Saint Lakeman, energized and invigorated by the experimentation with his newfound abilities, emerged from the night with unflagging vitality, his Steal-Steal Fruit abilities bringing fresh insights with each passing moment.
As he stood in the morning light, his sharp blood-red eyes glinting, he felt the weight of the night's discoveries settle within him—countless techniques and potential moves waiting to be developed.
Inside, Lily, Hancock, and Robin lay in deep slumber, finally succumbing to exhaustion after hours of intense practice at day and assisting him with his trials at night. They had stayed by his side, their efforts unwavering even as dawn approached, and now they rested, their breathing soft and steady.
Lakeman took a deep breath, the morning air cool and crisp on his skin. He headed out, focusing on refining and testing his fruit abilities. As the system steadily fed him experience points, he felt his strength and expertise building, his senses sharpening as each new inspiration flowed seamlessly into his consciousness.
"Guard, bring me a Seastone handcuff," Lakeman ordered a CP agent patrolling nearby, a sudden idea forming in his mind.
The guard hurried away and returned shortly, presenting the handcuff to him.
The instant Lakeman grasped it, a wave of weakness surged through his body. His Devil Fruit abilities stifled and slipped from his control, and even his Haki and physique felt noticeably diminished. He frowned, letting the sensation linger for a moment before handing the handcuff back. Power flooded back to him, sharp and complete, and he dismissed the guard with a slight nod.
Lakeman mused over the experience.
"The strength a Devil Fruit brings is incredible, but this vulnerability... Seastone leaves me exposed. Should I take a cue from Luffy in the Wanokuni arc and train under this restriction?" He considered the idea of building resistance to Seastone by training while bound in shackles.
Then he chuckled, dismissing the thought. "No need for that when I have the genius binding system on my side."
If he could gain feedback from those bound by his system, perhaps he could cultivate a type of resistance to the Seastone factor itself. It was a tantalizing possibility, one that his mind raced to explore.
"Maybe I'll try it out on them later," he decided. For now, he let the girls rest and turned back to experimenting with his new powers, his thoughts brimming with ideas for abilities he hadn't yet tested.
Turning back to the deck, Lakeman resumed testing his Steal-Steal Fruit abilities, feeling experience points continue to expand his control and creativity with every passing moment.
Lakeman continued experimenting with his Devil Fruit powers, pushing the boundaries of what he could absorb.
After effortlessly absorbing sunlight, he focused on absorbing specific forms of energy: X-rays, gamma rays, and UV rays. While sunlight came easily, it took several attempts to successfully harness the higher-energy rays, only managing after dozens of tries. Notably, each attempt triggered a faster flow of experience points from his system, bringing his Devil Fruit closer to awakening.
Even though he couldn't yet manipulate abstract concepts like luck, fate, or time, he felt confident those abilities would be within his reach after awakening. For now, he concentrated on expanding practical uses for his power, mastering each with tireless dedication.
On the warship, the marines stirred awake, resuming their morning training on the deck. Some cast curious glances toward Lakeman, observing his steady progression. Whispers broke out among them, voices kept low as they shared their surprise.
"Hey, what do you think Saint Lakeman is doing?"
"He's been practicing since dawn. I was on patrol and saw him. I didn't know he was a devil fruit user."
"Exactly! We've been traveling with him for months, and he's never shown any sign of it."
"Isn't he usually in the arms of his girls, uh, slaves till noon, why is he practicing on the deck today? Didn't expect him to be so dedicated."
"Idiot, Don't talk like that. If he hears you, you're done for." another soldier hit him on the head as he warned. "Just because we didn't see him train doesn't mean he doesn't. How do you think he's become so strong as the admiral? Do you think Saint Lakeman can become stronger by just lying down?"
Their chatter was interrupted by the arrival of a rear admiral, Kizaru's adjutant, who emerged from his cabin and caught the gossiping soldiers. After looking at Saint Lakeman, who was still training his abilities, He gave them a stern look, saying, "If you've got time to talk, you've got time to train. Double your drills."
As he walked off, the adjutant feeling solemn about Lakeman's display compelled him to report it to Vice Admiral Kizaru immediately. Rushing to Kizaru's cabin, he banged on the door insistently.
– Bang Bang.
"Vice Admiral Kizaru, sir. Open up—it's urgent."
The door creaked open after a few moments, revealing Kizaru in a sleepy state, who was still in his pajamas, clearly irritated by the disturbance. As the adjutant relayed the events, Kizaru's groggy expression transformed into one of concern.
He straightened up, muttering, "Wait here," and quickly shut the door. Moments later, he reemerged dressed in his formal attire.
Kizaru followed his adjutant to the deck, where he gazed intently at Lakeman's ship in the distance. Lost in thought, he murmured to himself, "When did Saint Lakeman get a Devil Fruit? I never sensed it before. Could he have been hiding it?"
He shivered slightly, realizing just how formidable Lakeman truly was. "I need to report this to the Marshal right away."
As he turned to leave, he ordered the marines, "Carry on with your training, and don't disturb Saint Lakeman." Then he strode off, his expression more serious than usual.
Back in his cabin, Kizaru closed the door behind him and picked up the Den-Den Mushi, ready to call the Marshal. He paused, recalling the recent reprimand from the Marshal, who had warned him against disturbing him over anything short of life and death.
He hesitated, eyeing the phone with a smirk. "You were the one who told me not to bother you, so you can't hold it against me later," he murmured to himself, putting down the Den-Den Mushi back.
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