Chapter Forty: The Bear-Bear Fruit, Polar Bear Form [Second Update]

The tremendous roar had long since drawn the attention of pirates from all quarters. Many who had previously feigned death now awakened, gazing at the man standing outside. His imposing aura only deepened their confusion.

“Isn’t that Closta? Why is he out there? And when did his Seastone handcuffs get removed?”

“Who’s fighting him? Is it Magellan or Hannibal?”

“No wonder he’s a pirate with a three-hundred-million bounty. Locked up for so long, yet his power is still terrifying,” several pirates marveled.

“Hey, Closta! Let us out! You can’t break out of here with your strength alone!”

Closta paid no heed to the various calls. Instead, his eyes were fixed solemnly on the ruins before him.

Bricks continued to tumble as Shu Mingyuan rose from the debris. Blood had soaked his upper body red, a hollow in his chest where a rib had snapped. In that split second, his Iron Body technique had been forcibly shattered, resulting in his current injuries.

Step by step, he emerged from the wreckage. Though he looked battered, his breathing was steady, and the wounds were far less severe than they appeared.

“It seems the Navy Six Styles aren’t enough to deal with you. In that case, I’ll use my original strength. But I’ve mostly mastered the Six Styles anyway, so it’s time for you to die. I just wonder—how many more times can you use that Conqueror’s Spear of yours?”

“Hmph, arrogant brat. Your abilities are useless against me!” Closta sneered.

“Show me what you can do, or I can’t guarantee you’ll survive the next second.” Shu Mingming hadn’t forgotten that Closta had always worn Seastone handcuffs; that could only mean he was a Devil Fruit user—though what his power was remained a mystery.

“Since you’re so eager to die, I’ll grant your wish!”

With a deep shout, Closta’s aura erupted in visible waves, shattering the ice beneath his feet.

His body swelled to twice its original size, covered in a thick coat of snowy white fur, each strand standing upright and hard as steel needles. His appearance completely changed, sharp fangs protruding from both sides of his mouth. To Shu Mingyuan, he now looked like a polar bear.

“So, a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user. Combined with the Navy Six Styles, he’s definitely a formidable opponent.”

“I possess the Bear-Bear Fruit: Polar Bear Form. Once I transform, my speed, strength, and defense all triple! In my era, among Navy martial artists, I reigned supreme!”

“Prepare to be slaughtered, brat.”

Seriousness glinted in Shu Mingyuan’s eyes. He hadn’t expected Closta’s Devil Fruit to be a polar bear. Rob Lucci’s leopard form was already monstrous, but a polar bear was even more formidable—this fruit’s boost to his power was unimaginable.

Polar bears, aside from being slightly less explosive in short bursts than leopards, utterly dominated in every other aspect: weight, strength, stamina, and even running speed, reaching sixty kilometers an hour. Compared to him, a leopard was nothing—a single swipe could tear half a body apart.

“Shave!”

The ice cracked beneath Closta’s instantaneous kick, his form vanishing in a blink. Yet, aided by the Sharingan, Shu Mingyuan could still clearly trace his movements—though his own body struggled to keep up. For once, he was utterly outmatched in speed.

“Where are all those weird abilities of yours, brat? Show me everything you’ve got.”

Shu Mingyuan pushed the Sharingan to its limit, forming hand seals rapidly.

“Clone Technique!”

“Chidori!”

Suddenly, a perfect duplicate appeared beside him, both figures’ arms crackling with electricity. Fixing his eyes on Closta, he hurled a fierce punch.

Chidori, infused with powerful currents, collided headlong with Closta’s bear paw. The attack dissipated almost instantly on contact, but Shu Mingyuan’s true form came in from the side, his left arm smashing down hard.

Fist met paw—Shu Mingyuan was sent flying by a single blow. Yet the Chidori’s fierce power left Closta’s palm charred black, his entire arm trembling uncontrollably.

With the Sharingan, even his ninjutsu seemed to grow stronger.

“Lightning Style: Chidori Sharp Spear!”

A spear of lightning slowly extended from his arm, crackling and sparking, its ten-meter length radiating terrifying destructive force.

As the lightning spear swept across, Closta retreated, unable to hide his surprise at the immense power surging from the weapon. This monster’s abilities only seemed to grow stronger.

“Lightning Style: Ground Walk!”

Wild currents erupted from Shu Mingyuan, racing across the ground. Lightning moved faster than any man. Closta’s body stiffened—he saw the crackling spear stabbing toward him!

“Iron Body!”

A low growl rumbled from his throat as two thick plates of armored hide grew over his chest. In this state, his hide was harder than steel.

Crack!

The spear tip drove in hard. Even with his transformed physique, it still penetrated an inch before coming to a halt.

Shu Mingyuan couldn’t help but sigh—after transforming, Closta’s defense was monstrously tough. Finding such an opening again would not be easy.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Closta’s brow. This brat’s powers were bizarre—no one could predict what strange technique would come next. Even after transforming, the boy could still hurt him.

“But you won’t get another chance like that.”

A cold grin twisted Closta’s mouth. He sprang forward like a cannonball, bear paw raised high, the moment it hardened he brought it crashing down toward Shu Mingyuan’s head.

“Iron Body: Bear King’s Palm!”

A sonic boom echoed beneath his palm. He could actually attack at the very moment he used Iron Body, making his strikes even more formidable.

Lightning surged wildly around Shu Mingyuan, forming an absolute field a meter thick around him. Any attack entering this zone would be struck by a violent electric shock.

Under his precise control, the lightning shone blindingly bright—this was the Chidori Current unleashed to its fullest potential.

“If I can’t match your speed, then I’ll wait for you to come to me!”

A determined look flashed across Shu Mingyuan’s face. He swept his arm back, and in an instant it grew enormous—over thirty meters long, so massive it almost obscured his entire body.

Pushing his arm forward, a layer of blue chakra enveloped his enormous palm. The massive limb surged ahead, and under the gaze of countless pirates, clashed fiercely with Closta’s bear paw.

“Super Expansion Technique: Mega Push Palm!”