Three days later.
The weather was clear, the sky a flawless blue.
Over the vast azure sea, the golden sunlight shimmered across the waves, scattering dazzling halos of light.
The sun was warm,
The sea breeze is cool.
A massive battleship, flying the Marine's white seagull flag high, slowly cut across the distant waters. Its steel hull split the sea surface, sending ripples and white foam cascading outward.
Splash—!
The waves lapped gently, producing crisp, melodious sounds—
like music played by the ocean itself.
By now, after three days of steady sailing, the battleship had reached the midpoint of the Grand Line.
From here to the Marine Headquarters at Marineford...
The journey would take about ten more days.
At their current pace, and assuming no unexpected incidents, they would arrive safely at Marineford in ten days' time.
During these three days,
The hundreds of Marine s aboard had eaten so much Sea King meat that they were nearly sick of it.
After endless feasts,
even the refrigerated storage—once overflowing with Sea King carcasses—was beginning to empty out.
As for Kai,
he had continued his relentless, devil-like daily training regimen.
Even though his growth each day was incremental, he refused to waste even a single moment.
No matter how slight his improvements, he never allowed himself to slack off or grow discouraged.
What's more,
Since the day he tore a Sea King apart with his bare hands, Kai had fully mastered one of the Rokushiki's ultimate techniques—Life Return.
Now, aside from his grueling physical training, he dedicated fixed hours every day to practicing and refining this new ability.
The results were clear.
Kai's control and understanding of Life Return improved visibly by the day.
With his body's increasing strength combined with his growing mastery over the Rokushiki's essence his overall power was rising at a remarkable pace.
In just these short three days,
his combat strength had multiplied several times over!
That day,
Having just finished his daily Life Return practice, Kai stepped out of his cabin.
Creaaak—!
The door swung open,
and a flood of golden sunlight poured in from the horizon.
Warm light flowed into him, seeping deep into his bones.
The glare made him instinctively raise an arm to shade his eyes.
A cool sea breeze brushed his face,
and he half-closed his eyes, quietly savoring the peacefulness of the moment.
Life at sea—
monotonous,
yet never truly dull.
In his free time,
Kai would dive into the ocean and challenge Sea Kings barehanded, further sharpening his life-and-death combat instincts.
"Three days of training…"
"It's about time I found someone to test where I currently stand."
"After mastering Life Return, just how far up the ladder have I climbed on this sea?"
His eyes flickered with intent.
The only opponents he'd had lately were the Sea Kings lurking beneath the waves,
but such fights were becoming meaningless.
He needed—
a strong human opponent.
Someone who could truly test his strength.
But who?
On this entire battleship, there were only two men worthy of the title—
Vice Admiral Garp…
and Lieutenant Commander Bogard of the Marine Headquarters.
Naturally, Kai wasn't suicidal enough to pick Garp.
The gap between them was far beyond a single step.
Garp was one of the sea's true monsters—
even one of his hands would be enough to crush Kai where he stood.
So, next best…
Bogard.
Bogard might only hold the rank of Lieutenant Commander, but as Garp's long-time subordinate and confidant, his real combat power far surpassed his formal title.
Even many full colonels at Headquarters might not be able to defeat him.
In short—
Bogard likely had the strength of a colonel-level officer.
A perfect test subject.
Having made up his mind,
Kai strode swiftly across the expansive deck,
eyes scanning the bustling sailors, searching for Bogard's figure.
As he walked,
the sunlight caught the faint scar across his chest—
a relic from the battle three days ago when he had torn a Sea King barehanded.
The once-gaping wound had long since healed, leaving behind only a faint white line.
Such was the resilience of Kai's body.
Though only four years old,
his physical attributes—strength, defense, regeneration—had long surpassed human limits.
That wound, inflicted by a Sea King's claws, had closed and healed completely within two days—
without any medical treatment at all.
The scar was the only trace that it had ever existed.
Soon,
Kai spotted Bogard on the deck,
busily directing his men as they hauled crates and supplies back and forth.
Rather than interrupt, Kai quietly leaned against the wooden railing, closed his eyes, and let the cool breeze wash over him as he waited.
"You lot, get those crates to the storage hold!"
"And—"
"Helmsman, adjust our heading! The lookout reported signs of a storm forming ten kilometers southeast, at seventy-nine degrees—make sure we steer clear of that sector!"
After issuing his orders, Bogard wiped the sweat from his brow and exhaled heavily.
Only then did he notice Kai standing silently nearby, clearly waiting for him.
"Mr. Kai? What brings you here?"
Bogard raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
"I came to find you, Lieutenant Commander Bogard."
Kai's tone was calm, but his eyes gleamed.
"Find me? For what?"
Bogard was confused.
Why would this prodigy suddenly seek him out?
But before he could ponder further—
Kai lifted his head, meeting Bogard's gaze head-on.
In his eyes burned a bright, unwavering battle spirit.
Then, with complete seriousness, he said:
"Lieutenant Commander Bogard, would you mind sparring with me?"
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