Golden Talent

Kenbula laughed arrogantly, then turned to leave.

"Is that all you've got?"

The calm voice rang out again. Kenbula's obnoxious laughter stopped as abruptly as if someone had grabbed him by the throat.

As the smoke cleared, Noil shoved aside the planks pinning him down. The resolve in his eyes had not faded. If anything, his spirit seemed stronger, and he stood as straight as a spear.

Seeing Noil apparently unharmed, Kenbula began to doubt himself.

I didn't hold back. How can he take two hits from me and not have a scratch?

Was Noil really all right?

Of course he wasn't!

Standing there, Noil felt as though he could no longer move. One more step, and his bones might fall apart.

"So what if you're fine? How many more punches can you take?"

Noil smiled faintly. "I couldn't before. Now? That's another story."

"Huh?"

Kenbula was about to ask what he meant when he saw the brat before him begin to change!

Brown bear fur, long, thick fangs, and a massive frame—he knew that form all too well!

"Why? Why do you have my power?" Kenbula roared, bewildered and seething with jealousy as Noil's strength surged.

I have that punch of yours to thank...

Noil marveled inwardly. Good thing I stuck the Copy Card on him when he hit me. Otherwise, I'd have taken that beating for nothing.

"Impossible! That power belongs to me alone! Give it back!"

Kenbula charged like an enraged wild bear. This time, Noil did not dodge. He raised both arms and met him head-on.

Boom!

The force of the collision swept broken planks into the air. Above them, the pirate underlings watching the fight went sprawling.

This battle had long since passed the point where small fry like them could interfere.

Belowdecks, an exhilarated Noil and a furious Kenbula were locked in a savage brawl.

One threw a punch, the other a kick. Claws met teeth, and a headbutt earned a kick straight to the groin!

Both had abandoned defense. Noil wanted to test his new power; Kenbula had stopped thinking and wanted only to kill him.

After another exchange, Noil finally noticed something was off.

The Bear-Man Form granted by the Demon Possession talent was clearly inferior to Kenbula's.

It seemed the system could copy someone's Devil Fruit power, but not the progress they had made in developing it.

Even so, that was broken enough. After all, he had copied only the Demon Possession talent, not Sea's Rejection.

That meant he could become a Devil Fruit User without fearing the sea.

And because the system treated Devil Fruit powers as talents, he might even absorb more of them in the future and wield multiple powers!

As the fight wore on, Kenbula grew fiercer. Noil, already badly injured, began to flag and was steadily forced back.

Soon, Noil felt his stamina nearing its limit. He could barely maintain his Bear-Man Form.

But on terrain like this, he still had every chance to turn the tables!

"Die!" Kenbula drove Noil back with another punch, then pursued him like a rabid dog.

What a pain. Time for my trump card!

Noil clenched both fists and brought them down in a Savage Bear Ground Slam, smashing through the bottom of the ship.

Seawater rushed in. Noil did not stop, frantically widening the hole.

The surge of seawater snapped Kenbula out of his rage. Weakness flooded through him, and he could no longer maintain his Bear-Man Form. It soon vanished!

"What are you doing?" Kenbula shouted in terror. "Trying to take me down with you?"

Then he saw something even more terrifying. The brat before him was still in Bear-Man Form!

With seawater rising past his waist, Noil waded toward him step by step.

He reached out and seized Kenbula, who was floundering in the water, then gave him a villain's smile.

Noil extended a bear paw. With his towering height and long arms, he pushed Kenbula straight underwater.

"No... don't! No—"

Kenbula's eyes bulged as Noil held him down. Bubbles poured from his mouth, but no sound escaped.

Noil held him there with one hand. With the other, he raised his bear paw and hammered Kenbula beneath the water, punch after punch.

Like a machine, Noil repeated the motion without stopping.

Only when the water before him had turned crimson and the body in his grip had stopped struggling did he finally let go.

Battered beyond recognition, Kenbula floated on the surface. His life as a Devil Fruit User was over.

The pirate ship was sinking too. Noil used what strength he had left to return to his normal form and, after a struggle, finally climbed back onto the deck.

But the moment he did, the pirate underlings he had all but forgotten swarmed him, shouting, "Kill him! Avenge the captain!"

Noil curled his lip in contempt. Avenge him? You stood around watching the whole fight, and now you're shouting about revenge?

Noil was gathering the strength to deal with them when a terrifying presence suddenly erupted behind him!

Boom!

The presence was almost tangible. It swept over everyone in waves, and the pirate underlings collapsed in droves.

Noil was not faring much better. Already exhausted, he slumped to the deck. His eyes could barely focus, and he lacked the strength to move a finger.

But he knew this power.

Conqueror's Haki!

At this point in time, only one person with Conqueror's Haki like that would be in the East Blue—

"Hey, kid! I helped you out!"

A young man stood before him. One look at that vivid red hair, and Noil knew who he was.

