Chapter 41: Early Graduation

(T/N: Please consider reviewing this Fanfic, Thanks and appreciate all who support me)

(T/N: Enjoy!!)

<><><><><><>

Sengoku hesitated several times but ultimately chose not to discuss his idea with Zephyr. 

Byakuya was a perfect fit for the upcoming mission, and no better candidate was available at Marine Headquarters. 

However, when Sengoku considered the risks of the mission, he abandoned the idea. Dealing with Doflamingo and Kaido would be no easy task, especially with the latter.

Upon reflecting on Zephyr's attitude toward Byakuya, even though their relationship was that of a teacher and student, it was evident that Zephyr treated Byakuya as if he were his son. 

After Zephyr's family was killed by pirates thirty years ago, he chose to step back from the front lines and retired from his position as an admiral, devoting himself to training recruits.

Sengoku and Zephyr had been comrades-in-arms for many years, and Sengoku shared Zephyr's pain over his family's tragedy. 

Zephyr had become increasingly strict over the years and had taken a harsher stance against pirates, moving from his previous stance of "no-kill" to a zero-tolerance approach.

Byakuya's arrival brought Zephyr more joy in the past month than he had experienced in years. 

If something were to happen to Byakuya during the mission, Sengoku couldn't imagine the blow it would deal to Zephyr. 

Sengoku's decision was somewhat selfish. Given the situation, he figured he could wait and see who might be available.

....

Six months later, 

Two figures clashed in the air as Byakuya, covered in Armament Haki, landed a punch that forced Zephyr back several steps. 

Byakuya teased, "Teacher Zephyr, I feel like you're getting weaker."

Zephyr knew Byakuya was fishing for a compliment, wanting him to acknowledge Byakuya's strength. 

But Zephyr didn't give in. He pounded his chest and coughed, saying, 

"Cough, cough... This happens when you get older. My body and Haki are far from what they once were, and my strength inevitably declines."

Byakuya moved closer to Zephyr. "Really? I can't imagine you growing old, teacher. I think you have more than enough strength to take up the rank of Admiral again!"

Zephyr shot Byakuya a look. "By your logic, you're even stronger than an Admiral now?"

Byakuya laughed. "Hahaha, Of course. If you could get Fleet Admiral Sengoku to promote me to Admiral, I wouldn't mind."

"Get out of here, you punk. You think I'm going to get you promoted to Admiral?" Zephyr pretended to be upset. "Why don't you say you want to be the Fleet Admiral?"

"Teacher, could you even do that?" Byakuya asked without shame.

Zephyr was rendered speechless. After six months, he understood Byakuya's personality quite well—being shameless was just his way of being.

Still, Zephyr was pleased with Byakuya's progress over the past six months. Since Byakuya mastered the two types of Haki, they sparred more frequently. 

From the original two to three times a week, their duels increased to nearly once a day.

In just six months, Byakuya's sparring sessions with Zephyr progressed from barely keeping up, to going toe-to-toe, and finally reaching the point where Byakuya could suppress his teacher. 

In that same half a year, Zephyr had witnessed Byakuya's growth firsthand and even felt that Byakuya's current strength was not far off from when Zephyr himself served as an admiral.

Given Byakuya's current strength, staying in the training camp wouldn't lead to any significant improvement. 

Just as Zephyr brought up graduation, he asked Byakuya, "Byakuya, have you thought about graduating early?"

"Graduating early? Teacher, are you going to get me an Admiral position?" Byakuya responded in surprise.

Zephyr's face instantly turned a shade of blue, and he gave Byakuya a hard knock on the head. 

"What daydream are you having? The most you can get is a Rear Admiral position."

"Rear Admiral? I'll think about it," Byakuya said with a hint of disappointment in his voice, which left Zephyr feeling exasperated.

Being a rear admiral at Marine Headquarters was a dream many Marines longed for, yet his student seemed to be hesitating. 

If word got out, who knows how many people would want to strangle Byakuya. 

Zephyr, however, didn't push him, saying, "Alright, go back and think about it tonight, and let me know your decision in the morning."

Byakuya returned to his room, which was spacious and sparsely furnished, with just a bed and a set of tables and chairs. 

He lay on the bed, contemplating what Zephyr had said about early graduation. 

Byakuya knew the fastest way to significantly increase his strength was to obtain a world source point.

But the only way to gain world source in the training camp was through the monthly final evaluation. 

The amount he could earn was too small, and without using world energy, he could only slowly work his way up. Byakuya opened his current system panel,

[Host: Byakuya]

[Template: One Punch Man—Saitama]

[Fusion Rate: 19%]

[World Energy: 300]

[Required World Energy to reach Fusion Rate 20%: 1000]

[Special Skills: King Engine, Rokushiki, Armament Haki lv-6 (+), Observation Haki lv-5 (+)]

(A/N: Having mastered all Rokushiki there is no more progress to be made. Continuing would just be adding unnecessary filler.)

Haki has a maximum level of ten. In the past six months, Byakuya earned 1,200 points of world energy from consistently finishing first in each monthly evaluation. 

Byakuya had been using all these points to increase his fusion rate, which was one of the key results of his training over the past six months. 

Byakuya felt a bit tempted by the idea of early graduation since the routine life in the training camp could be somewhat monotonous.

However, if he chose to graduate early, he would forfeit the 200 points of world energy he earned each month from his time in the camp. 

In two and a half years, that would add up to 6,000 points of world energy. 

Byakuya was reluctant to give up this significant amount, which would come to him just for staying in the training camp. After all, who doesn't enjoy a free ride?

Upon considering all this, Byakuya decided to ask the system, "System, what happens to my monthly 200 world source points if I choose to graduate early?"

[If the host chooses to graduate early, the mission will be canceled, and there will be no world energy rewards.]

Just as Byakuya had suspected, graduating early would mean the mission would be nullified. While Byakuya was still pondering this, the system chimed in again,

[If the host chooses to graduate early, an early graduation reward will be available, granting 2,000 points of world source for each year graduated early.]

Two thousand points per year would amount to 5,000 points in two and a half years. 

Although it's less than the 6,000 points he would earn from staying in the camp, Byakuya could potentially earn more world energy in the two and a half years he'd gain from early graduation. 

Byakuya was delighted, "Who knew the system could be so thoughtful?"

[Would you like to choose to graduate early?]

"Yes!" Given his decision to graduate early, Byakuya's next concern was what rank he would be given upon graduation. 

In his view, his rank would likely not be below rear admiral, given his confidence in his abilities and in Zephyr's opinion of him.

<End Chapter>

If you want to support me, join my patr**on. Have 10 advanced Chapters for you guys.

patr**n.com/saitamablast > OP:OPM NOVEL TIER