Mostima's Joining (2)

That way, they had a clearer understanding of this sea. The times made the hero. To succeed, one had to seize the moment, especially when one wasn't strong enough yet.

"I don't plan on leaving the Whitebeard Pirates just yet. I need to keep getting stronger. When the time is right, I'll set out to sea, find some companions, and then make my way into the New World." Teach spoke frankly about his plans. "Zehahaha! You still need to get stronger. You should go out and see more of the world. The best way to improve is through battle."

"Then what else can we do to get stronger?" Mostima asked, a little impatient. How had those monsters become so powerful?

Hearing Mostima's question, Teach couldn't help but nod. If he wanted to get stronger faster, he needed to know how.

"Physical combat, Haki, swordsmanship, and Devil Fruits." Teach started with the basics, giving them a clearer understanding. "Physical combat is the foundation. You don't have to focus on it as your main fighting style, but you do need a strong body, strength, and stamina. Those are the foundations of becoming a monster, of becoming strong. Haki is essential. Without powerful Haki, there's no way to become strong. There are three kinds of Haki. The quality and quantity of Armament Haki depend on your physique. Observation Haki needs to be trained, and talent matters too. If you train it to its limits, you can even see a little into the future. You should know about Conqueror's Haki, too."

"Swordsmanship depends on talent. Mostima, you're a swordsman. You can't give up the way of the sword. You'll need to train your body yourself. While staying true to the sword, train your Armament and Observation Haki. At the same time, you need a more effective way to strengthen your body." Teach understood Mostima's situation well. "But if you want to improve quickly, in a short time, then it comes down to Devil Fruits."

"Devil Fruits." Mostima of course knew about them—the treasures of the sea. He'd thought about them before, but he was a swordsman.

"Zehahaha! Golden Lion Shiki is a Devil Fruit user and one of the greatest swordmasters in the world. He combined his Devil Fruit powers with his swordsmanship to create a powerful style that was uniquely his own. All you need is to find an ability that suits you." Seeing Mostima's expression, Teach knew what was troubling him, and laughed. In his eyes, swordsmanship and Devil Fruits didn't conflict at all.

Teach's words exploded in Mostima's mind. It was as if the clouds had parted, and he suddenly understood. If his physical combat was limited, then all the more reason to make use of a Devil Fruit's power.

"Devil Fruits are so rare. Where can I find one that suits me? What kind of ability would be right for me?" Mostima wondered.

Teach smiled, as if he'd thought of something. He reached inside his coat, took out a silvery-white Devil Fruit, and held it out to Mostima. "The Paramecia: Feather-Feather Fruit. I think it'd suit you. Do you want to eat it?"

Teach always carried his Devil Fruits with him. He didn't trust leaving such precious things in his room when he went out alone. He wore a specially made coat with two layers and a hollow lining, where he kept the fruits. That was why Teach looked a little fat from the outside.

Now, counting the Thorn Fruit he'd given away earlier, Teach had three Devil Fruits left. He already had an idea for the Bounce-Bounce Fruit; a figure had come to mind. The other two, Zoan fruits he'd obtained from the warship, were still waiting for the right people.

"D-Devil Fruit!" Hadman watched Teach pull one from inside his coat and blurted out in surprise. As soon as he realized what he'd done, he clapped a hand over his mouth.

"So, what do you think? Do you want to eat it? I think you have a lot of potential, but how you develop the ability is up to you." Mostima was also surprised that Teach had so casually taken out a Devil Fruit. But Teach was a member of the Whitebeard Pirates, so it made sense that he had one.

His attention was fixed on the Devil Fruit. Should he eat it? The Feather-Feather Fruit was a Paramecia. In the New World, he'd certainly heard of Devil Fruits and had seen plenty of users. How could he develop the Feather-Feather Fruit? Thinking about Teach's words, he considered combining the fruit with his swordsmanship.

Mostima was no fool. And when it came to developing a Devil Fruit, he proved just as sharp. Gradually, his eyes brightened as he began to form ideas about how to use the Feather-Feather Fruit. It wasn't one of those abilities that sounded powerful at first, but just as Teach had said, this Devil Fruit had enormous potential.

Without hesitation, Mostima reached out, picked up the Feather-Feather Fruit, and took a bite. Teach was right: it was an ability that suited him perfectly. More importantly, the Devil Fruit was the same color as his signature color.

Mostima's face changed after that tiny bite. The taste was indescribable. He'd been prepared for it, but damn, it was disgusting. His face twisted, but he quickly recovered.

Teach saw the tiny bite missing from the Feather-Feather Fruit and couldn't help sighing. It seemed Mostima knew.

Mostima heard him and rolled his eyes. With his intelligence, how could he not know what Teach was thinking? He quietly closed his eyes and felt the power within him.

After a while, Mostima opened his eyes, delight shining in them. "I feel lighter."

"Mm. The fruit changed your body, giving you the properties of feathers. Your speed should increase a lot from here on." Teach nodded.

