Awakening

The Red Line, Mary Geoise.

Inside a lavish office in Pangaea Castle, the Five Elders, the highest leaders of the World Government, stood or sat.

The CP0 Chief knelt on one knee, his head lowered as he reported the failure of the mission to subjugate the Mink Tribe.

Sweat covered his forehead as he struggled to report CP0's defeat and the deaths of the CP0 Deputy Chief and many elite members.

The Warrior God of Science and Defense-Saint Jaygarcia Saturn-stood by the window, leaning on his cane as he roared, "You useless fools!

An Admiral-level fighter and dozens of CP0 elites actually fell to the Mink Tribe! Tell me exactly what happened! Well?!"

The CP0 Chief said, his face pale, "The survivors who escaped only knew that an extremely powerful presence and surging waves of Armament Haki erupted on that battlefield.

Then there was a massive explosion, and everything went silent over there. We still don't know exactly what happened."

The Warrior God of the Environment-Saint Marcus Mars-sat on the sofa and said mildly, "Saint Saturn, don't get so angry."

The Warrior God of Justice-Saint Topman Warcury-said,

"Wells, have Cipher Pol investigate the Mink Tribe's location, or watch for any news of Minks out at sea."

The CP0 Chief replied respectfully, "Yes, Saint Topman Warcury!"

"You may leave now!"

Wells respectfully withdrew from the room.

"What do you think about this matter with the Mink Tribe?" a voice asked.

"There's no need to worry too much about them. Perhaps a powerful fighter simply happened to emerge among them. Tell the Navy to watch for any Mink pirate crews at sea. Wipe them out if the opportunity arises."

To the lofty Five Elders, little other than Joy Boy warranted much attention.

On Zou, a faint herbal fragrance filled the air inside Cook's quaint clinic.

The injured Kakarot and the others were recuperating, and the entire room was quiet, with a touch of solemnity.

Lilith, Vian, Simba, and Ailik, who had suffered lighter injuries, sat together with Iris, Emily, and Yingyue, who had barely been hurt.

Yingyue looked at Lilith enviously and couldn't help complaining, "Lilith, you're improving as fast as a rocket.

You've already fully formed your Heaven-Splitting Claw Intent, while I've been stuck at the peak of Swordmaster for years. I feel like I'm about to grow mold.

No, once Kakarot and big sister Lina recover, we need to head out to sea right away, spar with powerful swordsmen, and hone my swordsmanship."

The corners of Lilith's mouth lifted slightly into a happy smile,

and she said softly, "Big sister Yingyue, I practice martial arts, and my claws are part of my body to begin with. Naturally, they're easier to use, so I progress a little faster.

But even though you didn't break through your bottleneck in this battle, I saw everything. Your swordsmanship was clearly sharper than before. Isn't that progress?

Besides, didn't you get a Great Grade Sword? That's a pretty good gain too."

Reclining on her bed, Vian joined in, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I did pretty well this time too. I defeated a Swordmaster as strong as me.

I feel like I gained a lot from that fight.

If I can exchange blows with a few more powerful Swordmasters and learn from their sword techniques, I feel like I'll fully grasp my Thunder Sword Intent soon."

Then Vian pursed her lips and said, "It's just that the Swordmaster I fought didn't have a Great Grade Sword, so I'm still stuck using my Skillful Grade Blade."

Emily nodded gently, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and said earnestly, "This battle was a rare chance for me to gain experience too.

I found that my Observation Haki became sharper, and I could manage the overall battlefield situation more easily.

The next time we fight, I'll definitely be better at kiting the enemy and creating more opportunities for everyone."

Iris nodded gently too.

Beside them, Simba and Ailik exchanged a glance and both nodded in agreement.

Simba patted Ailik's arm and said, "That's right. Fighting CP0 members who were also proficient in the Six Powers really taught us a lot.

There were so many novel ways to use the Six Powers that we'd never seen before.

After this battle, not only did we gain combat experience, but even our Armament Haki feels considerably stronger."

Ailik followed in his deep, muffled voice, "Yeah, this battle really opened our eyes.

The next time we face opponents like them, we'll definitely be able to handle them more calmly."

On his sickbed, Kakarot slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was still hazy, but he instinctively looked toward the bed beside him.

Seeing that Aunt Lina was breathing steadily and, though still a little pale, was no longer in serious danger, his tightly furrowed brow instantly relaxed, and he smiled in relief.

"Ah! Big brother, you're awake!" Lilith had been paying close attention to Kakarot and Lina's condition all along.

She noticed the instant Kakarot woke and cried out in delighted surprise, her voice as clear as birdsong.

