Experiment

"Hyah!"

"Take this!"

A childish voice woke Carl from his sleep.

Yesterday, Carl had been drinking with Newgate out back and had overdone it. He hadn't expected the liquor in the Pirate World to be so strong. Then again, the Pirate World had all kinds of people with special abilities, so he'd underestimated it. He'd been completely out of it by the end of the night, and Clay had been the one to help him back.

"Drinking causes trouble, drinking causes trouble. I'll have to drink less from now on."

Carl rubbed his forehead. His head still felt a little foggy, but the feeling soon passed. Clearly, his Titan Talent was at work.

But Carl vaguely remembered the system giving him a notification yesterday. He hadn't had a chance to check it at the time.

He didn't look into it now, either. He heard what sounded like Long Yi outside and hurried out of his room.

Warm sunlight fell on him.

Nearby, Clay was teaching Long Yi and Long Er some basic physical training.

"You three, come over here."

"I'll teach you a way to use energy. See if you can learn it."

Carl wanted to teach them the Golden Light Incantation. Its defensive properties and power were both quite impressive.

He also wanted to see whether he could teach people in the Pirate World some of the cultivation techniques and skills of his template heroes.

If he could, he'd be able to quickly boost his subordinates' strength. He'd just have to keep a close eye on their loyalty. He wasn't afraid of his techniques getting out, but it was better to be prepared!

Clay looked excited. Carrying Long Yi in one hand and Long Er in the other, he took a few quick strides and reached Carl. Captain Carl was so strong that whatever he taught them had to be a way to get stronger.

"Sit down. I'll guide the energy through your bodies once. Try to sense it."

"I'll leave some energy inside you. Try to use it and circulate it throughout your bodies."

Long Yi and Long Er had Dragon-Human blood, while Clay was a Fishman. None of them were human, so Carl didn't know if this would work, but it was worth a try. If all three could do it, that would prove this ability could be cultivated normally in the Pirate World.

The three of them immediately sat cross-legged in front of Carl, their eyes full of anticipation. Lord Carl was so powerful; he wouldn't lead them astray.

"Lord Carl, we're ready."

Seeing their eager expressions, Carl began. First, he placed a hand on Clay's shoulder.

"Hiss!"

Clay felt a gentle energy flow from Lord Carl's palm into his shoulder.

The unfamiliar energy brought with it a strange sensation. It moved along the acupoints throughout his body and soon completed one full circuit, making him feel as though he were soaking in a hot spring.

Clay could sense that his body craved the warm current, and some of his old injuries were slowly healing.

But as this happened, sweat poured down Clay's face. Forcing open some blocked meridians was painful.

Clay was already an adult, and most of his bones had finished growing, so the energy was also opening his Ren and Du meridians.

"Take a moment to feel it."

After guiding the energy through one full circuit in Clay's body, Carl left a trace of it behind. Then he placed a hand on each of Long Yi and Long Er's shoulders.

"Hiss!"

The process was the same, but Long Yi and Long Er felt much less pain than Clay. They were still young, and their bones hadn't finished growing.

Opening their Ren and Du meridians took little effort, and the energy soon completed one full circuit.

After finishing, Carl stood before the three of them with his hands behind his back, watching the energy move through their bodies.

Their eyes were tightly shut, as if they were sensing the energy within.

Suddenly, Carl noticed a glimmer of golden light flash across Clay's right hand.

He had an idea.

"Congratulations, Host. The abilities of The Outcast have been transmitted into the Pirate World, slightly altering its timeline."

"The Shop module has been unlocked!"

At the system's notification, Carl knew he'd been right. Clay was the first to rise, golden light enveloping his right hand.

It was unmistakably the Golden Light Incantation, but the light soon faded. Clay clearly hadn't mastered it yet.

"I got too excited."

"What is this power?!"

In his excitement, Clay hadn't controlled the Golden Light Incantation properly, and the light had dissipated.

"This is a way of using energy that I created. I call it the Golden Light Incantation."

"I'm teaching it to you because I trust you completely."

"I hope you won't let me down."

Sorry, Old Celestial Master. I'm borrowing the name of the Taoist Eight Divine Incantations—the Golden Light Incantation—for now. I hope you don't mind.

"Rest assured, Lord Carl. I'll remain absolutely loyal to you and obey your orders without question."

Clay knelt on one knee, clasped his hands, and spoke with deep respect.

"So will we."

Seeing Clay do that, Long Yi and Long Er followed suit.

"All right, I trust you. Get up."

After Carl had them stand, he secretly rejoiced. He'd confirmed that the skills of his template heroes could be introduced into the Pirate World in a plausible way. If so, building up his forces would be much easier from now on.

"You need to practice using this energy."

Carl told them to keep training in how to circulate the energy until it became muscle memory.

"Yes, Lord Carl. I definitely won't slack off."

Clay had already reached the limit of his physical abilities. Now that he had a new way to grow stronger, he couldn't wait to start learning.

"Ah!"

"Thump!"

Long Yi fell flat on his face. Long Er was holding a golden whip in his right hand, its other end wrapped around Long Yi's ankle.

"Hahahaha!"

Seeing Long Yi sprawled on the ground, Long Er immediately stuck out his tongue and made a face.

Under Carl's watchful gaze, he reeled in the golden whip.

"You've picked it up quickly. Clay, make sure you train them properly."

Carl wasn't angry. He hadn't expected the two little rascals to master how to use the Golden Light Incantation so quickly.

"Don't worry, Lord Carl. I'll make sure to train them properly."

Clay cracked his knuckles and grinned menacingly.

Long Yi and Long Er huddled together in fright.

"You also need to follow the training routine I taught you and build up your stamina as quickly as possible."

"Come on, follow me."

"First, like this, then like this..."

Several hours passed in the blink of an eye.

"You have to train for at least four shichen every day."

"Ah! You can't be serious!"

Long Er had just complained. He was still a child, after all, and it was only natural for him to want to play. But when he noticed Carl staring at him with a furrowed brow, he immediately changed his tune.

"I guarantee we'll complete the task!"

"You also have to master Armament Haki and Observation Haki."

"They're essential for anyone who wants to become strong."

"I've only just begun learning them myself, so I'll find someone to come teach you."

Carl felt a little helpless. He'd realized how to use Armament Haki through his battles with Newgate and Steel Bone Kong, and clearly that wasn't something he could teach by simply repeating the process.

Besides, he didn't even know how to train his own Observation Haki.

Since he couldn't use either of them properly himself, he couldn't teach the three of them how to master Armament Haki and Observation Haki. He'd have to learn more himself first.

"Make sure you practice. Don't let all my effort go to waste."

They were his first recruits, and he needed to see them grow. Otherwise, all the effort he'd put in would have been for nothing!

He hadn't invested so much just to get nowhere!