After the War: Abilities and Prospects

Wano Country, the Flower Capital.

Five days after the Orochi was killed, the Castle council chamber was quiet.

Warm sunlight streamed through the window and fell on the long wooden table. The tabletop was empty, devoid of documents or maps, except for a water glass and a few empty glasses scattered around it. Lin Yuan sat upright in the main seat, his fingertips lightly touching the rim of the glass. Kaido leaned back in his chair, his body still wrapped in layers of bandages, but his complexion had already become much rosier.

Bullet sat with his arms crossed, his expression cold and hard. By the window, Ember stood motionless, the golden flames surging behind him almost transparent in the daylight. Huijin sat beside him as well, this pure-blooded Lunarian making no attempt to conceal his features, his light brown skin and two pairs of vertical pupils, one gray and one white, revealing the unique appearance of his race.

Moria huddled in the far corner of the hall, his body hunched over. Inazuma sat next to him, toying with the scissors he carried. Kuma stood to Lin Yuan's right, his expression calm. Zephyr sat to his left, holding a bowl of cool tea, sipping it slowly.

Just then, the Den Den Mushi on the table suddenly started making a "gurgling" sound, and Ginny's clear voice came through it.

"Is everyone here? Then I'll begin reporting on the follow-up arrangements for Wano Country."

I. Post-war measures

Ginny speaks very quickly and clearly.

"Kuri will be under the jurisdiction of Kozuki Oden, while Ashura Doji will remain to guard it. Hachinosu will not interfere in local internal affairs, but the export of Seastone to Wano Country will be under our control. After Oden settles Kuri, he will set sail for Whitebeard's fleet."

"The Udon Mine will be managed by the Drunkard, and all miners' wages will be doubled. The Hakumai Port will be overseen by the Lecher, and tariffs will be reduced by 30%. The farmland around Kibi will be managed by the Caimi, and all farmland in the region will be exempt from taxes this year, with granaries opened to provide relief to disaster victims."

"The Flower Capital under the direct jurisdiction of Lord Lin Yuan. All former Oniwabanshu have been reorganized into the Wano Country Police Force, responsible for nationwide security. All the spies who had been lying in wait have been apprehended; a total of seven, all have been captured."

"Furthermore, an inventory of the Orochi's treasure trove revealed 80 tons of gold and 5 billion Beli. Adding to the stockpiles on Hachinosu, we now possess a total of over 400 tons of Seastone."

Lin Yuan raised his hand to take a sip of water, his tone calm. "Let the locals handle the affairs of Wano Country themselves. We only seek the rights to Seastone and the port; we will not wage war or disturb the people."

II. Battle Review: Acknowledging Shortcomings

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the hall became slightly heavy. Lin Yuan put down his water glass and glanced at everyone present.

"The war in Wano Country is over. We won, but it wasn't an easy victory. Now, let's review everything, laying bare the problems that were exposed in this battle."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Lin Yuan spoke first, "Let me start with myself. In this battle, Spatial Perception helped me find the weaknesses in the Iron Wall Guard's formation and also locked onto Orochi's regeneration core. However, my Observation Haki has a major flaw—just now, Huijin was standing right in front of me, but I didn't notice him at all."

"Her gray flames concealed all energy fluctuations, which my Observation Haki completely ignored. If I encounter a similar enemy in the future, it will be tantamount to being blind on the battlefield."

Zephyr nodded slightly and offered a word of advice. "Your Observation Haki isn't weak, it's just too one-sided. You've relied on spatial abilities for so long that you've forgotten the essence of Observation Haki, which is to perceive 'life and existence.' Even if your opponent eliminates their heartbeat, body temperature, and killing intent, you should still be able to sense something. For the next period of time, focus on honing your Observation Haki, and let Huijin assist you in your training."

"Understood," Lin Yuan replied.

Huijin glanced up at him and nodded slightly.

Immediately afterward, Kaido's deep voice rang out. "My problem lies in the Awakening of the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon. The stamina drain after fully activating the Awakening is terrifying. After slaying Orochi, I was paralyzed for three whole days. If you hadn't come upstairs to help me that day, even if I had managed to defeat Orochi, I would have been severely injured and needed half a month to recover. Such a price is unacceptable in a real battle."

