Lafitte entered the cabin, leaving only the three Alistair had designated. Ace remained excited, typical after receiving a new toy; Alistair knew the monotonous work would soon transform him into a tool.
Robin was reading; even as Alistair's scribe, she continued her studies; she was effectively two people; Alistair understood why her combat strength lagged. A person's energy is limited; you can't study, develop Devil Fruit abilities, and train Haki simultaneously.
Robin's underdeveloped Hana Hana no Mi abilities were natural; besides Alistair's requests, her skills remained focused on breaking opponents' bodies. This was good for clearing out weaker enemies, but in Alistair's small "crew," she had little use; Ace and Enel cleared out enemies more efficiently. Her abilities were convenient, but underutilized.
Alistair realized he had more time for reflection and exercise on the ship. He'd been busy in Mock Town for over twenty days, with little time for exercise. Now, he had time for squats, bench presses, push-ups, and running from bow to stern. He didn't mind being seen exercising.
Robin, disturbed, closed her book, looking at him with slight displeasure. "Captain, don't you have any self-awareness?"
Although Alistair was the Revolutionary Army's leader, they used "Captain" on the ship. Perhaps it was the interruption, or being outside Hancock's influence, but Robin's boldness increased.
She sneered, "You're the weakest here, yet you exercise so hard? You know you can't beat anyone on this ship."
Ace, Lafitte (who had quietly emerged), and Enel (from the mast) listened intently.
Alistair smiled; he had an answer—something deep within his soul, a pride in his bloodline.
"Let me tell you a story," he said.
"On a remote Grand Line island, a people lived in harsh conditions; earthquakes, hailstorms, tsunamis, landslides, and mudslides were common."
"Their neighbors were either destroyed or fled."
"But this people, facing landslides, slowly leveled mountains over generations, creating fertile plains; facing rivers, they controlled them, transforming them from raging torrents into irrigation sources."
"By the latest generation, their crops supported a large population."
Before, they didn't understand the relationship between arable land and population; on Skypiea, they learned this and understood its implications.
"My training is like leveling mountains and controlling rivers; persistence pays off; I will become strong."
"Robin, do you think Ace and Enel's strength is innate? Hasn't Lafitte trained hard?"
"Over-reliance on Devil Fruits…you're like me on this ship; haven't you noticed you're the weakest Devil Fruit user here?"
Alistair's words made Robin thoughtful. She realized her Hana Hana no Mi development was limited; she hadn't awakened her fruit. Ace's Devil Fruit development was comparable; Enel's was slightly better due to his Mantra; but Ace had exceptional physical abilities, surpassing Enel; he mastered all three types of Haki, had a specialized mount, and now, a custom warship. Alistair clearly prioritized him after Hancock.
Enel, despite being a "prisoner," was a Logia-type user; Alistair was clearly trying to win him over. Enel had reason to be proud.
Only Robin seemed highly valued but not expected to be strong. She thought she, as a Paramecia-type user, wouldn't be weak, but now she felt threatened. Deuce and Mihar had mastered Mantra or Armament Haki, surpassing her. Even Alistair was training; she felt a sense of urgency.
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