"Where's that brat, Kai?"
Only after calming himself a little did Garp finally ask.
"In his room," Dadan replied honestly.
She led Garp down the narrow corridor until they stopped in front of a wooden door.
Knock, knock, knock!
Her fist landed firmly.
"Kai, your grandpa's here," she called out.
Creak—
The door slowly swung open.
Kai's eyes fell first on Garp, then on Dadan, and finally on a somewhat unfamiliar marine officer standing beside them. His gaze shifted once more—
and caught sight of Ace lying unconscious in the hallway.
"Ahem."
Kai coughed lightly, trying to ease the awkward tension. He quickly offered an explanation:
"That wasn't intentional. The power just erupted from my body… I couldn't control it."
Hearing this, Garp nodded in understanding.
"Of course. At this stage, it's impossible for you to control such a power. If you already could, I'd drag you to Marineford this instant!"
Indeed, no one who first awakened Conqueror's Haki could control it right away. It required time, gradual training, and discipline.
"Do you know," Garp asked, eyes sharp, "what that power you unleashed is called?"
Without waiting for Kai to answer, Garp continued:
"It's called Conqueror's Haki! The rarest of powers—born only once in a million! The mark of a king!"
"Across this vast sea, among countless fearsome pirates and powerful marines, there are very few who can awaken it. One in a million, that's all."
"Now, you understand how rare this gift truly is."
"…I understand," Kai nodded. He already knew.
Garp's gaze softened, but his voice carried weight:
"This power is mighty. But for your body, it's a heavy burden. If you use it recklessly, you'll harm yourself, and you could harm others as well."
"Until the time is right, don't use it unless you must. I'll find someone to teach you how to wield it properly."
"Yes, Grandpa," Kai replied firmly.
He knew his body wasn't ready. What had happened earlier was nothing more than his spirit bursting out of control. But with his hundredfold training boost, he had confidence. Even without outside help, he believed he could master Conqueror's Haki within a month.
After leaving him with stern warnings not to overtrain, Garp finally turned to leave with Bogard. His heart was still pounding, shaken by what he had witnessed tonight.
Kai, meanwhile, looked helplessly at the mess in the house.
"Kai," Dadan said, her voice serious, "don't you dare unleash that power again. We can't handle it. Even I… I was only lucky not to pass out."
Thinking back on the crushing aura, a chill ran down her spine. Against the Conqueror's Haki, a mere bandit leader like her was powerless.
"Don't worry, I won't," Kai reassured her.
"Good. Leave this mess to me. You go rest. You must be exhausted—both body and spirit. Don't push yourself into lasting damage."
"…Thanks."
Seeing the concern in Dadan's expression, Kai felt an unexpected warmth in his heart. For a rough mountain bandit, she was surprisingly kind.
He returned to his room, collapsed onto his wooden bed, and stared out the window. A crushing fatigue overtook him, dragging his eyelids shut.
"My body's still too weak. Even if I'm ten times stronger than a normal man, it's not enough to withstand the Conqueror's Haki yet. I need more training…"
Resolved, he whispered to himself:
"System, pull up my status."
[Host: Kai]
[Strength: 7.5 (+0.8)]
[Speed: 6.8 (+0.7)]
[Stamina: 8 (+0.9)]
[Spirit: 10 (+10)]
[Ghost Back Completion: 10.03%]
[Training Effect Multiplier: 100x]
Smiling with satisfaction, Kai drifted into sleep.
Outside, Garp stepped out of the house, raised his head to the night sky—
and suddenly burst into booming laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
His laughter echoed through the forest, scattering the beasts that lurked nearby.
At his side, Bogard glanced at him, silently realizing—
Vice Admiral Garp finally had a successor.
Garp's laughter wasn't just from pride in Kai's talent.
It was because—
he now had something to brag about to his old friend Sengoku!
"Bring me the Den Den Mushi," Garp ordered with a grin.
"I'm going to share this glorious news with that old coot!"
Bogard's mouth twitched. Share the news? More like rubbing it in Sengoku's face…
But he dared not say it aloud.
"Vice Admiral, is this really a good idea? It's the middle of the night. Fleet Admiral Sengoku is probably asleep…"
"Bah, nonsense! Just give me the damn Den Den Mushi."
Garp rolled his eyes.
"So what if he's asleep? My grandson awakened Conqueror's Haki at three years old! This is worth waking him up for!"
"Back then, did he ever hesitate to brag to me? No! Now it's my turn!"
"Kai, that brat… truly makes me proud!"
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