Chapter 40: Feng Kai Apologizes, Breaking Through to Trainee Rank!
"I... I apologize!" Feng Kai gritted his teeth, his voice filled with resentment.
Yet, he could only lower his posture and speak stiffly to Chen Yu. "I was wrong before. I shouldn't have questioned you without verification. I am very sorry for the trouble caused."
The moment Feng Kai bowed his head, the Awakener Association's assessment hall fell into a weird silence.
Some people rubbed their eyes, checking if they were hallucinating.
"Am I seeing things?"
"Secretary Feng... apologized?"
"Holy crap, Chen Yu made it big."
"What big? It's just fear of the Ling family behind him. Chen Yu really is eating swan meat."
At this moment, a very discordant voice spoke up.
"By the way, does no one think there's a problem with Chen Yu's talent rating?"
"He's number one in Spirit in our Lanjiang City, and with the strength he's showing now, rating him F-Rank makes absolutely no sense."
"Hiss... he probably touched the capital's cake and got set up."
These words triggered the crowd's rationality.
Chen Yu looked at the handsome guy who spoke in surprise. So you tools aren't blind?!
You actually stopped doubting me?
Oh right, the Chosen One is Ling Yue, not me. Can't trigger the protagonist passive.
The hall quieted down, all eyes focused on Feng Kai.
After all, the talent rating was determined by the Awakener Association.
Feng Kai looked ill. He naturally understood the weight of these words.
If he admitted the rating was wrong, the credibility of the Awakener Association would take a massive hit.
But if he denied it, Chen Yu's strength was a slap in the face.
He suppressed the irritation in his heart and forced a smile. "The grading process is strict; there are absolutely no errors."
"If there are doubts, you can report to the Association's grading department and await a bulletin."
This statement seemed watertight, but it didn't dispel everyone's doubts.
Many knew Feng Kai was stalling, but no one dared to press further.
The authority of the Awakener Association wasn't something ordinary Awakeners could challenge at will.
Feng Kai sensed the awkward atmosphere. Staying longer would only cause trouble. He composed himself and doggedly hosted the rest of the assessment.
Throughout the process, he recalled Chen Yu's performance, his eyes complex.
Especially that suffocating aura—it was more terrifying than a beast's murderous intent.
"Chen Yu's talent... is likely far stronger than Chen Chen's..." Feng Kai felt a heaviness in his heart, an ominous premonition rising.
As soon as the assessment ended, Feng Kai rushed back to his office.
Pushing open the study door, Zhang Li was sitting on the sofa sipping tea, looking calm as if she had been waiting for a long time.
An old woman stood behind her.
"How did it go?"
"Something happened." Feng Kai sat opposite Zhang Li with a dark face. "That kid Chen Yu... something's wrong."
Zhang Li paused her tea cup, looking up at him, a trace of wariness in her eyes. "Wrong how?"
"Today during the assessment, I intended to manufacture an accidental death..."
Feng Kai gritted his teeth and recounted the events, including Chen Yu's performance and the public doubt regarding his grading.
"His talent ability is definitely not F-Rank. It might even exceed Chen Chen's, potentially SSS-Rank like Ling Yue!"
Zhang Li tapped her finger lightly on the table. Her face was expressionless, but a stern look flashed in her eyes. "We cannot keep this kid."
"Suppress the news immediately. Don't let his reputation spread, and certainly don't let him get any extra resource support."
"But... many people already noticed Chen Yu's anomaly. Completely suppressing it might be..." Feng Kai looked troubled.
"There is no 'might'..." Zhang Li interrupted him, her tone decisive.
"I put you in this position so you could use the Association's power. Delete all positive evaluations of him. Anyone who spreads rumors will be dealt with for disrupting Awakener order."
"Remember, he must be completely eliminated before or during the military training."
"If we let him grow, the consequences will be unimaginable."
Feng Kai was startled. "Military training? But the military watches over that. Acting there is too difficult."
"Do it even if it's difficult."
Zhang Li's voice held an imperceptible tremor. "Haven't you noticed?"
"His rising momentum is becoming more and more like Lin Lan's."
"If not for her, our plan would have succeeded long ago!" Zhang Li took a deep breath, suppressing her anger.
"I suspect Lin Lan left a safeguard on Chen Yu back then."
"The plan dragged on for so long because Lin Lan interfered."
"Now that Chen Yu has suddenly exploded in power, it might be that safeguard activating."
"We must remove him quickly. We cannot leave any hidden dangers."
Feng Kai nodded, the urgency intensifying. "I understand. I'll arrange it immediately."
"I'll also tell Chen Chen. We'll use a two-pronged approach to be safe."
Zhang Li stood up and vanished into the shadows created by the old woman.
Time flew by, and soon it was the eve of the military training.
These days, Chen Yu had immersed himself in grinding proficiency again.
He had consumed almost all the resources given by Shi Meng and Ling Wenhe.
Various energy-containing medicinal liquids and essences extracted from beast cores were continuously absorbed by him.
At this moment, Chen Yu sat cross-legged on his bed, feeling the surging power in his body, the corners of his mouth rising slightly.
He opened his attribute panel. The data had undergone earth-shattering changes.
[Rank: Beginner (Peak) → Trainee (Low)]
(Note: "Trainee" corresponds to the Second Order in the martial ranking).
