The surge of combined talents from five legendary figures coursed through Lucas's body, and he immediately felt an overwhelming force eager to be unleashed.
Fisher Tiger's talent, despite being intermediate, was a dominant one. The physical strength of an ordinary fishman was ten times that of a regular human. But Fisher Tiger was no ordinary fishman—he was gifted, possessing a natural physique that was over a hundred times stronger than that of most people.
When Lucas stacked this talent alongside Whitebeard's, his physical prowess skyrocketed.
Unlike hidden talents, which primarily increased potential and growth rate, explicit talents directly granted power.
And Lucas could feel it.
It was as if his entire body had been reforged in an instant. His bones, muscles, and stamina had all been drastically enhanced—he was physically superior to most humans without even needing to train.
In the sparring arena ahead, the latest battle had just ended.
"The battle is over! Ensign Coby wins!" the rear admiral referee announced.
Golden Lion Shiki: "Hey, hey, hey! Are you kidding me? A mere Ensign actually has Observation Haki?! Am I seeing things?!"
Whitebeard: "You're not mistaken. He does have Observation Haki. But it's obviously not fully mastered yet. He was using the battle just now to try and refine it."
Pirate King Roger: "Something feels off. When you first awaken Haki, it's usually inconsistent—sometimes it activates, sometimes it doesn't. But this kid… his Observation Haki is always active. That's unusual!"
Lucas: "That's because his situation is… unique."
Fire Fist Ace: "What's so special about him?"
Lucas: "His ability to awaken Observation Haki is actually tied to your Whitebeard Pirates. During the Marineford War, the chaos and intensity of the battlefield overloaded his senses, triggering his Haki all at once."
Lucas: "But unlike normal awakenings, where it flickers on and off, his Haki never turned off. Since that moment, his ears have been flooded with voices, making it difficult for him to distinguish individual sources."
Whitebeard: "Hmm… that means he has a strong natural talent for Observation Haki. He would've made a good son, but it's a shame—he's already devoted to the Marine."
Lucas: "Forget it! He was trained by Garp himself, and his dream is to become a Marine hero. Even if you were alive, he wouldn't have joined you."
Golden Lion Shiki: "Nani?!"
Pirate King Roger: "Wait, wait, wait— Garp trained this kid?! No doubt, beat him up!"
Ding! Pirate King Roger has sent an exclusive red envelope [Observation Haki – Advanced] to group leader Lucas!
Lucas: "I appreciate the gift, but stop sending them one by one! Just give me everything at once!"
Pirate King Roger: "No way! I'll give you the rest after you handle things here."
Whitebeard: "That's right! You don't pay for everything upfront. We're just giving you a deposit for now."
Lucas: "Not enough! I still have too many weaknesses. I need Armament Haki, and I also need physical combat techniques."
"Blackbeard's Dark-Dark Fruit is a direct counter to Devil Fruit users. Without strong physical abilities and Haki, I won't be able to deal with him properly!"
Whitebeard: "Hmm… makes sense. You're the only one who can take care of Teach now. If we don't help you, who else can we rely on?"
Whitebeard: "Fine! I'll give you physical combat skills, but you'll have to get Armament Haki from Roger!"
Ding! Whitebeard has sent an exclusive red envelope [Physical Skills - Advanced] to group leader Lucas!
Pirate King Roger: "Whitebeard, your physical skills are this advanced?! Incredible! I thought you were just a swordsman!"
Ding! Pirate King Roger has sent an exclusive red envelope [Armament Haki - Advanced] to group leader Lucas!
Whitebeard: "I'm different from you, Roger. You rely on swordsmanship as your primary form of attack, but my real power comes from my Tremor-Tremor Fruit."
Whitebeard: "My swordsmanship is just a supporting technique, meant to enhance my Devil Fruit's destructive force. My physical skills, on the other hand, is necessary to fully utilize the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power. That's why I never neglected training it."
Lucas: "Perfect!"
Now, he had top-tier talents, all three types of Haki, swordsmanship, advanced physical skills, and two powerful Devil Fruits.
He had no weaknesses left.
Shooting? That was irrelevant. In the pirate world, guns were secondary to raw power. And besides, the Flame-Flame Fruit had ranged attack capabilities that made firearms completely unnecessary.
Encouraged by the ghosts of legends, Lucas stepped onto the sparring ring, challenging Coby.
The referee hesitated, glancing at Lucas's lack of rank.
Technically, a recruit had no business challenging an Ensign. There were two full ranks separating them—Lucas was supposed to climb through the system step by step.
Normally, he wouldn't even be allowed to challenge a Warrant officer.
Coby smiled kindly, raising a hand to accept the match.
Unlike most high-ranked Marines, Coby had been weak once—and had been trained directly by Garp.
He had a kind heart, and when he saw a newcomer eager to improve, he was more than willing to give them pointers.
Then…
Lucas sent him flying with a single palm strike.
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