"Awakening is not a reason to recklessly overdraw your body." Zephyr looked at Kaido, his tone serious. "As a member of the Oni and possessing the power of an Ancient Mythical Zoan, your recovery ability is already unparalleled. Yet, you lose control and become exhausted as soon as you use your power. This doesn't mean you've truly mastered Awakening. For the next month, practice controlling your power. Only when you can fight at full strength and still stand firmly on the ground will you be considered to have passed the test."

Kaido remained silent, offering no rebuttal.

"It's my turn." Bullet leaned forward. "My Conqueror's Haki Coating extremely unstable, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. In the battle against the Iron Wall Guard, if I hadn't used Conqueror's Haki Coating at the last moment to deliver a heavy blow, the fight would have lasted much longer."

"Conqueror's Haki originates from one's inner self and willpower," Zephyr said. "You can only concentrate your willpower when fighting; otherwise, your mind is scattered, and your power is naturally unstable. From today onward, practice releasing Conqueror's Haki daily, starting with one second and gradually increasing the duration. Once you can maintain it stably for one minute, then we can discuss the next step."

Bullet nodded in response.

Jin slowly spoke, "My clan's innate golden flames are countered by the flames of Huijin. Her ash fire can devour all energy, and my flames are precisely what it targets. Besides, the Float-Float Fruit I ate has yet to develop into a significant fighting force, completely wasting the fruit's power."

"Your vision is too narrow," Zephyr said. "The Float-Float Fruit isn't just for flying. Floating rocks, shaking the earth, manipulating heavy objects to smash enemies, and indirectly controlling others' bodies are all uses of it. For the next month, practice the fruit's load-bearing capacity and precise control, while simultaneously lifting twenty giant rocks and controlling the trajectory of each one."

"I understand," Jin replied calmly.

The silent Huijin finally spoke, his voice clear and calm. "I did not consume Devil Fruit. Manipulating flames is an innate bloodline talent of the Lunarian. Gray flames can both absorb energy and heal injuries, but I haven't even explored the limits of these two abilities yet. Moreover, my physical skills have greatly improved in close combat."

Zephyr looked at her. "You've been imprisoned for many years, and your physical functions have long since deteriorated. As an ancient race of gods, the Lunarian should have extremely strong physical potential; you shouldn't be in this state. From now on, focus on honing your physical skills and rediscover your neglected foundation."

Huijin nodded slightly.

"My Observation Haki can't keep up with the range of the Paw-Paw Fruit," Kuma said in a deep voice. "The accuracy of the projectile will drop significantly as the distance increases."

"This is easy," Zephyr instructed. "Have Ginny call out the coordinates from a distance, and you practice along with her. Start with 500 meters and work your way up to 2000 meters."

"No problem."

Moria, huddled in the corner, shrank back, his voice low. "I... my shadow powers are greatly diminished during the day. During this operation in Wano Country, I only dared to attack at night; I didn't dare to engage in direct combat during the day."

"Simply hiding will never make you stronger." Zephyr's gaze fell on him. "Go to the plaza to practice your shadow abilities when the Noon sun is at its strongest. Only when your shadow can face the blazing sun and block out the light will you have crossed this threshold."

Moria's face paled, but he ultimately did not refuse.

Finally, it was Inazuma's turn. He twirled the scissors in his hand. "The Snip-Snip Fruit is good for ranged attacks. Once an enemy gets close, I'll be at a disadvantage."

"Then let's train him in physical combat." Zephyr looked at Bullet. "You'll be in charge of guiding him during this time."

Bullet glanced at Inazuma and said bluntly, "I won't show any mercy."

"I didn't expect you to hold back either." Inazuma grinned.

III. Deepen capabilities to prepare for strong adversaries

After the debriefing session ended, no one got up to leave. Lin Yuan leaned back in his chair, his gaze sweeping across the room, his expression solemn.

"The Wano Country war is just the beginning. The opponents we face next are far beyond Orochi. Whether it's Whitebeard, Big Mom, Garp, Sengoku, or the Five Elders residing in the Holy Land, each of them is a powerful figure standing at the pinnacle of this sea. Their strength and combat experience far surpass the enemies we are currently facing."

