With a single thought, Liam Ross vanished. One moment he was standing in his cramped dorm room, the next, it was utterly empty.
Under his new invisible state, Liam moved toward the mirror. What reflected back was nothing just a blank stretch of glass. Yet he was right there, standing before it. That alone showed the power of his perfected invisibility technique.
"With this ability, daily sign-ins are going to be way easier," he murmured, his voice echoing softly in the empty room.
A flicker of concentration, and his reflection suddenly returned to the mirror. His lips curled slightly upward into a satisfied smile. With the perfect version of the Invisibility Technique, he could finally sneak into places he had only dreamed of before places like the Fleet Admiral's office, the admirals' quarters, and other top-secret areas of Marine Headquarters that few dared to even look at.
The thought alone filled him with giddy excitement.
Time passed like flowing water.
In the blink of an eye, Liam had been at Marine Headquarters for a full month.
With his invisibility skill perfected, no one could detect him unless they had Observation Haki honed to monstrous levels like Katakuri's. And because his version was a "perfect" form of the technique, even that might not be enough.
There was even one time when every admiral and vice admiral gathered for a high-level meeting. Liam had quietly slipped in, stood in a corner unseen, listened for a few minutes, then slipped out again without leaving a trace.
Audacious didn't even begin to describe it.
Still, over the past month, his strength had grown immensely. His system ranked his combat power as "Top-Tier Second Class" stronger than the Supernovas and at least on par with the Shichibukai. By his own estimation, he could probably defeat Gecko Moria without too much trouble. That put him around the level of a Marine Rear Admiral.
Setting the mop against the wall, Liam sat down and summoned his personal skill panel:
Six Powers (Rokushiki)
Shave (Soru): 450/1000 (Excellent)
Iron Body (Tekkai): 220/1000 (Excellent)
Paper Art (Kami-e): 860/1000 (Excellent)
Moonwalk (Geppo): 200/1000 (Excellent)
Tempest Kick (Rankyaku): 200/1000 (Excellent)
Finger Gun (Shigan): 750/1000 (Excellent)
Swordsmanship: 550/1000 (Excellent)
Marksmanship: 0/100 (Proficient)
Armament Haki: 500/1000 (Excellent)
Observation Haki: 100/1000 (Excellent)
Earth-Earth Fruit: 500/1000 (Excellent)
Invisibility Technique: Perfected
Insight Technique: Intermediate
His recent power-ups had come mostly from weekly bonus rewards those random "lucky packs" the system gave him. From those, he'd received Observation Haki, marksmanship, and the Insight Technique.
For now, his plan was to focus on improving both forms of Haki and further developing his Devil Fruit. Experience cards helped, but they were random. Signing in at special locations could earn him mid-level cards, while normal morning and evening sign-ins usually gave him low-level ones or useless junk.
A low-level experience card gave 10 points.
Mid-level gave 50.
High-level gave 100.
Anything beyond that was still a mystery to him.
"Liam! What are you standing around for? Once you're done here, go clean the training hall!"
The roar came from the logistics office. It was his supervisor, Buck, his voice harsh as ever.
"Got it!" Liam called back cheerfully.
He didn't mind the tone. Times were different now. With his current strength enough to rival a Rear Admiral he could crush Buck like an ant if he wanted. But he didn't.
He knew the saying: The gun that sticks out gets shot first.
Despite his growing power, Liam understood that going up against true monsters like Akainu or Kizaru, both full-fledged admirals, would still end badly for him. Until he became genuinely unstoppable, it was better to stay low, keep improving quietly, and not draw attention.
Besides, cleaning was part of his official duties. Complaining would only waste time.
Picking up his mop and bucket, Liam left the logistics department and headed toward the training hall. Along the way, he nodded and greeted several soldiers he'd grown friendly with.
When he reached the training grounds, he could already hear the sound of fierce fighting fists colliding, shockwaves echoing.
He frowned slightly. "Weird. Who's sparring at this hour?"
Curiosity got the better of him. He pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside with his mop and bucket in hand.
The moment he entered, a massive hound made entirely of molten magma lunged straight toward him, its jaws gaping wide and blazing like a volcano.
"Holy crap!"
Liam's heart jumped into his throat. His instincts screamed at him to use Soru to dodge, but just as he was about to move
A blur of motion flashed before his eyes.
Someone stepped between him and the magma beast, throwing a punch that completely dispersed the attack in one clean strike.
"You alright?" the man asked, glancing back at him.
Liam froze when he saw who it was a Marine officer wearing a Major's uniform. His sharp eyes, calm demeanor, and distinct features were unmistakable.
Monkey D. Dragon.
The man who would one day lead the Revolutionary Army. The world's most wanted criminal. And, of course, the father of Monkey D. Luffy.
Liam blinked in disbelief. So this is before he defected…
"I'm fine," Liam said quickly, forcing a smile. "Thanks to you, sir."
If not for Dragon's intervention, he would've been forced to reveal his strength.
Just then, another figure approached a man in a crimson shirt with a Marine cap and a long sword strapped to his back. His expression was as cold and rigid as the lava he commanded.
"Who authorized you to enter this area, soldier?" Akainu demanded, his voice sharp and furious.
Liam clenched his jaw. This damn dog...
"I was ordered by my superior to clean the training hall," Liam said flatly, his tone edged with irritation.
He didn't particularly hate Akainu, but the admiral's previous attack had nearly killed him, and now the man acted as though he was the one at fault. The hypocrisy made his blood boil.
Akainu's eyes narrowed. "Watch your tone, soldier. Is that how you speak to your superiors?"
Liam met his glare without flinching. "With all due respect, sir, a superior officer should at least take responsibility for nearly burning a subordinate alive. Or does rank mean we're expendable to you?"
The temperature in the room seemed to spike. A few Marines nearby froze, their eyes darting nervously between the two.
Even though Akainu outranked him by worlds, Liam didn't back down. He'd had enough of people like this those who saw power as permission to trample others.
Akainu's face darkened. "You insolent little "
"That's enough, Sakazuki," Dragon cut in sharply.
He stepped between them, his voice calm but firm. "The soldier is right. You're a Vice Admiral. You should know better than to unleash lethal attacks without considering collateral damage."
Akainu glared at him, clearly unhappy, but Dragon ignored him and turned toward Liam.
"What's your name, soldier?"
"Liam Ross, sir."
Dragon nodded. "Liam, it was my sparring session with Vice Admiral Sakazuki that nearly harmed you. Whether or not you were supposed to be here, it was our mistake. On behalf of both of us, I sincerely apologize."
Then, without hesitation, he bowed deeply.
Liam's eyes widened. Even Akainu's expression faltered for a moment.
A Major bowing to a low-ranking janitor? That was unheard of. If word got out, it would shake Marine Headquarters to its core.
And yet, in that moment, Liam couldn't help but feel an unexpected respect for Dragon a man powerful enough to stand tall, and humble enough to bow low.
No wonder he becomes a legend, Liam thought. The man's got both strength and soul.