He Really Learned Kirin? Just Like That? Everyone Was Stunned

"How about it, Rono? If you can learn this move, you'll pass the test."

Silver Axe looked pleased with himself after performing his signature technique.

He didn't believe Rono could learn it in an instant.

There were too many difficult parts: using Conqueror's Haki to draw down lightning, then making it erupt around a weapon while controlling it with Haki so it wouldn't strike the user...

He'd certainly taken plenty of hits while practicing it as a child.

"That underhanded bastard, Silver Axe." John was clearly unhappy. He didn't think Rono could learn the move either.

"Damn you, Silver Axe. You're deliberately making things hard for Rono." Whitebeard was getting angry. He thought Silver Axe had chosen the move to set Rono up to fail.

After all, it was incredibly difficult. Whitebeard himself had studied it for ages and still hadn't mastered it.

Golden Lion and Ochoku stood nearby, holding back laughter.

Now they wouldn't have to pay the one billion Beli. They might even win a billion instead.

"Of course, if you think it's too difficult, Rono, we can leave it at that. This move really is hard to learn."

"You already showed your talent and strength when you copied Golden Lion's Cleaving Wave."

"I have no objection to you becoming a Division Commander." Silver Axe gave Rono a way out.

Rono's talent was astonishing, after all. Silver Axe couldn't afford to make an enemy of a genius like him. He'd need to win him over later.

All he needed was to win the bet. Rono could still become a Division Commander.

"No need. I've learned it already. I'll show you now." Rono smiled.

[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have acquired Silver Axe: Qilin!]

[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have acquired Advanced Axe Techniques. Current progress: 8%]

The system notifications had arrived while Silver Axe performed the move.

The techniques and muscle memory had flowed into Rono's body as well. He could use the move at will now.

There was no reason to hide the fact that he'd learned Kirin.

This was the Rocks Pirates, a massive crew of vicious, ambitious Pirates who constantly fought among themselves, sometimes to the death.

Having only just joined, Rono needed a chance to make everyone wary of him—or rather, to warn them all.

Don't mess with me. This was the perfect opportunity to make that clear.

He hadn't joined the crew to fight his crewmates, and he had no grand ambitions. All he wanted was to kill every Celestial Dragon in the world and avenge his parents.

"You... are you sure? You really learned it?"

Everyone present was stunned!

Silver Axe, Ochoku, and Golden Lion looked doubtful. Could he really learn such a difficult move just by watching it once?

Whitebeard and John were stunned too. Neither had expected Rono to master a move that difficult.

Even Rocks was surprised. Rono had far exceeded his expectations.

The others were no different, from Division Commanders like Charlotte Linlin to officers like Streusen.

Even ordinary crew members, including the very young Shakky, stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

Was Rono serious?

"Of course I learned it. Watch closely."

Rono smiled faintly and raised Kotetsu.

The next moment, he unleashed his Conqueror's Haki!

Rumble! Rumble!

Rono's Conqueror's Haki had reached the highest level. It was clearly far stronger than Silver Axe's.

The violent weather it created and the density of the thunderclouds surpassed Silver Axe's as well.

Rumble! Rumble!

Soon, a bolt of searing lightning burst from the clouds like a dragon and shot straight at Rono.

The Rocks Pirates members standing near him hurried away, afraid the Heavenly Thunder would catch them too.

Crackle! Crackle!

Rono held Kotetsu high and let the Heavenly Thunder pound against it!

But... the lightning seemed too wild for Kotetsu to absorb.

The reason was simple. Rono's Conqueror's Haki was on par with Whitebeard's, so the natural lightning he had summoned was far stronger than Silver Axe's.

"Damn it, settle down!"

Rono roared, his aura surging!

He understood the principle: Silver Axe had used Haki to pin the lightning to his weapon.

That was also the hardest part of the move. It demanded extremely precise control of Haki.

Use too much, and the natural lightning would vanish under the pressure.

Use too little, and the lightning wouldn't obey at all.

But Rono's muscle memory had already mastered that precision. His control was on the same level as Silver Axe's.

He poured both Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki into Kotetsu, pressing down hard on the natural lightning.

The lightning soon quieted, gathering around the blade's tip in fine, crackling arcs.

"Ah! He actually brought the lightning under control!"

Silver Axe stared in shock. He knew that suppressing the lightning with Haki was the hardest part of the move!

Once that was done, the move was practically ninety percent mastered.

The remaining ten percent was sending the lightning out with a sword strike. Anyone who could use a sword could manage that.

And the lightning Rono had summoned was much stronger than his own. He could suppress even that?

Just how monstrous was this man's talent?

Seeing Silver Axe's reaction, Golden Lion and Ochoku were shocked too. Unease gnawed at them.

He couldn't have actually learned it... could he?

"All right, watch this!"

"Kirin!"

Rumble!

Rono swung Kotetsu toward the sky!

The next moment, Sword Aura charged with top-level Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki shot upward!

High above, it took the shape of the ancient mythical beast Kirin!

Roar! Roar!

The enraged Kirin tore a huge hole through the clouds above Hachinosu!

Then, just like Silver Axe's Kirin, it exploded!

Boom! Boom!

A mushroom cloud twice the size of the one Silver Axe had created rose over Hachinosu Island!

Hah!

Every member of the Rocks Pirates present drew a sharp breath!

Rono... he really had learned Captain Silver Axe's secret killing move!

And judging by its size and destructive power, Rono's Kirin was even more terrifying than Captain Silver Axe's!

This was different from Golden Lion's Cleaving Wave.

The power of Silver Axe's Kirin depended almost entirely on the strength of its user's Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki. Swordsmanship played only a small part.

Silver Axe's Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki clearly weren't on Rono's level.

In the entire Rocks Pirates, perhaps only Whitebeard, Golden Lion, and Rocks could match Rono in those two forms of Haki!

Silence fell. Everyone was utterly silent!

Every gaze turned to Rono. Admiration, jealousy, fear, and shock mingled in their eyes!

His talent was truly monstrous!

"You did well, Rono." Rocks stepped forward, breaking the silence.

He looked excited himself.

Even Rocks hadn't expected Rono's talent to be more frightening than he'd imagined!

Yes, frightening was the word!

Show him a move once, and he could learn it—even a technique as complex as Silver Axe's ultimate move!

No one had possessed talent like that in a hundred years. Perhaps no one ever had.

Rono's growth would surely help Rocks fulfill his ambitions!

"I now declare Rono a Division Commander of the Rocks Pirates. Does anyone still object?"

Rocks swept an imposing gaze across the crowd as he spoke.