Chapter 71: Internal Tempering
Meanwhile, in the dimly lit conference room on the upper floor of the headquarters castle, Sabo was reporting on his mission.
From Rhodes' assessment to defeat the Silver Fox, to his chance encounter with Vice Admiral Momousagi on Krinos Island, to Momousagi's acceptance of him as a disciple, to the trio's separation, and finally the rescue operation—Sabo recounted every detail impartially and without emotional bias.
He knew that in front of Dragon, any lies or personal feelings were pointless.
As the leader of the Revolutionary Army, having built such a vast organization from nothing, if he couldn't even distinguish truth from falsehood, he would have been infiltrated and eliminated by the World Government long ago.
"That's the complete report," Sabo said, standing respectfully. Though his expression appeared calm, he secretly observed Dragon's face from the corner of his eye, his inner composure clearly wavering.
Much like Luffy and Ace, Sabo was the type of person who, once he acknowledged someone, would consider them a friend for life.
Although he hadn't spent much time with Rhodes, he already held deep respect for this rare comrade of his age within the Revolutionary Army.
Rival and ally both.
"Do you have a favorable impression of Rhodes?" Dragon's tone was calm, his expression unreadable. Sabo had no idea what this enigmatic leader was thinking.
He paused for a moment before cautiously speaking, "Rhodes' character and principles are trustworthy, and his genuine disgust for the World Nobles and corrupt institutions is real."
"Not only me, but Koala also believes he won't be swayed by a Marine instructor."
Sabo couldn't help but tense up as he spoke.
Even though both he and Koala had assumed Dragon wouldn't pursue the matter, the uncertainty still weighed on him.
As they say, concern clouds judgment.
Within the Revolutionary Army, Sabo had few friends his own age, and Rhodes' behavior and personality resonated with him most strongly.
A heavy silence fell, the air oppressive and stifling.
After a long pause, Dragon suddenly said, "You're losing your composure. You can't shoulder the Revolutionary Army's future like this."
"I wouldn't doubt Rhodes just because of this incident."
Sabo finally breathed a sigh of relief, scratching his head awkwardly.
He knew his performance had been disappointing, but he didn't regret it. If he couldn't even care about his friends, there would be no point in living.
Puru puru puru...
Suddenly, the Den Den Mushi began ringing. Dragon raised his hand to answer it, and a voice quickly emerged from the other end—it sounded like Commander Morley of the Western Army.
"Dragon-san, the leader of the Kano Country branch has just been killed in action."
"Officer Sai is dead? What happened?"
"Killed by Capone Bege, the 'Gang leader' of West Blue, during negotiations over territory division. The Happo Navy was also involved."
"Understood. I'll immediately send someone to take charge of Kano Country's revolutionary operations."
Dragon hung up, deep in thought.
Neither the Happo Navy nor Capone Bege were opponents that ordinary officers, even senior ones, could easily handle.
Who should be sent?
Dragon pondered, suddenly looking up at Sabo. After years of training, Sabo's strength and capabilities were clearly more than adequate for the task.
Wait... there seemed to be another candidate!
In that case, let's compare these two. Fortunately, Ryuji was also at headquarters.
He thought for a moment, and a comprehensive plan formed in his mind.
Late at night, all was quiet.
Rhodes sat cross-legged on his bed, deep in meditation.
The Observation Haki of the pirate world differed from spiritual consciousness found in cultivation stories. It was an ability to sense the presence and emotions of living beings and couldn't be used for internal examination.
But Rhodes was different.
His enhanced perception had subtly altered Rhodes' Observation Haki, allowing him to vaguely "see" movements within his body, much like when his Armament Haki had first awakened.
However, compared to before, the images Rhodes could perceive were much clearer, and he could even distinguish specific regions.
At this moment, Rhodes sensed that his muscles and bones were the most vibrant and full of vitality, while his internal organs appeared slightly duller, as if struggling to keep up.
Just then, tiny, weak bolts of lightning suddenly flickered to life, flowing through his bloodstream and spreading in all directions. In the past, these electrical currents would only pass through his muscles and bones.
But this time, under careful control, they slowly approached his internal organs.
The electrical stimulation caused noticeable changes in his sensitive and fragile organs, making them contract slightly, as if twitching.
Chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, and countless other symptoms surfaced, nearly making him cough up blood. His skin flushed red, threatening to seep blood—this was the result of his heart's stimulation accelerating blood flow.
Such alarming symptoms made Rhodes' heart race. He was grateful he hadn't recklessly attempted internal organ tempering before.
"Stay calm..."
Rhodes' will was unshakeable. He quickly regained his composure and continued his slow, experimental work.
Gradually, drawing on his extensive experience, he quickly found the right balance, and the electrical current began stimulating his internal organs in a rhythmic pattern.
There was no significant discomfort—just like his first muscle and bone training session.
His meticulous preparation had ultimately paid off, allowing Rhodes to begin internal organ tempering without incident.
"Success..."
The thought flashed through his mind, and Rhodes focused all his attention on strengthening his internal organs.
He hadn't experienced this kind of nearly visible enhancement in a long time, and he'd missed the sensation.
Time passed slowly.
Rhodes could sense his internal organs' vitality rapidly strengthening.
The overall balance, previously disrupted by the significant disparity in strength between his external and internal development, was gradually being restored, and he felt much more harmonious.
The next morning, Rhodes opened his eyes, a flicker of satisfaction on his face.
"First internal tempering session—success!"
He slowly rose from the bed and took a few steps.
Perhaps it wasn't his imagination, but after this initial surge in internal organ strengthening, he felt as if his inner and outer selves had become unified and harmonious.
Every movement resonated with the rhythm of his internal organs.
The sensation was incredibly wondrous, as if his entire body had been completely revitalized. Even the air he breathed seemed fresher, his breathing smoother, and his internal organs felt as if they were functioning naturally and vibrantly.
"The most obvious change should be the significant increase in stamina!"
Rhodes concluded after brief experimentation.
Previously, his physical endurance was far inferior to that of truly seasoned warriors, and prolonged battles would have easily put him at a disadvantage.
But now, with his internal organs strengthened, this weakness had been overcome.
When his internal organs reached their optimal condition, he would become someone with incredible stamina.
Fighting for days and nights, or even weeks, would be no problem! Whether in battle or any other physical activity, he would be second to none in every sense.
End of Chapter 71
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