Mostima's Joining (2)

With that, they gained a clearer understanding of this vast ocean. Times create heroes, and to succeed, one must seize opportunities, especially when their strength is insufficient.

"I don't have any plans to leave the Whitebeard Pirates for now. I need to continue improving my strength. When the time is right, I'll set sail, find nakama, and then charge into the New World," Teach said frankly, revealing his thoughts. "Haha, your strength still needs to improve. You should go out and see more. The best way to increase strength is through combat."

"Then what other ways are there to improve strength?" Mostima asked, feeling a sense of urgency. How did those monsters become so strong?

Hearing Mostima's question, Teach couldn't help but nod. To become stronger faster, one needed to know how to improve their strength.

"Taijutsu, Haki, Swordsmanship, Devil Fruit," Teach listed first, giving them a clearer understanding. "Taijutsu is the foundation. You don't have to fight primarily with taijutsu, but you must have a powerful physique, strength, and stamina. This is the basis for becoming a monster, for becoming a strong individual." "Haki is fundamental. Without powerful Haki, it's impossible to become a strong individual. Haki is divided into three types. The quality and quantity of Armament Haki are related to physique. Observation Haki requires training and also depends on talent; when trained to the extreme, it can even allow for short-term precognition. Conqueror's Haki, you all should know about it."

"Swordsmanship depends on talent. Mostima, you are a swordsman, and you cannot abandon swordsmanship. You need to train your taijutsu yourself. While persisting in swordsmanship, train Armament Haki and Observation Haki. At the same time, you need more effective ways to train your physique." Teach was very clear about Mostima's situation. "But if you want your strength to increase rapidly in a short period, it depends on Devil Fruits."

"Devil Fruit." Mostima certainly knew about that, the sea's secret treasure. He had thought about it before, but he was a swordsman.

"Haha, Golden Lion Shiki is also a Devil Fruit user and a world-class swordsman. He combined the abilities of his Devil Fruit with his swordsmanship to form his own powerful swordsmanship. As long as you find a suitable ability for you, that's all that matters." Teach saw his expression and naturally understood Mostima's concerns, laughing heartily. In his eyes, swordsmanship and Devil Fruits were not in conflict at all.

Teach's words struck Mostima's mind like a thunderclap, as if parting the clouds to see the sun. He suddenly understood. Since his taijutsu had limitations, he should rely even more on the power of a Devil Fruit.

"Devil Fruits are very rare. Where can I find a suitable ability? What ability is suitable for me?" Mostima pondered.

Teach smiled, as if he had thought of something. He reached into his coat and took out a silver-white Devil Fruit, placing it in front of Mostima. "Paramecia type: Feather Fruit. I think it's very suitable for you. Do you want to eat it?"

Teach carried his Devil Fruits with him everywhere. When traveling alone, he didn't trust leaving these treasures in his room. He wore a specially made two-layered, hollow inner garment where the Devil Fruits were stored. That's why, when looking at Teach from the outside, he seemed a bit plump.

Now, in addition to the Thorn Fruit he had given away earlier, Teach had only three Devil Fruits left. He already had an idea for one, the Bounce-Bounce Fruit, and a figure appeared in his mind. The other two, obtained from a warship, were Animal-type Devil Fruits awaiting other individuals.

"D-Devil Fruit!" Hadman exclaimed in surprise when he saw Teach pull a Devil Fruit out of his coat. Realizing what he had done, he quickly covered his mouth.

"What do you think? Do you want to eat it? I believe it has great potential, but its specific development depends on you." Mostima was also surprised that Teach could so easily produce a Devil Fruit. Thinking that Teach was a member of the Whitebeard Pirates, it was normal for him to possess Devil Fruits.

His attention was on the Devil Fruit. Should he eat it? Feather Fruit, Paramecia type. In the New World, he couldn't possibly not know about Devil Fruits. He had met quite a few Devil Fruit users. Feather Fruit, how should he develop it? He thought about Teach's words, combining the fruit with his swordsmanship.

