Chapter 101: Arrived at Alabasta.
As the journey progressed, Lakeman observed the daily routines with quiet satisfaction—by day, watching the relentless training sessions of his confidantes, and by night, indulging in the vibrant, debauched life aboard his luxury vessel. Each evening was filled with debauchery, contrasting the rigorous discipline of the day.
With only a day left before reaching Alabasta, Lakeman's attention drifted to his system notifications, which held an unexpected revelation. Even though he had already awakened his Devil Fruit, the system continued to channel Devil Fruit proficiency points to him, seemingly without end.
"Strange," he murmured, his eyes narrowing as he scrolled through the endless updates. "I've already awakened my fruit. Yet the system keeps adding proficiencies as if... as if awakening is just the beginning?"
Reflecting on the past month, he realized why he hadn't noticed earlier. His focus had been entirely on training, pushing his newly awakened abilities to their limits. Plus, with Hancock, Kizaru, and Robin practicing in sea-stone shackles, his feedback had been largely limited to improvements in physique, resistance, and techniques. The few Devil Fruit proficiencies from Doflamingo had been buried in a sea of notifications.
'If not for the recent pause in training, I would have missed this entirely,' he thought. A maid gently poured him a glass of chilled wine, which he accepted with a slight nod.
"Is something troubling you, Master Lakeman?" she asked, her voice soft and concerned.
Lakeman sipped thoughtfully, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "It's nothing that can't wait," he replied smoothly, feeling the weight lift slightly as he decided to let it go.
'There's no sense in stressing over things beyond my control. If the system wanted to harm me, I wouldn't stand a chance of stopping it. But it's strange... maybe there's a level beyond awakening, a secret I never reached in the original One Piece story.' lakeman thought.
The maid nodded, sensing his need for contemplation, and moved to knead his shoulders as he relaxed further.
His thoughts shifted to the tangible results of his training. The feedback he had absorbed from Hancock, Rayleigh, Kizaru, Robin, Stussy, and others had done wonders for his physique. His body now brimmed with peak admiral-level strength, capable of sustaining a drawn-out, high-intensity battle.
"Master Lakeman," Hancock's voice interrupted his reverie as she approached him, her clothes soaked in sweat, showing her amazing curves, her gaze filled with a mixture of admiration and love. "The training is progressing well, but... if there is anything else you wish of me, anything at all, you need only say it."