Kizaru's Little Thoughts

In the underground warehouse of the Science Unit's base.

After hearing Kizaru's words, Zephyr glared with knitted brows and shouted, "Kizaru, what do you mean?!"

"Don't get angry, Teacher Zephyr... I'm just worried that Ron, as a Paramecia user, will focus all his attention on Haki, which is more detrimental than beneficial..."

Kizaru yawned carelessly and said indifferently, "As a Lightning Person, you have an innate advantage in speed and destructive power that ordinary people can't match. Instead of balanced development, it's better to strengthen your advantages. Once you've mastered the Rumble-Rumble Fruit to its extreme, no one in this sea will be your opponent!"

These words were spoken to Ron, but Zephyr felt a chill.

Because he knew Ron too well!

After three months of teaching, he was very clear about Ron's desire for power. It wasn't that he needed power to do something; he simply enjoyed the pleasure of getting stronger!

And as Kizaru said, compared to balancing Haki and Devil Fruit development, specializing in one path would bring greater power! In fact, this was the path Zephyr had already planned for Ron... After all, as a Paramecia user, Haki only needed to be decent enough not to become a weakness.

But Ron was still laying the foundation. Even with his exceptional talent, understanding power takes time to settle, no matter who it is.

Now, presenting him with this easier path to becoming stronger, Ron's choice was clear.

As expected, after hearing this, Ron nodded: "Exactly! A single skill can conquer the world. It's better to be an expert in one thing than a jack of all trades..."

"Ron? You!"

Zephyr looked at Ron in shock, inexplicably feeling disheartened. Was his disciple going down Kizaru's old path again?

Kizaru's eyes lit up at this. Pouting, he said lewdly, "Yes! Your talent is truly astonishing, Ron. Learning Soru and Tekkai in two months, I can't deny your talent in Haki. But as a Lightning Person, you have greater power yet don't use or develop it. Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?"

"Putting the cart before the horse?"

Ron rubbed his chin, thinking carefully. Suddenly, he looked up at Kizaru, "Then Admiral Kizaru, how do you think I should develop my Rumble-Rumble Fruit?"

"Well!"

Seeing Zephyr's darkened face, Kizaru felt incredibly refreshed and explained, "The destructive power of lightning and the application of electromagnetism, both paths are worth developing. However, lightning has an innate advantage in lethality, so you don't have to worry about falling behind. Therefore, I recommend you extend your application of electromagnetism... This is the Science Unit, you can use their technology to strengthen this aspect. If that's not enough, there's always Vegapunk; his research on electromagnetism is quite profound."

This was blatant poaching!

As long as Ron agreed, Kizaru would keep his word and earnestly help Ron develop the application of electromagnetism.

Not only could he win Ron over to his side, but he could also drive Zephyr to the brink of despair. Kizaru had no reason not to do this.

"Electromagnetism? It is indeed a good thing..."

As one of the four fundamental forces of the universe, electromagnetism had a broader future than lightning.

However...

He was a Paramecia user with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, not a Paramecia user with the Electromagnetism Fruit. Constructing a magnetic field with lightning and directly controlling a magnetic field, while seemingly having similar effects, still involved an extra step and less freedom. Although electromagnetism is inseparable, the starting point determines the end.

If he focused entirely on the application of electromagnetism, that would truly be putting the cart before the horse!!

At most, he could develop some derivative applications of electromagnetism...

For example, the electric wave feedback he released when he first defeated Shuzuo. This ability, combined with Observation Haki, could form a special type of Mind Net like Enel's, capable of monitoring the entire Angel Island (correct. Mind Net = Observation Haki, but Enel's Mind Net could monitor, covering the entire Angel Island, hence it's a special type), allowing for longer teleportation distances and enabling Heavenly Punishment attacks from extreme ranges!

Another example would be using electromagnetism to generate a magnetic defensive field. Defense was secondary; what Ron valued was that the electromagnetic defensive field could isolate air, acting as a built-in oxygen tank in toxic environments. Or it could be used to avoid seawater, maintaining freedom of movement and circumventing the weakness of Devil Fruits.

At most, it would be like this. Continuing further would not be worth the effort.

Therefore...

Kizaru, Kizaru, you're likely going to be disappointed.

Ron sneered inwardly. Looking at their expectant gazes, his face was full of conflict: "It sounds good, but close-quarters combat is a man's romance! How about... this!"

Ron's eyes shone brightly: "In the future, when developing my Devil Fruit abilities, I'll borrow some equipment and data from the Science Unit. For Haki, I'll continue to trouble Teacher Zephyr, and try not to neglect any aspect!"

No matter what your ulterior motives are, I'm just not learning it, what can you do?

Hearing this, Kizaru felt a breath stuck in his chest, and he was stunned for a long time. Only after a while did he doubtfully remind him, "Ron, I meant you should focus on developing your Devil Fruit abilities and put Haki aside..."

What the hell is "not neglecting any aspect"!

Did I just say a bunch of nonsense?

"But wouldn't that leave me with a weakness?!"

Ron replied righteously, completely ignoring the embarrassment and annoyance flashing across Kizaru's face. Then he clenched one fist and held the other, crackling with electricity, up to his eyes: "And when I develop both Haki and my Devil Fruit abilities to the extreme, and can stand alone, how strong will I be?!"

Swish!

Ron suddenly turned his head, his eyes shining as he looked at the two: "At that time, will I be able to kill a Yonko?!"

Zephyr: "..."

Kizaru: "..."

