I Can Copy Any Talent in the World of Pirates

Nojiko led Nami around, the two of them hopping about curiously, while Noil found Bellemere in the backyard.

"We still need to plant some tangerines! I wonder if there are any seeds left in the storeroom."

Bellemere stood looking over their spacious backyard, pondering what to plant.

Her words reminded Noil of his system reward, so he took out the seeds.

Dragging the sack behind him, he pretended he had just arrived and called out, "Bellemere! Is this what you're looking for?"

Bellemere turned and stared at him in surprise. She took a handful of seeds from the sack he had brought, examined them, and exclaimed in delight:

"That's exactly what I was looking for! You're so clever, Noil!"

At dinnertime, the family shared a lively meal.

The days when he had searched corpses and lived off the dead just to survive felt like a dream.

Noil took a mouthful of rice and looked up at Bellemere and her two daughters, chatting and laughing together.

Caught up in their warmth, Noil smiled.

From then on, Noil made his home there.

His physique developed rapidly. With the help of his Sole Focus talent, he also tried learning Swordsmanship.

To his surprise, he had some talent for it. He might have been nowhere near Zoro's level, but his progress did not disappoint him.

The system also began tracking his Swordsmanship training.

He practiced Swordsmanship, honed his Village Police Fighting Style, and grew stronger as he got older. Time flew by.

Year after year passed, and before he knew it, Noil was ten.

At ten, Noil had lived up to Bellemere's hopes and become a handsome young man.

His growth in height had begun to slow, but he was already over six feet tall.

Even Bellemere could not help marveling at him.

What was she supposed to do when the child she had raised for seven years was nearly taller than her?

Over the years, Noil had trained his abilities while sparring with the strongest men in the village.

Sure enough, at just ten years old, he soon became unbeatable in the village.

The villagers could hardly believe it. They all said Bellemere had raised a formidable fighter.

With Noil so clearly able to look after himself, Bellemere loosened her rules and let him roam wherever he pleased.

Nojiko and Nami were less fortunate. They could only wander around under Bellemere's watchful eye.

Nami had asked Noil several times to take her out to play, but he had refused with righteous conviction every time.

Take you out? You've got to be kidding!

Bellemere's punches hurt like hell!

When the fishermen of Cocoyasi Village went out to sea, Noil tagged along.

Sitting on the deck, he checked his stats.

Host: Kielros D. Noir

Ability stats:

Charm: 87 (maximum 100)

Physique: 213 (maximum 999)

Swordsmanship: 150 (maximum 999)

Items: Gold Talent Copy Card ×1, Purple Talent Copy Card ×1, Blue Talent Copy Card ×1, White Talent Copy Card ×1

Talents: Otherworldly Guest, Stamina Boost, Climate Super-Sense, Sole Focus, Village Police Fighting Style...

Noil was quite pleased with the progress he had made in seven years.

Both his physique and Swordsmanship had passed 100, and his charm had risen by seven points thanks to Otherworldly Guest.

By his rough estimate, if he set out to sea as a pirate now, he could probably earn a bounty of ten million.

But that was not enough. Arlong would invade in two years, and Noil needed at least one stat above 300 to stand a chance.

Over the years, though, he had discovered a drawback to the system.

He needed powerful people.

To copy better, stronger talents, Noil first had to find someone powerful who possessed them.

But here in Cocoyasi Village, there were no such people. He could take on everyone in the village with a single sword.

"Noil! We've got a big one here! Give us a hand!"

The fishermen had spotted a huge fish and called excitedly to Noil, who was sighing to himself.

"Coming!" Noil answered at once.

Before he could move, the huge fish burst through the surface.

Its enormous body stretched several meters, with a savage head, reddened eyes, and drool dripping from its fangs.

That was no fish. It was a small Sea King.

In the past, the fishermen would have run for their lives. But things were different now...

"Dinner's here! Dinner's here!"

"Look at all that meat. It'd be delicious steamed!"

"Nonsense! Grilled fish is the best!"

The Sea King glared at them, eyes wide.

What do you take me for? I came to eat you, and you want to grill me?

You're dead!

The Sea King whipped its tail around, bearing down on the fishermen with overwhelming force.

