After explaining, Kuma left Benimaru alone, intending for him to absorb and figure out how to use Armament Haki from his teachings. Kuma knew that mastering Armament Haki depended not on the teacher, but on the student's understanding of the concept. He had only taught the basics, leaving Benimaru to discover the rest on his own—just as Kuma himself had learned.
Left in the middle of the forest, Benimaru contemplated Kuma's words, analyzing every detail. Though phrased differently, the core idea remained the same: Put your will into it. Closing his eyes, he focused on coating and hardening his right arm with Armament Haki.
For nearly two hours, he meditated, channeling his will into his arm. When he finally opened his eyes, he saw his arm shrouded in black, edged with a faint red hue. But the moment he tried to punch the ground, the Haki dissipated.
Undeterred, Benimaru searched for a boulder. Upon finding one, he amplified its hardness 10,000 times, making it tougher than even Adam Wood. Next, he increased its weight 10,000-fold, causing the ground beneath it to crack under the immense pressure—now roughly 10 kilotons.
With the boulder prepared, Benimaru began punching it with all his strength, willing each strike to be clad in Armament Haki. He set a strict rule for himself: *For every ten punches, he must successfully coat at least three with Haki. If he failed, he would carry the 10-kiloton boulder and perform 100 squats.*
His first attempt ended in failure—not a single punch was imbued with Haki. Without hesitation, he lifted the massive rock and began squatting. Feeling its crushing weight, he amplified its size another 10,000 times, turning it into a mountain. Still, he continued, squatting under its colossal mass before finally deactivating his Devil Fruit power, returning it to its original size—though its enhanced hardness remained.
For two more hours, Benimaru repeated this grueling cycle. Slowly but surely, his persistence paid off: by the end, he could imbue his fists with Haki at least three times in every ten punches.
-------------
Having completed his training, Benimaru decided to check on his ongoing projects. Upon returning to the laboratory, he found Wolf hard at work constructing the submarine Polar Tang. Approaching him, Benimaru inspected the progress of one of his earliest creations—the engine was finished, leaving only the final assembly.
"Wolf-san, how is the Polar Tang coming along? Do you need any help?" Benimaru asked.
Wolf, welding the submarine's joints, didn't look up as he replied, "No, the blueprint is complete, and all the materials are ready—you've already reinforced them. I don't need assistance here; I wouldn't want to pull you away from your other projects."
The submarine's framework was nearly done, its silhouette now unmistakable with the engines and key components in place.
"It's really taking shape now," Benimaru remarked, admiring Wolf's progress. "It won't be long before it's finished."
"Yes," Wolf said, pride swelling in his voice. "I just hope whoever commands this vessel will sail the world with it—and treat it well."
Leaving Wolf to his work, Benimaru moved to the cloning lab, where five embryos were already showing significant growth. By accelerating their development tenfold, he simulated 70 days of progress in just one week. After collecting samples, he analyzed their genetic sequences and confirmed success—the buccaneer and animal DNA had merged flawlessly, producing the first batch of half-buccaneer, half-animal hybrids.
Now, Benimaru turned his attention to a new modification: engineering a controllable Sulong transformation that didn't require the moon, along with electrogenesis akin to the Vinsmoke children's abilities. However, unlike Judge's experiments, he preserved their capacity for pain and fear—he believed these were the crucibles that forged true strength. After all, hadn't Sanji, dismissed as a failure, surpassed his emotionless siblings through sheer will?
--------------
As Benimaru worked, a piercing alarm suddenly blared through the lab. He immediately recognized its meaning—Ginny was regaining consciousness. Abandoning his current task, he rushed to her medical chamber, where he found Kuma already standing vigil. The large man wore an expression of profound relief, as if an unbearable weight had finally lifted from his shoulders.
Benimaru swiftly opened the chamber, and Kuma carefully helped Ginny sit up. "Welcome back to the world of the living," Benimaru said, studying her closely. "How do you feel?"
"Strange," Ginny admitted, flexing her fingers. "My body feels... stronger. And there's this new instinct—like an itch in the back of my mind begging to be used." Kuma kept a steadying hand on her shoulder, his quiet joy evident.
Benimaru's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Why don't you give in to that instinct? Let's see what you can do."
Ginny nodded, and in an instant, her skin transformed, covering her entire body in shimmering pink stone scales. Benimaru mentally cheered at the success of his procedure, while Kuma tensed, his face clouding with concern that the Sapphire scale symptoms had returned.
"It's different," Ginny assured him, running her scaled hands over her arms. "No pain at all." With a thought, the crystalline armor retreated, her skin returning to normal.
Eager to test the limits of this new ability, Benimaru prepared a series of experiments. He started with a simple stone, enhancing its density twofold before hurling it at Ginny. The projectile shattered harmlessly against her reactivated scales. Undeterred, Benimaru continued doubling the stone's amplification with each throw—4x, 8x, 16x—until at 1,024 times its original strength, Ginny finally flinched from the impact.
The tests grew more extreme. Blades—whether sword, spear, or dagger—failed to leave even a scratch. Bullets from various firearms ricocheted uselessly off her mineralized skin. With each successful trial, Benimaru's satisfaction grew—his modifications had created a defense far surpassing his expectations.
"Congratulations, Ginny," Benimaru said, his voice brimming with pride. "You've gained abilities comparable to a Devil Fruit - but without any of their weaknesses." He marveled at his accomplishment, having not only cured what only Vegapunk had managed to heal, but actually transforming her condition into a powerful asset.
Ginny bowed deeply, her gratitude shining through. "Thank you for curing me, Benimaru - and for this incredible gift."
"Let's test something," Benimaru suggested, his scientific curiosity piqued. "What happens when you transform under sunlight?" Ginny nodded eagerly, and the group made their way to the nearby beach.
As they stepped into the sunlight, Ginny showed no signs of uncontrolled crystallization - definitive proof of her complete recovery. At Benimaru's instruction, she activated her sapphire scales, which glittered brilliantly in the sunlight.
Then, in a stunning development, Ginny suddenly raised her arm and fired a concentrated laser beam skyward. The sapphire scales were refracting and compressing sunlight, transforming it into a powerful energy weapon.
"Magnificent!" Benimaru laughed with delight. "This opens up fascinating new avenues of study! But..." He glanced between the reunited lovers, noticing the unspoken emotions passing between them. "I think I'll leave you two alone now. You must have much to discuss." With a knowing smile, the scientist tactfully withdrew, already mentally cataloging the day's remarkable discoveries.