The morning air, thick with the briny tang of the sea and the metallic clang of shipyard activity, crackled with a palpable tension. A nervous, electric hum vibrated through the very deck plates of the Marine base, a stark contrast to the usual, regimented calm. My heart, a wild drumbeat against my ribs, echoed that feeling, a frantic rhythm of anticipation. I adjusted the strap of my newly issued cutlass, the cool, familiar weight of the steel a grounding presence amidst the rising tide of excitement. Six months. Six grueling, sweat-soaked months in the elite camp, and finally, this was it. A real pirate hunt. A week-long expedition with Zephyr's division.
I glanced over at Drake. He was meticulously fiddling with his Den Den Mushi, his brow furrowed in concentration. The small, snail-like device clicked and whirred under his precise fingers, a symphony of mechanical precision.
His face, as always, was a mask of stoic focus, a study in unwavering resolve. No hint of the thrill that was coursing through my veins, no flicker of the raw, untamed excitement. Like he was defusing a bomb, or calculating the trajectory of a cannonball, something utterly, utterly serious. Man, that guy was intense.
"This is it, Drake!" I couldn't help but exclaim, my voice a low rumble of pure, unadulterated excitement. "A real pirate hunt! Imagine, high-bounty targets, real action!"
He didn't even look up, his fingers still precisely adjusting the Den Den Mushi's dial. "Just remember, Lazarus," he said, his voice flat and emotionless, like a perfectly calibrated machine, "this isn't a training exercise. Zephyr-sensei won't tolerate any recklessness."
Like talking to a brick wall. Always so serious. Was he even human? Did he even know what fun was?
"Recklessness? I'm thinking efficiency!" I grinned, the raw power of my Devil Fruit buzzing beneath my skin, a tangible energy that crackled in the air around me. "Imagine, taking down a pirate with a bounty of 100 million Beli! Or even higher!"
This was my chance. Our chance, to make a name for ourselves. To show them, to show everyone, what we were capable of. To prove that those six months of hell were worth it.
Drake finally looked up, his gaze piercing, those cold, calculating eyes fixing on me with an intensity that could freeze a volcano. "Our chance to follow orders and execute our duties with precision," he stated, his voice sharp and unwavering, like a finely honed blade. "Nothing more, nothing less."
I rolled my eyes, then, unable to resist, decided to poke him a little.
"Speaking of high bounties, Drake, what's the highest you've ever bagged?" I asked, a playful challenge lacing my tone.
He paused, a hint of pride coloring his otherwise flat tone. "Forty million Beli," he replied, his voice steady and firm, like he was presenting a perfectly calculated equation, a fact that brooked no argument.
I burst out laughing, a genuine, booming laugh that echoed across the deck. "Forty million? That's it? I've already taken down a fifty million bounty, and… oh, yeah! A hundred million too!" I declared, a wide, mischievous grin spreading across my face.
Drake's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of disbelief crossing his usually stoic features. "A hundred million?" he repeated, his voice laced with skepticism, a hint of something that might have been… doubt? "That's… improbable."
He clearly didn't believe me. Well, he'd see. He'd all see. This week was going to be legendary. I'd show him, and Zephyr, and everyone, what I was capable of. A hundred million was just the beginning. I could feel it, the power thrumming in my veins, the potential waiting to be unleashed. This wasn't just a pirate hunt; it was a stage. A stage where I would shine, where I would prove myself. And maybe, just maybe, I'd finally earn a little respect from that stone-faced Drake.
And speaking of proving myself, I owed a lot to Zephyr-sensei. Over the past six months, our relationship had… well, it had become something. He was still a gruff, demanding instructor, and he always called me "purple-haired idiot," no matter how much I improved.
But, in his own way, he'd taken me under his wing. Whenever he found a spare moment, which were rare, he'd personally train me, pushing me beyond my limits, honing my Haki and Devil Fruit abilities with a relentless intensity. I'd become as strong as I was now because of him. He saw something in me, even if he'd never admit it.
I'd even caught him smirking, just a tiny smirk, after I'd managed to break a training dummy with a Haki-infused punch that sent splinters flying. It was practically a compliment from him, a silent nod of approval.
He pushed me to my limits, and would not tolerate any excuses. "Purple haired idiot, if you cannot even do this, then what make you think you can catch pirates?" he would say, and I would push myself even further. He saw my potential, and he was determined to drag it out of me, even if he had to insult me every step of the way.
It's incredible now. I can feel the power surging through me. Not just the Haki, which has become so much more refined, but my aim... it's sharper, more precise than ever. And I've even started fighting hand-to-hand, something I never thought I'd be good at. Plus, I've mastered Moonwalk and Finger Pistol from the Six Styles. Two down, four to go, maybe? But... there's a problem. My stats, they're barely budging. I've hit a wall, a physical limit. It's frustrating. The only way to break through, to truly evolve, is through simulation. That's why this pirate hunt, it's a godsend.
"Show me my profile".
Processing request!
Ding!
Host Profile
Simulation Points: 0
Name: Lazarus
Marine's Rank: Lieutenant
Attribute: Endurance 100, Strenght 200, Agility 200, Spirit 200.
Ability: Bubble-bubble fruit (Master), Haki: Observation Haki (Novice) and Armament Haki (Novice)
Battle Skill: Sniper (Expert), Six Styles: Moonwalk (Novice) and Finger Pistol (Novice), Hand to hand combat (Intermediate)
The announcement of boarding ship sounded, a sharp, authoritative tone that cut through the air. My grin widened, a predatory gleam in my eyes. Time to show them all what I was made of. Time to show them that the "purple-haired idiot" was more than just a nickname. And maybe, just maybe, finally earn a little less of the "idiot" part of my nickname. And maybe, just maybe, I would return with a bounty that would make even Drake's eyes widen.