Four days later.
With his pockets now overflowing with Beli, Meikyō boarded a patrol ship belonging to the Marine Branch, bid farewell to Yuchimura who was waving from the bow, and set foot on the land of Shimotsuki Village.
"Moshi Moshi, how do I get to the Isshin Dojo?"
At the village entrance, Meikyō stopped a green-haired kid with a foxtail grass in his mouth and asked him a question.
Judging from their attire, they should be an apprentice at the Isshin Dojo.
"Isshin Dojo? I'm very familiar with it, but judging from your attire, you must be a swordsman, right? How about this, fight me and I'll take you there!"
The green-haired boy spat out the foxtail grass in his mouth, looked at Meikyō, and then glanced at the Ama-no-Ohabari and Demon Slayer Blade hanging on Meikyō's waist.
"You?"
"Don't underestimate me! When I was nine years old, I was already able to defeat the adults in the dojo!"
Greenhead said, brandishing his fist.
"Alright then, you make the first move."
Meikyō said helplessly.
However, just a second later, the green-haired boy who had just made his move was kicked to the ground by Meikyō.
Unwilling to admit defeat Zoro got up from the ground once again.
Then it crawled back down even faster than before.
After several repetitions, Meikyō felt somewhat helpless about the brat's stubbornness.
"How about this, why don't you take me to the Isshin Dojo first, and then we can continue after that?"
The green-haired boy tilted his head and thought for a moment, then finally nodded in agreement.
"No taking it back!"
Half an hour later.
"Hey kid... are you sure you're leading the right way...?"
Meikyō felt like if she kept walking, she would reach the next village on the other side of the mountain.
"This... should be right, that's where we should go next!"
"That's the direction of the port when I disembarked..."
Several black lines appeared on Meikyō's forehead.
He sounded so confident before, but it turns out he has no sense of direction at all...
He probably already guessed who the green-haired boy was.
If it were just the two signs of Shimotsuki Village and green hair, it might not be enough to draw a conclusion, but adding the attribute of being directionally challenged, it's probably safe to say that I'm right.
Roronoa Zoro, the future second strongest Straw Hat Pirates.
Meikyō had no choice but to take Zoro back the way they came and ask around again.
"I'm very sorry, Mr. Yoriichi, but my student Zoro really has no concept of direction, it wasn't intentional."
At the Isshin Dojo, Shimotsuki Kōshirō, with a face full of apology, served tea to Meikyō, who was sitting opposite him on the tatami mat.
This is a middle-aged man with a peaceful face, a long ponytail, and a pair of squinty eyes hidden behind round Glasses.
"It's alright. This child has excellent aptitude and a deep passion for swordsmanship. He will likely become a powerful swordsman in the future."
Meikyō accepted the tea and politely greeted Shimotsuki Kōshirō.
Shimotsuki Kōshirō kept staring at Meikyō.
Meikyō was also sizing up Shimotsuki Kōshirō.
He could sense that the man in front of him, who did not appear strong, did not have any murderous aura and appeared extremely peaceful, yet he possessed a very pure Sword Intent.
"Are you from Wano Country? When my father, Kozaburo, was still alive, he often talked about the scenery of his hometown. I wonder if Mr. Yoriichi knows anything about the current situation in Wano Country."
Meikyō was momentarily taken aback, but quickly regained her composure.
I almost forgot that Shimotsuki Kōzaburō is a swordsmith from Wano Country.
Fortunately, Shimotsuki Kōshirō was born after Kozaburo married a woman he left in the East Blue. Although he may know something about Wano Country, he has never actually set foot in Wano Country.
Coincidentally, so is the Meikyō.
"Wano Country... let's not talk about the current situation."
Meikyō shook his head vaguely.
"Mr. Yoriichi, please let me know so that when I pay my respects to my father, I can inform him of the current situation in his hometown."
Koshiro performed a deep bow to Meikyō with great sincerity and respect.
Now Meikyō has no choice but to reveal the truth.
"Alright then, but I think those things might not be appropriate to tell your father."
Meikyō sighed softly.
"After Sukiyaki, the Kurozumi Orochi of the Kurozumi Family took over as the Shogun of Wano Country."
Koshiro paused involuntarily.
