The chance to redeem the honor reward came only once.
And it had a strict 24-hour limit.
Missing it now would be nothing short of foolishness.
"System, redeem the honor reward."
Ding! Host, please wait…
Ding! Congratulations, Host has successfully redeemed the Million-Berry Salary Honor reward. You have obtained: Conqueror's Haki – One in a Million!
A string of ethereal system chimes echoed in Luo Yu's mind.
His brows lifted in disbelief—his expression filled with astonishment.
He had expected the reward to be like before: some odds and ends, minor skills, or small stat boosts.
He never imagined it would be a jackpot like this.
Even among the three types of Haki, Conqueror's Haki was the rarest of them all—yet here it was.
Forget one million, even ten million Berries would have been worth it!
"System, absorb immediately," Luo Yu said calmly.
For some time now, he had never stopped working toward awakening Haki.
According to Garp, to awaken Haki one needed time and experience—a journey of refining one's spirit through willpower. Only then could the "life force" honed through Rokushiki evolve into the dual-colored Haki.
In fact, the Six Powers were essentially simplified combat techniques distilled from Armament and Observation Haki by physical powerhouses within Marineford.
Under normal circumstances, Garp had estimated that Luo Yu would awaken Haki in three months at best, six months at worst.
But now, on his very first day reporting to Marineford, he had already obtained Conqueror's Haki.
All thanks to the system.
A warm current surged through his body, flowing into every cell.
Luo Yu could feel it distinctly—an instinct carved into his very bones, as if it had always been there.
With a mere thought, that innate Conqueror's Haki would erupt like a volcano.
The sensation of control, of effortless power, felt like a divine epiphany.
The method of using Conqueror's Haki etched itself into his consciousness—perfectly and completely.
"System, display status panel."
Host: Luo Yu
Strength:5200
Speed:5000
Endurance:6200
Doriki:5400
Skills:{Navy Six Powers; Rock-Crushing Flowing Fist; Basic Swordsmanship; Conqueror's Haki(Proficient)}
Luo Yu glanced at the sparse status screen and couldn't help but sigh.
He had assumed his first taste of Haki would be the common dual-color types that were all over the New World.
But to think, on the very first day in Marineford, he hit the jackpot.
When fortune comes knocking, it's truly unstoppable.
Looks like, from now on, he might consider slacking off a little less at work.
Just then, a voice rang out from beyond the courtyard:
"Luo… Luo Yu, are you in there? I can't hold her back anymore!"
Koby's voice came urgently.
The locked gate of the small yard creaked open.
Soon after, a cold-faced Ain stepped inside with quick strides.
"Luo Yu, you really are here. I told Colonel Ain I'd inform you first, but I couldn't stop her," Koby said hurriedly.
Luo Yu emerged from his inner system space, calmly adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, and smiled.
"Koby, don't worry. This has nothing to do with you."
"Colonel Ain, is there something I can help you with?"
"Help?" Ain's expression grew resolute. She bit her lip, gripped the short blade at her waist, and said with determination:
"I'm here to challenge you again!"
"Challenge me… again?" Luo Yu glanced at her coolly.
For a moment, the air in the courtyard seemed to freeze.
A subtle, oppressive presence swirled into being—as if an invisible hand gripped the hearts of all present.
Standing at the gate, Ain suddenly felt she couldn't breathe.
Under Luo Yu's tranquil gaze, her chest tightened with anxiety.
It reminded her of that same helpless dread from the day of the recruit massacre.
No—
This was worse.
Far more suffocating than anything she had felt that day.
It was as if she stood before a mountain… or perhaps something even greater.
What was going on?
Had she just challenged a beast?
Could this newcomer truly be more terrifying than the killer who slaughtered those recruits?
Her breath quickened. Her heartbeat pounded.
Her limbs trembled uncontrollably.
And as she recalled what had happened in the plaza earlier—
A strange thought crept into her mind.
The man before her, a peer in age, now felt like someone entirely different.
There was a calm, natural dominance embedded deep within his bones.
Who was this man?
Why did every fiber of his being exude such crushing force?
Countless attack strategies flashed through her mind—
Yet every instinct screamed the same thing:
No matter what she tried—even her most relied-upon Devil Fruit ability—she would lose.
There was no doubt.
So, in the end, Ain had only managed to speak the words of challenge… before her entire body locked up.
Sweat beaded on her brow, trailing down her cheeks to shatter on the ground like broken glass.
Koby and Helmeppo stared blankly.
This wasn't the duel they'd imagined. Not even close.
"This is my day off," Luo Yu said, withdrawing his gaze.
He took another sip of his homebrew and plopped down into his chair.
"I don't see any overtime pay on the table. So, I'll have to decline your challenge."
"If there's nothing else, I won't see you out. I'd prefer not to be disturbed on my rest day."
"Besides… you two don't get rest days, do you?"
"You—!" Ain gasped for breath.
Now that the oppressive pressure had dissipated, her body relaxed—her strength slowly returning.
But the sweat-soaked back of her uniform and the terror that had gripped her soul moments earlier…
Left her utterly humiliated.
Furious, she pulled a crisp document from her coat and slapped it onto the table with a sharp thud.
"Luo Yu, I will challenge you again!"
"This time, I'm here to deliver a message from Instructor Zephyr."
"By his recommendation, you've been directly promoted from recruit to Vice Admiral, and have received a formal nomination for Admiral Candidate."
"Instructor Zephyr instructed me to tell you: report to the Marineford headquarters office tomorrow at 9 a.m. sharp."
"If you pass the evaluation, you may rise to the rank of Admiral."
"Don't forget—this is Instructor Zephyr's trust in you. Don't you dare repay it with betrayal!"
Koby and Helmeppo were utterly dumbfounded.
They stared at the announcement Ain had just slammed onto the table, completely stunned.
They'd imagined Luo Yu might place well in the exam—enough to land a spot in Marineford.
At most, they thought he might be promoted to Commodore—maybe even Rear Admiral.
They had never—not even once—considered a Vice Admiral promotion straight off the bat.
And most shocking of all: the Admiral assessment awaiting Luo Yu.
They didn't even know what that trial would entail…
But one thing was clear:
If Luo Yu actually passed tomorrow's evaluation…
Then Marineford would welcome a fourth Admiral—something unprecedented in its history.
And Luo Yu…
Might very well become the youngest Admiral in history.