But no one panicked.

Just as the massive tail was about to smash into the boat, a dazzling silver flash cut through the air!

The Sea King stared wide-eyed at the human leaping above it, then at its severed body drifting farther and farther away...

Actually... steamed sounds pretty good...

That was one Sea King's final thought.

Savage Bear Pirates ### Noil landed back on the boat in an instant and slowly slid his gleaming Skillful Blade into its sheath.

Behind him, the Sea King's severed body fell into the sea and straight into the large net the fishermen had already set.

One slash was all it took!

The fishermen got to work. They seemed used to seeing him make such stunning kills.

After all, this ten-year-old boy was the strongest person in Cocoyasi Village.

Noil lay at the bow, grinning as he watched everyone bustle about.

Whoosh—

A long whistle suddenly rang out across the sea. Noil's eyes sharpened.

Could it be?

Boom!

A violent blast erupted beside the fishing boat. A column of water shot high into the air and drenched everyone aboard.

Cannon fire?!

Noil gripped the side of the boat and rose, looking across the water. A huge black ship was slowly approaching.

White smoke still curled from a cannon on its side.

The black flag flying above it caught his eye.

A stark white skull against a black field. It was a pirate flag.

"Pirates?" Noil straightened, one hand on his sword, his face darkening.

Who would be happy after someone fired a cannon at them for no reason?

The good news was that these pirates clearly were not the Arlong Pirates.

I'm the one who fires cannons at people. No one's ever dared fire one at me!

Anger flared in Noil's chest. He called to the panicked fishermen:

"Get back to the village!"

"I'll show them what cruelty looks like!"

On the pirate ship, a shifty-eyed man with a scarred face smiled ingratiatingly at the man beside him.

"Captain, look how scared they are. One glimpse of the Savage Bear Pirates' flag, and they're panicking."

The man he called captain had a fleshy face, thick arms, and a beer belly.

"I'm 'Savage Bear' Kenbula. Everyone gets out of my way."

Captain Kenbula burst into arrogant laughter. Pointing a stubby finger at the fishing boat, he shouted, "Board them! Then storm the village and take everything worth stealing!"

"Oh!" The rough-looking crew howled in unison and sprang into action.

Several burly sailors hurled grappling hooks onto the fishing boat, securing ropes between the two vessels.

"Get them, boys!" Kenbula roared, baring his foul-smelling yellow teeth.

The pirates swarmed across the ropes like locusts. Noil frowned and told the fishermen:

"I'll cut the ropes. Get back to the village and warn everyone!"

"Leave these men to me!"

With that, Noil leaped onto a rope, ducked low, and charged toward the pirates!

"Noil!" the fishermen shouted, but he paid them no heed.

He had wanted a real fight for a long time!

The fishermen exchanged helpless looks. At last, one of them gritted his teeth and said, "Let's go back to the village for help!"

As Noil rushed toward the pirate ship, he held his scabbard with his left hand and swept his right arm wide. A flash of steel severed the other ropes.

Pirates screamed as they plunged into the sea. Noil did not slow down. He ran along the one remaining rope, straight toward his enemies.

Seeing a mere kid charge forward and send so many of his men into the water, Kenbula flew into a rage. "What are you idiots doing? Chop him into pieces and throw him into the sea!"

The pirates surged toward Noil, hacking at him with several steel blades. He showed no sign of panic.

His sword darted like a snake, striking their blades and deflecting every attack in an instant.

Before the pirates could recover, Noil's blade was already upon them.

Bright red wounds opened. His gleaming sword swept blood into the air, and one pirate after another fell unconscious into the sea.

Noil had been born among corpses. This much bloodshed did not faze him.

"What?!"

Kenbula stared in shock at Noil holding off his crew alone. The scar-faced man beside him was too frightened to speak.

When Kenbula saw his men shrinking back in fear, he roared, "You useless fools! What are you afraid of? Attack!"

"Let me help you with that."

The voice was young, but the pirates could not help shivering.

Noil sprang over the heads of the attacking pirates and landed on their ship as if he could fly.

With one hand braced against the deck and the bloodstained sword in the other, Noil looked up at Kenbula and gave him a smile that held no warmth. "Hello, pirate captain."