"What about Oden? More than a decade ago, he was a renowned pirate in both the Whitebeard Pirates and the Roger Pirates. Shouldn't he have inherited the position of Shogun of Wano Country?"
"The problem is that Oden was a mentally challenged idiot who ran naked in the streets for several years. He finally mustered up the courage to fight Kaido and Orochi, but then he was foolishly tricked into being boiled in oil by Orochi and was eventually killed by Kaido."
Koshiro fell silent.
"Then... what about the Shimotsuki Family?"
"After being imprisoned by Kaido, Shimotsuki Ushimaru of Ringo challenged Kaido again and eventually died. Shimotsuki Ieyasu Hakumai also went into hiding after that and his whereabouts are unknown."
To be honest, Meikyō has always felt that some people in the Pirate World have something wrong with their brains.
Especially Oden.
If it were someone with normal intelligence, they wouldn't have ended up like this.
Even if all else fails, he can still ask Whitebeard for help.
The Kozuki Family's fate can be said to be Oden's own fault, and it also implicated a large number of people.
"So many things have happened. What about the Famous Sword Shusui that has been passed down in the Shimotsuki Family?"
"During the battle between Gecko Moria's pirate crew Beasts Pirates, the Famous Sword Shusui was stolen along with the remains of Shimotsuki Ryoma."
Meikyō poured cold water on Koshiro once again.
"Well..."
Shimotsuki Kōshirō sighed helplessly, looking out the window at Zoro challenging Kuina in the courtyard.
"Zoro is actually Shimotsuki Ushimaru's grand-nephew. His grandmother, Shimotsuki Furiko, was Shimotsuki Ushimaru's older sister. More than forty years ago, she sailed away from Wano Country with my father, Kozaburo."
Meikyō followed Shimotsuki Kōshirō's gaze.
At this moment, Zoro's sword was knocked out of his hand by Kuina once again.
"Thank you, Mr. Yoriichi, for bringing me news from my hometown. I am deeply grateful. Dinner at the dojo is ready now. If Mr. Yoriichi, please feel free to chat with me at the dinner table. I would like to extend my hospitality as your host."
"Good."
Meikyō nodded gently to Shimotsuki Kōshirō.
That night, the two had a very pleasant conversation.
Shimotsuki Kōshirō gave Meikyō quite a surprise.
This dojo master didn't actually fight much in the East Blue, and he didn't have much experience fighting against strong opponents. At most, he would fight pirates who harassed villages. Although his strength was not bad, there was actually a considerable gap between him and the top masters of this sea.
But what makes this person stand out most is not their skill, but their understanding of the sword.
This is a character somewhat similar to Wang Yuyan, whose theoretical knowledge has reached an extremely high level.
Unlike Wang Yuyan, Meikyō believed that if Koshiro also went to sea to make his way in the world, his strength would grow at an incredible speed, and he would become a top-tier expert in just a few years.
However, the most valuable knowledge that Meikyō gained from Shimotsuki Kōshirō was not swordsmanship.
It's not about being domineering, but about Haki.
"Haki, huh? I don't have a deep understanding of Haki."
As Koshiro said this, he extended a finger that had turned black and shiny, and carved the character "heart" on the table.
"Haki, apart from Conqueror's Conqueror's Haki which may Awakening by those with the qualities of a king, mainly consists of Observation Haki and Armament Haki. According to my father, in Wano Country, this technique is also known as Ryuo."
"The so-called Haki actually originates from the power of a belief within a person, which is brought out through various means. For example, Observation Haki can be comprehended under life-or-death crises, while Armament Haki requires a strong physical body as a medium and support."
"Therefore, the battles between the strong on the high seas are not only about physical strength or Devil Fruit abilities, but also about the clash of their beliefs. Without a strong enough belief, it is impossible to conquer the sea."
Koshiro patiently explained to Meikyō.
"This is somewhat similar to the swordsman's Iron-Cutting Realm. Both are based on one's inner beliefs, which influence reality and thus strengthen oneself."
Meikyō felt that she had vaguely grasped a clue.
"Mr. Yoriichi is indeed exceptionally perceptive. In fact, the Iron-Cutting Technique itself can be regarded as the prototype of a swordsman's Armament Haki. When the body is not strong enough to guide it out smoothly, and because the swordsman's will is sharper and more determined than others, it is just a partial effect that is shown in advance before the Awakening of Armament Haki."
