You Learned It Just Like That?

The pale blue System Panel appeared before Gawain once more:

[Host—Gawain]

[Age—24]

[Identity—Captain of the Gawain Pirates]

[Skills:

Swordsmanship—LV. 5: 1021/1600 (Godspeed)

Physique—LV. 5: 280/1600 (Balanced)

Navigation—LV. 1: 12/100

Shave—LV. 1: 3/200

]

[Badges:

Captain's Wrath—Subordinates' stamina recovery speed +20%

Rising Fame—View potential abilities

]

[Rating—Bronze: Across the Four Seas and even Paradise, you can be considered somebody. But in the New World, you'd better keep your tail tucked.]

With the awakening of the Shave skill, Gawain's personal rating had finally risen to Bronze.

"Finally rid of the Minnows title. That wasn't easy."

Gawain smiled faintly.

Then countless experiences related to the Shave skill flooded into his mind in an instant.

His legs gradually began to heat up as well.

Amid a numb, itchy sensation, it felt as though countless rats were writhing beneath the skin of his calves, sending spasmodic pain through them.

The Shave skill was continuously modifying the structure and muscles of his legs, bringing them into the state best suited for the skill.

A few minutes later.

The changes in Gawain's body gradually came to a halt.

His legs had become even more slender, and they felt incomparably light.

He instinctively took a step forward and instantly appeared several meters away.

"This move still needs time to get used to!"

With that thought.

Gawain headed straight into the training room and began familiarizing himself with the Shave skill he had just acquired. With one step, he vanished into thin air in the blink of an eye.

The next instant...

Bang!

Gawain slammed into the wall spread-eagled. Even with his enhanced body, he felt a burst of intense pain. Fortunately, with his physique, he hadn't suffered any real injury.

Gawain picked himself up in a miserable state, but his expression showed no discouragement.

"Although Shave is only LV. 1, my speed seems to be faster than Kuro's—and harder to control."

"But..."

"My perception while moving at high speed isn't a problem. I just haven't gotten familiar enough with this move yet."

"Train!"

Soon, the familiar sounds of impact rang out from the training room once again.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

The endless impacts were exactly like the commotion Kuro had made while training a few days ago.

In the infirmary.

Having just finished checking everyone's injuries, Ship Doctor Jackal heard the familiar sounds and frowned tightly.

"The First Mate started again?"

"I told him several times that damaged muscles and bones take at least half a month to heal, but he just won't listen."

"Sigh..."

"Only someone willing to risk his life like that can gain strength as monstrous as his. Isop, don't you think..."

Ship Doctor Jackal had intended to turn around and speak to nurse Isop, but instead saw Kuro lying silently on the hospital bed.

He froze for a moment, then asked in confusion.

"The one in the training room isn't the First Mate? Then who is it?"

"I'd like to know too."

Kuro's face darkened as Gawain's image inexplicably flashed through his mind.

"It can't really be him, can it? This... this..."

"No matter what, just from watching it a few times, he learned a move that took me years to develop? That's far too absurd!"

"Could it be the Catman Brothers? Or Jango?"

Kuro's thoughts were in turmoil. Ignoring his injuries, he forced himself to his feet and limped toward the training room.

At that moment.

Quite a few people had already gathered outside the training room. Kuro shoved aside the Catman Brothers blocking the doorway and looked inside with trembling eyes.

"Huh? Isn't that the First Mate inside? Who else besides you can master Shave?"

Jango asked in confusion.

He had watched Kuro use this move countless times. Though he couldn't use it himself, he was intimately familiar with it. The person in the training room was undoubtedly using Shave!

But if it wasn't Kuro, then who could it be?

The Catman Brothers beside him also stared at Kuro in astonishment.

The latter was wrapped from head to toe in bandages and could barely walk. How did he look like someone capable of continuing to fight?

"Then the one inside is..."

Sam and Buchi of the Catman Brothers exchanged glances, then looked at Kuro together with puzzled expressions.

"I'd like to know too..."

Kuro clenched his teeth.

More than half of the people who had once followed him were gathered here.

Those who hadn't come were either injured or simply lacked the talent to learn Shave.

Therefore, the person inside couldn't possibly be one of his old subordinates. That meant it could only be someone who had originally served under Gawain, or...

Gawain himself!

"He learned my trump-card technique just by watching it a few times? This joke has gone a little too far!"

At that moment.

Everyone turned their eyes toward the training room.

As time passed, the afterimage inside moved faster and faster. Yet because the person could no longer control the excessive speed, collisions with the walls became increasingly rare.

Half an hour later.

Only a constantly flickering afterimage remained in the training room. It was obvious that the person's control over Shave had grown increasingly proficient, even surpassing Kuro, its creator.

The afterimage in the training room slowly came to a stop, and everyone finally saw who it was.

Tall but not bulky, with smooth lines of muscle and a handsome, resolute face—who else could it be but Captain Gawain?

Seeing the crowd gathered around, Gawain frowned slightly.

"What are you all doing here? Aren't you training? Or do I have to stand over you before you'll do it willingly?"

Everyone quickly dispersed at his words. Only the four people standing at the front remained frozen as they stared at Gawain.

"Captain, you've completely mastered Shave? And you don't even lose control like Kuro does?"

Jango's mouth hung open. The facts were right before him, and no matter how unwilling he was, he had to believe them.

"And if I remember correctly, Captain has basically been guiding our training this whole time. In other words, he barely had any time to train himself!"

Sam let out a cry of alarm. The expression on his face was no longer surprise, but fear.

He had mastered Kuro's signature move in such a short time, and his execution was even more complete than Kuro's.

Such talent was utterly beyond the realm of normal humans.

For a moment, everyone couldn't help but look at Kuro with a trace of sympathy in their eyes.

Kuro's face turned pale, and the last shred of fantasy in his heart shattered.

Only then did he understand why Gawain had been willing to guide him.

It was because Gawain had completed this move before him, and had even done so without awakening Observation Haki!

By the time Kuro truly mastered this move, what level would Gawain have reached?

At that moment.

Kuro didn't even notice his glasses slowly slipping down the bridge of his nose.

"When did you learn it?"

"Just now."

"You'd never learned it before?"

"No."

Kuro fell silent for a while, his eyes looking somewhat vacant.

Gawain patted him on the shoulder, then turned and left.

The Catman Brothers gave Kuro a somewhat sympathetic glance before walking side by side toward the deck.

Gawain's rate of improvement placed enormous pressure on them.

If they were left too far behind, they would undoubtedly lose their value to the pirate crew.

And in the world of pirates, losing one's value often meant being abandoned.

Kuro stood before the training room's door, nearly grinding his teeth to pieces.

A few minutes later.

With a dark expression, he pushed up his glasses with his palm and turned toward the infirmary.

"I don't care what method you use. I want to begin training in three days!"

"That's absolutely impossible!"

Ship Doctor Jackal helplessly spread his hands.

But the enraged Kuro had no mind to care about that. All he wanted now was to awaken that legendary Observation Haki as soon as possible.

"I don't care!"

"You have three days. Otherwise, I'll throw you into the sea to feed the fish!"