"If we stop here, Wano Country will be our limit. So for the next month, besides addressing our weaknesses, everyone must do their utmost to unlock the full potential of their abilities." Lin Yuan paused. "Now, each of you, tell us your training direction and the peak your abilities can reach."

Kaido spoke first, his voice booming. "My Azure Dragon Mythical Zoan shouldn't just change its size after Awakening. The legendary Azure Dragon can summon celestial phenomena and control lightning, storms, and torrential rain. My goal is to master the power of nature. First, I will hone my Dragon Breath to its fullest potential, and then study the power of lightning one by one."

Zephyr narrowed his eyes slightly, giving a hint of approval. "The pinnacle of ancient Mythical Zoan touches upon the realm of nature; this direction is correct."

"I don't have Devil Fruit." Bullet clenched his fists, his eyes sharp. "My skills lie entirely in physical combat and Haki. My goal is to master Conqueror's Haki Coating to its peak."

Lin Yuan added, "Captain Roger also didn't have a Devil Fruit, but he Conqueror's Haki Coating, creating the ultimate technique, Divine Departure. You can try compressing Conqueror's Haki into your fist, just like condensing Armament Haki, concentrating your power into a single point."

"I can do it." Bullet's eyes blazed with determination.

After a moment's thought, Jin revealed his idea. "The Float-Float Fruit can levitate all things, but right now I can only manipulate inanimate objects. I want to try controlling living people. If I can lift the enemy's feet off the ground, they will lose their footing, and their offense, defense, and evasion will be severely restricted."

"Are you confident?" Zephyr pressed.

"It's still unknown, but it's worth a try."

Huijin glanced at Ash beside him, then said, "My power comes from my bloodline, and is not bound by the Devil Fruit. Its limit depends on the origin of the Lunarian clan. The gray flame can devour all energy—fire, lightning, shockwaves, and so on. I want to test whether it can even devour Conqueror's Haki."

"Besides that, I also have the power of repair. Now I can heal wounds, set bones and tendons, and repair damaged internal organs. In the future, I want to challenge even higher limits—the regeneration of severed limbs, and even the repair of failing organs. The road ahead is long, but I'll take it one step at a time."

Lin Yuan nodded. "This direction can't be rushed; we should proceed step by step."

When it was Kuma's turn, he slowly said, "The Paw-Paw Fruit can deflect all attacks, including physical impacts, energy damage, and even pain and fatigue. But where does that deflected power go? Is there a limit? I want to try storing that energy and then returning it to my opponent."

Ginny in the Den Den Mushi immediately perked up. "That's a brilliant idea! Saving up our attacks before counterattacking is like using the enemy's strength to attack them."

"I'll try my best," Kuma said.

Moria took a deep breath and set his goal. "My shadow fears sunlight because of the suppression of light. I don't want to simply strengthen the shadow's brute force, but rather to completely free it from the influence of light. Only when there is no difference between day and night will my ability truly transform."

"This path is far more difficult than simply training intensity," Zephyr said in a deep voice, "But once you succeed, you will be transformed."

Moria gripped the shadow scissors in his hand and nodded emphatically.

"My Snip-Snip Fruit can slice through steel and rock." Inazuma toyed with the scissors, his eyes gleaming. "I've tried cutting through shadow threads, and now I want to challenge myself with something even more difficult—cutting through energy, cutting through Haki, and even severing the very source of Devil Fruit's power."

Lin Yuan casually reminded him, "You severed Moria's shadow thread before."

"Shadows and Haki are ultimately different," Inazuma laughed. "But how do you know it won't work if you don't try?"

Zephyr's expression shifted. "If you can truly achieve that, you will be the nemesis of all ability users."

"Then let's give it a try."

Finally, everyone's attention focused on Lin Yuan.

"My Door-Door Fruit," Lin Yuan slowly began, revealing his concept, "The ultimate Spatial Perception isn't about sensing the people and objects within it, but about understanding the structure of space itself—its thickness, density, and resilience. Once you see the weak points in space, the energy consumed by opening doors for teleportation will be drastically reduced."

