I Can Copy Any Talent in One Piece

Kenbula laughed arrogantly, then turned to leave.

"Is that all you've got?"

The calm voice rang out again. Kenbula's obnoxious laughter stopped dead, 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 in the slightest. If anything, his spirit seemed stronger, and he stood straight as a spear.

Seeing Noil apparently unharmed, Kenbula began to doubt himself.

I didn't hold back. He took two hits head-on. How can he be fine?

Was Noil fine?

Of course not!

Standing there, Noil felt as though he could not move at all. 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 take them before. Now? That might be different."

"Huh?"

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

Brown fur, long, thick fangs, and an enormous frame—it was all far too familiar!

"Why? Why do you have my power?" Kenbula roared, staring at Noil's sudden surge in strength with envy and confusion.

I have that punch of yours to thank...

Good thing I stuck the copy card on him when he hit me, Noil thought. Otherwise, that would've been a total waste.

"Impossible! I'm the only one who can have that power! Give it back!"

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

Boom!

A powerful shock wave swept up the broken planks around them, sending the pirate underlings watching from above tumbling.

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

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

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

Both had abandoned defense entirely. Noil wanted to test his new power, while Kenbula had stopped thinking and wanted nothing more than to kill him.

After another exchange, Noil finally noticed something was wrong.

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, the ability was absurdly powerful. After all, he had copied only the Demon Possession talent, not Sea's Rejection.

That meant he could become a Devil Fruit User who did not fear the sea.

And because the system classified Devil Fruit powers as talents, he might even be able to acquire more of them in the future and wield multiple powers!

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

Soon, Noil felt his strength running dry. He could barely maintain his bear-man form.

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

"Die!" Kenbula drove Noil back with another punch, then pursued him relentlessly like a mad 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 at once. Noil did not stop there, furiously widening the hole.

The surge of water snapped Kenbula out of his rage. Weakness flooded his body, and he could no longer maintain his bear-man form. It quickly fell away!

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

Then he saw something even more terrifying: the brat in front of him had not lost his bear-man form!

With seawater up to his waist, Noil waded toward him step by step.

He reached out, seized Kenbula as he floundered in the water, and gave him a villainous smile.

Noil thrust out a bear paw. With his towering height and long reach, he shoved Kenbula straight underwater.

"No... Don't! N—"

Kenbula's eyes bulged as he struggled beneath the surface. Bubbles poured from his mouth, but his voice could no longer be heard.

Noil held him down 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 scarlet and the body in his grasp had gone still did he let go.

Kenbula's battered body floated to the surface. His life as a Devil Fruit User had come to an end.

The pirate ship was gradually sinking too. Noil spent the last of his strength reverting to his normal form and, after considerable effort, finally climbed back onto the deck.

But the moment he returned, the pirate underlings he had ignored swarmed him. "Kill him! Avenge the captain!"

Noil curled his lip in contempt. Avenge him? You stood around watching the whole time, and you still have the nerve to say that?

Just as Noil gathered his strength to deal with them, a terrifying presence erupted behind him!

Boom!

The presence was almost tangible, rolling over everyone in waves. The pirate underlings in front of him collapsed in droves.

Noil was hardly better off. Already exhausted, he slumped to the deck. His eyes could barely focus, and he lacked the strength to move a finger.

But he recognized that power.

Conqueror's Haki!

And at this point in time, there could only be one person in East Blue who possessed Conqueror's Haki like that—

"Hey, kid! I helped you out, you know!"

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

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

Noil immediately noticed that Shanks had only one arm. Had he just come back from seeing Luffy?

"Speaking of which, since I helped you, could you help me out?" Shanks asked with a cheerful grin.

Noil was silent for a moment. "What do you need?"

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

Noil: ...

Golden Talent

You lost your pirate ship?

Oh, give me a break~

Looks more like you're the one who got lost.

"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, picked Noil up with his one arm, and jumped into the sea.

Seriously? Even someone as strong as you has to swim?

But Noil had clearly underestimated Shanks. With a light tap of his long, hairy leg against the water...

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

Each step he took left another wave behind him. Noil stared back at the sight, his eyes nearly popping out of his head!

Was I the fool all along? Have I been that ignorant?

Despite his shock, Noil remembered to use Talent Appraisal on Shanks.

Name: Shanks

Sovereign's Gift: Gold quality. A man born to wield Haki. He trains in the Three Types of Haki at an extraordinary rate and is guaranteed to awaken Conqueror's Haki by age seventeen. Every battle he wins randomly improves one of the Three Types of Haki.

Pride of the Sea: Gold quality. The freest person on the sea, with the broadest heart. While traveling, he is highly likely to receive a stroke of good fortune. His charisma is greatly enhanced, and at critical moments, his commanding presence increases, allowing him to make the best decision. At sea, his willpower increases, and the strength of each of the Three Types of Haki rises by 10%.

Inherited Will: Red quality. Having inherited the Pirate King's will, Shanks bears a tremendous responsibility and possesses unwavering resolve. 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 in his total reserves of the Three Types of Haki.

Way of the Haki Sword: Purple talent. Deepens his mastery of swordsmanship. His sword techniques are empowered by Haki, making them more imposing and deadly. While training in swordsmanship, one random type of Haki improves alongside it.

Good grief—

A golden legend~

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

Four talents in all: two gold, one red, and one purple. It would have been stranger if someone like him weren't monstrously strong.

Back on shore, Noil lay exhausted on the ground while Shanks gazed out over the distant sea. They chatted idly.

"My name's Noil. What's yours?"

"I'm Shanks. I'm a pirate—and the captain of a pirate crew!"

"How did you manage to lose your pirate ship?" Noil asked curiously.

The subject made Shanks indignant. "My crewmates are idiots! I just 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, then said slowly, "Is it possible—and I'm just saying possible—that your crew left you behind?"

Dead silence.

Shanks punched his palm, looking as though he had just had a revelation!

You really hadn't considered that... Noil thought.

"Don't be upset. I'm sure your crew's just playing a joke on you. They might come back for you any moment."

As he comforted Shanks, who had suddenly grown dejected, Noil began considering how to copy his talents.

He had no red copy cards left, but he still had a gold one. He could not let his remaining purple card go to waste either. Both could be used on Shanks.

If only the system had given him a better copying method. Why did he have to touch the target?

And this was Shanks, a master of all Three Types of Haki. Noil feared Shanks could swat him dead before he got a copy card onto him.

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

Slapping the copy cards onto Shanks by force was out of the question. If he tried a gentler approach, he would need a reason.

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

"Hey, what's that?"

As though he had discovered a new continent, Shanks instantly spotted the cards hidden in Noil's hand and curiously snatched them away.

He held the gold and purple cards. Then, with astonishing speed, they melted and vanished.

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

What???

Well, that was easier than I expected, Noil thought.

Noil gave Shanks an explanation for the cards.

He told him they were a local specialty, little more than toys—trinkets to handle and admire.

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

Noil sighed inwardly with relief, then turned to Shanks's gold talents. It did not take him long to decide.

Sovereign's Gift and Pride of the Sea were both excellent. The first would immediately give Noil an aptitude for training in all Three Types of Haki, with particular advantages for Conqueror's Haki.

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