at all," Ikki murmured appreciatively.
When someone offered to give him a massage, Ikki, being something of a hedonist, naturally wouldn't decline. He simply closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation.
By this point, Nami's face was flushed with barely contained jealousy.
"Hey! I can do that too!" she declared.
Nami pouted and promptly knelt on the floor just as Nojiko had done.
She placed Ikki's calves on her lap and began gently massaging them.
Seeing this, Nojiko couldn't help but give Nami an amused look.
After a while, Tashigi—who had been practicing breath control in the pool according to Ikki's instructions—finally surfaced for air and opened her eyes.
When she observed the interactions between Ikki, Nami, and Nojiko, her face immediately turned crimson.
She quickly submerged her head under water again.
'I didn't see anything, I didn't see anything!' she thought frantically.
...
'System, I want to upload the sword 'Shigure'!' Ikki communicated mentally.
[Ding! Host has uploaded the famous sword 'Shigure'; the grade of this famous sword is Skillful Grade!]
[Congratulations to Host for earning one lottery opportunity.]
'Does a Skillful Grade sword only warrant one lottery draw?' Ikki wondered.
'I wonder if I might win a Zanpakutō to give to Nojiko.'
Ikki glanced at Nojiko before him, pursed his lips, and activated his sole lottery permission.
[Ding! Congratulations to Host for acquiring Zanpakutō 'Minazuki'!]
'What?! I actually obtained a Zanpakutō, and it's Retsu Unohana's Minazuki!'
Ikki's eyes widened with excitement, causing him to abruptly push himself up from Nojiko's lap.
"Captain Ikki, what's the matter?" Nojiko and Nami blinked in surprise, regarding Ikki with confused expressions.
"Haha, something wonderful has happened," Ikki explained, standing up smoothly.
He extended his hand to help Nojiko to her feet.
"Nojiko, come with me."
"I've prepared a sword for you."
Then, turning to Tashigi who was emerging from the water, he added:
"Tashigi, please continue your practice here."
"I'll return to check on your progress shortly."
With that, Ikki took Nojiko's hand and led her out of the bathhouse.
"Wait, Captain Ikki! Don't leave me behind!" Nami protested, stamping her foot before quickly following after them.
Tashigi blinked in the pool, her eyes tracking the departing figures of Ikki, Nojiko, and Nami.
"Sir Ikki, what a sinful man," she murmured to herself.
...
"Nojiko, from now on, you can use this sword," Ikki announced once they reached the Sword Room.
He handed the Zanpakutō 'Minazuki' he had just received from the system into her hands.
"Is this.... Tashigi's famous sword Shigure?" Nojiko asked, examining 'Minazuki' with a puzzled expression.
"Captain Ikki, you went to such lengths to obtain this famous sword from Tashigi," Nami observed, peering over Nojiko's shoulder.
"Are you really giving it to Nojiko to use?" Her eyes reflected the same confusion as Nojiko's.
"Haha, this sword is no longer called 'Shigure,'" Ikki explained with a smile.
"You may now call it the Zanpakutō 'Minazuki'!"
Ikki smiled broadly and activated the demonstration function for 'Minazuki.'