Karp's Training Method

The Six Powers were the collective term for six physical techniques: Soru, Iron Body, Finger Pistol, Paper Arts, Rankyaku, and Geppo. They could only be mastered by surpassing the limits of human ability.

Even with the system's assistance, Long Yi was not arrogant enough to believe he could master all six powers within the two weeks it took to reach the North Blue.

After giving it some thought, he chose Soru from among the Six Powers as the main focus of his training.

Soru was essentially a method of rapid movement. It used explosive power within a short span of time to move, making it impossible for enemies to observe one's movements with the naked eye.

The purer the power, the more overwhelmingly powerful it became. As long as he mastered that explosive speed, Long Yi's combat strength would at least double. It would also give him a few more chances to survive in the perilous North Blue.

However, the Six Powers were not so easily mastered. Some people spent their entire lives without mastering all six. Aside from the system's power, Long Yi was clearly still within the range of an ordinary person, and he found training in Soru incomparably difficult.

Over the past week, under Karp's hellish training, Long Yi had exhausted every ounce of his strength and only barely touched the threshold of breaking through the limits of the human body. Yet no matter what he did, he could not take that final step forward and comprehend the true essence of Soru.

The warship drew ever closer to the North Blue, but his Six Powers training had entered a bottleneck. Long Yi was anxious, but he could not help feeling somewhat dejected as well.

He lay spread-eagled on the deck, gazing at the azure sky. Long Yi felt as though he himself had merged into that flawless blue. Sweat trickled down his cheeks, leaving him lost in a daze.

"Hey! How long are you planning to rest?!"

At that moment, a thoroughly unwelcome shout came from nearby, dragging Long Yi from his pleasant reverie back to reality.

Feeling the weakness in his body and the exhaustion rising from the depths of his soul, he forced himself upright and turned to look at Karp, who stood nearby with a stern expression.

"Master Karp..."

Long Yi spoke without much confidence, his voice revealing the weakness of someone completely drained.

Although he always received all sorts of nutritional supplements after each hell-level training session, for some reason, he simply could not recover his spirits. He looked utterly dispirited.

"What is it, kid? Thinking of giving up? It's not too late to quit now."

Seeing Long Yi's expression, Karp sneered. Though he wore a smile, the chill in his voice made Long Yi shudder involuntarily.

"Reporting to Vice Admiral Karp! I don't want to give up!"

Long Yi fiercely slapped his own face, as if trying to drive every weak thought from his mind. He rose to his feet, straightened his chest, and answered Karp loudly.

There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Even if Long Yi could rely on the system to learn countless earth-shattering techniques and possess innumerable weapons that made ghosts weep and gods tremble, without being tempered by sweat, he would never possess the heart of a strong man.

The stubbornness in his bones kept Long Yi from admitting defeat. Even if he ended up covered in wounds, he would still break through his limits.

"Ha ha ha! Very good!"

Karp felt greatly gratified when he saw the determination in Long Yi's eyes. There was no shortage of people in this world with the potential to become strong, but not everyone could be as diligent and hardworking as Long Yi.

Hearing Karp's approval, Long Yi did not react at all. Just as he mentally prepared himself to run another five hundred sets of shuttle sprints, Karp said something that caught him completely off guard.

"I can see that you've already touched the edge of your physical limits, so there's little point in continuing to train like this. Training officially enters its second stage. After lunch, your training plan changes. I'll personally help you master the essence of Soru."

As Karp spoke, he clenched his fists until they crackled. Seeing Long Yi's bewildered and shocked expression, a mischievous smile curled across his lips.

Long Yi had been wondering what Karp meant by personally helping him master the essence of Soru. It was not until Karp violently beat three or four lumps onto his head that he truly understood what those words meant.

"Too slow, Long Yi! If your speed stays at this level, don't even think about sleeping lying down tonight!"

Karp raised a fist that was faintly steaming and burst into laughter at the teary-eyed Long Yi.

"Damn it! I'll definitely dodge the next strike!"

Although Karp had not used Haki and had deliberately held back his strength, when that iron-cast fist truly struck Long Yi's head, the pain was beyond description.

"Heh heh! Give it a try!"

Karp sneered and vanished from Long Yi's sight.

Long Yi did not dare let his guard down. Just as he was about to dodge, a dangerous aura came from behind him. After a muffled thud, another lump appeared on his head, as expected.

"Ha ha, the fifth one."

Karp blew on the smoke rising from his fist and laughed proudly. Looking at Long Yi, who resembled a Buddha statue with his head covered in lumps, the unruly old man laughed especially happily.

"D-Damn it!!!"

No one could endure such humiliation, and Long Yi was no exception. He grimaced in pain and even began to wonder whether Karp's habit of training people by hitting their heads was the true reason Luffy had become an idiot.

"Angry? Then come hit me, idiot~"

Words like "venerable and respected" had never suited Karp. As he performed a strange dance and pulled a face with the corners of his mouth hooked up, the only description that fit him was "acting disgracefully despite his age."

After that round of taunting, the anger in Long Yi's heart was easily stirred. Faint blazing flames seemed to burn fiercely within his originally black eyes.

"Ha ha! Don't hold back. Release all your power! Let me see what you're made of!"

A sharp glint flashed through Karp's frivolous eyes. His real purpose was to see how much Long Yi had improved these past few days.

"Master Karp, you said it."

Long Yi had long been irritated by Karp's beating. Hearing Karp's demand, he drew the katana at his waist without hesitation as ghostly energy faintly rose around him.

"Everyone, move aside! I'm going to trade a few moves with my disciple!"

Seeing the seriousness in Long Yi's eyes, Karp laughed loudly. With a shout, he drove away the naval officers who had gathered around to watch, leaving only himself and Long Yi facing each other across the deck.

