After performing a mysterious bow, I had the girl who possessed the Three Styles stand up, and we obtained permission to use a small conference room where we could continue the conversation.
The girl with the Three Styles was enthusiastically speaking fervently about various things... but most of it was nothing but praise for me, and it didn't seem like flattery; it seemed like she was speaking from her heart.
"...And so?"
"Yes! I want to be of use to you, Captain! Please, I beg you!! Would you please train me?!"
Saying that, she once again lowered her head almost scraping the floor... now, what should I do?
There are benefits to it, sure. It's necessary to secure someone I can train with early on, and although it may take some time, training her in Haki could also be a form of Haki training for me.
The problem is whether this girl can grow to the minimum level required to be my training partner if I train her...
"..."
"..."
I meet the girl's eyes as she lifts her head slightly to look at me... my, my, she has a rather mad look in her eyes. It's quite similar to the eyes I see in the mirror every morning.
Undoubtedly, this girl is harboring deep madness. It may be different from mine, but there's no doubt she's insane. So, is there a possibility...?
"I've asked you this before, but let me ask again. What's your name?"
"I'm Paula Chelsea! Please, call me whatever you like!"
"...Then, let's go with 'Pochi'."
"Yes!"
...She looks happy. Is 'Pochi' fine? Her brown hair, tightly gathered in a single thin strand at the back of her neck, looks like a dog's tail, so it's a fitting nickname.
"...Are you prepared?"
"Yes!"
"Very well. For now, most of the unit is in the process of healing, so we have time... If you have close acquaintances, prepare a will."
I have a few things I'm interested in and want to experiment with, so training Pochi is just right. Well, she might die along the way, but that would be the end of it.
***
A spacious underground training ground with excellent soundproofing. In this reserved place, one girl... Pochi was writhing in agony, spitting out blood.
For those who appreciate the sight of a beautiful girl suffering, it may be a scene to be desired, but for me, I couldn't care less, so I read my book with her screams as the background music.
Pochi is currently undergoing physical transformation using biofeedback. However, it's quite different from what I do.
Well, it wouldn't be realistic to have her undergo the same thing I do. My physical transformation, which evolves each cell one by one... I'm still doing it regularly, but it requires several prerequisites.
I've learned various techniques from multiple qi techniques and martial arts schools worldwide, and I have techniques from over 50 different schools. Well, I've only mastered what's necessary, so I can't say I've mastered all of them...
Then there are various secret medicines and forbidden techniques that could potentially violate the law. Some of them require rare materials, and without my father's connections, it would be difficult to acquire many of these items.
Preparing all that for Pochi is beyond the level of trouble, and I have no intention of going that far.
Therefore, I taught Pochi some qi techniques and had her undergo physical transformation in the form of muscle compression.
A body with several times the muscle density of an ordinary person, similar to what is called the Hyperion or Heroic physique. In this One Piece world, many people, including Zoro, have power beyond what their visible muscle mass would suggest, so I'm wondering if the density of human muscles is different from the world before my reincarnation.
And then, further compress that physique to increase the density. Pochi has already mastered the Three Styles, but she hasn't even reached the lowest level as my training partner.
Just a light touch would probably turn her into a mass of flesh. So, first, I intend to raise her to that bare minimum level.
Now, this physical transformation isn't as excruciating as the one where I remake each cell, but it still involves unimaginable pain.
Naturally. I'm forcibly changing the body she was born with, so it's only natural that it comes with hellish pain.
Let's be clear; this is not something that can be endured with just willpower or determination. I can say this with confidence because I've undergone physical transformations many times, and it's on a different level.
Either they'll go insane or die from shock halfway through... as Pochi is now vomiting blood, her body is strongly rejecting an act that goes against the laws of nature.
Then, how can she overcome it? There's only one thing she needs... "an abnormal amount of madness."
Madness so pure and single-minded that it would crawl out of the abyss of death, even if it meant falling into hell and being engulfed in flames of karma... Only someone completely insane can overcome this physical transformation.
I'm aware that I'm insane. What was essential as a human being fell out of my head along with the screws when I first underwent the physical transformation.
While thinking about such things and reading my book, I realized that her screams had stopped, and Pochi was lying face down in a pool of blood.
The amount of abnormal bleeding, a sight that would make anyone think she's dead under normal circumstances... as I glanced at it, I closed the book and muttered.
"How do you feel?"
"...Amazing... I feel like I've been reborn."
With a raised voice, the bloodied girl stood up, turned back to me, and smiled with ecstasy.
What a mad look... truly, it's quite similar to my eyes.
"You haven't even reached the starting line yet. I'll perform several more physical transformations, but there's no point in doing them continuously. For now, I'll retrain you in the basics of the Six Styles."
"Yes! Please take care of me!"
"Do you need a break?"
"No!!"
Seeing Pochi answer resolutely, I couldn't help but smile. She seems like a valuable find, more useful than I thought.
***
While working as a CP5 staff member, I thoroughly trained Pochi. Despite being chosen as a candidate for the Six Styles user after being plucked out of an orphanage, she had the talent to receive the training, making her instruction progress smoothly.
Pochi was quite extreme when it came to her strengths and weaknesses. While she managed to handle the Six Styles at a minimum level, she was fatally weak in handling Iron Lump techniques, and her usage of the Tekkai Finger Pistol was better off not being used at all.
