One Piece: The user of the Nen-Nen Fruit, who overturned the sea.

The Ark Proverb slowly landed at the main port of Beehive Island.

The golden ship had just come to a stop when a large crowd had already gathered on the dock.

Barrett strode forward and punched Roy in the shoulder.

"Hahaha! Roy! I heard you fought with that Doflamingo kid?"

Roy dodged his fist and laughed.

"The news spread pretty quickly."

"That's right! The news has spread throughout the entire new world!"

"Emperor Roy of Heaven easily crushes Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"

"That kid's awakened Devil Fruit power couldn't even withstand a single blow from you!"

Roy waved his hand.

Don't listen to those exaggerated claims.

"Doflamingo has indeed improved a lot, and his awakened Devil Fruit is also very threatening."

"It's just... bad luck that you met me."

Barrett raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? For someone to call him 'threatening,' that kid must be pretty capable."

"Let me try it next time!"

Hawkeye, holding Black Blade Night, stood quietly to the side, nodding slightly.

Crocodile, cigar in mouth, exhaled a smoke ring.

"I heard you've reached a cooperation agreement with Doflamingo?"

Roy nodded.

"Um."

"In the future, our sea stone and weapons can be sold to the world through his channels."

"He will also help us collect Devil Fruits."

A glint of light flashed in Crocodile's eyes.

"That guy's underground networks are indeed spread all over the world; if we could make use of them..."

"good."

Roy looked at everyone,

"Tesoro discussed the specific details of the collaboration with Doflamingo."

"Let him tell you later."

Tezzolo grinned.

"No problem! Leave it to me!"

Stella and Scarlett also came to greet them.

Stella, holding a thick stack of documents, smiled.

"Captain, welcome back."

"There are some documents that need your review over the past few days."

Roy nodded.

"Thank you for your hard work, Stella."

"Send it to my office later."

Scarlett walked over to Cyrus, took the sleeping Rebecca from his arms, her eyes full of tenderness.

The group chatted and laughed as they walked toward the main island palace.

Sunlight streamed down, a gentle sea breeze caressed the scene, and everything seemed so harmonious and beautiful.

…………

Night falls.

Roy sat alone by the office window, staring blankly at the night outside.

On the desk, most of the documents Stella had sent had been reviewed, with a small stack still waiting to be processed.

But at that moment, he had no interest in looking at it.

Doflamingo's words echoed repeatedly in my mind.

Awakening...

It requires an opportunity, it requires accumulation, it requires a breakthrough at a critical juncture...

He has developed his telekinetic powers to their fullest potential.

Psychic barrier, psychic pressure, psychic deflection, psychic return, psychic acceleration, psychic attack...

He tried almost every imaginable use.

But awakening...

That hurdle, I could never get over.

Roy raised his right hand, his five fingers slightly curled.

An invisible force of thought gathered in his palm, forming a small vortex.

The vortex spun, emitting a faint fluorescent glow, beautiful and mysterious.

But Roy knew that this was just a routine application of telekinesis.

We are still far from awakening.

He clenched his fist tightly, and the vortex of psychic energy instantly dissipated.

"Awakening..."

Roy murmured, a hint of anxiety flashing in his eyes.

…………

In the days that followed, Roy was like a different person.

Early morning gravity training, morning sword sparring with Hawkeye, afternoon hand-to-hand combat with Barrett, evening instruction for other members' training.

In the evening, I either review documents, drink and chat with my colleagues, or go to bed early.

But now—

His sleep schedule was completely messed up.

Every day before dawn, they would go into the gravity test field and stay there for the entire day.

80 times gravity, 90 times gravity, 100 times gravity...

He constantly pushed his limits, frantically channeling his psychic power under immense pressure.

Psychic barrier, psychic pressure, psychic deflection...

Again and again, over and over again.

Until they were completely exhausted and collapsed in the gravitational field.

After a short rest, I got up and continued.

Sometimes, he would even go without food or water and stay in the gravitational field for two or three days at a time.

Barrett challenged him to a duel, but he refused.

Hawkeye came to challenge him to a sparring session, but he refused.

The Count of Red wanted to talk to him, but he still refused.

He was as if possessed, immersing himself in that tiny gravitational field, torturing himself day after day.

…………

Seventh day.

Outside the gravity test field, a group of people gathered together, their faces filled with worry.

Barrett crossed his arms and frowned.

"What's wrong with Roy?"

"I used to get itchy if I didn't fight every day, but now I don't even leave the house."

Hawkeye was taciturn, but a hint of worry flashed in his eyes.

Crocodile, cigar in mouth, exhaled a smoke ring.

"I heard it happened after we returned from Dressrosa."

"What did that kid Doflamingo say to him?"

Tezzolo scratched his head.

"I was talking business with Doflamingo all day and didn't pay attention to what the boss was talking about with him."

"However, the boss did ask Doflamingo about Devil Fruit awakening that day."

Barrett was taken aback.

"Fruit awakening?"

Tesoro nodded.

"Hmm. Doflamingo's String-String Fruit has awakened, and the boss might... want to awaken it too."

Everyone fell silent.

Fruit awakening is the ultimate manifestation of a fruit's power, and not everyone can do it.

Roy's Nen-Power Fruit is strong enough to overwhelm Doflamingo's awakened power.

But he didn't seem satisfied.

"This can't go on."

Count Red spoke slowly.

"Captain Roy is currently in a state of near-madness."

"I need to go and talk to him."

Barrett frowned.

"Old man Hong, he won't even let you in the door, how can you talk to him?"

The Red Earl's lips curled into a faint smile.

"If he won't let me in, does that mean I can't go in?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished from the spot in a flash.

The next moment, he appeared at the entrance of the gravity trial arena.

Push open the heavy metal door and step inside.

…………

Inside the gravity test arena, a wave of heat hits you.

Under 100 times the force of gravity, the air seemed to freeze.

Red Earl frowned slightly, unleashing his full Observation Haki to offset some of the pressure from gravity, and steadily walked deeper into the area.

Deep inside, a figure was sitting cross-legged on the ground.

Roy was drenched in sweat, his clothes clung to his body, and his hair was disheveled.

He raised his right hand, his palm gathering a ball of spiritual energy.

The psychic power constantly changed form—sometimes transforming into a vortex, sometimes into a sharp blade, sometimes into a barrier, sometimes into a heavy hammer…

But each time, it suddenly collapses when it reaches a certain critical point.

"Failed again..."

Roy murmured, a hint of weariness flashing in his eyes.

Just as he was about to activate his mental power again, he suddenly sensed something and turned his head sharply.

The Red Earl stood quietly not far away.

"Mr. Ryder?"

Roy frowned slightly.

"How did you get in?"

The Red Earl did not answer, but simply walked over to him and sat down beside him.

"Captain Roy, you've changed a lot these past few days."

Roy paused for two seconds, then said calmly,

"I just...want to break through."

"I still can't find the way to awaken the power of telekinesis."

"Doflamingo told me that awakening requires a breakthrough at a life-or-death moment."

"So I think that by constantly pushing my abilities to the limit, I might be able to find that opportunity."

The Red Earl looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"Captain Roy, how old are you this year?"