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"If it were anyone else, I might have assumed this was your way of thanking me."
Ikki chuckled softly and glanced at Belo Betty.
"But judging from the way you normally dress, I doubt you care much about things like this. So no, this doesn't count as a thank-you gift."
"Really?" Belo Betty laughed along with him, completely unembarrassed. "Then how would Lord Ikki like me to express my gratitude?"
"Of course I have ideas, but not the kind you're thinking of." Ikki grinned. "If possible, I'd much rather your Revolutionary Army send me more famous swords."
At the moment, Ginrummy had already become a designated future partner, yet Ikki still didn't have a suitable Zanpakutō prepared for her.
As a result, his desire to obtain more famous swords and blades had only grown stronger.
Although there would likely be opportunities to acquire some during the upcoming Marineford War, he didn't think that would be enough.
Besides, obtaining famous weapons at Marineford wouldn't be easy.
Even if Whitebeard died, acquiring his Murakumogiri would be nearly impossible.
After all, in the original story, Shanks personally escorted Whitebeard's body and weapon away from the battlefield.
"So that's how it is." Belo Betty shook her head dramatically. "It seems my existence isn't even as valuable as a famous sword in Lord Ikki's eyes."
"Of course not."
Ikki nodded seriously.
"Famous swords are far more valuable."
For a moment, Belo Betty simply stared at him.
Then she sighed.
"I feel a little disappointed. Lord Ikki, you really don't understand women."
"You're the type of woman who cares about that sort of thing?"
"Not particularly," Belo Betty admitted. "But it's still a little depressing to lose to an inanimate object."
"I see. What a shame."
"..."
"Aren't you going to comfort me?"
"Are you the type of woman who needs comforting?"
Belo Betty blinked.
Then she let out another sigh.
"Now I understand. Lord Ikki simply doesn't care about my charms."
Her gaze drifted toward Nojiko.
"Then again, considering the women around you, perhaps that makes sense."
With an expression of profound disappointment, she turned away and hugged her knees.
Floating in the hot spring with her back pressed against Ikki's, she looked as though her confidence had suffered a devastating blow.
Nojiko, who was helping support Ginrummy while she endured the energy of Sun Breathing, watched the exchange with an amused smile.
"Honestly, Captain Ikki is still the same as ever. Be careful, or Miss Belo Betty might stop letting you use her as inspiration for your paintings."
"I still don't think Belo Betty is that kind of person." Ikki laughed. "Instead of worrying about that, let's focus on training."
His gaze shifted toward Ginrummy.
"You're adapting fairly well now, so I'm going to increase the energy output."
The moment those words left his mouth, Ginrummy's expression changed dramatically.
"W-Wait... increase it?"
Her voice trembled.
Unfortunately, Ikki didn't give her any time to prepare.
An even greater torrent of Sun Breathing energy surged into her body.
The scorching power immediately intensified, and the surrounding water began bubbling violently. Even Ikki and Nojiko were briefly enveloped by the overflowing heat.
"Ahhhhhh!"
Ginrummy's scream echoed through the bathing area.
Listening to her increasingly miserable cries, Belo Betty couldn't help sighing inwardly.
What a brutal training method.
Thank goodness my compatibility with Rock Breathing is high enough.
Still... if she truly masters Sun Breathing, just how powerful will she become?
A thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Speaking of which, if Koala and Hack were here, they might be excellent candidates for Water Breathing. Their mastery of Fish-Man Karate should make them naturally compatible with it.
After recalling something Ikki had mentioned earlier, Belo Betty hesitated briefly before reaching toward the edge of the hot spring.
A moment later, she picked up an encrypted Den Den Mushi and dialed a number.
"Moshi moshi."
A calm and gentle voice soon came from the other side.
"Belo Betty?"
Hearing the voice, Ikki glanced over his shoulder.
Belo Betty was holding the Den Den Mushi in one hand while using the other to keep herself from drifting away from him.
Realizing she was contacting the Revolutionary Army, Ikki lost interest and returned his attention to Ginrummy's condition.
Using the Transparent World, he carefully monitored every change within her body while adjusting the flow of Sun Breathing energy for maximum efficiency.
Belo Betty smiled at him before answering the call.
"That's right, it's me. Ahiru, how are things on your end?"
"Everything's fine. Thanks to your instructions, the operation went smoothly." Ahiru paused. "Compared to me, how are things over there? And what exactly is that screaming?"
"I'm doing very well." Belo Betty smiled. "Lord Ikki is helping me with further training. Honestly, if I can fully master the power of the Innate Demon Slayer Mark, I could probably defeat Sabo with ease. Even against the Commander, I wouldn't lose quickly."
"As for the screaming, Lord Ikki is helping someone else train at the same time. The process is a bit intense."
As she said those words, her confidence was genuine.
After experiencing the power granted by the Demon Slayer Mark, she understood just how enormous the enhancement was.
If Dragon wanted to defeat her while the mark was active, he would probably have to take her seriously.
And once she mastered her Innate Demon Slayer Mark, the difference would become even more dramatic.
Of course, she was intentionally exaggerating the details.
Only by doing so could she emphasize Ikki's importance to the Revolutionary Army.
That would encourage them to search harder for famous swords and blades, allowing Ikki to cultivate more powerful fighters.
"So powerful?" Ahiru sounded stunned. "Lord Ikki actually possesses that kind of ability? Wait... is Lord Ikki standing right beside you?"
"That's right." Belo Betty smiled. "Would you like to speak with him?"
"No! Absolutely not."
The refusal came instantly.
"I think I'll pass. You can talk to him yourself. I don't want to accidentally offend someone that important."
"Hehe. In that case, I won't force the issue."
Belo Betty chuckled before continuing.
"Actually, I'm calling because I need you to pass a message to the Revolutionary Army."
"Go ahead."
"For the foreseeable future, I'll be entering secluded training."
She glanced at the patterns of her Demon Slayer Mark.
"Until I master the Innate Demon Slayer Mark, I won't be able to leave my current training environment."
"Understood."
"And one more thing."
Belo Betty's expression became serious.
"Tell everyone to put more effort into searching for famous swords and blades."
"Lord Ikki has already said that if we can provide enough famous swords, he wouldn't mind training more warriors for us."
After saying that, she looked toward Ikki.
Coincidentally, he was already looking at her.
"Hold on." Ikki rolled his eyes. "I never said that."
Belo Betty simply smiled.
Ikki snorted.
"That said, if the Revolutionary Army can bring me enough benefits, training a few more talented people isn't impossible."
His gaze shifted toward her.
"Or, if you'd rather concentrate your resources on one person, I could continue investing them all in you."
The corners of his lips rose slightly.
"Who knows? Maybe one day I'll turn you into someone even stronger than a Marine Admiral."