125 Traces, two months, cultivation

"Boom..." With a roar of rushing water, a vessel shot away from the harbor, its stern erupting in a violent trail of fire. In a mere moment, the craft vanished beyond the horizon like a streak of light.

Across the vast, azure, cloudless, and boundless sea, Xuanye stood upon the deck. He gazed at the landscape where the sea met the sky, his hands clenched tight, whispering to himself, "Just you wait, all of you!"

One day later, Xuanye arrived at Enies Lobby.

In the office of the supreme commander, Xuanye sat in Spandine’s chair, looking down with indifference at the CP9 members standing before him.

"Spandine, I trust you have already received the orders from Fleet Admiral Sengoku?" His fingers tapped lightly against the desk as he cast a cold, detached gaze at the man below, who was now missing an arm.

"I have. We are to provide full cooperation with Vice Admiral Skybird’s mission," Spandine replied, trembling slightly. He kept his head bowed, not daring to meet Xuanye’s eyes. Even after more than a year, the terror of the past had not faded; the scars they bore still ached at the mere memory.

"Very well. Find me a pirate named Edward Weevil. I need his exact location," Xuanye said calmly, suppressing the murderous intent rising within him.

"Yes!" Spandine nodded, not daring to ask any questions.

"You may go." Xuanye waved his hand, his brow furrowed.

"Yes!" Spandine bowed and prepared to lead the CP9 agents out to begin the investigation.

"Wait, Lucci and Kalifa stay behind. I have other tasks for them," Xuanye added, as if remembering something. "Contact me via Den Den Mushi if there is anything urgent. I will be heading out to train."

"Understood!" Relieved, Spandine promptly left the two behind and exited the room.

"Follow me." Xuanye stood up, gave Lucci and Kalifa a faint glance, and flew toward the ship in the harbor. He had decided to train for two months before seeking his revenge. After all, he might soon face a true monster, and he needed to ensure he had the strength to survive.

Lucci and Kalifa said nothing, simply using Soru to follow in Xuanye’s wake. They were only mildly surprised by his sudden return; after all, the marks he had left on them over the past year had never faded.

As the three vanished, Spandine pulled out a Den Den Mushi in the deepest level of Enies Lobby.

"Brrr... brrr..."

"Hello? This is Admiral Sengoku." A majestic voice echoed from the other end.

"It is Spandine."

"Has Vice Admiral Skybird arrived?" In his office at Marineford, Sengoku looked over the documents in his hand and asked indifferently.

"He has," Spandine replied.

"What did he say?" Sengoku set down the files and rubbed his temples.

"He wants to track a pirate named Edward Weevil, and he has taken two members of CP9—Lucci and Kalifa—with him," Spandine reported without holding back.

"Edward Weevil?" Sengoku tapped his fingers on the desk. He wasn't surprised by the target, but taking CP9 agents puzzled him. "Do you know why he took them?" he asked finally. Thinking about how he had taken the most talented agent and the most beautiful one, a strange expression crossed Sengoku's face.

"Vice Admiral Skybird mentioned something about training," Spandine replied after a moment of thought.

"Very well, I understand!" Realization dawned on Sengoku, and he felt reassured. "Give him your full cooperation. I will report this to the Commander-in-Chief and the Five Elders."

"Understood." Spandine hung up and let out a weary sigh.

On the other end, Sengoku hung up the Den Den Mushi with an amused smile. Originally, he had been uneasy about Xuanye, but now his mind was at ease. He had noticed Xuanye taking Lucci and Kalifa before, and after realizing it was merely for training, most of his doubts had vanished. If he wasn't mistaken, Lucci was likely needed for sparring or as an assistant, and as for Kalifa—well, any man understood why a beautiful woman would be brought along.

Sengoku chuckled, shook his head, and cast aside all his lingering doubts. He was unaware, however, that all of this was merely his own conjecture.

Out on the rolling waves, the vessel cut rapidly through the sea.

"Is there any untouched island nearby suitable for training?" Xuanye asked, looking at the stoic Lucci.

"To the west, about a day’s journey from here," Lucci replied expressionlessly, a pigeon perched on his shoulder as he gazed calmly at Xuanye.

"Vice Admiral, Lucci, your drinks." Once on board, Kalifa took charge; it went without saying that she would handle all the domestic affairs of the ship.

Xuanye took the drink, casting a lingering glance at Kalifa. He had to admit, she was becoming increasingly alluring; her provocative figure was enough to make even him struggle to maintain his composure. Yet, looking at her, his mind drifted involuntarily to Makino, that gentle and kind-hearted girl. He wondered what she was doing now. Was she still running the tavern? How he missed her.

Sighing, he looked away. "Have you both mastered Haki?"

"Reporting to the Vice Admiral, we have both mastered it," Kalifa said with a hint of excitement. Only after mastering Haki did she realize how fragile she had been before.

"I wonder if the Vice Admiral would have time to offer us some pointers?" Lucci asked, his eyes burning with challenge.

"Once we reach the island, there will be plenty of time." Xuanye turned away to face the open sea.

Having lost his memory for over a year felt like a year of wasted time. Now, he had to re-familiarize himself with his own body and grow stronger. His current strength was far from enough to handle what lay ahead. Since witnessing the terrifying power of Shiki the Golden Lion, Xuanye realized he had been nothing more than a slightly stronger ant; to the true powerhouses, his strength was nothing.

That was why he had to re-evaluate his Devil Fruit, his martial arts, and his Haki. He had to become stronger. This was also why he hadn't been as arrogant since his return—he knew he had wasted a year, but that didn't mean his enemies had.

He had originally set a six-month training period for himself, but he couldn't wait that long, so he settled for two months. In these two months, he had to elevate his strength to a whole new level.