Chapter 40: Navy Headquarters

The following day, at the crack of dawn, Garp presented a set of lightweight chain mail armor to Alex, Luffy, and Lily.

"Starting today, you'll use your ability to add weight to these three sets of chain mail. Lily will bear twenty kilograms to begin with, while you and Luffy will each carry fifty kilograms. Now, start running laps around the forest and let's see how you fare…" Garp instructed Alex and the others, his tone leaving no room for debate.

Well, Garp was clearly aiming to enhance their physical conditioning on one hand, while simultaneously honing Alex's Magneto ability on the other. Alex understood his intent perfectly.

Next, the trio began their grueling laps around the forest. Alex's physical stamina was indeed subpar, but the internal energy from his Yi Jin Jing practice provided some support, alleviating a portion of the strain.

As for Luffy? Despite being visibly exhausted throughout the run, his breathing remained relatively steady, and he even managed to shout energetically the entire way, brimming with boundless vigor.

This display left Alex quietly marveling at the sheer vitality granted by their genetic makeup. They were practically born as human-shaped juggernauts, unstoppable in their resilience.

As for Lily trailing behind him, she was gasping heavily, her steps faltering under the strain. Although she uttered not a single word, her exhaustion was painfully evident.

For a ten-year-old girl, carrying a weight of twenty kilograms was no small feat, far from a trivial challenge.

Observing Lily's struggling form, Alex's heart softened with pity, and he discreetly lightened the load on her chain mail, reducing the twenty kilograms to approximately fifteen kilograms to ease her burden.

Bang!

However, at that precise moment, a small stone shot out from the woods, striking Alex's head with pinpoint accuracy, instantly raising a large, throbbing bump.

It was abundantly clear who had launched this projectile with such precision.

With no other choice, Alex reluctantly restored Lily's chain mail to the full twenty kilograms, though he was secretly astounded in his heart.

This man, Garp, was undeniably a top-tier powerhouse in the One Piece world. Setting aside his Armament Haki for the moment, the precision of his Observation Haki was something that could not be underestimated. Alex had only slightly reduced the weight on Lily's armor, yet Garp had detected the change with uncanny clarity.

"Huff… Huff…" Alex was also panting heavily, his chest heaving, but he was secretly strategizing in his mind.

The three forms of Haki—Conqueror's, Armament, and Observation—were critical. Luffy possessed the genetic trait for Conqueror's Haki, and as the future Pirate King, his Conqueror's Haki gene was an impressive fourteen gigabytes in size.

Garp, without question, wielded both Armament Haki and Observation Haki. Alex resolved to find an opportunity to copy these two skills when the moment was right.

Additionally, among the Navy Six Powers, Alex's top choice was the Shave technique.

The ability to move at high speeds was precisely what Alex lacked most at this stage of his development.

However, at present, he possessed no Haki whatsoever, so even if he copied Armament Haki, he wouldn't be able to utilize it effectively.

Moreover, his physical conditioning was not yet up to par. Even if he copied the Shave technique, he wouldn't meet the physical requirements to execute it. There was no need to rush things. He should focus on training diligently to bolster his physical fitness first.

Alex reminded himself that no matter what powerful abilities he copied, his own strength remained the foundation of everything!

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50!

Alex gazed at the crystal measuring device strapped to his wrist, and the number glowing on its display filled him with quiet elation.

Before, he had spent over half a month in the real world, and his crystal points had only crept up from 45 to 48, a modest gain.

But after training under old man Garp for a mere four or five days, his crystal points had surged by two full points. This accelerated growth rate was undeniably far swifter than training on his own.

"Hey, kid, let's go..." Alex was basking in the thrill of reaching 50 crystal points when Garp's booming voice called out to him from not far away.

A formidable battleship was docked at the shore, and Garp had already strode aboard, his presence commanding.

As for Luffy? He was left behind in Windmill Town, just as in the original story, and at this moment, he was staring at Alex with tear-streaked eyes, his expression defiant.