"You should be able to grow feathers from your body, and create them out of thin air, too. If you can make them as hard as steel—or harder—you can use the ability to create your own physical combat techniques, attacks, and defenses. You should be able to develop all kinds of applications. As for combining it with swordsmanship, that'll be up to you." Teach offered a few pointers.

Mostima smiled. Suddenly, feathers began to appear all over his body, spreading out and floating around him. They drifted slowly, gathering behind his back. Gradually, they formed a huge pair of wings. With a gentle flap, Mostima rose into the air, his feet lifting off the ground as he flew above them.

"Captain, h-he's flying!" Hadman stared wide-eyed and pointed at Mostima.

But it lasted only seven or eight seconds. Mostima couldn't control the wings well enough, and they weren't stable. They burst apart in midair, and he fell back down.

"Developing your ability takes time, and it'll use up your stamina, too. Start with the basics. Learn to control each feather precisely. That means your Observation Haki can't be weak. The wider its range, the farther you'll be able to control your feathers." Teach spoke as he watched Mostima's control grow more and more precise, nodding in approval.

"Teach, are you leaving?" Mostima asked.

"Yeah. I still have a ways to go, so I can't stay here long." Teach nodded.

"Then before you go, let's have a match. Let my crew see how strong you are. They won't readily submit unless they see it with their own eyes."

"Zehahaha, you've got a lot of faith in me, Mostima!" Teach suddenly laughed. His eyes widened, and the ground began to tremble. An invisible aura spread out from him. Cracks appeared beneath his feet, and the immense pressure made the ground sink slightly. The table in front of him couldn't withstand it and shattered.

Mostima, Haduno, and Hadman felt the pressure most keenly. It weighed on them so heavily that their bodies seemed to want to drop to their knees. They felt restrained, unable to control their own limbs, but Hadman and Haduno gritted their teeth and held on.

Teach released his Conqueror's Haki for just ten seconds before stopping, but for Haduno and Hadman, every second had been agony.

Mostima endured it, and he was thrilled. He knew that feeling. He'd sensed it from afar once before and had remembered it ever since. Now, at such close range, he'd experienced it firsthand again.

"Teach, you..." Mostima lost his composure for the first time. His voice was full of surprise, and even a hint of excitement.

"Zehahaha! Since you trust me so much, I'll give you something to believe in." Teach's lips curled into a grin.

That was when Haduno and Hadman finally understood. "T-The qualities of a king!"

It was an almost fantastical term, another name for Conqueror's Haki. It was widely used in the New World. This was an inborn power, a symbol of talent. Having Conqueror's Haki didn't guarantee that someone would become a ruler, but among those who became rulers in the New World, who didn't have it?

It was just the reassurance Mostima and the others needed.

The open ground behind them was where Mostima and his crew usually trained. Now, hundreds of members of the White Bird Pirates had gathered there, watching the two men standing in the center. Mostima and Teach were about to fight.

Everyone watched with intense curiosity. They knew Teach was terrifyingly strong, stronger than their captain, but it was still hard to believe. Long-held impressions were difficult to change; they needed to see it with their own eyes.

The two men faced each other. Teach held Famous Sword: Thunder Fang in one hand. "You can make the first move, Mostima." He looked at him.

"Mm." Mostima didn't refuse. He stared intently at Teach, trying to find an opening, but Teach wouldn't give him one. I'll have to make the first move, he thought.

Holding Famous Sword: Ripping Sky, he darted forward. "Ripping Sky Slash!" Mostima's figure vanished in an instant. The next moment, a slash came at Teach from the front-right. It was a powerful strike, nearly cutting through the air. In Teach's eyes, the silver slash split the air in two as it passed.

The attack was also difficult to detect, its whistle barely audible. Since eating the Feather-Feather Fruit, Mostima's strength had improved considerably, even without using its powers. His body was lighter, just as Teach had said, and there was less resistance as he moved, making him faster.

At the same time, his swordsmanship had improved a little. His style had originally evolved from the Wind School's swordsmanship, combined with his own insights into the way of the sword. Now he had greater control over the wind. By finding gaps in the air and reducing resistance, he'd made even his slashes nearly silent.

But none of that could escape Teach's eye. He had no intention of dodging. The best way to show his strength was to meet force with force.

"Lightning Blade: Thunderclap Flash!" Teach slashed. His body vanished in an instant, and a streak of lightning flashed past. It broke through the air, compressing it until it boomed. The next moment, Teach appeared right in front of the slash. He swung his blade, and thunder erupted. His right arm seemed to turn into a hand of lightning. He used Haki, and black spread over Thunder Fang until it became a black blade.

It was only temporary. A true black blade had been turned black by Armament Haki so thoroughly that it retained its Armament Haki effects even when its wielder couldn't use Haki. The blade itself possessed Armament Haki, like Black Blade Night and Black Blade Autumn Water.

Thunder Fang became indestructible. The two attacks collided. Ripping Sky Slash was powerful and razor-sharp, but it was fragile, too. One strike cut it in two. The slash split from top to bottom, and the two halves flew past Teach on either side.

The slashes struck the ground, carving two smooth, ten-meter-long trenches into it. The sight sent a chill through everyone watching.

