One day later.
The weather was clear.
The sky stretched endlessly blue, dotted with clouds as white as cotton. Sunlight poured across the sea, turning the waves into sheets of gold.
A Marine warship sailed steadily through the calm waters.
On the deck, Kai was training.
He was bare from the waist up, his Ghost Back exposed beneath the sun. Every muscle was sharply defined, filled with explosive strength. Thick veins crawled across his body like dark serpents.
A massive boulder weighing over a ton rested on his back.
Compared with Kai's young body, it looked like a small mountain.
Yet he carried it without trembling.
"Eight thousand nine hundred ninety-two."
"Eight thousand nine hundred ninety-three."
His voice was steady.
Push-up after push-up.
The deck beneath him was already wet with sweat.
Half an hour later—
"Ten thousand."
Kai finally stopped.
He exhaled heavily and threw the boulder aside.
With a dull thud, it landed on the deck.
Kai lay flat on his back, letting the cool sea breeze wash over him.
His muscles ached.
But that ache gave him a strange satisfaction.
The system prompt soon sounded in his mind.
[This training session gained: Strength +0.0007, Speed +0.0006, Stamina +0.0008.]
[After the 100x training multiplier…]
[Host receives: Strength +0.07, Speed +0.06, Stamina +0.08.]
Warmth spread through his body, easing the soreness in his limbs.
The improvement was small.
But small gains became terrifying when repeated every day.
Kai opened his eyes and stood.
Around him, the Marines watched in silence.
By now, they understood why a five-year-old could possess such monstrous strength.
Talent alone was frightening.
But talent paired with this level of discipline?
That was despair.
"Rear Admiral Kai trains like this every day?"
"No wonder he's so strong…"
"His talent is already beyond imagination, yet he still works harder than everyone else."
"How are ordinary people supposed to compete with that?"
Their whispers drifted across the deck.
Kai ignored them and walked toward the rail.
The ship had already left Demon Town far behind.
After a full day of sailing, they had reached the waters between Alabasta and the Florian Triangle.
Kai looked across the sea, thinking.
"Alabasta is Crocodile's territory."
"The Florian Triangle is Gecko Moria's."
Both were future Warlords.
Both were targets of this mission.
However, the two locations were in different directions.
If the ship went to one first and then turned back for the other, they would waste a lot of time.
Kai narrowed his eyes.
"There's a better way."
He turned and went to find Tsuru.
A short while later, he arrived before her.
Tsuru looked him over first.
"Your injuries?"
"Already healed."
Kai smiled.
"With your body, I'm not surprised."
Tsuru looked at him calmly.
"So? You came to me for something."
Kai nodded.
"We're currently between Alabasta and the Florian Triangle. If we continue together, we'll waste too much time going back and forth."
"So I suggest we split up."
"You go to the Florian Triangle and invite Gecko Moria."
"I'll go to Alabasta and invite Crocodile."
Tsuru raised an eyebrow.
"You want to go alone?"
"Yes."
Kai's answer was direct.
Tsuru studied him for a moment.
Crocodile was no ordinary pirate.
Even if his bounty was not as high as Doflamingo's, his strength could not be underestimated.
He was a Logia-type Devil Fruit user.
The Sand-Sand Fruit made him especially dangerous in desert terrain.
And Alabasta was the perfect battlefield for him.
"You understand the danger?"
Tsuru asked.
"Crocodile may not agree. If he attacks you, you'll be fighting him on land that favors him."
Kai smiled.
"I know."
"Then you still want to go?"
"A Sand-Sand Fruit user is dangerous, but not enough to scare me."
Tsuru fell silent.
Then she laughed softly.
She had nearly forgotten.
This child had fought Doflamingo to a standstill.
Across the sea, there were not many people who could truly threaten him.
Crocodile was powerful.
But defeating Kai would not be easy.
"Fine."
Tsuru finally nodded.
"If you've already decided, I won't stop you."
"But remember this."
"If the mission fails, it fails."
"Your life matters more than the invitation."
Kai nodded.
"Understood."
Tsuru looked at him again.
"And don't underestimate Crocodile."
"He is not just strong. He is cunning."
"That kind of enemy is often more dangerous than a straightforward monster like Doflamingo."
Kai's smile deepened.
"That makes it more interesting."
Tsuru sighed.
"You really are Garp's grandson."
Kai laughed.
Soon, the order was given.
A smaller Marine vessel was prepared for Kai, along with a limited crew and supplies.
The main warship would continue toward the Florian Triangle with Tsuru.
Kai would head toward Alabasta.
Two routes.
Two targets.
Gecko Moria.
Crocodile.
The Seven Warlords plan was officially moving to its next stage.
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