章 64: 64. Ah~ Sugoi~!
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There are three options for the novice gift package, and it's not difficult to choose.
The first one is truly valuable—it not only grants all abilities but also awakens the Devil Fruit.
If Akira were to choose it, he would instantly become one of the top players in the Pirate World.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he'd be the strongest person under an Admiral.
But Akira is already the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, and as long as he doesn't mess up in this position, he can securely hold it.
With powerhouses like Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr at his disposal, along with all the Vice Admirals, the need for more strength isn't urgent.
On the other hand, the second option—Upgraded Fruit Ability—has piqued his interest.
Knowing the value of the first option, the fact that the second one is equally valuable speaks volumes.
Whether it's fruit ability awakening, Haki, or other skills, Akira can learn them all over time or use experience points to max them out.
But upgrading and transcending a fruit ability isn't something that time and experience can easily achieve.
It's not an exaggeration to say that missing out on this gift package might mean never having such an opportunity again.
Even if the upgraded ability of the Dog-Dog Fruit Model: Monster Racoon seems uncertain, it's still worth the risk.
In a world where Haki is crucial, even if the fruit ability ends up being underwhelming, it won't be a major setback.
As for the third option, Akira barely glanced at it before dismissing it.
The completion reward for "Ultimate Mission 3"?
Now that he's the Fleet Admiral, his next goal is to end the Great Pirate Era.
Once he fully accomplishes that, the reward for Ultimate Mission 3 will be his.
No need to rush.
hiss
As the system notifications kept chiming, Akira felt his heart race, and the Devil Fruit energy within him, which had been dormant, suddenly stirred.
Mysterious rules wrapped around all the energy of the fruit.
First, it covered, then warmed, then transformed, and finally merged and separated...
Thud...
Thud...
Thud...
Akira's heart pounded like thunder, and his chest visibly heaved up and down.
At the same time, his skin turned an abnormal rosy color, and steam began to pour out of every pore.
"Is it thundering?"
Rouge, who was deeply focused on paperwork, looked up in confusion, and when she followed the sound, she was immediately alarmed.
At that moment, Akira looked like he was in a thousand-degree sauna, with thick smoke billowing from his head.
"Fleet Admiral, what's wrong with you?"
Rouge quickly got up and rushed to Akira's side, her delicate face full of concern.
"Hiss... oh... no, it's nothing, don't worry... ah~~~ Sugoi!"
"Don't mind me, just go on with your work..."
Akira grinned, trembling as he spoke.
Rouge's expression became quite complicated.
At that moment, Akira's face and voice were just like when he was having fun with her every night.
It looked as if he was experiencing something intense, but his twitching face made it seem so wrong.
It was like... pleasure mixed with pain!
"I'll go find a medic to check on you."
"No, wait—"
Akira quickly grabbed Rouge's hand, stopping her from leaving.
He didn't want anyone knowing about the Devil Fruit upgrade.
The medics might not notice anything, but who knows if someone like Garp or Sengoku might pick up on something.
Anyway, the system upgrade is harmless, with no side effects other than a bit of discomfort during the process.
Once the time is up, everything will return to normal.
Seeing how insistent Akira was, Rouge didn't dare to oppose him.
"You're sweating a lot; I'll wipe it off for you."
"Um!"
Akira could barely respond, gritting his teeth to force out the words.
He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he might make some indescribable sounds.
The sensation from the fruit ability upgrade was far more intense than when he had previously enhanced his physique to a monstrous level.
He could clearly feel himself getting stronger.
The Dog-Dog Fruit Model: Monster Racoon, which was originally more of an auxiliary-type Mythical Zoan, didn't add much to his overall strength.
But now, it was different.
For example, if his Doriki power index was 1 before eating the fruit, it increased to 5 after consuming the Dog-Dog Fruit Model: Monster Racoon—and would rise to over 10 with the Bat-Bat Fruit Model: Vampire.
But now, after the upgrade, Akira's Doriki power had shot up to over 20.
His strength had quadrupled.
Not only did this meet his expectations for getting stronger, but it also greatly exceeded them.
He had an instinctive feeling that his current physical strength was enough to match that of Sakazuki and the others.
Zizizi.
The steam continued to rise from his body.
Even with the windows open and the sea breeze blowing in, the Fleet Admiral's office was still unbearably hot.