Mostima's intelligence was not to be underestimated, especially when it came to developing Devil Fruits. Gradually, Mostima's eyes lit up. He began to have some ideas for developing the Feather Fruit. These weren't abilities that sounded powerful at first glance. Just as Teach had said, this Devil Fruit had great potential.

Without hesitation, Mostima reached out, picked up the Feather Fruit, and took a bite. Teach was right; this was an ability that suited him very well. More importantly, the color of this Devil Fruit matched his birth color.

Mostima's expression changed. With a light bite, he experienced that indescribable taste. Although he had been mentally prepared, it was damn disgusting. The taste made his face contort, but he quickly recovered.

Seeing this, Teach looked at the Feather Fruit with only a small bite missing and sighed. It seemed he understood.

Hearing this, Mostima shot Teach a look. With his intelligence, how could he not know what Teach was thinking? He quietly closed his eyes, feeling the power within his body.

After a while, Mostima opened his eyes, and a look of surprise flashed within them. "I feel like my body has become much lighter."

"Mm, the fruit has changed your physique, giving you the properties of feathers. Your speed should increase significantly from now on," Teach nodded.

"Your body should be able to grow feathers, and you can also create feathers out of thin air. If you can make the feathers as hard as steel, or even harder, you can combine this ability to create your own taijutsu, offensive techniques, and defensive methods. You should be able to develop all of them with this ability. Combining it with swordsmanship is up to you," Teach advised from the side.

A smile appeared in Mostima's eyes. Suddenly, feathers appeared all over his body, spreading out and floating around him. They slowly moved and gathered behind Mostima. Gradually, a pair of huge wings formed from feathers. With a gentle flap, Mostima's body rose, his feet gradually leaving the ground, and he flew into the air.

"Boss, he's flying!" Hadman's eyes widened as he pointed at Mostima.

However, it only lasted for about seven or eight seconds. Mostima couldn't control it; the wings on his back were unstable, and he directly dispersed in mid-air, falling from the sky.

"Developing abilities takes time, and it also consumes your stamina. Let's start with simple things first. Master precise control over each feather. If you can do that, your Observation Haki cannot be weak. The wider the range of your Observation Haki, the greater your control over the feathers," Teach said, nodding as he watched Mostima gain more proficiency in controlling the feathers.

"Teach, are you leaving?" Mostima asked. "Mm, I still have to travel. I can't stay here for long," Teach nodded. "Then, before you go, let's have a spar. Let my crew see your strength. If they don't witness it firsthand, they won't easily submit."

"Haha, you really have a lot of confidence in me! Mostima, ywahahaha." Teach suddenly burst out laughing. Teach's eyes flashed fiercely, and the ground began to tremble. An invisible aura spread from Teach's side. Cracks appeared on the ground beneath his feet. The immense pressure caused the ground to sink slightly, and the table in front of him shattered violently under the strain.

The most profound experience was felt by Mostima, Haduno, and Hadman standing before him. The powerful oppressive force acted upon them, making their bodies feel an urge to kneel, as if they were restrained and unable to control their movements. However, Hadman and Haduno gritted their teeth and persevered.

After only ten seconds, Teach stopped releasing Conqueror's Haki, but for Haduno and Hadman, it felt like an eternity.

Mostima endured it. He was pleasantly surprised. He knew this feeling; he had felt it from afar before and had kept it firmly in his heart. This time, at such close proximity, he experienced it once again.

"Teach, you!" Mostima lost his composure for the first time, his voice revealing his immense surprise and a hint of joy.

"Ywahaha, since you all believe in me so much, I'll give you some confidence too." Teach's lips curved into a smile as he laughed heartily. At this, Haduno and Hadman also reacted. "King's, King's qualification!"

This was a very mystical term, another name for Conqueror's Haki. In the New World, it was very marketable. It was an innate ability and a symbol of talent. Possessing Conqueror's Haki didn't guarantee becoming a hegemon, but in the New World, which hegemon did not possess Conqueror's Haki?

This undoubtedly planted a seed of reassurance in the hearts of Mostima and the others.

