"Beginner's Insight Talisman?"
Luoyu raised his eyebrows in mild surprise.
Ordinarily, getting a few attribute points from a daily check-in was already a decent reward.
He hadn't expected that his first punch-in at Marineford as a Vice Admiral would actually grant him something extra.
This was definitely a first.
"Haha! Luoyu, you finally made it!"
Garp's loud laugh echoed, even as he shoved a handful of rice crackers into his mouth. He turned to the side and said, "See, Sengoku? Didn't I tell you? Luoyu is my personally trained disciple. When it comes to punctuality, he's rock solid."
"He said nine o'clock—and here he is."
"Shut up!" Sengoku's face twitched as he turned around and smacked Garp on the back of the head. He then leapt from the balcony and descended.
Everyone had already been waiting for an hour, and this guy still had the nerve to claim Luoyu was punctual?
Luoyu immediately spotted three more figures leaping down behind Sengoku. Clearly, that hour of waiting had been sheer torment for them.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Garp, Chief Instructor Zephyr, and Vice Admiral Tsuru!" Luoyu took the initiative, offering a rare, formal salute.
Sengoku's stiff expression relaxed slightly.
As the top leader of Marine Headquarters, the last thing he wanted was a difficult soldier. Luoyu's tactful gesture put him at ease.
"So, you're Luoyu? Garp and Zephyr have been singing your praises so often, I'm growing calluses in my ears." Sengoku gave him a once-over before continuing,
"These three are the current Admirals: Akainu (Sakazuki), Kizaru (Borsalino), and Aokiji (Kuzan)."
"No need for pleasantries," Akainu scoffed as he stepped forward, his face cold as ever.
"This is the first time I've ever waited an hour for a rookie."
"You should already be aware—Zephyr and Garp nominated you for an Admiral position."
"Originally, I planned to personally test you in combat to judge whether you're worthy of that seat."
"But Fleet Admiral Sengoku saw through my intentions and forbade me from using force."
"So, I had to come up with something else."
As he spoke, Akainu stepped forward and extended his right hand. Instantly, a dense coating of Armament Haki, black as ink, surged across his arm, exuding a metallic, indestructible presence.
"According to Garp, you haven't yet mastered either form of Haki."
"Now, I will personally guide you in Haki training. Only when you've mastered both Armament and Observation Haki will you be deemed qualified to become an Admiral."
Akainu's voice was steady but carried immense pressure.
Zephyr's face changed immediately. "Sakazuki! Learning both types of Haki takes at least half a year or more—you're exploiting a loophole in the assessment!"
Sengoku and Tsuru's expressions darkened as well. None of them had expected the usually hot-blooded Akainu to come up with such a strategic move.
"Hmph. Zephyr-sensei, I'm doing this to prevent someone from going out to sea under the Admiral's title and disgracing Marine Headquarters." Akainu sneered.
"Don't forget, I'm doing this for his sake. I'm not denying that he has the potential—but he needs time."
"If he manages to master Haki, I'll have no objections to him becoming Admiral."
"Of course, if Zephyr-sensei and Fleet Admiral Sengoku believe my approach is wrong, you're free to assign someone else to administer the test. Just don't blame me when others refuse to accept the outcome."
Zephyr and Sengoku's faces turned slightly ashen.
Akainu's words may have been tactless, but they made sense.
More importantly, if Akainu personally administered the test and approved the promotion, Luoyu would gain far more legitimacy in the eyes of the rank and file.
To replace him now would surely spark resentment and controversy.
All eyes turned to Luoyu.
"Chief Instructor Zephyr, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, no need to be upset. Admiral Sakazuki is only trying to help me gain credibility within the Navy," Luoyu said calmly, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses.
"Besides, Admiral Sakazuki has already stated—if I can master both types of Haki, I qualify for the Admiral position."
"That's a tremendous favor. Who knows—maybe I'll have an epiphany and awaken tomorrow?"
Luoyu wasn't unfamiliar with Haki. Over the past year, he'd repeatedly attempted to awaken it under Garp's guidance.
But he'd never been able to grasp the secret.
Garp once said that what he lacked was real combat experience and mental fortitude—time was needed for that to develop.
But Luoyu had never taken that too seriously.
As someone with a cheat system, he believed firmly that as long as he kept clocking in, awakening Haki was only a matter of sooner or later.
"Hmm?"
Luoyu suddenly recalled the reward he had just received.
With a shift of thought, the item info for the Beginner's Insight Talisman popped open.
Item: Beginner's Insight TalismanEffect: Allows instant comprehension of martial techniques and secret arts.
Duration: 30 minutes.
Martial techniques and secret arts?
Luoyu blinked.
Could this reward be from some other dimensional world?
If used here... could he instantly master the dual Haki forms?
"Luoyu, I don't agree with Zephyr and Garp nominating you for Admiral. But seeing that you understand your place, I won't say more. I just hope you learn Haki quickly." Akainu threw out those parting words and left.
Many onlookers sighed in disappointment.
They had gathered hoping to see a clash between the newcomer and the Admirals.
Now it all ended without a fight.
The anticlimax was real.
Zephyr and Sengoku fell silent.
As veterans of Marine Headquarters, they naturally wanted to see another peak-level powerhouse rise quickly.
But Akainu's words were impossible to refute.
In the New World, strength mattered—but so did one's mastery of Haki.
And with Luoyu stuck at this bottleneck, no one could argue against it.
"Admiral Sakazuki, don't worry—I'll master Haki soon enough," Luoyu said, withdrawing into his mind space.
"Chief Instructor Zephyr, would you demonstrate both forms of Haki for me?"
Teach you Haki?
Zephyr was momentarily stunned. "Luoyu, you think you can learn both just by watching once?"
"Haki training, as Garp must've told you, requires countless battles and years of experience."
"Trying to cram now won't—"
He paused, then relented with a sigh. "Forget it. Since you've made up your mind, I'll take this opportunity—while everyone is still here—to demonstrate both forms once. But don't get your hopes up too high."
"Whether you become an Admiral now or later makes little difference. There's no need to rush."