An Eye-Catching Boy

Sea Circle Calendar, Year 1507.

Grand Line, Paradise region, Crown Hao Island.

Government officials from the various Cipher Pol divisions were arriving one after another.

This was the training ground for CP9 members.

Although they were nominally reserve candidates for the CP9 organization, CP9 itself only had so many slots.

Those who did not join CP9 would be selected by other Cipher Pol divisions.

And now, it was recruitment season for Cipher Pol.

"Kalifa, who do you think most highly of among this batch of trainees?"

Laskey, wearing dark red glasses and looking stern, folded his arms as he gazed at the island's iconic tree tower and asked.

"Of course Rob Lucci." Kalifa looked toward the boy with a pigeon perched on his shoulder not far away and answered without hesitation, "He's practically as strong as a monster..."

As someone from the same class as Rob Lucci, Kalifa herself was considered one of the best among her peers.

Yet even she, born into a family of intelligence agents and trained since childhood, had been stunned by Rob Lucci's strength.

Laskey nodded without comment.

Clearly, as a veteran CP9 member, although he had retired for some time, he had heard of Rob Lucci's great reputation.

Rob Lucci, hailed as the strongest genius in eight hundred years.

It could be said that someone like him joining CP9 was already a foregone conclusion.

Moreover, he had heard that this batch of trainees was exceptionally strong.

Just as Laskey was considering how to strike up a conversation, a disturbance in the distance drew everyone's attention.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Bursts of air-piercing sounds came from the distant crowd.

Laskey raised an eyebrow and walked over with Kalifa.

Kalifa gave her father a strange look, then followed him, squeezing through the crowd until she saw the boy at its center.

The first thing they saw was a barbell bar with weight plates stacked on only one end.

Is he lifting a barbell?

That was Kalifa's first thought when she saw it.

But why were there weight plates on only one side?

No, that was not it.

Only after reaching the center of the crowd did Kalifa see the whole picture.

He really was lifting a barbell, but in a different manner.

More accurately, a lean, muscular boy with a calm expression was gripping the other end of the barbell and swinging it over and over.

He lowered his stance and planted his feet, slowly sweeping the barbell up along the trajectory of a sword slash before chopping it down at high speed. Even the air was torn apart, releasing short, shrill whistles.

Beads of sweat as large as beans slid down his handsome face, yet he did not stop. He simply continued swinging the greatsword in his hand.

For a twelve-year-old boy, a greatsword nearly as tall as he was was simply outrageous.

"This child's swordsmanship is precise. His fundamentals are solid."

"That greatsword is way too ridiculous..."

"Who is he? He's promising."

The heads of the various Cipher Pol divisions began discussing him and asking for information about the boy.

Soon, someone recognized him as a participant from another training base.

As an organization under the World Government, Cipher Pol naturally did not recruit agents solely from this small island.

Outstanding talents from other training bases could also come to Crown Hao Island for CP9's selection process.

"I could do that much too."

Kalifa dismissed it with disdain. He was nothing more than a clown trying to draw attention.

"Kalifa."

Laskey spoke, his gaze fixed on the boy's body as he swung the greatsword.

"He's training while in the Iron Body state."

One of the "Six Powers," "Iron Body" could raise the body's hardness to the level of steel, but one normally could not move freely while using it.

Yet clearly, this boy had already broken through that limitation.

Kalifa's pupils shrank slightly. Surprise appeared in her eyes as she looked at the boy, but she said casually, "That's nothing special. Someone in this batch can do it too."

Ever since she had seen Lucci, she had stopped thinking much of anyone else.

Especially not some insignificant nobody from somewhere else.

At that moment, someone had already obtained the information on the boy swinging the greatsword.

"He came from a training base in the North Blue. His name is... Beiyuan Heng."

"A talent who came here from another training base? It's been a long time since we've seen one."

"His file says he learned the Six Powers very early. He was born to master the Six Powers."

"He's also incredibly strong..."

"He learns quickly too. Apparently, he has already developed his own unique applications of the Six Powers."

Hearing this, Laskey finally became somewhat interested.

If this boy truly was outstanding enough, he could use CP9's privileges to have him join CP9 directly.

However, the division's slots were indeed limited, and the trainees in this class were all frighteningly strong. He would have to wait and see.

"These people have never seen Lucci fight."

Listening to the discussion surrounding Beiyuan Heng, Kalifa shook her head.

In her view, this boy's strength only made him an ordinary trainee at best on this island.

Kalifa turned to look at Rob Lucci.

A pigeon rested on his shoulder. His face was expressionless and stern, and he wore a black suit along with a black hat.

Rob Lucci was also watching this scene.

Seemingly sensing that someone was observing him, Beiyuan Heng looked up and met Lucci's gaze.

Rob Lucci.

I've finally met you.

Beiyuan Heng looked at Lucci, a glint flashing in his eyes.

Ever since entering the World Government's training base, he had been waiting for this opportunity.

Feeling the attentive gazes around him, Beiyuan Heng looked at the information in his mind.

[Name: Beiyuan Heng]

[Occupation: Reserve Agent]

[Traits: Strong (White), Diligent (White), Swift (White), Little Glutton (White), Swordsmanship Basics (White), Six Powers Mastery (Green), Exceptional Talent (Green)]

[Draws Remaining: 0]

Among them, the [Diligent (White)] trait was gradually changing, and a hint of green light had begun to appear over it.

The next moment, the white trait [Diligent] shattered, and a new green trait appeared.

[Perseverance (Green)]: By maintaining long-term training, the speed of your improvement will become faster and faster.

Beiyuan Heng was not from this world. He was a transmigrator.

Ever since he could remember, he had grown up in a World Government training base, and he also possessed a panel.

Having read countless web novels, he quickly understood how to use this cheat.

From that moment on, he began crafting his own persona.

Day after day of diligent training had earned him [Diligent (White)].

Unwavering swordsmanship training had earned him [Swordsmanship Basics (White)].

And with his knowledge of the world of One Piece, he had learned the Six Powers at the fastest speed possible, earning [Six Powers Mastery (Green)].

With these traits, Beiyuan Heng had quickly gained the attention and appreciation of the training base's officers, earning [Exceptional Talent (Green)].

In the end, Beiyuan Heng came here to take part in CP9's selection process.

It was not that he did not want to keep a low profile while developing himself. Rather, through years of observation and experimentation, he had gradually figured out the rules governing how these traits formed.

A tiny training base could no longer meet his needs.

He needed a bigger stage and more attention.

And CP9's selection process was an excellent opportunity.

Whether it was the exaggerated barbell greatsword or his deliberate use of Iron Body during training, both had been carefully designed by him.

All for the sake of attracting attention.

The attention of these government officials from the various Cipher Pol divisions was excellent fuel for improving his strength.

Beiyuan Heng's ultimate target was Rob Lucci, the man hailed as CP9's strongest in eight hundred years.

The strongest, huh? He was worth defeating.