In the open space behind them, which was also the usual training ground for Mostima and his crew, hundreds of members of the White Bird Pirates were gathered, watching the two figures standing in the center. This was the battle between Mostima and Teach.

Everyone around watched with great curiosity. They knew Teach's strength was terrifying, even stronger than their captain, but they still found it hard to believe. After all, long-held impressions were difficult to change; they needed to see it with their own eyes.

The two stood facing each other. Teach held the Famous Sword: Thunder Fang in his hand, wielding it with one hand. "You go first, Mostima," Teach said, looking at him.

"Mm." Mostima didn't refuse. He stared intently at Teach, as if trying to find a flaw in him, but Teach wouldn't reveal any. He supposed he had to make the first move, Mostima thought.

Wielding the Famous Sword: Ripping Sky, his body flashed. "Ripping Sky Slash." Mostima's figure instantly disappeared. Immediately after, a slash was directed towards Teach from his front right. This attack was powerful, almost cutting through the air. In Teach's eyes, as this silver slash passed, the air was directly split in two.

Moreover, this strike was very stealthy, and the sound of it cutting through the air was very light. After eating the Feather Fruit, even without utilizing its abilities, Mostima's strength had greatly increased. His body was lighter, just as Teach had said, with much less resistance to movement and increased speed.

At the same time, his swordsmanship had made a slight breakthrough. His swordsmanship was originally a fusion of the Wind-Riding style with his own understanding of swordsmanship. Now, his mastery of the wind was stronger, allowing him to grasp the gaps in the air, reduce resistance, and even make his slashes almost silent.

However, this was impossible to escape Teach's discerning eyes. Facing this attack, Teach had no intention of dodging. To showcase his strength, the best way was to break force with force.

"Lightning Blade: Thunder Flash!" Teach slashed with his sword, and his body instantly disappeared. A flash of lightning zipped through the air, compressing it and emitting a booming sound. The next moment, Teach appeared before the slash and struck it. Thunder erupted. Teach's right arm seemed to transform into a hand of lightning. Teach applied Haki, and Thunder Fang was covered in black, turning into a black blade.

This was only temporary. The true black blade had already been dyed black by Armament Haki. Even without Armament Haki, it could achieve the effect of Armament Haki, as if the blade itself possessed Armament Haki, like the Black Blade Yoru or the Black Blade Shuusui.

Thunder Fang became indestructible. The two clashed. The power of that Ripping Sky Slash was strong and extremely sharp, but also fragile. It was cut in half. "Ripping Sky Slash" was sliced from top to bottom into two halves, flying past Teach's sides.

The slashes landed on the ground, leaving two smooth, ten-meter-long cracks, chilling those who saw them.

"As expected, it had no effect." Mostima's figure hadn't disappeared; he was just moving left and right, appearing somewhat erratic, and charged forward.

He prepared for close combat, unable to stay at a distance and launch ranged slashes forever. "Clang!" Swords met. Mostima's swordsmanship was incredibly fast, his speed becoming ghost-like, but with every strike, Teach's blade could easily parry its attacks. A duel with a swordsman was very meaningful for Teach.

He began to press the attack, as Mostima's speed was increasing. Teach wanted to put more pressure on him, allowing him to familiarize himself with his body's changes during the fight.

The sounds of clashing swords continued to ring out. Outsiders' eyes were blurred, only knowing that they were fighting, but their speed was too great; they couldn't even tell where Teach and Mostima were.

"This speed is too fast, how can we even watch?"

"I can only vaguely see a bit of a shadow."

The battle between Teach and Mostima was incredibly fierce. He was also surprised that a Devil Fruit could bring about such enormous changes to Mostima's speed and swordsmanship. It seemed he was right; this Devil Fruit truly suited him.

"In that case, I'll have to get serious too. Watch out, Mostima." Teach smiled and warned, his body flashing as he drew another sword, the Famous Sword: Purgatory. Flame and Lightning surged from Teach's hands. Mostima felt a sense of crisis and slashed with his left arm. A fire dragon appeared, forcefully pushing Mostima back. The fire dragon circled him and Teach, engulfing them.