"Uncle, you wait for me! I am definitely coming to snatch you back from the Navy when I set sail…" Luffy remained unyielding, shouting at Alex with fierce determination.

His stubbornness was so intense that no one could sway his resolve.

"Ah…" Garp, overhearing his grandson's fervent cries, clutched his forehead with a weary, exasperated look, clearly battling a throbbing headache.

Crack!

Alex stepped onto the battleship's sturdy deck, but a sharp crack split the wood beneath his feet, startling several Navy officers nearby, who gaped at him in astonishment.

How heavy was this guy to splinter the deck like that? He looked like an ordinary person, not some hulking giant.

"One thousand Baileys…" Garp glanced at the damage under Alex's feet and declared with an expressionless face.

"Hey, hey, hey, I only increased the weight to seventy kilograms, and I'm still getting used to it! If you let me drop back to fifty kilograms, this wouldn't have happened," Alex protested hotly after hearing Garp's words. In just a few days, Garp had ramped up his training weight from fifty kilograms to a grueling seventy.

"If you don't want to pay up, then watch your steps carefully. Besides, once you officially join the Navy, I'll deduct this from your salary…" However, Garp showed not the slightest inclination to entertain Alex's complaints.

Well, Alex could already sense that he was in for a grueling, challenging time aboard this battleship.

Even though he was burdened with the extra weight, Garp certainly wasn't about to let Alex idle on the ship. He had specifically designated a section of the deck for Alex to continue his rigorous training.

For instance, he performed frog jumps while carrying the weight, honed his swordsmanship with the added burden, and powered through push-ups under the strain…

Every single day, Alex was exhausted to the point of collapse, resembling a lifeless dog sprawled on the deck. At night, he sat cross-legged, channeling the internal energy of the Yi Jin Jing to nourish his weary body.

It must be acknowledged that the internal energy of the Yi Jin Jing was remarkably effective as a method to dispel fatigue and restore physical vitality.

No matter how utterly drained Alex felt on one day, he could always bounce back to full strength by the next, and his internal energy even grew more refined with each session.

Well, Garp's brutal training strategy for Luffy had swiftly been applied to Alex: as long as he didn't perish from the training, he'd be pushed to the absolute brink of exhaustion!

Anyway, this guy was able to spring back and leap about the following day. This kind of natural resilience made Garp feel a strange sense of camaraderie.

In contrast, Lily's training intensity was naturally less severe than Alex's, but Alex could still observe that Lily's crystal points were steadily climbing, now surpassing twenty points, which qualified her as a second-level Awakened.

And so, the days slipped by, and the warship sailed smoothly toward the Navy Headquarters, its journey unimpeded.

The Navy's vessels traveled without obstruction, moving at remarkable speed. After all, unlike pirates, they didn't need to evade Navy pursuit or engage in battles with rogue crews.

In this manner, in roughly a month's time, the towering silhouette of the Navy Headquarters came into view on the horizon.

As Alex's relentless training regimen reached a temporary pause, he gazed at the Navy Headquarters from afar, his heart stirring with eager anticipation. Spending an entire month confined at sea had grown truly monotonous.

The Navy officers nearby all cast envious glances at Alex, their eyes tinged with admiration…

Over these days, everyone had witnessed how Garp had reserved an entire deck for Alex's training, frequently offering personal guidance, treating him almost like a prized disciple.

To earn the mentorship of Vice Admiral Garp meant Alex's future in the Navy was bound to be limitless.

When he arrived at the Navy Headquarters, the number of Navy warships visibly multiplied. Look, from a distance, Alex could see another colossal warship gliding toward the Headquarters. Judging by the ship's impressive specifications, it was clearly one reserved for a vice admiral.

After all, having spent a month immersed in this environment, Alex had gleaned a fair amount of knowledge about the Navy's operations.

"It's Vice Admiral Kuzan's ship," some Navy officers remarked as they observed the approaching vessel.

"Kuzan? A vice admiral?" Alex's interest piqued upon hearing the soldiers' words beside him.

At this point in time, had Kuzan not yet risen to the rank of Navy Admiral? Was he still just a vice admiral?