"Military Fist" Upgrade

Uncle Kate smiled and continued his explanation.

"The so-called feeling is the sensation of your entire body vibrating when you practice the Nameless Fist Forms. Then you control its intensity, concentration, dispersal, and transfer."

"Like this!"

Luo Han and Cole both looked toward Uncle Kate as he extended an arm.

Uncle Kate's arm looked blurred, as though it had been pixelated. Staring at it for a while even made them a little dizzy.

"Watch closely. The vibrations throughout my body are transferred into my arm, and the power gathers there as well.

"At that point, all I need to do is throw a punch!"

Uncle Kate then punched toward the outside of the island.

A cylindrical shockwave shot into the sky, only dissipating several hundred meters away. Though it was not as powerful as the "Hegemony Country" Uncle Kate had used before, it was still far stronger than an ordinary punch.

Most importantly, that punch contained no extension of will. It had been thrown entirely with the body's power, much like the Tempest Kick of the Six Powers.

Luo Han remembered that in the World of Pirates, the only techniques that allowed someone to unleash fist winds and slashes before comprehending the extension of will were Fish-Man Karate, Hasshoken, and the World Government's Six Powers.

There might have been others, but these were the only three secret arts Luo Han remembered. That alone showed how formidable they were.

Any one of them could turn a person into something superhuman once mastered.

He had never expected such a secret art to exist on a remote island in the Grand Line. Sure enough, the latter half of the Grand Line was extraordinary! There was a reason it would later be called the "New World."

"This is incredible! That power is exactly what I've always felt. I thought I was the only one who knew about it! Hahaha!"

Cole was delighted. Before this, he had rapidly wriggled his muscles to gather strength in his fist, then paired it with the extension of his will to unleash an extraordinary fist-wind shockwave.

It was roughly the same kind of power Uncle Kate had just used!

But Cole's technique was rather crude. Unlike Uncle Kate, he could not control the vibrations in a specific part of his body without affecting his agility.

"I want to learn it! Uncle Kate, teach me quickly," Cole pressed.

"Mm! In a moment! I'll teach you how to use the fist forms to sense and guide the power of vibration."

"As for little Luo Han, once Cole has learned it, you can accompany him and strengthen his perception of those vibrations."

After speaking to Cole, Uncle Kate turned to Luo Han.

"Okay, Uncle Kate," Luo Han replied weakly. He watched Cole and Uncle Kate head off to one side, one teaching and the other learning.

Luo Han felt a little jealous! No one had ever taught me anything!

So I'm just here to keep Cole company while he "studies." Sigh! But what could he do when his body still could not keep up?

That was what Luo Han thought, but he was still happy!

Hehe, because sparring with Cole would also let Luo Han grow stronger quickly.

Yesterday's battle had already proved it. Mind Guidance could guide the body to evolve and grow stronger all along. It could work even without the guidance of aura, though it was slower.

Previously, Luo Han's desire to strengthen his body had been worn away by his mediocre physical talent. And once he no longer wanted to grow stronger, the Mind Fruit's guidance over his body became even weaker.

Luo Han only realized this when he recalled the first time he had used Mind Guidance. Back then, he had finally eaten the Scale Fruit he had long desired, and while practicing the Nameless Fist Forms, his desire to strengthen his body had reached its peak.

Intense mental activity spurred the mind to guide the body through rapid transformation and growth, causing the body to consume its own life force in order to complete that evolution.

That was likely the most terrifying power of the Mind Fruit! Intense mental activity could directly guide the body's evolution, and it had no limit—as long as one still wanted to grow stronger.

The morning's training passed amid Luo Han's many speculations about the Mind Fruit's abilities.

As noon approached, the training ended!

Uncle Kate told Luo Han and Cole that he would take them to hunt Sea Kings that afternoon, then headed back.

Luo Han and the others went back as well!

Soon after noon, following about two hours of rest, the Hunting Squad members gradually arrived at the top of the island. Luo Han and Cole were there too.

Uncle Kate stood at the front, waiting until everyone had arrived.

"Ten people will be enough today. Come with me into the sea to hunt Sea Kings.

"Cole, transform into your complete form and fly overhead. Luo Han, stay by Cole's side. If anyone gets injured, you'll be responsible for pulling them out and controlling them onto Cole's back."

After selecting ten people, Uncle Kate gave Cole and Luo Han their instructions.

"For now, you two should watch carefully and see how we hunt Sea Kings. Hahaha!"

"Captain, the arks have been brought over!" Rein said at that moment.

Luo Han looked toward the so-called arks and froze.

"Brother Rhine, are you sure those are arks and not little wooden boats?" Luo Han asked, pointing at the "ark" that could only fit two people sitting together.

And here I thought the Hunting Squad had a big ship! So this was it! Anyone who didn't know better would think they were going fishing. For fish less than a meter long, at that.

"Haha! Let's go! I'll explain it to you on the way," Uncle Kate said with a smile. Then, carrying two "arks" in each hand, he slid down toward the bottom of the island along the ropes.

"Surprised, huh? Hahaha! I was just like you back then. You'll understand what's going on soon," Rein said with a laugh. Seeing Luo Han's bewildered expression made him want to laugh, and it reminded him of his own reaction back then.

Rein then picked up an ark and followed Uncle Kate. Mm! Brother Rhine was one of those ten people too.

Unable to bear the teasing looks from the Hunting Squad members, Luo Han quickly called for Cole to transform and head down.

Cole really found this sort of thing boring. It seemed that aside from eating and fighting, nothing much surprised him.

Just now, Luo Han had been the only one shocked!

Soon, Cole transformed into his complete form and flew overhead, while Luo Han floated beside the small boat Uncle Kate was on.

"Uncle Kate, you still haven't told me why you're using such a small boat to hunt Sea Kings. Aren't you afraid that if it rolls over and a wave hits it, the boat will capsize?"

Luo Han asked Uncle Kate. To be honest, he could not figure it out! How could such a tiny boat bring a Sea King back?

No wonder he had never seen the Hunting Squad return with a Sea King all these years. Could it have been because they did not have a large ship?

"Stop imagining things, little Luo Han. Do you know how Ring Tree Island came to be?" Seeing Luo Han starting to let his imagination run wild, Uncle Kate began to explain the origins of Ring Tree Island.

"The origins of Ring Tree Island...? Do you mean the origin of its name, Uncle Kate?" Luo Han asked.

Uncle Kate said, "Haha! Of course not! Do you think Ring Tree Island is big now?"

Luo Han said, "It's huge. What does that have to do with anything?"

"It does matter! When I was young, Ring Tree Island was not as big as it is now. The difference was not enormous, but after more than twenty years, I could still feel it. The older generation on the island probably noticed its growth even more clearly," Uncle Kate said with a hint of nostalgia.

At that moment, the small boat slowly rowed out beyond Ring Tree Island's seabed!

"Little Luo Han, use your Observation Haki to sense the surroundings. There actually aren't any Sea Kings nearby, are there?"

As Uncle Kate spoke, he had Luo Han use Observation Haki to sense the area, as though he were already certain there were no Sea Kings nearby!

Huh... There really weren't any! There were no Sea Kings for several kilometers around.

Other than Salt-Eating Sharks, and those were a thousand meters beneath the surface.

How strange! Luo Han could not make sense of it.