Chapter 20: Chapter 20: CP0 Regains Confidence
Early chapters here and unreleased novels here: pa.treon.com/FFAddict
Hiro had a lot of complaints in his heart, but he yielded in front of the oppressive CP0 and obediently went to train. After beginning, he found the training was not as difficult as he imagined. Initially, he thought it would take a whole day's worth of exhausting effort to complete, but he finished within half a day. He didn't feel much fatigue, just a bit tired.
Through exploration, Hiro realized that his Devil Fruit ability was working on his body, constantly absorbing and rebounding, making his training much easier and less energy-consuming. His absorption ability was incessantly reducing the muscle soreness caused by the exercises, making him feel less fatigued and more enduring.
The only unlucky ones were the plants next to Hiro, as his training would continuously expel spheres of absorbing ability. These spheres, filled with the muscle soreness and harm from Hiro's training, would make any plants they touched wilt and collapse. This unexpected usage of his Devil Fruit ability surprised Hiro, hinting at the potential for further development.
And he could feel that the Devil Fruit ability within him had become more active. It was a blessing in disguise! CP0 watched Hiro in astonishment. Such a massive amount of training, which he initially didn't intend for Hiro to complete, was done with ease. Compared to two days ago when he was exhausted from exercising, Hiro now seemed like a different person.
Was he also a genius at developing his Devil Fruit ability? CP0 thought he had already overestimated Hiro's talent, but it appeared he had still underestimated him. He walked over to Hiro, hesitated for a moment, then said, "You did well today... Finished training ahead of schedule. Given we have some time left, let me teach you some combat skills. So that if you get killed, others won't ridicule me for being incompetent and producing a worthless student like you!"
Hiro knew that CP0 was looking out for him, not wanting him to die in battle. But due to his prideful nature, CP0 couldn't say it directly. "Thank you, Master!" Hiro said, causing CP0's pupils to slightly constrict, his mouth curving into a small smile beneath his mask.
In the world of pirates, the title of 'Master' carries great weight. People believe that if someone becomes your master, even if just for a day, they are considered a father figure for life. So, in this world, acknowledging someone as your master signifies their special place in your heart. Hiro addressing him as such meant that Hiro had granted him a significant position in his heart, and this pleased CP0 greatly.
CP0 did not resist Hiro' address. Instead, he chose to ignore it, which in itself was an acceptance of the role of Hiro' master. "During our last battle," CP0 began, "your speed was clearly insufficient, and your reaction time was clumsy. If you ever face someone with some combat skills, you will surely perish. Let me teach you some combat techniques! There are only a few aspects to combat: evasion, defense, charging, and attack. If you can master these, you can handle most opponents."
Hiro nodded continuously as he listened. However, the explanation from CP0 that followed felt somewhat odd to him. "Kami-e, as the name suggests, is avoiding the enemy's attacks. To do this effectively, you need to relax and become as light and flexible as paper. You need to move with the flow of your opponent's attack. If you can do that, your enemy will not be able to hit you. Tekkai is straightforward - make your body as sturdy as possible, as hard as iron. That way, you will not take much damage when attacked. Rankyaku..."
As CP0 continued explaining, Hiro' eyes began to brighten. Wasn't this the Rokushiki technique from the navy? Rokushiki is a unique and powerful physical technique in the world of pirates. It allows ordinary people to hold their own against people with Devil Fruit powers and Haki users. It is a technique that an average person can only learn after surpassing their limits.
Of course, this is for the average person. For a prodigy like Monkey D. Luffy, he could learn it just by observing it once. This had a lot to do with the fact that Luffy's body had been trained beyond its limits through Garp's brutal 'love training'. For a Devil Fruit user like Hiro, mastering the Rokushiki would make him capable of handling most opponents.
This time, learning wasn't as straightforward for Hiro as when he was practicing Haki or developing his Devil Fruit abilities. After a long time studying with CP0, he still hadn't grasped the technique. However, this allowed CP0 to finally find some joy in teaching, enthusiastically instructing Hiro in various techniques.
"Are you an idiot? How can you not learn such a simple technique?"
"You need to let go of all the strength in your body, don't you understand?"
"Soru is about moving at high speed, repeatedly stepping on the ground at such speed. With your slow pace, how can you possibly perform Soru?"
...
Happy teaching always makes time fly. In this way, the remaining half day passed quickly. For the first time, CP0 found himself enjoying the teaching process so much that he wished for an extra training session with Hiro.
Sadly, this isn't CP's training island, and Hiro is not a reserve member of the CP organization, but a slave of the Celestial Dragons. Even if Knife-Wielding CP0 has significant power, he still cannot break the rules set by the Celestial Dragons. The rule is, unless summoned by the Celestial Dragons for entertainment, slaves must return to their cages at night. Knife-Wielding CP0 can only helplessly escort Hiro back to his cage.
Hiro, too, longs to continue his training because he can feel his strength rapidly improving through the sessions. Today's training alone has significantly developed his muscles. If this training pace continues, Hiro might become a massive, muscle-bound powerhouse. However, Hiro isn't worried because tomorrow is bathhouse day, which could determine his future escape. Therefore, he plans to rest well tonight and replenish his energy to cope with potential unexpected situations.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone