Splash—splash—
The small boat once again began its return voyage.
This time, Bullet was following Arthur.
"Hmm…"
Arthur glanced at Bullet, deep in thought, already considering how to train him. The boy was simply too young—barely six years old. At that age, he was still just a child.
And yet—
Arthur had to admit, Bullet was monstrously gifted. At such a young age, his talent was already undeniable. After all, Bullet would one day destroy his homeland at fourteen, and by fifteen his power would surge like a storm sweeping the seas.
It was true genius. If not for his imprisonment in Impel Down later in life, given the chance to keep growing freely upon the seas, Bullet would have become unimaginably terrifying.
"Bullet."
"Yes, Lord Arthur!"
Barrett straightened seriously, and Arthur smiled without correcting him. That was the proper attitude of a knight.
"Bullet, from now on, your focus will be on replenishing your body's nutrition and undergoing basic training. As for advanced training—you're still far too young."
"But…"
Bullet's eyes burned with impatience. He wanted to grow stronger in the shortest possible time.
Arthur, however, spoke firmly:
"Don't rush. Strength comes step by step—no one can leap to the top overnight. You're only six. If you push yourself recklessly now, the flaws in your body will cripple you later. That's the price of haste."
"Yes!"
Bullet didn't fully understand, but he trusted Arthur wouldn't mislead him.
"Relax. Even if it's just basic training, Bullet—if you can't endure it, that would be truly shameful."
"Lord Arthur!" Bullet's eyes sharpened instantly. "Don't worry. I'll endure it. I'll prove my worth!"
Arthur chuckled softly. There was no need to rush. Time itself would forge the boy. For now, steady growth was what mattered.
---
Thus began Bullet's rigorous foundation training under Arthur.
"Oi, oi… that brat Bullet's a genius too, huh?"
"Of course! Bro Arthur's a monster, and now that little brat's the same!"
"Yeah!"
The dozen pirates aboard whispered among themselves. Even though Arthur called it "basic training," they knew that if they attempted it, they'd probably die. That a six-year-old boy could endure it was beyond comprehension.
Yet Bullet did. No matter how exhausting each day was, he would rise the next and continue without hesitation. His physique strengthened at a pace visible to the naked eye.
And more shocking still—
In just half a month, Bullet had already begun to grasp the embryonic forms of Armament Haki and Observation Haki. Though rough and unrefined, it was an astonishing feat.
Of course, the seas were never short of prodigies. The Pirate King's son, for instance, had once mastered Armament Haki on his own within three days of learning about it. Monsters walked the world.
Arthur knew this all too well. Having a system didn't mean he could afford to relax.
So now, Arthur's ship displayed a striking sight: one tall, one small, master and student both immersed in grueling training. Their relentless determination even inspired the other pirates, who slowly began joining in—believing that idling was shameful in the face of such resolve.
"By my count," Arthur said after finishing another day's training, "we should be two days away from returning, yes?"
"That's right, Bro Arthur!" a pirate answered respectfully. "Just two more days and we'll be back with Captain Rocks!"
Arthur nodded. It was nearly time to return. What awaited them was harsher training still—and preparation for next year's fateful war at God Valley.
Thinking on it, Arthur realized how much had changed in just a single year. From a rookie trainee to his current strength—he'd grown at an astonishing pace. If he unleashed the Red Dragon bloodline to its fullest, he could already rival an Admiral, albeit only briefly. But such uncontrolled power was too dangerous.
Arthur preferred strength he could wield at will—power he could truly command.
"Ugh!"
Bullet staggered out of the kitchen with a pained grimace, holding a strange fruit in his hands. His face twisted as he shouted:
"Damn it! What kind of fruit is this?! Why does it taste so awful?!"
In just half a month, Bullet's physique had changed—taller, leaner, harder, his frame tempered by training. But right now, he looked like a child forced to eat poison.
"…?"
Arthur and the others froze, eyes fixed on the fruit in Bullet's hand.
A Devil Fruit?
Arthur blinked in surprise. "Did you lot hide this away?"
It wasn't an accusation—these men weren't his subordinates. He was just curious if they'd been keeping it secret.
"No way!"
"Not us!"
"Bro Arthur, who'd hide a Devil Fruit in the kitchen of all places?!"
"Right!"
The pirates scrambled to deny it. If they had a Devil Fruit, they would've eaten it immediately. Who in their right mind would stash it in the galley?
Arthur's eyes narrowed in intrigue. Their panic seemed genuine.
Which made the situation all the more interesting.
---------------------------///
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