Red-Haired Shanks, who would soon become one of the Four Emperors!

Noil immediately noticed that he had only one arm. Did he just come back from Luffy's place?

"Say, since I helped you out, could you help me with something?" Shanks asked with a cheerful grin.

Noil was silent for a moment. "What is it?"

"I've lost my pirate ship. Do you know where it is?"

Noil: ...

His pirate ship was lost?

Like hell it is.

You're the one who's lost, aren't you?

"Sorry, I don't know where your ship is either," Noil said with an awkward but polite smile.

"All right. I'll get you to shore first." Shanks sighed, grabbed Noil with his one arm, and jumped toward the sea.

Damn! Even someone as strong as you has to swim?

But Noil had underestimated Shanks. One of his long, hairy legs tapped lightly against the water...

The surface exploded into a towering wave, and Shanks launched himself forward with tremendous force.

Every step he took raised another wave behind him. Noil stared back, his eyes nearly popping out of his head!

Was I the fool all along? Have I really seen so little of the world?

Even as his mind reeled, Noil remembered to use Talent Appraisal on Shanks.

Name: Shanks

Sovereign's Gift: Gold quality. Born with an extraordinary talent for Haki. He cultivates the Three Types of Haki at exceptional speed and is guaranteed to awaken Conqueror's Haki by age seventeen. After every battle he wins, one of the Three Types of Haki improves at random.

Pride of the Sea: Gold quality. The freest man on the seas, with the broadest heart. While traveling, he has an extremely high chance of receiving a stroke of luck. His charisma increases substantially, and at critical moments, his authority rises, enabling him to make the best decision. At sea, his willpower increases, and each of the Three Types of Haki grows 10% stronger.

Inherited Will: Red quality. Shanks bears the immense responsibility of carrying on the Pirate King's will. His resolve is firm, and in battle, his consumption of the Three Types of Haki is reduced by 60%. Once he passes on that will, this effect disappears and is replaced by a 30% increase to his total reserves of the Three Types of Haki.

Way of the Haki Sword: Purple Talent. His mastery of the sword deepens. His Haki empowers his Swordsmanship, making it more imposing and deadly. While he trains with a sword, one random type of Haki improves alongside it.

Good grief—

A gold-tier legend!

No wonder Shanks had become one of the New World's four strongest pirates at such a young age.

Four talents in all: two gold, one red, and one purple. Someone like that would have to be absurdly strong.

Back on shore, Noil lay exhausted on the ground while Shanks gazed out to sea. They struck up a halting conversation.

"I'm Noil. What's your name?"

"I'm Shanks! I'm a pirate, and a pirate captain at that!"

Noil asked curiously, "Then how did you lose your pirate ship?"

The question made Shanks indignant. "It's all my crew's fault for being so stupid! I only took a nap on the shore, and when I woke up, the ship was gone. I don't know where they ran off to either."

Noil fell silent at that account, then said slowly, "Do you think—just maybe—your crew left without you?"

Dead silence.

Shanks punched his palm, his face lighting up with realization!

You really hadn't considered that...

Noil kept the remark to himself.

"Don't be sad. I'm sure your crew's just playing a prank on you. They might come back for you any minute."

As he comforted Shanks, who had suddenly grown dejected, Noil began weighing which talents to copy.

He had no red Copy Cards left, but he still had a gold one. He could use his remaining purple Copy Card on Shanks too.

If only the system had given him a better way to copy talents. Why did he have to make contact?

This was Shanks, a master of all Three Types of Haki. Noil feared Shanks could swat him dead before he managed to slap a Copy Card onto him.

Noil held the two cards in his hand, his mind racing.

Forcing a Copy Card onto Shanks was out of the question. If he tried a gentler approach, he would need a reason to touch him.

There has to be a way to do it without him noticing...

"Huh? What's this?"

As if he had discovered something marvelous, Shanks instantly spotted the cards hidden in Noil's hand and snatched them from him out of curiosity.

The gold and purple cards rested in Shanks's hand, then melted away at astonishing speed.

Ding! Purple Talent "Way of the Haki Sword" copied successfully. Multiple gold talents detected on target. Host, please make a selection.

Noil: ???

All right. Maybe this is easier than I thought.

Noil gave Shanks an explanation for the cards.

In short, he said they were a local specialty, little more than toys meant to be handled and admired.

Shanks did not think much of it. He felt no discomfort, after all.

Noil secretly breathed a sigh of relief and turned to choosing one of Shanks's gold talents. It did not take him long to decide.

Both Sovereign's Gift and Pride of the Sea were excellent. The first would immediately give Noil the aptitude to cultivate Haki—all Three Types of Haki, no less—and would be especially useful for cultivating Conqueror's Haki.

The second would immediately make Noil an excellent captain at sea. And that 10% increase in Haki strength was nothing to scoff at. How much was 10% of a Four Emperor's Haki?