On the other hand, she excelled in Shave and Tempest Kick, and she had reached a passable level in using them. As for Haki, she was extremely unbalanced, excelling in Busoshoku Haki but showing no talent in Kenbunshoku Haki.
Well, defense-wise, she focused on using Kami-e and Tekkai Armament Haki, and there were no issues with her attacking style, which relied on Shave and Tempest Kick for high-speed combat.
Even after conducting several more physical transformations, she eventually reached the minimum level I had initially planned for, where she could engage in a match with me as long as I held back considerably.
By that time, I had been promoted several times and had assumed the position of CP5's chief as planned. However, there was one unexpected development: Pochi was appointed as the "Chief Aide," a newly created and special position, and became my exclusive assistant.
It seemed that she had been going around insisting something along the lines of "I won't work for anyone other than the captain." Along with the announcement of her appointment as Chief Aide, I also received an indirect message from higher-ups to "keep that mad dog on a tight leash."
Well, despite her seemingly bright and friendly personality, Pochi's screws were blown out, so she must have been quite insistent until her message reached higher-ups.
Personally, I didn't mind. Pochi's madness was a kind of fanatical devotion, and while I couldn't tell if it was directed at me or at my formidable power, it was certain that she considered me her object of worship.
For Pochi, my words were absolute truth, and the greatest joy was to be of use to me. It was almost like a type of yandere affection.
But well, even if she's a mad dog to others, she's a loyal dog and extremely useful to me. In reality, Pochi is exceptional, and her guiding principle is fanatical devotion, so she spares no effort to be of use to me.
As long as she's beneficial to me, there's no problem. I'll tolerate any amount of devotion, be it religious or mad affection, as long as it's directed towards me.
"Captain, we can see the island soon."
"Yeah, got it."
Pochi came to call me from the cabin. Even though she's now the chief aide, she still addresses me as captain, just like before, but I don't mind whatever way she calls me.
I replied and stepped outside. Pochi was standing with a neat posture, and her hair... her brown hair, which she had learned to manipulate using biofeedback, was swaying from side to side, resembling a real tail.
However, it's still far from a genuine tail...
"But, is the content of this mission so important that the captain had to come personally?"
"It's related to an ancient civilization, so it must be significant for higher-ups."
I took out two candy sticks with sticks from my pocket, threw one towards Pochi, and tore the packaging of the other one to put in my mouth.
Currently, I'm on a mission assigned by the higher-ups to a certain island. The mission involves collecting artifacts from an ancient civilization left on that island. It's probably the first significant mission I've had since becoming the chief.
Well, even though it's said to be artifacts from an ancient civilization, it's not anything like Pluton or even Poneglyphs. It's just old items with no value except their age.
However, it seems to belong to a blank period of 100 years in history, which is why the overly sensitive World Government immediately ordered their retrieval.
Well, it's not a big deal. I'm accompanying the mission in a supervisory role, but in the end, my subordinates will be responsible for collecting the items.
***
When you're too optimistic, there are often unexpected pitfalls waiting for you. After arriving on the island, I ordered my subordinates to collect the artifacts while subtly displaying the authority of the World Government to the residents. Meanwhile, I found myself gazing absentmindedly at the largest building in the small town.
"Y-You government dogs... D-Do you even know where you are?!"
"Ch-Chief?"
"Keep collecting the artifacts."
One of my subordinates conveyed with a shaky voice, but I coldly instructed them to continue. Their unease was probably caused by what was in my line of sight.
A large flag dominated by black and bearing the symbol of a skull with a white mustache was fluttering in the wind. In other words, this island was the territory of the Whitebeard Pirates. Come to think of it, around this time was when the Whitebeard Pirates established their territory on Fish-Man Island, if I remember correctly. Well, what of it?
This island is located in the first half of the Grand Line. It's quite a hassle to come here from the New World, and it's highly unlikely that Whitebeard himself would bother to come all the way here unless there was something significant.
Even if he appeared, it would probably be one of his subordinate pirates, and they would be based in the first half of the Grand Line. In any case, if they did appear, it would be after we completed the collection and set sail, and it wouldn't be a problem...
"Chief! There's trouble! The Moby Dick is off the coast!"
"...Underling pirates?"
It seems like there was a ship that happened to be nearby. And... hmmm... the pale expression on my subordinates' faces gives me a bad feeling.
"N-No, it's not that! The Moby Dick has appeared off the coast!!"
"...Sigh."
Oh, for crying out loud, what's up with my luck? Why does it seem like Whitebeard and I are fated to cross paths? More importantly, what's Whitebeard doing in the first half of the Grand Line? Did he drop by Fish-Man Island and decided to tour the first half of the Grand Line while he was at it? It's just so... troublesome.
"Pochi, take command and continue with the collection and loading. Once the loading is complete, set sail immediately. When you've reached a safe distance, call me twice on the Den Den Mushi."
"Understood!"
After giving instructions to Pochi, I turn to the subordinate who came to report the Whitebeard Pirates' approach.
"Prepare a cloak with a hood."
"W-What for... Chief, what exactly are you..."
"It doesn't matter. The rest of you, continue with your work."
Taking the hooded cloak, I cover my face so it can't be seen and head towards the coastline.
Well, if I can intimidate them and things end with a standoff, that's fine... if it comes to a fight, I'll retreat after a certain level of engagement.
However... encountering Whitebeard for the second time... we really do have a peculiar fate, don't we?