Your goal is a bit ambitious!

Kill a Yonko?

Garp from decades ago could do it! After all, he was the one who made the New World overlord Rocks despair and repeatedly pushed the Pirate King Roger to the brink!

Distracted by Ron's "ambitious" ideal, the two were speechless and looked up at the sky. After a moment, Zephyr's shoulders twitched, and he burst out laughing: "Hahahaha! As expected of you, Ron! I see, I see!!"

When Kizaru proposed an easier path to becoming stronger, Zephyr thought he was done for. Ron's reason for joining the Marines was to become stronger, and he believed that Ron, who craved power, would definitely choose the path Kizaru proposed, thus abandoning Haki training.

But he forgot, or rather, they both forgot, that Ron wasn't someone who craved power!

What he craved was power itself!

Physical combat?

Devil Fruit abilities?

Sorry, in his eyes, there was no need to choose!

Because in his mind, both were merely means to an end, a path to becoming stronger! He didn't pray or crave them from a subordinate's perspective, but rather enjoyed the process of conquering power, making power his servant, obeying his commands!

It had to be said, this was the Ron that Zephyr knew!

A monster that existed only to become stronger!

Kizaru finally understood, a rare wry smile appearing on his lecherous old face as he shook his head, "Truly... a greedy kid!"

He wasn't intentionally setting a trap for Ron. Vegapunk, the world's most brilliant scientist, had long stated that the power developed by a Paramecia user of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit through electromagnetism was not weaker than pure lightning, with at most a limited endpoint.

This was the dominance of the universe's four fundamental forces; even derivatives possessed incredible power!

Furthermore, if Ron had chosen to develop electromagnetism, with Vegapunk's words preceding him, he would have had ample opportunity to recruit Ron into the Pacifista research, much to Zephyr's despair.

But all these little schemes were cut short at the source.

Devil Fruit? Physical combat?

Why choose?

He wanted it all!

Talent, opportunity, resilience, intelligence – Ron lacked none of these, possessing the capital for such greed!

Looking at Ron, whose eyes gleamed with ambition, Kizaru sighed and said to Zephyr, "Times have changed, Teacher Zephyr! We back then didn't have such grand ambitions as him!"

This was the truth... Among the Three Admirals, apart from Kizaru, the other two were also unbalanced.

After all, for a Logia user, the best path to becoming stronger was solely through developing their Devil Fruit ability. However, Kizaru was too unbalanced, and Zephyr couldn't correct him, often finding himself at a disadvantage, which infuriated him.

Recalling his decades in charge of the New Recruit Camp, Zephyr, for once, didn't retort to Kizaru and also sighed, "Times..."

Ron, standing nearby, lightly curved his lips at this.

Mission accomplished!

"Electrodes one through ten are in position!"

"Electrodes ten through fifteen are in position!"

"Fifteen..."

In a corner of the warehouse, Ron lay inside the equipment, allowing the researchers to attach electrodes to his body. While the researchers were setting up, Zephyr asked, "How do you feel?"

"Can I have a cushion? Lying flat is so uncomfortable!"

Ron pointed to the back of his head; the flat, hard metal plate was digging into him. At this, Zephyr's old face darkened, and he slammed the hatch shut with a "bang." Through the glass panel of the hatch, Ron heard him shouting outside.

"Use the maximum current on him! Let him feel comfortable!"

This is a loving teacher alright!!!

Ron's mouth twitched speechlessly. He gave a thumbs-up gesture to the peering researcher. The next moment, the current within the cabin activated, and a tingling sensation quickly spread.

Zzzzt!!!

Outside the cabin, dazzling lightning startled everyone, forcing them to put on sunglasses and step back three meters. Ordinary researchers swallowed hard, looking at the instrument panel with shock and admiration.

Ten Million Volts!!!

Truly worthy of Vegapunk's creation!

Such immense current was confined within the instrument's small space by simple iron plates with no leakage! Even a trace of it in the outside world would instantly turn a person into charcoal!

And more importantly!

Was the guy inside, picking his nose amidst the lightning, truly human?!

"It seems effective, but it doesn't work once the Power Level reaches 2000... Hmm, this matches the data provided by Vegapunk."

Sensing with Observation Haki, Kizaru nodded silently.

Ron's growth speed was evident for all to see; he had accomplished in half a year what others might take a lifetime to achieve!

Two months ago, his Power Level was 700, but with his terrifying growth rate, it had already reached 3000! In the New Recruit Camp, excluding Zephyr, he was second only to Shuzuo!!

This was also why the Marines attached such importance to this equipment. In fact, without Ron's knowledge, even the Five Elders had silently nodded, approving the Marines' actions to interfere with the Pacifista development progress. Because as long as the equipment was effective, there was no need to say more; CP0-9, the World Government's intelligence organization, would surely be the first to use it.

Against a powerful physique, ten million volts of current, even without the resistance bonus of a Lightning Person, would have no effect.

Half an hour later, the current stopped. Ron climbed out of the instrument and stretched his limbs, sincerely exclaiming.

"Amazing! I truly admire Vegapunk more and more!"

Without his knowledge, he had created a finished product based on just a little data. Not only did it perfectly mimic his Lightning Stimulation Method, but it also used current operating frequencies that he couldn't understand to reduce the pain and give the user a chance to breathe.

It had to be said, Vegapunk was truly a genius!

Thank you to all the great contributors for the recommendation tickets. There are too many names to list individually, so I can only repay you with updates.