"Kid! Use everything you've got. Don't worry about hurting me."

Karp rolled his neck, producing a series of soft cracks. Smiling at Long Yi, who was wrapped in ghostly energy, he crooked a finger.

"I know I can't hurt you, Master Karp. Blade Soul Kazan, bless me!"

A silent roar of ghosts and gods echoed in the hearts of every naval officer present. This was the first time they had seen Long Yi wield the power of ghosts and gods. Upon seeing the savage and terrifying phantom behind him, they stared wide-eyed, mouths agape, too shocked to say a word.

"That's it, Long Yi! Let me see your power!"

Karp laughed heartily. As someone who loved battle by nature, this was his first time fighting someone who possessed the power of ghosts and gods. Though Long Yi was his disciple, he could not help feeling excited.

"Master Karp, be careful. Chain Thrust!"

With a low cry, Long Yi launched a series of thrusts. Compared to when he had fought Colonel Shu at the main training ground, his Chain Thrust had improved again. The sharp tip of his blade stabbed mercilessly toward Karp's vital points at tremendous speed.

"Not bad, not bad! Your sword is faster than before."

Karp lightly tapped his feet. In Long Yi's eyes, Karp barely seemed to move, yet he effortlessly avoided the blade's edge. Long Yi gritted his teeth, unwillingness flashing through his heart. Karp's method of movement was precisely the Soru he wanted to learn.

"Then what about this?!"

After seeing Karp evade his Chain Thrust, Long Yi did not stop. Borrowing the boost of Blade Soul Kazan, he changed the flow of his sword and flipped his wrist in an upward strike.

Although Upward Slash was among the most basic of basic sword techniques, its power could not be underestimated at crucial moments.

Even Karp showed satisfaction after that Upward Slash. He greatly praised Long Yi's ability to adapt his swordsmanship to the situation, but that tricky strike still failed to touch Karp in the slightest.

"Again."

Karp lightly crooked his finger, still looking completely at ease. Although Long Yi's swordsmanship could be considered astonishing among people his age, it was still not mature enough in Karp's eyes.

"Ah!"

Seeing this, Long Yi shouted. He drove power through his legs and used the explosive force he had developed over the past week to leap into the air in one bound.

Silver Light Falling Blade!

His body pressed downward, sword pointed below. This was a sword technique that descended from the sky. Like a meteor streaking across the heavens, Long Yi's attack arrived before Karp in an instant.

"Interesting."

Karp's eyes brightened slightly at the change in Long Yi's swordsmanship. But appreciation was one thing—if a sword technique like Long Yi's tore even his clothes, those old fellows who knew him would laugh at him to death.

His body vanished again, and Long Yi's Silver Light Falling Blade still missed. Yet after Long Yi landed and steadied himself, a sharp gleam flashed in his eyes, and he unleashed his next sword technique without hesitation.

Ghost Slash!

Purple ghostly energy wrapped around the blade, and an eerie flame seemed to burn upon the sharp katana. The instant Long Yi turned and slashed backward, he caught sight of the faint surprise in Karp's eyes.

Master Karp, you've hit me four or five times already. I've more or less figured out your method of movement!

Long Yi's eyes blazed, and the flames in his heart seemed ready to burst from his chest.

"Good! As expected of my disciple!"

Karp's face was full of gratification at Long Yi's slash. Only a disciple like this was worthy of his careful instruction.

"However..."

Karp sneered faintly, and his tone shifted.

"Before absolute strength, all struggle is futile."

Pitch-black Armament Haki instantly covered Karp's fist. Under Long Yi's horrified gaze, the white-haired Marine hero gave up on dodging or defending against Long Yi's Ghost Slash. Instead, he answered Long Yi with an even simpler and more brutal heavy punch.

Unconcealed killing intent descended upon Long Yi. A chill from the depths of his soul shot up his spine. He stared in horror at Karp's somewhat savage smile, while towering waves surged within his heart.

How can this be? Master Karp wants to kill me? No, this isn't the time to panic! If that fist hits me, I'll definitely die! Should I withdraw my sword and block? No! It's already too late...

Those thoughts flashed through his mind in the span of a spark.

Before his brain could react, Long Yi's body instinctively responded. Under Karp's watchful gaze, his body suddenly vanished.

When Long Yi appeared again, he was already on the deck some distance away. Soaked in sweat, he dropped to one knee and panted heavily.

"See? Wasn't it easy to learn?"

Looking at Long Yi, who seemed as though he had just been pulled out of the water, Karp dispersed all his killing intent and returned to normal. He smiled as he picked his nose, speaking as if it were only natural.

"What a madman..."

Remembering the sensation from that instant, like an electric current passing through his body, Long Yi instinctively sensed the change within himself.

But Karp's method of forcing him to the brink of death still left Long Yi shaken. He did not dare imagine what would have happened if he had not experienced that flash of insight and comprehended Soru.

"Master Karp, if I hadn't been able to dodge your punch just now..."

After thinking it over, Long Yi hesitantly spoke. An unpleasant suspicion rose in his heart.

"Oh, don't worry. You wouldn't have died. How could I possibly strike my beloved disciple dead? But you probably wouldn't have avoided spending seven or eight months recovering. As the saying goes, the greater the risk, the greater the reward. Look, didn't you learn Soru? Ha ha ha!"

Karp did not feel the slightest embarrassment in response to Long Yi's question. After truthfully answering him, the exceptionally fierce and dangerous old man laughed heartily.

Hearing that answer, Long Yi could only collapse onto the deck and give a hoarse, dry laugh, cold sweat continuously streaming down his cheeks.

That was... way too close.