At twenty times normal gravity, Rubick's entire body got a brutal workout. By the time he adapted to fifty times normal gravity, he had also compressed his Half-Dragon form as far as it would go, down to two meters.
In the research facility, Aokiji sat before a bonfire, roasting a long tentacle from an octopus Sea King. Rubick strode in from outside, brimming with confidence. "Aokiji, let's settle this today."
Aokiji ignored the challenge. "I'd like to eat first."
Rubick sat down without ceremony, picked up a skewer, and started roasting it. "Then we eat first. I feel like I can last thirty minutes against you now."
"Training under gravity is a good idea," Aokiji said, "but if all you think about is how long you can hold out, you'll never surpass me."
"Whether I surpass you is another matter," Rubick said with a shrug. "What I really want to know is how Awakening works."
Aokiji glanced at him. "You've copied so many Devil Fruits without Awakening a single one. That's normal."
"Normal?"
"People choose Devil Fruits, but Devil Fruits also choose their users. Broadly speaking, a user's body, mind, and intent must become one with the fruit's power to achieve Awakening."
Rubick thought for a moment. "Like believing you're a block of ice?"
Aokiji was speechless for a while. "I'm not an idiot. It's a figure of speech. You have to believe in your power and understand it."
Rubick frowned. He had remembered the three Ancient Zoan dinosaur users under Kaido.
King could launch his head like a slingshot to send out a shockwave. Queen could fire off his neck and tail, and his neck could coil around enemies like a snake. Sasaki could spin the bony plate around his neck and even fly.
All three said the same