After leaving Asuka Island, the Beatrice made a steady transit to Marineford. Upon arrival, Krieg left the ship's command to Gin and headed straight to Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office to deliver his report.
He detailed the movements of pirates in the first half of the Grand Line, submitted an extensive arrest list, and briefed the Admiral on Crocodile's activities and the successful reopening of the Asuka Marine Dojo.
"Excellent work on your mission. There are no urgent matters at the moment, so you may remain at HQ for a while. Oh, and take these documents to Inspector Zephyr. Tell him the details regarding Asuka Island."
"Old man Zeph—I mean, Inspector Zephyr is heading to the Dojo?"
"Yes. He is the foremost authority on education and training. It's best left in his hands. I'll send word if anything comes up. Will you be standing by on your ship?"
"Actually, I have some personal business to attend to, so I was planning to head over to Sabaody Archipelago."
"I see. I'll send a messenger there if needed. Take some time to rest."
"Understood. I'll deliver these to Zephyr, check in with the Tech Division, and then head to Sabaody. Excuse me, sir."
Krieg saluted and made his way to Zephyr's office.
"Old man Zephyr, I've got documents for you from Sengoku-san."
"Hm? Krieg. How is your Observation Haki training coming along?"
"My precision still drops when I'm moving. But I've managed to learn how to imbue my equipment with Armament Haki."
"Too slow. With your potential, you should have mastered that much sooner."
"I'm not some natural-born genius, you know. I have to put in the work bit by bit."
Zephyr took the documents with a smirk, leafing through them. "…I see. The Marine Dojo is finally ready for operation."
"I heard you're the one being stationed there?"
"Indeed. It's written right here. Are you coming along?"
"No way. Believe it or not, I'm a busy Rear Admiral. Though, since I've got some downtime, I was hoping you could look over Gin for me again..."
"I see. You have other plans?"
"Yeah, got some business in Sabaody."
"Fine. But before that, Krieg... stand right there."
"Huh? Sure, but—"
As soon as Krieg moved into position, Zephyr took a step back and wound up his fist.
"Alright, I'm going to hit you with everything I've got!"
"Wait! Right now!?"
Krieg didn't waste a second. He crossed his arms and activated Tekkai (Iron Body). Not just the standard version, but "Shin Tekkai" (True Iron Body)—an advanced form with superior hardness, though it leaves the user completely immobile.
Recalling Zephyr's warning of "everything I've got," Krieg looked at the incoming fist. It was already coated in a deep, obsidian Armament Haki. Panicked, Krieg forced his own Haki to wrap around his forearms.
BOOM!!
The impact sounded like a heavy artillery shell detonating. Krieg was blasted backward, his heels carving deep trenches into the floor before he finally skidded to a halt.
"…Hmph. It seems you haven't been neglecting your physical training." Zephyr deactivated his Haki, looking satisfied.
"…Huff... huff... I thought I was actually going to die." Krieg deactivated his armor and Tekkai, breathing hard.
"I'd heard rumors you were relying too much on your arsenal lately. I was worried about your close-quarters capabilities.
But your Armament speed has improved significantly. That's good." Zephyr paused. "Now... you mentioned you learned to imbue objects. Show me."
"Do normal people punch their 'cute students' with full-power Haki just to say hello!? With Armament Hardening, no less!!"
"Anyone who calls themselves a 'cute student' is asking for a reality check."
"Ugh... so sudden. You could have just asked..." Krieg grumbled, but he knew training with Zephyr was an invaluable opportunity.
He reached behind his back and drew his custom-made, 10-ton concealed staff—the "Hakubi-kon" (White-Tail Staff).
He focused his will. From where his hands gripped the weapon, a dark stain began to spread. Slowly... creeeeak... the staff, which was normally dull grey with white ends, was eventually enveloped in a solid black coating.
"…Too slow."
Zephyr grabbed a training sword, instantly coated it in a perfect layer of black Haki, and held it up.
"Hey! I just learned how to do that!!"
"…Well, you've always been more suited for Armament than Observation. You'll get to this level eventually."
"I'll put in the effort..." Krieg nodded vaguely, spending the next few hours having the former Admiral beat every flaw out of his combat form.
