Chapter Thirty-Eight: Secretly Learning the Six Techniques, Finger Gun! [Second Update]

ps: [Due to numerous requests from readers, the protagonist of this novel has officially been renamed Mengqi D. Shu Mingyuan. As for why it’s "Mengqi" and not "Monchi," can you guess? Going forward, he will simply be referred to as Shu Mingyuan. I will revise the previous chapters accordingly and explain the origin of the protagonist’s name in detail in the first chapter!]

Three tomoe slowly revolved around the inky center of his blood-red pupils.

The instant Shu Mingyuan opened his eyes, he felt as though nothing in this world could escape his scrutiny. The flow of blood in Kurosta’s body, the very structure of his being—all of it was laid bare before Shu Mingyuan’s gaze.

Not to mention the subtle changes in his body—his twitching brow, the shock in his eyes, the faint frost gathering on his hair—every movement of Kurosta appeared to be in slow motion, every detail crystal clear.

“These eyes…”

Kurosta was deeply shaken. At last, he understood the source of his earlier unease—it was the sudden transformation of Shu Mingyuan’s eyes. Yet such demonic eyes had never once appeared in the annals of naval history.

“Could this also be a power of his Devil Fruit?”

His seastone handcuffs had already been removed, and the strength he had been denied for twenty years was slowly awakening within him. In this moment, he was like a fearsome beast unleashed, an aura of terror emanating from him, the ice beneath his feet fracturing into a web of cracks.

No matter what strange abilities this boy possessed, now that his own powers had returned, Kurosta was certain that even among the monstrous criminals held on the fifth underground floor, he would still stand among the elite.

Such confidence came from power!

“Heh, it seems you truly have some skill. No wonder you were once a Rear Admiral. With strength like that, you would be a notable figure even in the New World,” Shu Mingyuan remarked calmly.

“Brat, twenty years ago my bounty was already three hundred million. I’ll show you the difference between us—a snot-nosed brat and a veteran like me!”

“Come, then. Let me see the strength of a man worth three hundred million. Don’t disappoint me.”

Seeing Shu Mingyuan remain so composed, Kurosta couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger. Though he had suffered two decades in this frigid prison, grown older, and lost some of his former vigor—and though his powers had lain dormant for twenty years—he believed he could still utterly crush this boy.

“Shigan!” he roared, his voice like a beast’s growl. Kurosta’s finger shot out with ghostly speed, as swift as lightning and as forceful as a hammer. With a thunderous blast, his finger pierced the air, a testament to his overwhelming speed and strength.

The strange Sharingan spun slowly; though Kurosta moved fast, the divine eye dissected and slowed every motion.

Shu Mingyuan shifted sideways by barely the width of a foot; Kurosta’s finger, swifter than a bullet, drove straight into the solid stone wall and vanished within, leaving a terrifying hole.

Kurosta was momentarily stunned. The brat had dodged. As his gaze dropped, he realized Shu Mingyuan had moved only enough to evade the attack’s range—no more, no less.

A chill ran through Kurosta; as a master of martial arts, he recognized the boy’s uncanny control. Such precise, exquisite movement was rare even among the best.

He stared into Shu Mingyuan’s demonic eyes, an absurd thought rising in his mind: “Could it be those eyes?”

“Shigan: Lotus Bloom!”

Driven to the corner, Shu Mingyuan faced Kurosta, who raised both hands. His index fingers lashed out in rapid succession, leaving afterimages in the air like a lotus flower in full bloom. The flurry of attacks sealed off all of Shu Mingyuan’s escape routes.

Kurosta wore a cold, savage smile; he was certain no one could evade this technique at such close range, unless they used a Devil Fruit to flee.

But then, his body froze. That youth dodged every strike with uncanny precision, as if he already knew where each attack would land and simply stepped aside in advance.

What kind of joke was this?

Kurosta nearly coughed up blood in frustration. In all his years, he had never heard of such a thing.

“Could it be Observation Haki?”

If one mastered Observation Haki to the highest degree, they could read the trajectory of attacks.

“No, that’s not it. This doesn’t feel like Haki at all—it’s those demonic eyes!”

Kurosta brought his fist down hard, but Shu Mingyuan easily leapt aside. Glaring at the youth before him, Kurosta could not help but demand, “Brat, what’s with those eyes of yours?”

“Heh, so you’ve finally noticed? But their wonders go far beyond this.”

“For example…”

“Shigan!”

With a sly grin, Shu Mingyuan’s expression changed. He flicked out his forefinger, his arm cutting through the air with a sharp whistle as he unleashed his own Shigan, mimicking Kurosta’s technique perfectly.

This was what he had just stolen with the Sharingan—he had held back, dodging Kurosta’s attacks while carefully observing every detail of the technique with his eye.

When Kurosta used Shigan, Shu Mingyuan could clearly “see” the blood rushing through his body, the energy gathering at his fingertip, the sudden hardening of the finger—an explosive force, distinct from the hardening of Armament Haki, representing a different kind of power control.

After just a few exchanges, he had grasped nearly all the intricacies of Shigan. Though his mastery was not yet perfect, it was already formidable.

Such is the unparalleled copying ability of the Sharingan!

One must know, the Sharingan can even replicate complex ninja arts, which involve the intricate flow of chakra and the body’s meridians—far more complicated than simple martial arts.

But this is the world of pirates, where there are no ninja arts, only the extremes of martial prowess. With a strong body, Shu Mingyuan could fully replicate the opponent’s techniques.

Kurosta stared in disbelief at Shu Mingyuan’s Shigan. How could he suddenly wield the Six Powers of the Navy? Did he already know them?

No! Impossible! This brat had just begged to be taught the Six Powers. He couldn’t have known them before!

Yet, from the start of the fight, only Kurosta had used Shigan offensively. Could it be… this boy had learned the Navy’s ultimate technique, Shigan, in the span of a real battle?

What kind of absurdity was this?

No human could possibly possess such talent!

Throughout naval history, not one person had mastered a Six Power in an instant—even the most gifted needed at least three days.

Could this brat truly be a monster?

Thinking back to what he’d just said about the wonders of his eyes…

“Is this another power of those eyes?”

“Let’s see how real your Shigan is!”

Shu Mingyuan’s Shigan shot out, fierce and swift.

Kurosta did not retreat. He decided to take it head-on and judge its power for himself.

“Iron Body!”

ps: [Thanks to Weil iang, xm, Shu Ruanruan, Fuchen, Duanyue, Yujie Bingqing, Yan yi·Moluli Shang, Ningliang, Reader 312***, Brother the Old Chinese Doctor, Laughs at the World, First Acquaintance, Dark ks, Lonely Dust, Reckless Youth, and Star System for voting to recommend this book! Mengmeng bows in gratitude! Please add to your collection, reward, and vote!]