"Space Folding should also push the limits. It's not just about a distance of twenty or thirty meters, but about completely erasing 'distance' itself. No need for folding, no need for doors, just allowing two spaces to overlap directly."

"As for Space Cutting... it's no longer just about severing physical objects, but about cutting off the connections between spaces. It completely isolates an area, making it impossible for anyone to enter or leave."

Silence fell over the council chamber. Zephyr remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking, "What you're thinking has already gone beyond the scope of ordinary fruit development; it has touched upon the rules of heaven and earth."

"The ultimate goal of Devil Fruits is to challenge the rules," Lin Yuan said frankly. "People are limited by the name 'Door-Door Fruit,' thinking it only as an ability to open doors and escape. But if we change our perspective and call it the Space-Space Fruit or the Dimension Fruit, we will see a completely different world."

Are you confident you can do it?

"I have no clue yet." Lin Yuan shook his head. "But if we focus too narrowly, we won't be able to withstand the powerful enemies ahead. Let's continue cultivating and take it one step at a time."

Zephyr said no more.

IV. New Positions: Ship's Doctor and Soldier

As the meeting concluded, everyone rose and left. Only Huijin remained seated, looking at Lin Yuan in the main seat.

Lin Yuan.

"Is there anything else?"

"My healing abilities aren't just for battlefield treatment," Huijin said calmly. "Hachinosu has never had a dedicated ship's doctor. Normally, when people are injured, they can only receive simple bandages and tough it out."

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"I'll take the doctor's position. And I'll continue fighting."

Have you thought this through?

Huijin looked at Jhin waiting outside the door and said softly, " Of the Lunarian Kingdom, only he and I remain. Since he stays here, I naturally won't leave either."

Ginny's voice came through the Den Den Mushi again, decisively confirming, "Okay! It's settled then. Huijin will officially become a member of Hachinosu, serving as both ship's doctor and combatant, with the same salary as everyone else. Also, let's agree on the rules: treatment for internal members is free, but outsiders will be charged the standard rate."

Huijin's lips curled into a very faint smile, "Okay."

She rose and walked out of the council chamber, where Jin was already waiting outside. The two walked side by side in silence, their steps perfectly synchronized, until they disappeared at the end of the corridor.

V. January Special Training Plan

As the sun sets, its afterglow paints the sky red.

Outside the Castle, on the large Training Ground, Zephyr stood in the center, holding a wooden sword. Lin Yuan, Kaido, Bullet, and their group stood in neat rows, quietly awaiting instructions.

"For the next month, everyone will train according to the same schedule. We'll assemble at 6 a. m. and rest at 10 p. m. Sundays are for everyone to rest."

Zephyr's voice echoed across the Training Ground.

"The morning will focus on physical training, including basic exercises such as long-distance running, push-ups, and squats. Kaido and Bullet will each complete 3,000 sets, while the rest will start with 1,000 sets."

Kaido remained expressionless and calmly accepted the arrangement.

"This afternoon, focus on Haki training. Lin Yuan and Huijin be in a group, with Huijin concealing his presence to hone your Observation Haki. Kuma will practice with Ginny from a distance, balancing Observation Haki with projectile accuracy. Bullet will concentrate on stabilizing his Conqueror's Haki. The rest of you, focus on refining your Armament Haki Hardening and coverage."

"During the night, everyone honed their abilities. Kaido practiced controlling the power of his Azure Dragon Form; King refined his Float- Float-Float Fruit; Moria trained his shadow under the scorching sun; Inazuma attempted to slice through Haki with scissors; Kuma studied the energy storage and counterattack of his Paw-Paw Fruit; Huijin balanced physical skills with the limits of fire."

Finally, Zephyr looked at Lin Yuan: "You should focus on exploring the potential of Spatial Perception and Space Folding."

His gaze swept across the entire room, his tone serious. "A month from now, we may still not be able to crush the Five Elders head-on, but we absolutely cannot afford to be as humiliated as we were when we faced Orochi. Understand? Dismissed!"

Everyone responded and went to their respective training positions.

End of Chapter 86