Law's Combat Training, the Fruit That Turns You into Rubber!

Port Elegia.

Click.

The Air Door closed, silencing Rosinante's protest behind it.

Ron stretched his shoulders, turned, and walked towards the warship. "The holiday's over, time to catch the pirates again."

Luo, clutching her medical book, suddenly looked dejected.

Vergo stood to the side, holding a bamboo stick, completely unsurprised.

"Vergo."

"Rear Admiral?"

"From now on, Luo will be in your group."

Vergo held the bamboo stick above Luo's head; the tip of the stick was a head higher.

Are you serious?

"Master! Can I fight pirates now?"

Luo poked half his head out from behind Vergo's bamboo stick.

"If you can't beat him, hide behind him."

And what about you?

Vergo couldn't help but ask.

Ron yawned and stepped onto the deck. "Supervisor."

Vergo looked at Ron's retreating figure, then at Ron, but couldn't utter a single word.

Three days later, in a certain sea area of New World.

The shells slammed into the sea next to the merchant ship, sending water columns shooting high into the air.

"Lower the sails! If you run again, I'll blast your cabins!"

The pirate captain was shouting wildly with his gun raised when a shout suddenly came from the side.

"The pirate ship ahead must stop immediately and submit to inspection!"

A small warship cut through the waves, and a young man in a white coat on the bow was slowly examining their pirate flag.

Twenty-eight million.

Ron withdrew his gaze. "Vergo, it's yours now."

"Rear Admiral, you really won't make a move?"

You expect me to do something for such a small reward?

"I'm worried about Luo..."

"With you watching over me, I won't die."

Ron leaned back in the recliner and unfolded a newspaper to cover his face.

"Don't worry, I'm keeping an eye on it too."

The Observation Haki subtly spread out, enveloping the entire pirate ship.

"A swift and decisive victory."

Vergo, carrying a bamboo stick, leaped onto the enemy ship.

With a bang, the pirate at the front was sent flying by a blow, heading straight for the captain.

"Chance!"

Luo's eyes lit up, and he opened his right hand. "ROOM!"

A light blue area instantly spread out.

Shambles!

Luo switched places with the barrel behind the captain, landed, and immediately drew his sword to slash.

But just as the captain was forced to dodge by Vergo, Law's strike missed completely, instead blocking Vergo's path of pursuit.

"Get out of the way!"

Vergo stopped abruptly, nearly hitting him with his stick.

"I almost hit him!"

"I forced him into that situation!"

The captain seized the opportunity during their pause, raising his gun to aim at Luo, who was closest to him.

"Go to hell, you brat!"

Shambles!

Swish!

The captain's Fire Pistol suddenly turned into half a wooden stick.

He looked down and was completely stunned.

"Where's my gun?!"

In the moment of stunned silence, Vergo's bamboo stick had already struck his face.

Bang!

The person fell straight down.

Back on the warship, Luo ran to the recliner.

"Master! Did you see that move just now?"

Ron lifted a corner of the newspaper.

"I saw it. If you'd been half a beat slower, Vergo would have had to take a bullet for you."

Luo's smugness immediately diminished.

Vergo slammed the bamboo stick onto the deck.

"Rear Admiral, next time, could you please make sure he can see where his own people are first?"

"What's wrong? Are you scared?"

"..."

Vergo's face darkened.

"Rear Admiral, I'm afraid he'll get himself into trouble."

"Okay, okay, I know you care about him."

That's not what I meant!

Ron laughed so hard the newspaper shook.

A few days later, another skirmish ensued.

Clang!

The broadsword struck the bamboo stick, causing the air to tremble.

Vergo parried the attack with a backhand, his feet firmly planted as if nailed to the deck.

Luo Shou stood to the side, his hand already raised, but he forced himself to hold it back.

He got scolded for blocking the way last time, so this time he absolutely refuses to rush ahead.

It wasn't until Vergo exerted his strength that the captain was forced to take a step back, sidestepping to create half a gap.

"Now!"

"ROOM!"

Swish!

The piece of wood at the captain's feet was suddenly replaced by a heavy wooden crate next to him.

He kicked it, and his body immediately tilted to one side.

Vergo then struck him in the chest with his stick.

The captain struggled to reach for the knife, but his fingertips barely touched the hilt.

Swish!

The broadsword suddenly disappeared, turning into half a plank of wood on the deck.

"Where's my knife?!"

Bang!

Vergo's second blow struck the back of his neck.

"Master! I'm not in your way this time!"

Luo ran back, his face covered in dust, shouting before he even sheathed his knife.

Ron looked up from behind the newspaper and nodded slowly. "Hmm, you've gotten smarter."

"Of course!"

"What happened to the twenty pharmacology questions from yesterday?"

"..."

"I'll finish writing it tonight."

"Master! We just finished fighting pirates!"

"Pirates won't take the exam for you."

Luo was so angry that he stomped his feet.

Vergo tucked the bamboo stick under his arm, glanced at the newspapers in Ron and Ron's hands, and sighed.

For the next two weeks, aside from participating in actual combat with Vergo, Luo spent almost all his time exploring abilities.

"Scan!"

Amidst a pile of messy junk, a brass key landed in his palm with a whoosh.

"Found it!"

"Three more."

Ron sat on the railing, flipping through the newspaper without looking up.

"Didn't you say you only hid one?"

When did I say that?

Luo gritted his teeth, opened the ROOM again, and raised his hand toward a wooden box.

