A Rare Morning of Rest
A ray of sunlight broke through the dusty blinds of David's apartment, casting a warm glow over the cluttered room.
The familiar neon hum of Night City buzzed outside, but inside, everything was still.
David groaned, shifting under the covers.
His muscles ached, not from combat—but from the sheer exhaustion of last night's work.
The Hex Gem modification had pushed him to his limit.
The process of turning it into a functional cutting weapon had been more complex than expected, forcing him to pull an all-nighter.
And now…
As he cracked open one eye to check the time—
"Shit. 11 AM already?"
David sat up, stretching with a satisfying series of pops from his spine.
"Damn… time flies when you finally get some good sleep."
---
A Luxury in Night City
Getting a full night's rest in this city was a luxury few could afford.
Most people were either running from a corp, working for one, or buried in some deep net conspiracy.
David wasn't sure which category he fell into anymore.
But for now?
He could enjoy this rare moment of peace.
After throwing on a T-shirt and downing a glass of warm water, he did what had become a morning ritual.
He checked on Frog Cub.
---
A Surprise in the System Interface
David opened the Frog Cub system interface, expecting to see the little guy off on another adventure or lounging around in his thatched house.
Instead—
The scene that loaded made David do a double take.
"The hell…?"
Frog Cub was inside the thatched house, but something was different.
A new workbench sat in the corner of the room.
Scattered across it were metal molds, design schematics, and tiny mechanical components.
And there, sitting with a pair of tiny work goggles on his head, was Frog Cub—completely absorbed in building something.
---
A Little Scientist at Work
David leaned closer to the screen, watching the meticulous way Frog Cub worked.
The little guy's small, gloved hands moved with deliberate precision as he tinkered with tiny tools.
David scanned the blueprints beside him—
And his eyes widened.
"Wait… are those mecha schematics?"
At first glance, the designs looked similar to the Source Project Armor.
But there was a key difference—
It was customized for Frog Cub.
A personalized combat suit.
David's expression shifted from confusion to realization.
"No way… is Frog Cub building his own exosuit?"
If so, it made perfect sense.
The last time Frog Cub went to Valoran, he'd met the great inventor Heimerdinger.
The gifts he brought back were all Valoran tech-related.
Had he actually learned engineering skills from Heimerdinger?
David grinned.
"Damn… the kid's got talent."
---
A Shocking Discovery
But then—
Something caught David's eye.
Pinned to the workbench was a piece of paper.
It was held down by a small, handmade knife, stabbed directly into the surface.
David zoomed in on the image.
And the moment he saw who it depicted, his smile vanished.
A middle-aged man, muscular, wearing a white Marine cap and a red suit.
The word "MARINE" was printed across the cap, and a thick cigar hung from his lips.
David's breath hitched.
"Akainu…?"
There was no mistaking it.
This was Admiral Sakazuki, better known as Akainu, one of the most feared figures in the One Piece universe.
David's mind raced.
"Why the hell does Frog Cub have a picture of Akainu nailed to his desk?"
---
Connecting the Dots
His thoughts flashed back to one of Frog Cub's earlier travels.
The trip to the One Piece world.
David remembered vividly—Frog Cub had returned from that adventure injured.
And more importantly—
That was also when he had brought back E-Color Haki.
David's eyes narrowed.
"Wait… no way."
It finally clicked.
"Did Akainu… hurt Frog Cub?"
The realization hit like a freight train.
Frog Cub had never been the type to hold grudges.
But if Akainu was the one who injured him—
It explained everything.
The blueprints.
The personal armor.
The intense focus.
Frog Cub wasn't just building armor for future travels.
He was preparing for revenge.
---
Frog Cub's Unfinished Business
David exhaled, leaning back.
"Damn… this little guy is serious."
In a way, he understood.
There was nothing worse than losing a fight and walking away with unfinished business.
But Akainu?
That was a dangerous target.
One of the strongest Marines in existence, with the power of the Magma-Magma Fruit and an unbreakable sense of justice.
Could Frog Cub really take him on?
David shook his head.
"Revenge, huh?"
He smirked.
"Guess you really are my Frog Cub."
But then, a thought hit him.
If Frog Cub was planning to face Akainu again… was he ready?
David's expression turned serious.
He knew one thing for certain—
If Frog Cub wanted revenge, he couldn't do it alone.
And if that fight was inevitable…
Then it was time for David to help him prepare.
---
TO BE CONTINUED…
---
What's Next?
Will David train Frog Cub for the battle ahead?
How can Frog Cub defeat someone as powerful as Akainu?
Is there a deeper reason why Akainu fought Frog Cub?
Find out in the next chapter!
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