[Physique: 4000 → 5989]
[Spirit: 2900 → 4900]
[Observation Haki: Lv 1/5, Proficiency: 93/100]
[Armament Haki: Lv 1/5, Proficiency: 98/100]
[Conqueror's Haki: Lv 1/5, Proficiency: 60/100]
[Azure Dragon Fruit: Lv 1 → 2/5, Proficiency: 1/100]
(Current Effect: Enhanced control of Wind, Thunder, Fire, and Cloud elements. Body length 300 meters. Next Level: Body length exceeds 500 meters, Hybrid Form unlocked.)
[Swordsmanship: Lv 2 → 3/5, Proficiency: 30/100]
(Current Effect: Sword Qi. Next Level: Sword Qi Projection, Flying Slashes.)
[Weapon: Ace, Repair Rate: 10/100]
"Trainee Awakener, and all attributes far exceed the same rank..." Chen Yu smiled with satisfaction.
With the [Roger Character Template], his growth speed was far beyond ordinary people.
Especially his physique, thanks to the development of the Azure Dragon Fruit.
His current physique was enough to rival an Apprentice (Rank 3) Awakener, and his Spirit wasn't far behind.
The progress of the three types of Haki was extremely pleasing. Observation and Armament were just a step away from leveling up.
After Swordsmanship reached Level 3, he mastered the method of emitting Sword Qi.
Simply put, his attack range was longer, and his penetration was stronger.
Chen Yu stretched his body and walked out of the room.
Today was the day of military training. Chen Yu and Ling Yue had to rush to the Awakener Association to assemble.
Awakeners in Lanjiang City with military training qualifications would be transported by transport planes to the training location—District 7: Misty Forest.
(To be Continued)
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SPOILERS WARNING
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DETAILED SUMMARY SPOILERS Chapter 1167
Chapter 1167: "The son of Ida".
Reader request in the cover: "Nojiko and Genzo looking at a cat that is trying to steal a book about fish".
Ida gets poisoned by someone from Estrid's hometown.
Loki takes revenge on that village and declares: "Ida is my only mother."
Harald was tasked by World Government to help the Marines in secret to defeat pirates as part of Harald's vow to atone for "giants' thousand years worth of sins". We see Harald cutting a pirate ship in two in the middle of the sea.
Narrator explains that there was a rumor spreading among the countries on the Grand Line that on the seas with heavy mist, lived a monster that mainly targets pirates. But narrator says too that Harald is not the "Florian Triangle monster" because he attacked ships in other regions too.
Narrator says that after God Valley incident, some pirates that participated in that event conquered the seas (Roger. Newgate. Linlin, Kaidou…).
After Roger's death, Harald was promoted by the Five Elders to "Devoted Blade of God" (a confidant of the "Knights of God"). He was marked with a tattoo on his left arm.
Harald: "What an honor!!"
Five Elders: "There are three stages to the "contract". "Surface Sea Contract" is but a faint tie.
"Deep Sea Contract" and "Sea Floor Contract" are the real vows exchanged between the 13 chosen and "God":"
Harald: ""God"…?"
Nusjuro: "If a day should come… where you are to be granted with the title of "Knight of God…"
Harald: "Will "Elbaph" be welcomed into the circle of "World Government" as well!?"
Five Elders: "Indeed."
Garling gave Harald a long distance Den Den Mushi to contact him immediately when necessary.
Harald drunk with Neptune, who tells him his daughter was about to be born. Neptune joked that Loki and his daughter should got engaged. Harald referred to Shirahoshi as "mosamosa":
15 years ago, during Fisher Tiger escape from Mary Geoise, we can see Hancock and her sisters too. A mysterious figure helped Fisher Tiger while he freed slaves. It's clear that the mysterious figure was Shanks.
Harald arrived to the Holy Land during next days and saw Shanks talking with Shamrock in the city. – Shanks now lived in Mary Geoise with Garling and Shamrock. Shanks wore a "Knights of God" uniform like his brother and had a bandage over his left eye (no explanation about the injury on Shanks' face in this chapter).
Both were talking about Fisher Tiger incident.
Shanks: "Let's go Shamrock, tell me more about the Holy Land. I want to capture the culprit so I can be useful!! Do we have any clue so far!?"
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More Spoiler
Oda mirrors Shanks and Shamrock together in this chapter; it's really like two at once.
The focus here is on both swords(mirrrors each other), in my opinion.
It could actually be true that Shanks' sword carries a Devil Fruit power, parallel to Shamrock's sword.
We learn in the chapter that Roger, Kaido, Whitebeard and Linlin conquering the seas after God Valley; they are portrayed as peak pirates.
-We learn now, from the spoilers, that Harald gets the same mark as the God knights & join the ranks. He also met Shanks and Shamrock.
-In current time, Shamrock comes to recruit Loki to be holy knight. I believe he truly was disgusted with this, since Loki took out Harald, someone shamrock might of became close with and reason why Sommers ask if he was visiting Harald grave!
Don't you find it strange that we're hearing about Florian Triangle again almost 15 years later? Right after Xebec said that the one who controls Galleila can conquer and destroy the world. This group is getting a lot of hype. They must be sealed/imprisoned somewhere.
If someone like Xebec says something like that, then this group must be really strong and dangerous. And just one chapter later, an ancient giant (Harald) is rampaging through the Florian Triangle, and many consider him a monster. This isn't a coincidence.
Elbaf has a giant sword embedded in the island, but who wielded this giant sword? It suggests that the shadows we see in the Florian Triangle are the ancient giant army of Galleila.
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Author Note: Guys if any major happened in chapter I will inform you...
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