"Tact!"

The wooden crate slowly rose up, wobbling precariously.

"See that! This time—"

Thump!

The wooden crate flew over the ship's side and plunged headfirst into the sea.

Ron pointed at the sea and laughed, "Go, bring it back."

"I am a power user!"

"I told you to use a rope to fish it out, who told you to jump?"

Luo nearly flung the rope he was holding.

Seeing him cutting and chopping at the wooden board every day, the Ship's Doctor handed him a raw egg one day.

"Use your skills to remove the yolk intact."

"Neither the eggshell nor the egg white must be broken."

"What's so difficult about that?"

Ten minutes later.

Smack

The fifth egg broke on the table, and the yolk spilled all over my hand.

Luo's face turned green as he looked at his hands covered in sticky egg liquid.

Ron leaned against the doorframe, watching the commotion. "Genius Doctor, is the whole ship eating scrambled eggs tonight?"

"Master! Can't you be quiet for a moment?"

"Okay, call me when it's done."

Luo bent down and picked up the sixth egg, pursing his lips in a determined struggle.

"This time it will definitely work..."

While Luo was busy training, in another part of the New World.

The rain poured down.

The government transport ship struggled forward against the wind and waves, its hull rocking violently.

Deep inside the ship's hold, a metal box was secured to the ground with three locks.

Foz-Fur flipped through the shipping documents, growing increasingly frustrated with each turn.

"The Gum-Gum Fruit? They sent so many people to escort it just for something so worthless?"

The agent beside him whispered a reminder: "We've been instructed that there can be absolutely no mistakes."

"You've been saying that the whole way, aren't you tired of it?!"

Foz slammed the file shut.

The cabin door was suddenly flung open, and the sailors stumbled in.

"Sir! A pirate ship has appeared ahead!"

"Why not just go around it?"

"It's Red-Haired Shanks! Red-Haired Shanks!"

Foz F. suddenly stood up. "Who?!"

He rushed onto the deck.

Through the rain, the skull and cross flag was fluttering in this direction, recognizable even through the rain.

Benn Beckman, a cigarette dangling from his lips, frowned slightly. "A ship being transported by CP9. If we steal it, the World Government won't let it go."

Shanks, supporting Griffon, smiled.

"Whatever, let's go!!"

He leaped and landed steadily on the deck of the transport ship.

The guards had just raised their guns when Shanks gave them a dismissive glance.

Buzz--

As the Conqueror's Haki spread, the guards collapsed to the ground one after another, their Fire Pistol falling to the floor.

Foz-Foe's forehead was beaded with sweat.

"Redhead! This is a government ship!"

"Know."

"Then what do you want to do?!"

"Lend me a Devil Fruit."

Foz-Foe's heart skipped a beat.

How did you know...?

He regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth; wasn't that an admission of guilt?

Shanks smiled. "Looks like I made the right choice."

"Asshole!"

Foz F. stepped down.

"Shave!"

The figure vanished in an instant.

When it reappeared, its fingertips were already close to Shanks' neck.

Shigan!

Clang!

Griffon shifted half an inch to the side, steadily blocking the attack.

Foz-Following his initial strike, he immediately followed up with a twisting side kick.

"Rankyaku!"

The slash had barely been launched when Shanks cleaved it in two with a single blow.

The next instant, Griffon's blade slammed into his chest.

Boom!

Foz F. crashed through the hatch and fell into the cabin.

He tried to get up, but the cold blade was already pressed against his throat.

"Shall we continue?"

Foz F. gritted his teeth, not daring to move.

"Captain! We've found them!"

Raki Lu ran out carrying a metal box.

Shanks sheathed his sword. "Withdraw."

By the time Who's Foz struggled to his feet, the Red-Haired Pirates' ship had already sailed into the rain.

He touched the knife mark on his neck.

The agent whispered from behind, "How do we report this?"

He didn't answer.

Inside the cabin of the Red-Haired Pirates' ship.

With a click, the metal box was opened.

A strange-looking fruit covered in spiral patterns lay inside.

"This is the Gum-Gum Fruit?"

Raki Lou leaned over for a look.

Yasopp joked with a laugh, "After eating it, will my hands be able to stretch longer than a boat?"

Why don't you try and see?

Some people nearby joined in the jeering.

Shanks smiled and held out his hand, "Don't eat random things."

The moment his fingertips touched the fruit peel, a village suddenly flashed through his mind.

Windmills, taverns, and that familiar little path.

Foosha Village?

Shanks frowned.

"Captain?" Benn Beckman called out to him.

Shanks snapped out of his daze, put the fruit back in the box, and closed the lid.

"Baker, change the flight path."

Where to?

"East Blue, Foosha Village."

Benn Beckman was stunned. "Just came from Elegia, and now you're going to the East Blue?"

"Um."

Raki Lu, still chewing on his meat, chuckled first.

"Captain, are you missing Miss Makino?"

"Haha! Didn't you get enough of Garp's punches last time?"

"We'd better hide it well this time, lest that old man catch us!"

The deck erupted in laughter.

Shanks laughed along, tapping the lid of the box with his fingertips.

Benn Beckman stared at him for a few seconds.

"Shanks, why did you go to Foosha Village?"

Haha! I suddenly feel like going.

Benn Beckman glanced at the metal box beside him.

"Is it related to this fruit?"

Shanks smiled.

Who knows?

Benn Beckman didn't ask any more questions.