Zaraki watched the green-haired swordsman teeter on the verge of collapse, admiring the kid's raw toughness, when a familiar chime rang in his mind.
[Ding! Daily Mission "Swing the Sword Ten Thousand Times" completed.]
[Detected slight increase in host's physical compatibility.]
[Special note: Due to recent high-intensity battles against Golden Lion Shiki, God Enel, and Admiral Sakazuki, peaceful training efficiency has temporarily decreased.]
[Current Template: Kenpachi Zaraki.]
[Current Synchronization Rate: 23.2% +0.1%.]
Zaraki's smirk vanished as he read the synchronization increase.
Zero point one.
Since his high-stakes battles in the sky and the brutal clash with Akainu, the gains from peaceful training had plummeted.
The system practically demanded combat, refusing to reward closed-door practice.
He threw his towel over his neck, dropped onto a nearby bench, and gulped water from a metal canteen. Simple hard work had hit a bottleneck.
The Kenpachi template fed on killing, fighting, and the absolute thrill of battle.
Slicing through small fry wouldn't even yield a fraction of a percent anymore.
But how many people on this sea could actually force him to release his restraints and enjoy a fight?
Putting down the canteen, Zaraki summoned his system interface.
He skipped past the rising baseline stats—constitution, agility, spirit—and focused on his Doriki: 4,200.
This was pure physical destructive power, completely independent of Haki, Reiatsu, or the template's innate pressure.
In the original timeline, Rob Lucci—the strongest CP9 agent in history—boasted a normal Doriki of 4,000 during the Enies Lobby arc.
Zaraki had barely left the East Blue, yet his system-enhanced physique had already eclipsed the future top assassin.
This raw power was the bedrock of his confidence against someone like Akainu.
But this still isn't enough.
If he wanted to stand firm among the true monsters of the New World, these numbers were nowhere near high enough to relax.
He shifted his focus to the Point Shop.
After saving up daily missions and cashing in his recent battle settlements, his balance had finally broken five digits: 11,300 points.
'System, refresh the shop.'
The virtual shelves updated with a golden flash, displaying only two items that immediately caught his attention.
Item One: [Senzu Bean, Defective Version] Description: A specialty from a certain Dragon Ball world. Although defective and unable to instantly restore all stamina and injuries, it can forcibly keep a dying user alive and restore 30% of their condition. Price: 3,000 points.
Item Two: [Modified Gravity Training Room, Blueprint and Core Components]
Description: A training facility combined with black technology. In addition to normal gravity adjustment, its special magnetic field greatly stimulates the physical body and mental will. Special Effect: When undergoing extreme breakthroughs inside this room, the awakening chance of Haki (Armament and Observation) increases by 50%. Price: 8,000 points.
Zaraki's grip tightened, leaving a deep dent in the metal canteen.
A defective Senzu Bean was a straightforward lifeline, but the second item defied the very rules of this world.
Haki was the absolute prerequisite for surviving the Grand Line, yet awakening it required immense talent or years of brutal, life-and-death struggle.
A training room that boosted the awakening chance by fifty percent was invaluable.
He glanced back at Zoro, who was still warring against gravity and exhaustion.
What the green-haired swordsman lacked most was Haki.
Without it, becoming the greatest swordsman remained a distant dream for him.
But with this facility, Zaraki could forge raw iron into usable blades—not just for Zoro, but for himself and anyone else he recruited.
There was no hesitation.
The Kenpachi drive for power severed any lingering stinginess.
He locked onto the "Exchange" button and watched his hard-earned wealth plummet from 11,300 to a measly 300 points.
"Damn, spent it all at once again," he muttered, his eye twitching despite knowing it was a necessary investment.
[Ding! Exchange successful.]
[Item "Senzu Bean, Defective Version" has been stored in the system backpack.]
[Item "Modified Gravity Training Room, Blueprint and Core Components" has been stored in the system backpack.]
[Note: This facility requires the host to choose a location. After the core components unfold, nanorobots will automatically complete the civil construction.]
The system handled the installation.
Zaraki relaxed his shoulders and tossed the ruined canteen into a nearby recycling bin with a loud clang.
...
The morning sea breeze cooled his sweat as he looked back at the training ground.
In the distance, Bogard pulled down his hat brim, noting the sudden shift in Zaraki's aura before returning to his clipboard.
At the center of the plaza, Zoro finally hit his absolute limit.
"Five thousand... one hundred..." Zoro's arms gave out.
The wooden swords slipped from his grip as his body crashed backward onto the stone tiles.
The sickening thud of his skull hitting the ground echoed through the courtyard, but the stubborn kid didn't make a sound, only gasping for air as sweat pooled beneath him.
He didn't pass out.
Zaraki tapped his fingers against the bench.
The kid's sheer willpower made him a prime seedling.
With Zaraki leading the way, Zoro wouldn't have to waste years drifting the sea to find the threshold of Haki.
A sharp blade in a follower's hand freed the leader to hunt bigger prey.
Zaraki stood, his joints popping as he rolled his neck. He checked his inventory, confirming the metallic cube icon resting inside, and a wicked smirk pulled at his lips.
It was time to see just how much potential his 8,000-point investment could unlock.
"Mr. Bogard," Zaraki called out, his voice cutting cleanly through the ambient noise.
The stoic adjutant paused his writing, a flicker of confusion behind his sunglasses.
"This training ground is too fragile," Zaraki said, pointing at the shattered bluestone and cracked tiles.
"Find me an empty warehouse. Underground is best. Needs good soundproofing so we don't wake the neighbors when things explode."
Bogard frowned. "What are you planning?"
"Nothing much." Zaraki started walking toward Zoro's prone form, pausing briefly beside the adjutant with a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
"I just got my hands on a new toy. A toy that quickly separates the trash from the strong."