"That's awesome, little brat!"
---
Aboard the Moby Dick,
Whitebeard held a freshly printed newspaper in his massive hand.
Reading through the headlines, the old titan let out a hearty laugh.
His heart throbbed with excitement.
If only I could sail to Totto Land right now and claim every last island!
Not far away, Shen Yuan reclined against Whitebeard's ornate throne.
In his arms lay Kalifa, blushing furiously, her face tucked shyly into his chest.
Thor, the little thunder beast, snoozed lazily on Shen Yuan's head, snoring in rhythmic pulses.
"Hulu... Hulu..."
Kalifa pouted, her tone a mixture of resistance and teasing affection.
"Boss... that's harassment... you perv..."
Shen Yuan took a sip of rum from her hand, then spoke plainly.
"Old man, keep my absence a secret."
Whitebeard waved his hand without care.
"Gurararara! Don't worry about that!"
Then, as if something lit in his memory, he grinned broadly and chuckled with admiration.
"I didn't think that old hag would actually die at your hands! Gurarara!"
The laughter faded, and Whitebeard's thoughts turned to the Land of Wano.
"That damned Kaido... Why the hell is he still breathing?"
The moment those words left his mouth, the old man's eyes turned sharp and fierce.
A terrifying aura erupted inside the cabin—so heavy it made the air tremble!
But Shen Yuan only crossed his legs, unfazed.
"Because Kaido's still useful."
He bit into a pear from the table and chewed lazily.
"As long as he lives, we can exploit his influence.
As for Totto Land, I'll take it... after I've finished laying the groundwork."
Whitebeard's eyes twinkled with interest.
"Gurarara! You're a crafty one, brat."
The two of them sat down cross-legged, sharing fruit as if they were old comrades.
"Old man," Shen Yuan said calmly, "Once we've secured Totto Land, I'll establish a new nation."
Whitebeard blinked, then grinned. But Shen Yuan wasn't joking.
"In that way, the Whitebeard Pirates can shed the title of 'pirate'... and become something greater."
Whitebeard paused.
"I don't care if you want to build a nation," he said finally, "but calling us anything other than pirates... that'll take time."
Shen Yuan leaned forward, voice low.
"Tell me this — what's nobler: being a pirate, or being the ruler of a nation?"
Whitebeard didn't even blink before answering.
"The latter."
"Then it's settled. But this will only begin once I finish my seclusion and training."
"Gurararara! Then make it count."
Shen Yuan said no more.
He turned inward — time to check last night's system rewards.
> [System Notification]
Plot Characters Eliminated:
— Charlotte Linlin, Katakuri, Cracker → +20 Skill Points
— Charlotte Oven, Daifuku → +6 Skill Points
— All-Stars Quinn and Jack → +10 Skill Points
Total: 36 Skill Points Earned
"Huh?! That's it?" Shen Yuan's face twitched.
I fought like hell — and this is all I get?
"These side characters are dragging down the XP curve," he muttered bitterly.
But then, the System's emotionless voice rang in his head:
> [System Prompt]
Due to mass elimination of pirates, host has unlocked a fusion evolution of the Navy Six Styles.
All six forms have merged into one:
Awakened Rokushiki Core Art – "Godspeed Pulse Form"
Shen Yuan's eyes gleamed!
Wait, I can fully master Rokushiki with just 19 points now?
"Full upgrade!"
He didn't hesitate — he dumped skill points into:
[Rokushiki Core Art – Godspeed Pulse Form] → MAX
[Zhao – Candlelight Power Core] → MAX
The power coursed through him like fire.
He could feel it — the enhanced perception, footwork, strength —
Soru, Tekkai, Geppo, and Rankyaku now blended perfectly with his own Haki flow.
And the candlelight core… It was evolving.
Unable to hold it in, he slipped out of the cabin, leaving a flushed Kalifa behind.
Outside, the sky was cloaked in gray clouds and light drizzle.
Raindrops tapped the ocean rhythmically, tiny rings vanishing as they met the sea.
Shen Yuan raised a hand.
"Extreme Attachment: Flame of Dissolution!"
A burst of golden energy shot into the sky like a blazing comet!
Crew members emerged, drawn by the heat and light.
"Roarrrrrr!!!"
The golden radiance didn't fade for ten seconds—if anything, it grew stronger!
The clouds parted—
From the east, a phantom red sun rose high into the sky, pushing aside the storm clouds!
Where moments ago rain fell, now the Moby Dick basked under brilliant light.
Sunlight shimmered on the ocean's surface, boiling the sea into steam.
Waves pulled inward, evaporating — as if something divine had descended.
But only above them.
In the distance, rain still poured from the heavens.
Marco gawked, jaw nearly unhinged.
"Did Brother Shen just... change the weather?"
Shen Yuan landed softly back on the deck.
His breath pulsed with power. The feedback from his latest ability surge was overwhelming.
"...Still not enough," he muttered. "I need to complete that process soon."
The other captains stood frozen, expressions etched with awe.
Shen Yuan, smirking, thought to himself:
Once I bring this to Mary Geoise... let's see the Celestial Dragons laugh then.
Just then, a small figure entered the room.
"Ayu?"
She wore a pink ninja robe, wild hair flowing, geta clacking against the deck.
Someone had drawn whiskers on her cheeks like a cat.
"Is this supposed to be... cosplay?" Shen Yuan smiled oddly.
He bent down, picked her up gently.
"Did the old man treat you okay yesterday?"
"Grandpa Whitebeard is super nice!" Ayu beamed.
Whitebeard gave a smug "Hmph!"
Shen Yuan ruffled her hair, walking with her through the ship.
A quick glance at the cabin calendar brought a new thought.
The shipyard project... should be finishing today, right?
A grin crept onto his face.
Finally — a true flagship worthy of my fleet.
They reached the ship's library-lab hybrid, where Joan was hunched over a bubbling table of chemicals.
"Boom!"
An explosion shook the room! Shen Yuan flinched.
"You alive in there?!"
"Hehehe! I did it! I finally created my Ultimate Elixir!" Joan yelled, holding a glowing green bottle, bubbling like mad.
"...That looks like poison," Shen Yuan muttered.
Joan turned to him, eyes shining with fanatical pride.
"No, Captain! This is the real deal! It prolongs life! Repairs internal injuries! Regenerates stamina!"
She held it toward him with shaking hands.
"Want to try it?"
"Nope."
Shen Yuan recoiled instinctively.
"Give it to someone who's already half-dead."
Joan's enthusiasm waned—then sparked again.
"Then… what if we test it on a Sea King?"
"Deal."
In a blink, Shen Yuan, Ayu, and Joan flashed to the shore of Border Island.
A moment later, a massive Sea King was dragged ashore by Shen Yuan.
"Gulp…"
Joan poured the elixir into the Sea King's maw.
Moments later, its body convulsed violently!
Blood spurted from every orifice. The ground trembled.
The three of them froze.
Silence.
Time itself seemed to stop.
Then Shen Yuan turned slowly to Joan.
"...Tell me. Were you sent by the World Government to assassinate me?"
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