Rouge's forehead was also dotted with sweat at this point.
"Yes, it's pretty hot, Fleet Admiral."
"Be patient, be patient, just wait, it'll be over soon!"
"Oh, okay."
Meanwhile, outside in the corridor.
Two figures walked side by side.
"Sister Tsuru, are those the rules and regulations for Akira you're holding?" the tall and slender Gion asked curiously.
The woman beside her, Tsuru, nodded and patted the thick stack of documents: "Yes, once Akira approves them, the Marine Crime Investigation Bureau can be established."
"Oh!" Gion nodded.
"By the way, I'm here to report to Akira. What about you?"
Tsuru's eyes behind her glasses narrowed, and she looked Gion up and down, smiling as she asked:
"As a Vice Admiral, unless the Fleet Admiral personally calls you, shouldn't you be reporting to an Admiral first for your work arrangements?"
Gion's pretty face blushed, but seeing Tsuru's teasing gaze, she stiffened her neck and replied:
"I-I also need to report to Akira."
"Oh? Do you need to dress up so nicely for that? I remember you used to be reluctant to wear this outfit."
Tsuru reached out and touched the exquisitely tailored skirt that highlighted Gion's figure. "This doesn't look like you're here to report work—it looks like you're here to seduce the boss."
"Sister Tsuru, you're too harsh."
Gion pouted but avoided Tsuru's gaze, her eyes darting around nervously.
The two of them had a close relationship, often sharing their thoughts, so Gion wasn't upset by Tsuru's teasing.
Late at night, it wasn't uncommon for them to discuss more serious and intimate topics.
Tsuru chuckled.
Step, step.
The locked front door of the Fleet Admiral's office came into view.
"Soldier, why are you standing so far away?"
Tsuru looked at the messenger stationed outside the office with suspicion and asked.
As one of the dominant forces at sea, all the building materials of Marine Headquarters were of the highest quality.
The Fleet Admiral's office was no exception, with a door made of extremely rare and precious wood.
Not only was it incredibly hard and thick, but its soundproofing was also top-notch.
Typically, the messenger stationed outside would stand close to the door to hear any call from the Fleet Admiral.
But today, the messengers were standing unusually far away—how could they hear anything from that distance?
Very unprofessional.
If an urgent order was missed because of this, it could lead to unforeseen consequences.
Thinking of this, Tsuru's expression suddenly turned serious.
"This, it's cooler over here."
"Yes, yes, it's much cooler here."
The two messenger soldiers kept their heads down, not daring to let others see their expressions. However, their flushed ears were fully visible to Tsuru and Gion.
'Cool?' Tsuru frowned, pondering for a moment. She decided not to make things difficult for the soldiers and planned to talk to Akira directly.
She and Gion continued forward.
When they finally reached the door, just as Tsuru was about to knock, they overheard some sounds and conversations from the office that made them both blush.
Tsuru was stunned.
Gion froze in place.
"Cough, cough... It seems Fleet Admiral Akira is busy," Tsuru, being the more experienced of the two, was the first to regain her composure. She coughed a few times and spoke slowly.
Now, she understood why the two messengers had stood so far away.
The Fleet Admiral was "busy" with his secretary in the office. If he found out that the soldiers were eavesdropping at the door, their future in the Marines would be bleak.
Tsuru's expression looked a little embarrassed.
If she felt that way, Gion—who was much more innocent—was surely mortified.
"We came at the wrong time. Let's come back later."
"Uh-huh!" Gion quickly nodded, her face still red.
As they turned to leave, Tsuru suddenly stopped.
"Sister Tsuru, what's wrong?"
"I think it's worth reminding him that a Fleet Admiral is different from a Admiral or a Acting Fleet Admiral," Tsuru said, pointing toward the two messengers. "He still needs to maintain a certain image and influence."
After taking a deep breath, Tsuru returned to the door and knocked.
Knock, knock, knock.
The activity in the office suddenly paused.
"Ahem, Fleet Admiral Akira, is now a convenient time?" Tsuru asked.
"Please, please wait a moment..." Akira's strained voice responded. But before he finished, he quickly changed his mind, "No, come in! Rouge, go, go and open the door."
"Oh, okay." Rouge's hurried response came.
After a few moments, the door slowly opened.
Rouge, drenched in sweat and looking like she'd just finished some intense exercise, appeared before the two women.