"So that's how it is..."
Meikyō nodded slightly, as if she had understood.
"I'm afraid I'll be having to talk Koshiro you for a while now."
Meikyō plans to stay in Shimotsuki Village for a while and properly learn from Koshiro.
"It's alright. On the contrary, I should thank Mr. Yoriichi for bringing me news of Wano Country. Besides, my conversation with Mr. Yoriichi was very enlightening."
Koshiro adjusted his Glasses and said with a smile.
The Naruto World.
Uchiha Clan Compound.
"This... Lord Meikyō, are you sure you want to hire a Genin like me to help you develop new Ninjutsu?"
At the gate of the Meikyō family, Might Duy looked at Uchiha Meikyō with a surprised expression.
"Yes, but to be precise, it's about developing new Taijutsu. And Mr. Duy, can you talk to me normally... I was just saying that Kai has been doing everything upside down lately, even eating and washing his hair..."
Meikyō covered his forehead, looking at Might Duy was standing upside down in front of his house with one hand.
A middle-aged man wearing a green bodysuit was doing a strange handstand in front of his own door; it was really embarrassing...
The old lady Uchiha Hishimugi, who runs a business across the street, was already looking at them with surprise.
These old ladies' favorite things, besides square dancing, are gossiping among their neighbors. Meikyō doesn't want any stain on her reputation as the Meikyō the Body Flicker.
"Ah, Lord Meikyō, this is my latest Taijutsu training method. No matter what you are doing, even while eating or washing your hair, you can maintain an inverted posture, thus exercising your body at all times!"
Might Duy returned to normal, flashing his signature big white teeth like Might Guy, and gave a thumbs up.
"I see. Mr. Duy, do you maintain this posture when you urinate in the toilet?"
"Huh? No, but I'm currently working on filling that gap, researching training methods that allow you to exercise your muscles while using the toilet..."
Meikyō was speechless and could only hope that she hadn't picked the wrong person.
After copying the three Navy Six Styles that Yuchimura knew, Meikyō attempted to replicate them.
However, problems arose at this point.
That is, the human bodies in the Pirate World are actually different from those in the Naruto World.
Before the Meikyō traveled through time, a normal human body was composed of 40-60 trillion cells, but in the Naruto World, it became 130 trillion.
As for the Pirate World, it is different from the humans in these two worlds.
At least, neither of these two worlds has a normal person who can grow to three meters tall, nor does it have a human being who is six meters and sixty-six meters tall like Whitebeard, or eight meters and eighty-six meters tall like Charlotte Linlin.
To replicate the Navy Six Styles on oneself, it is necessary to localize them and modify them into a version suitable for use by humans in the Naruto World.
Without a doubt, the most talented person in Konoha right now in terms of Taijutsu is Might Duy, even though he is just an all-around Genin.
Therefore, Meikyō specifically issued a mission at the Hokage Building, specifying that a skilled and experienced Taijutsu was needed to Genin him in developing new Taijutsu.
Thanks to the reputation of the Meikyō the Body Flicker, quite a few Genin initially wanted to come and try their luck.
The techniques developed by such powerful ninjas are never simple. If one could master the new techniques developed by the powerful Meikyō the Body Flicker in the process, wouldn't that be incredibly profitable?
However, after several rounds of elimination, Meikyō finally got to Might Duy.
The moment Meikyō saw Might Duy Guy, he knew why such a master of Taijutsu would only be a Genin.
In the Transparent World, Might Duy has countless hidden injuries all over his body caused by training.
"Mr. Duy, did you feel pain in your left shoulder when you were doing the handstand?"
"Well, that's how it is. But what kind of man would I be if I couldn't even overcome a little pain? Lord Meikyō, you can rest assured and give me the task!"
Might Duy bent his arms, showing off his biceps, and struck a few bodybuilding poses to indicate that he was in good shape.
He really didn't want to lose this lucrative task.
As a Genin, he is not strong without opening the Eight Gates Formation, and can only do C-rank and D-rank missions that don't earn much money.
However, in order to support her and her son's training, she needed to consume a lot of resources.
"It's not just your shoulder, but also your left knee, the second knuckle of your right toe, and other hidden injuries."