The "Bear" Armaments Division
"Alright, everyone. Thanks for gathering on such short notice."
"We heard the 'Great Bear' was back. Is that what this is about?"
"Eeeh... has he picked up something strange again?"
"The man brings in everything, doesn't he? I heard rumors he picks up kids and animals as often as he picks up rare weapons, y'know?"
"The 'Bear's Cubs,' huh? Like that, Vice-Commander Gin. Or that bear-like creature he used to haul around—isn't that a famous story by now?"
In a corner of the Marine Headquarters Technology Division, five people had assembled.
These individuals had been involved with Krieg's gear since he was a mere junior officer. Over time, as he rose to the rank of Rear Admiral, they had naturally evolved into his Exclusive Armaments Division.
Their primary mission was the development and manufacture of Krieg's specialized arsenal. They took his combat data and field reports and fed them back to the wider Tech and Science Divisions.
They were the ones who maintained his "heavy-duty" armor after long voyages and researched the rare—and often stolen—weapons he "acquired" during his patrols.
"Alright, alright, that's enough chatter. Last time, we were shocked by the Germa tech he brought back, but this time, it's this."
The man acting as the team leader pulled on thick leather gloves and placed a long, cloth-wrapped bundle on the workbench.
"Oh... what a beautiful sword."
"I doubt he'd bring back a normal blade. Is it some kind of treasure?"
"It's definitely long for a standard sword, isn't it?"
"If it's not a normal sword, then what is it? Does it have something to do with those gloves you're wearing?"
The team members leaned in, realizing that the elegantly crafted Seven-Starred Sword was more than just eye candy.
"Correct. This was apparently worshipped as a legendary treasure on a certain island. It's got a nasty history—they say anyone who holds it is cursed to go on an indiscriminate killing spree."
"My, he certainly brought home something troublesome this time."
"Eeeh! Something so scary...?"
"So, since he brought it here, does that mean there's a way to use it?"
"A 'Magic Sword,' then. We've heard thousands of rumors about cursed blades, but this one looks the part."
"The name is the Seven-Starred Sword," the leader continued. "Rear Admiral Krieg's assessment is that it transmits negative imagery to the wielder through direct skin contact.
The Science Division did a preliminary sweep... according to their findings and the local legends, this thing is several centuries old.
Yet, there's no rust, no warping, and zero signs of structural decay. The material is the real kicker.
The official report says 'Composition Unknown,' but the molecular structure is curiously similar to Seastone, that indestructible mineral."
"Wait... the material is unknown?"
"And that's not all. The legends say it cannot be destroyed by human strength... and get this: even after the Rear Admiral slammed it down with his full power, there wasn't a single scratch on it!"
"WHAT!? He hit it full-force, and it didn't break!?"
"Finally! My 362 prototype swords finally have a reason to exist! You're telling me we finally found something that won't snap the moment he swings it!?"
The man responsible for Krieg's melee weapons looked like he was about to weep with joy. He had spent years trying to craft a blade that could withstand Krieg's monstrous physical strength, only to have them return as twisted scraps of metal after every battle.
"As for the 'curse'... well, for convenience, we'll call it that. But the Science Division found that the sword creates a unique energy field.
When it touches skin, it activates. The grip has microscopic textures that are almost imperceptible, and the blade is coated in glass-like dust particles arranged in a mysterious pattern.
Whether intentional or accidental, the sword is a masterpiece of sensory manipulation. It reflects light directly toward the wielder's eyes, emits a faint sound beyond human hearing, and uses tactile vibration.
It's a triple-threat to the human visual, auditory, and tactile senses designed to plant imagery in the mind."
"If that was built on purpose, it's not just a sword—it's an OOPArt (Out-of-Place Artifact)," a woman remarked.
"There are also legends about it breathing fire, but we haven't confirmed that yet."
"Breathing fire... I want to see that!"
"So, our job is to make this thing usable for him, right?"
"We're still working on the specialized gear using the Germa tech, too. Looks like it's going to be a busy season."
"We've got the teardown of the latest hammers and gauntlets to do as well. Alright! Back to work, everyone!"
The leader clapped his hands, and the team set to work. Before they could tackle the magic sword, they began the painstaking process of maintaining the "Great Bear's" iconic golden armor.
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