"Just as I thought. It didn't work." Mostima's figure hadn't vanished. He'd only shifted from side to side, his movements seeming to grow more elusive, before charging straight at Teach.

He was switching to close combat. He couldn't keep hanging back and firing long-range slashes forever. "Clang!" Their swords collided. Mostima's swordsmanship was fast, his movements turning ghostlike, but Teach's blade easily caught every attack. A duel with a Swordmaster was meaningful for Teach, too.

Teach began to seek the initiative. Mostima's speed was increasing as he grew accustomed to the changes in his body during battle, so Teach wanted to put more pressure on him.

The clash of their blades rang out again and again. The onlookers' eyes couldn't keep up. They knew the two were fighting, but they were moving so fast that no one could tell where Teach or Mostima was.

"They're so fast! How are we supposed to watch?"

"I can barely make out their shadows."

Teach and Mostima fought fiercely. Teach was surprised that a single Devil Fruit had changed Mostima's speed and swordsmanship so drastically. It seemed he'd been right: this Devil Fruit really did suit him.

"In that case, I'll have to get serious, too. Be careful, Mostima." Teach smiled as he warned him. He darted forward and drew another blade: Famous Sword: Purgatory. Flames and lightning burst from his hands. Mostima sensed danger and slashed with his left arm. A fire dragon appeared, forcing him back. It circled around him and Teach, surrounding them both.

"White Bird Style: Roc's Gale!" Mostima slashed. Air gathered and took the shape of a gigantic roc. It swept through like a hurricane, extinguishing the flames around them in an instant. Teach had already seized his chance. "Dual Sword Style: Burst!" It was a slash interwoven with lightning and fire. Mostima's eyelid twitched; he sensed a deadly threat in the attack. "White Bird Style: Roc's Wings Spread!" He slashed. This wasn't an offensive technique, but a defensive one: a slash like a great bird spreading its wings. He sent it toward Teach. The move wasn't fast, because it needed time to gather its strength.

Teach's explosive strike collided with Mostima's slash in midair. Then a reddish-gold light flashed before their eyes. The energy compressed within it was terrifying. With a boom, it burst open, just as its name suggested.

The explosion covered a huge area, extending ten meters in either direction. "I dodged it." Mostima panted. His earlier slash had bought him a little time to escape. If that attack had hit him, he would have been seriously injured.

The battle continued, and Teach gradually gained the upper hand. Everything Mostima did was within Teach's Observation Haki. Teach seized every opening and kept attacking.

Lightning and flames scorched Mostima's clothes, but Teach was careful not to overdo it. After all, this wasn't a fight to the death. It was here that the difference in their physiques became clear.

Teach didn't even look winded. The battle seemed to have no effect on him; his years of rigorous training had certainly paid off. Mostima, on the other hand, was already gasping for breath, his shirt soaked with sweat. Teach was putting him under immense pressure.

They fought for more than ten minutes. After such a long, intense battle, Mostima was struggling to keep going. He'd used every move at his disposal, but aside from his impressive speed at the beginning, Teach had read and countered everything, then launched one counterattack after another.

Fighting Teach was incredibly frustrating. It felt as if he had a counter for everything. Mostima resolved to train his Haki and physique even harder.

For the White Bird Pirates, the fight was a blow. They'd been watching from the sidelines. Although they couldn't see the battle clearly, they could still tell how it was going. Aside from the beginning, when the two seemed evenly matched, their captain had spent the rest of the fight defending and seizing chances to attack—only to have his moves immediately countered. The difference between them was obvious from their condition when the fight ended.

They'd seen just how powerful Teach was, and couldn't help admiring him. But other than the three core members, they didn't know that the White Bird Pirates had already joined Teach.

Teach left, bought some food, boarded his little boat, and headed for the next island.

Five people watched him go in silence. "Hey, little Loya, aren't you going to say goodbye?" Doyle asked with a laugh, rubbing Loya's head. "Who knows how long it'll be before you see him again?"

"Hmph!" Loya was annoyed. She grabbed the hand on her head and shoved it aside, then stamped her foot. She looked cute as she gazed at Teach's distant figure, her expression resolute. "I'm not a little kid anymore. Next time he comes back, I'll give him a surprise." She sounded confident, and the anticipation in her eyes only grew as she imagined their next meeting.

"Captain, let's go. Teach is already out of sight." Watching Teach's figure gradually disappear across the sea, Hadman turned to Mostima and urged him.

"We need to work hard. Teach will definitely be even more terrifying when he comes back. A man like him would never stand still." Mostima spoke slowly and clenched his fist. "You all need to train hard, too. Don't waste what Teach left behind. He said that if you haven't made enough progress by the time he comes back, he'll beat the shit out of you." Mostima chuckled.

"No way. When he comes back, I'll make his jaw drop." Hadman grinned. He looked at the "Marine Six Styles" and "A Detailed Guide to Haki" in his hands, then tucked them into his clothes like precious treasures.

Mostima and Haduno saw him and couldn't help laughing.

Out at sea, Teach stood alone on the little boat, one foot on a wooden barrel. His coat fluttered in the wind, and he smiled as he gazed into the distance.