Kizaru: I've Got an Idea...

Beiyuan Heng gathered his thoughts and recounted everything that had just happened.

From discovering the traces of Jinbe and the other Sun Pirates members to his failed attempt to stop them, falling just one step short, he reported everything to Kizaru clearly and without the slightest concealment.

After all, he was certain that with Kizaru's temperament, the man would never withhold his credit.

After hearing the detailed report, Kizaru raised an eyebrow and swept his gaze over Beiyuan Heng from head to toe.

His tone remained somewhat lazy, but it carried a note of approval.

"I didn't expect a kid your age to be so capable. You're even such a good swimmer."

He paused, the corner of his mouth curling into a half-smile. His tone suddenly turned sour, and the envy in it was completely undisguised.

"As a Devil Fruit user, I really envy people like you who haven't eaten one.

"You can swim freely through the sea. Unlike me, who gets into trouble the moment I touch water."

Kizaru was not deliberately teasing him. He truly meant it.

Back then, Kizaru had been regarded as a "monster" alongside Akainu.

At that time, he had yet to consume the Glint-Glint Fruit and was still one of Admiral Zephyr's most capable disciples.

Before gaining the power of a Devil Fruit, Kizaru had earned the title of "monster" solely through his overwhelmingly powerful physique, exquisite martial skills, and exceptional combat talent.

That was why he truly envied Beiyuan Heng's innate talent for swimming.

After all, he too had risen to prominence in the Marines because of that very same foundation.

Of course, Kizaru did not regret eating the Glint-Glint Fruit in the slightest.

After all, the speed and destructive power granted by the Glint-Glint Fruit were beyond the reach of any martial art, and they were the foundation of his position as a Marine admiral.

Most importantly, the fruit meant he did not have to rush around so much every day...

Just then, Kizaru seemed to think of something. His eyes brightened slightly, and his lazy tone gained a touch of seriousness.

"Oh, right. You're still quite young, aren't you? You're skilled, and you've got a steady temperament. How about I recommend you to Admiral Zephyr and have him personally guide you for a while?"

He had not said that on a whim; he had given it some thought.

He knew that Admiral Zephyr now retained only the rank of admiral.

In reality, Zephyr merely trained Marines at Marine Headquarters from time to time. He had nothing substantial to handle and spent his days with little to do.

As a disciple personally trained by Zephyr, Kizaru naturally wanted to recommend a promising talent like Beiyuan Heng to his teacher.

If Zephyr truly took a liking to Beiyuan Heng and accepted him as a personal disciple, Beiyuan Heng would surely become a capable pillar of the Marines in the future—and perhaps Kizaru's colleague as well.

Maybe he could even help share some of Kizaru's cumbersome Marine duties...

Hearing Kizaru's words, Beiyuan Heng froze. The surprise on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by undisguisable delight.

Becoming Admiral Zephyr's disciple was practically a dream opportunity!

As a former Marine admiral, Zephyr had not only reached the pinnacle of martial arts, but also possessed extraordinarily powerful Armament Haki. He was one of the strongest Haki users in the entire Marines.

And what Beiyuan Heng lacked most at the moment was precisely systematic guidance and training methods for Haki.

Speaking of Haki training, it went back to the two years he had spent as a CP9 agent.

During those two years, he had accomplished quite a lot through his strength and strategy.

As a minor leader among that generation of CP9 agents, he had received considerable preferential access to World Government resources, including some materials on Haki training.

Back then, Beiyuan Heng had specifically exchanged for quite a few materials concerning Haki cultivation and studied them day and night.

Yet even so, he had only grasped the barest fundamentals of Armament Haki.

He could only cover a small part of his body with Armament Haki, and its power was weak. He could not use it for offense at all, only barely manage small-scale defense.

The reason he had been able to block Ryan Hunter's Virtue: Bagua earlier was precisely because of that faint trace of Armament Haki.

In the first half of the Grand Line, that superficial mastery was practically a cheat code against pirates who did not possess Haki.

But in the New World, against powerful opponents who had Haki, such ability was utterly insignificant.

As for Observation Haki, he had made no progress whatsoever. No matter how long he studied it, he had never found the way in.

Fortunately, after gaining the [Calm (Green)] trait not long ago, his state of mind had grown increasingly steady, and his perception had also improved.

He felt that he had already picked up the pace on his path toward grasping Observation Haki.

If he could truly become Zephyr's disciple and receive personal guidance from such a Haki master, then his training in both Armament and Observation Haki should no longer be a problem.

More importantly, through the identity of "Zephyr's disciple," he could raise others' awareness of his abilities in Haki and thereby generate more Haki-related traits.

That was the point he valued most.

It was also why he had never displayed too much of his progress in Haki to the outside world.

He was waiting for a suitable opportunity.

If possible, the generation of these top-tier traits had to happen somewhere crowded, chaotic, and highly visible.

Only then would the traits generated in one go be of sufficiently high quality and truly aid his training.

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Beiyuan Heng looked up at Kizaru. His expression was incomparably earnest, and his tone carried a hint of sincerity.

"Mr. Kizaru, to be honest, I also feel that my strength is still greatly lacking. I am not yet capable of truly carrying out the justice in my heart, nor am I capable of bearing the responsibilities of a Marine."

At that, he bowed slightly, his tone becoming even more solemn.

"If I could receive Admiral Zephyr's guidance, it would truly be an honor. Then I'll be relying on you, Mr. Kizaru."

As his words fell, he straightened and gave Kizaru a standard, solemn Marine salute, every movement meticulous.

He knew that one could never go wrong with courtesy. Besides, Kizaru was a Marine admiral and the man offering him this recommendation. Showing a little more respect could only leave a better impression.

Perhaps the [Basking in Spring Breeze (Green)] trait had taken effect.

Seeing Beiyuan Heng treat the matter with such solemn respect and earnestness, Kizaru became somewhat embarrassed instead.

He scratched the back of his head, an awkward smile appearing on his face as his tone returned to its usual laziness.

"My, my, I only mentioned it casually, but you really took it seriously. How adorable."

After a pause, he waved a hand, his tone growing a little more serious.

"Since you care so much about it, I really can't slack off. I'll make sure to put this recommendation before Admiral Zephyr."

"Perfect timing. I need to return to Marine Headquarters for the report on this mission anyway. You can stay here and continue your post. Just wait for our news."

"If Admiral Zephyr agrees, I'll notify you immediately."