Encounter

"Wow, you learned it?" Ulti's eyes widened in surprise.

Sebastian shrugged with a mischievous grin, "Well, it's not exactly 'learned' in the traditional sense."

Ulti wasn't convinced, teasing him playfully, "Come on, have you really learned it? Don't try to fool me!"

Sebastian chuckled, scratching his head, "Alright, alright, I've half-learned it. I mean, I've got a decent grasp of Haki, but there's still room for improvement. The key is to harness enough Haki to master the internal destruction technique."

Ulti raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "So, what's this 'half-learned' status you're talking about? Did you misunderstand something along the way?"

Sebastian chuckled, looking a bit bashful, "Well, it's more like I've got the theory down, but practice-wise, I'm not at the peak of my game yet. My talent and physique are decent, but my training time has been relatively short. I'm working on it, but there's still a long way to go."

A wry smile crossed Ulti's face. "I see. So, you've got the potential, but you're not there yet."

She had wanted to quip back and maybe burst his bubble a bit, but she found herself at a loss for words.

Ulti muttered under her breath, "What a monster."

Sebastian, on the other hand, had shifted his attention to Page, with long purple hair and a black and white mask. Just like Ulti and her penchant for masks, Page seemed to have a similar preference for anonymity.

Page, one of the rising Flying Six Powers, had achieved this status at the young age of 20, a testament to his extraordinary talent. He had ability to transform into a Spinosaurus, and he had mastered two-color Haki.

Sebastian's gaze lingered on Page as he contemplated the strength and potential of his fellow pirate.

Page's piercing gaze fixed on Sebastian as he inquired, "Who brought you here?"

Sebastian chuckled, patting Page on the head, "I sort of wandered in by mistake. No one introduced me."

Page, not the tallest person around, and still not much taller than Ulti, responded indignantly, "Don't touch my head! I'm an old crew member! You have to call me 'senior'!"

Laughter filled the air as Sebastian couldn't help but tease back, "Hahaha! Senior Page, huh?"

"System," Sebastian thought, "how long will it take me to modify Page's fruit?"

[Ten minutes.]

"Page is also ten minutes? His strength is obviously not as good as Queen's," Sebastian mused, a furrow forming on his brow.

[The system modification time will only be shortened due to the improvement of the host's strength, not because the modified person's strength is weak. In other words, what the Host wants to modify is the Devil Fruit itself, not the person being modified. Devil Fruit itself has strengths and weaknesses, but is essentially the same thing.]

Sebastian looked intrigued, his mind racing with questions. "When can I learn Observation Haki?" he inquired, his gaze fixed on Ulti, the system's avatar.

Ulti considered for a moment and replied, "The plan is three months later, but depending on your situation, you can try it tomorrow." She couldn't help but be impressed by Sebastian's rapid progress. Mastering internal destruction in half a day was a talent that even outshone Kaidos.

"See you tomorrow," Sebastian waved casually and headed back to his residence, a spring in his step. He lived in the central area, strolling the streets, and taking in the picturesque scenery. His mood was buoyant, and his progress in Armament Haki felt smoother than expected.

With a hint of a grin, he attributed it to Ulquiorra's extraordinary talent.

As he sauntered along, Sebastian couldn't help but overhear hushed admirations from a group of men nearby. 

Their attention was fixed on a captivating figure, and their expressions bordered on infatuation.

"What a beautiful woman, I have never seen such a beautiful woman," one man gushed.

"That's Kozuki Hiyori! She is the most beautiful woman, and has countless suitors, even those gentry admire her!" another exclaimed, his admiration clear.

"If I could spend a day with Kozuki, I would be willing to lose thirty years of my life," a third man sighed dreamily.

"The stakes are small, if we spend a day together, I can die directly," the fourth one quipped with a chuckle.

Curiosity piqued, Sebastian turned his gaze towards the source of the commotion. He had a height advantage over the crowd and could easily see the breathtaking woman they were all enamored with.

"Not bad...," Sebastian whispered to himself.

The story of Kozuki Hiyori's lineage unfolded in his mind.

.....

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