The others had been talking among themselves, but at Lilith's cry, they all turned concerned gazes toward Kakarot.

Every pair of eyes was filled with a mixture of worry and joy.

Looking at the companions around him who cared about him, Kakarot felt a warm, sincere surge rise in his heart.

His lips moved slightly as he tried to say something, but his throat felt terribly dry.

After two days of rest, Kakarot's mental state had clearly improved considerably.

But the little nutrient solution he had received was merely a drop in the bucket for his severely depleted body, nowhere near enough to replenish it.

Now, intense hunger swept over him like a tide, and he couldn't help saying to Lilith, "Lilith, is there anything to eat? I feel like I'm starving to death."

A trace of distress flashed through Lilith's eyes, and she hurriedly replied, "Yes, yes! Don't worry, big brother. I'll get it for you right now!"

Before she had finished speaking, she dashed out of the ward like a gust of wind.

In fact, the others beside him had long anticipated that Kakarot would urgently need to replenish his energy when he woke, and had prepared plenty of food outside the clinic well in advance.

They quickly sprang into action, carrying baskets and trays filled with all kinds of food into the ward.

The meat gave off an enticing aroma, the vegetables and fruit were brightly colored, and the bread was soft and delicious, filling an entire large table.

Kakarot eagerly reached out, grabbed a piece of meat, and stuffed huge bites into his mouth.

As he wolfed down the food, he activated Life Return to accelerate his stomach's digestion.

The mountain of food dwindled at a rate visible to the naked eye, yet his stomach remained flat, as though it had an endless capacity.

Before long, more than half the food on the table was gone. Kakarot let out a satisfied belch, his face brimming with contentment.

Feeling power surge through his body again, he discovered to his delighted surprise that, after this fierce battle,

not only had his physique grown stronger, but his Armament Haki, previously abundant in quantity but lacking in quality,

now seemed to have undergone a complete transformation, its quality improving significantly.

"Wow, I'm full! I feel alive again!

And I seem to have gotten a bit stronger too. I really gained a lot from this battle."

Kakarot spoke excitedly, his eyes sparkling with confidence.

Lilith looked at Kakarot, her face full of relief.

"Big brother, I'm just glad you're okay. Of course it's good that you've gotten stronger, but don't risk your life like that again."

The others gathered around too, teasing him with smiles.

"Kakarot, you eat several times as much as we do! Good thing we prepared so much beforehand, or there really wouldn't have been enough for you."

Kakarot raised his eyebrows and said with a cheeky grin,

"I can't help it! I've always had a big appetite, and I exhausted my stamina in this battle.

But thank goodness you all noticed in time. Otherwise, who knows what would've happened to Aunt Lina and me."

Relaxed laughter filled the ward, easing much of the earlier tension.

Amid this relaxed, comfortable atmosphere, Lina slowly awoke.

She slowly opened her eyes, blue as a clear lake, and looked around at everyone in hazy confusion.

When her gaze finally landed on Kakarot, a spark of light instantly flashed through her eyes.

"Daddy!" The languid, thoroughly coaxing cry instantly broke through the ward's cheerful chatter and laughter.

The sudden cry stunned everyone present.

Lina eagerly flung herself from her sickbed toward Kakarot. His heart tightened at the sight, and, afraid Aunt Lina might fall and hurt herself, he didn't dare dodge.

Like a koala, Lina wrapped her arms tightly around Kakarot's neck and swiftly wound her legs around his waist.

Her whole posture showed utter dependence as she clung tightly to Kakarot, as though he were her most steadfast support.

Kakarot looked bewildered and at a loss, never having expected Aunt Lina to do such a thing.

Everyone else stared wide-eyed, their faces full of shock.

"Aunt Lina, what's wrong?" Kakarot asked, his face full of confusion and his voice worried.

He wanted to understand why Aunt Lina had suddenly become so strange.

But like a willful little child, Lina kept rubbing her head against Kakarot's face.

She mumbled, "Karuchu! I want to kiss Daddy!" As she spoke, her little pink lips went straight toward Kakarot's face.

Kakarot reacted quickly and hurriedly raised a hand to block her, his face full of embarrassment and helplessness.

"Big brother, what's wrong with my aunt?!"

Watching the two clinging tightly together, Lilith felt both angry and worried. Her delicate brows drew tightly together, and her eyes were full of anxiety.

Although everyone else in the ward was equally worried about Lina's condition, the scene before them was simply too peculiar.

They all unconsciously watched as though enjoying a spectacle, their eyes fixed on this dramatic scene, their hearts full of curiosity and confusion.