"White Bird Style: Roc's Assault." Mostima slashed his sword. The air gathered, transforming into a giant roc that swept through like a hurricane, extinguishing the surrounding flames. Teach, meanwhile, had seized the opportunity. "Dual Sword Style: Burst." This was a strike interwoven with lightning and fire. Mostima's eyelids twitched; he felt a fatal threat from it. "White Bird Style: Roc's Wings Spread." He slashed his sword. This wasn't an offensive move but a defensive one, a slash like a great bird spreading its wings, directed at Teach. This move wasn't fast, as it required solidification.

Teach's "Burst" strike collided with Mostima's slash in mid-air. Immediately after, a dazzling crimson-gold light flashed before their eyes, the concentrated energy within instilling fear. With a "boom," just like its name, it violently exploded.

The explosion's range was immense, spanning ten meters in front and back. "Dodged." Mostima panted. The previous slash had bought him a little time, allowing him to escape. If he had been hit by that blow, he would have been seriously injured at the very least.

The battle continued, and Mostima was increasingly suppressed by Teach. All his actions were within Teach's Observation Haki's grasp. Teach, seizing Mostima's openings, attacked relentlessly.

Lightning and flame seared Mostima's clothes, leaving scorch marks. However, Teach was still measured in his attacks, as it wasn't a fight to the death. At this point, the difference in physique between Teach and Mostima became apparent.

Teach's expression remained unchanged; the battle seemed to have little effect on him, a testament to his long-term, dedicated training. Mostima, on the other hand, was already panting, sweat soaking his clothes. Teach's pressure on him was considerable.

After a fierce battle lasting over ten minutes, the prolonged high-intensity combat had pushed Mostima to his limit. He had used all his techniques. Apart from the initial astonishing speed, the rest of his movements were mastered and countered by Teach, who then launched further counterattacks.

Fighting Teach was truly agonizing; he felt completely outmatched. He resolved in his heart to diligently train his Haki and Physique.

This was undoubtedly a blow to the members of the White Bird Pirates watching from the sidelines. Although they couldn't see clearly, they had some understanding of the battle's progression. Apart from the initial seemingly evenly matched phase, their captain had been on the defensive the entire time, only to have his offensive opportunities immediately countered. The difference between them could be seen in their states after the battle.

They witnessed Teach's power and couldn't help but feel admiration for him. However, apart from the three core members, they were unaware that the White Bird Pirates had already joined Teach.

Teach departed, bought some food, and set sail on a small boat towards the next island.

On the island, five people were silently watching his retreating figure. "Hey, little Loya, aren't you going to say goodbye?" Doyle asked with a smile, gently ruffling Loya's head. "Who knows how long it'll be until we meet again!"

"Hmph!" Loya pouted, annoyed. She grabbed the large hand resting on her head and forcefully pushed it away, stomping her foot cutely. Her gaze fixed on Teach's receding back, her expression resolute. "I'm not a child anymore. Next time he comes, I'll definitely give him a surprise." She said, but the anticipation in her eyes seemed to intensify, eagerly awaiting their next meeting.

"Captain, let's go. We can't see Boss Teach anymore." Hadman said, looking at Mostima beside him, trying to persuade him.

"I need to work hard. Next time he comes, Teach will surely be even more formidable. A man like him wouldn't possibly stand still, would he?" Mostima said slowly, clenching his fist. "You all need to train hard too. Don't waste what Teach left behind. He promised that if you haven't made enough progress by the time he returns, he'll beat the hell out of you." Saying this, Mostima chuckled.

"No way, next time he returns, I'll surprise him greatly." Hadman laughed, looking at the "Marine Six Styles" and "Haki Explained" in his hands. He hid them in his embrace like treasures after hearing Mostima's words.

Mostima and Haduno exchanged glances and couldn't help but laugh.

At sea, Teach stood alone on his small boat, one foot resting on a wooden barrel, his coat billowing in the wind, a smile on his face as he gazed into the distance.