Tsuru and Gion instinctively looked past her and focused on Akira.
Akira, with his hair and clothes soaked, propped his chin on his hands and smiled at them, saying, "Please don't misunderstand—I wasn't rewarding myself just now."
Given what had happened last time, Akira didn't want to be misunderstood again. Although some of the veteran Vice Admirals who weren't on good terms with him had left, rumors could still spread.
Even as Fleet Admiral, such gossip would only add fuel to the fire and tarnish his reputation, something he wanted to avoid.
Tsuru and Gion exchanged glances, both with complicated expressions.
Sure, no more rewarding yourself!
But now it seems like you've simply upgraded to having the secretary do it for you.
"I, we really didn't..." Rouge stammered, turning red as she realized what they were thinking. How embarrassing to be accused of such a thing with the Fleet Admiral!
"Oh, no need to explain, I understand everything!" Tsuru said, stepping inside. As someone with experience, she advised, "But young people should still be mindful of their health. It's daytime, and this isn't the most private place. I recommend saving that kind of fun for home at night."
Akira slapped his forehead.
Well, that explanation was pointless.
"Rouge, from now on, there's no need to close the door to the Fleet Admiral's office."
"Yes!" Rouge quickly responded.
Rouge regretted not leaving the door open from the start, which might have avoided the misunderstanding. Now, even if she tried to explain, the situation would be hard to clear up. Thankfully, the two who misunderstood her were women, so the embarrassment was manageable. Plus, since she was indeed Akira's partner, her only reaction was shyness.
"Please, have a seat. What brings you here?" Akira asked, motioning toward the sofa.
"I have the documents for the Marine Crimie Investigation Bureau. I need you to review and approve them," Tsuru replied, handing over a thick stack of rules and regulations.
"Alright, I'll take care of it now," Akira said, taking a deep breath as he accepted the documents.
His body was still settling down after the effects of the Dog-Dog Fruit Model: Monster Racoon transformation, and reviewing these dull documents would help him calm down further.
Tsuru sat down on the sofa with Gion, while Rouge, performing her duties as a secretary, brought them two glasses of water and stayed close by.
"I heard you were out at sea with Gion for the past two months?" Tsuru asked Rouge, her tone friendly, like a concerned neighbor.
Rouge didn't dare to be disrespectful to the Marine Chief of Staff and quickly replied, "Yes, Ms. Tsuru."
"Was it difficult work?"
"Not at all. I'm just happy to contribute a little more to the world," Rouge answered with sincerity.
Tsuru narrowed her eyes, observing Rouge carefully. Sensing that Rouge's willingness and contentment weren't feigned, she relaxed and released the grip she'd unconsciously formed, using her Wash-Wash Fruit powers.
"You've had a difficult life. Being deceived into bearing Roger's child was your misfortune," Tsuru sighed. "But adults must take responsibility for their actions."
Having honed her ability for decades, Tsuru could not only cleanse negative emotions and thoughts but also sense some of the subject's inner workings. After using her ability, she found no trace of deceit or ill intentions in Rouge. Instead, Rouge seemed genuinely satisfied and happy to be serving justice and making amends.
Tsuru had a soft spot for such kind-hearted individuals.
As for Rouge's identity, Garp hadn't hidden it from her, Sengoku, or the others. While most Marine soldiers and mid-level officers weren't aware, those in the higher ranks knew the truth. Although some were initially uncomfortable with it, seeing Garp's determination to protect Rouge, and with Akira appointing her as his secretary, the topic was largely dropped.
After all, Rouge and her child were now fighting for justice within the Marines. Under these circumstances, many were inclined to leave the past behind.
"The issue isn't with the Marine's top brass. The real concern is the attitude of the World Government, the soldiers, and the public," Tsuru cautioned. "If you want to live openly in the future, you'll need Akira to find a way to protect you."
"Otherwise, there will always be a sword hanging over your child as they grow," Tsuru added.
Rouge's face turned pale as she instinctively placed a hand on her large, watermelon-like belly.
Gion's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, what? The child you're carrying is Roger's?"
"You've been together for two months, and you didn't know?" Tsuru asked, surprised.
"I only knew she was Akira's woman! Sister Tsuru, why didn't you tell me?"
"Uh, I thought you already knew, so I didn't mention it."
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