Chapter 42: Coach, I Want to Learn This!
"Hm!?"
Inside the coated pipe, Zephyr, who was watching Roy closely, noticed something wrong.
Roy's body, previously hunched under the crushing water pressure, slowly began to relax.
And then...
Under Zephyr's astonished gaze, Roy straightened his back.
KRR-CLACK!
Sounds like metal snapping echoed from his bones.
Then...
Zephyr saw Roy gently raise his hand and wave at him.
Zephyr knew exactly how much strength was needed to make such a simple gesture 5,000 meters underwater.
"Roy, kid... your body..."
Even the former Admiral, who had seen everything, couldn't hide the shock in his eyes.
He had been studying Roy's training data meticulously. He thought he knew Roy's body better than Roy himself.
But without a doubt, Roy... had shattered his understanding once again.
"Yeah."
Roy nodded without hesitation. "I think I've adapted, Teacher Zephyr."
Once is chance, twice is a pattern.
He had already planted the seed that 'Roy Amos is a monster-level genius with a special talent.'
So now, he didn't need to make up any extra excuses—that would just be suspicious.
And it was true.
"Adapted?"
Zephyr's expression was grave, but he didn't doubt Roy. Roy was literally in the ocean. He obviously wasn't a Devil Fruit user.
"A physique like this... truly unheard of!"
Zephyr shook his head in marvel.
"Teacher Zephyr, I don't like the sound of that," Roy retorted righteously.
"What do you mean, 'physique'? My strength isn't all natural talent. It's also my genuine hard work, okay?"
"Hard work..."
Zephyr rolled his eyes.
He knew exactly what Roy had been doing at the base—lazily drinking cola every day. 'Hard work' had nothing to do with it.
But he didn't press. "Are you sure you've adapted? Don't push yourself. Bones, muscles, organs... tell me if you feel any discomfort."
He would rather slow down the training than let his only successor get hurt.
"Of course."
Roy smiled. "I'm sure. Everything's healthy."
As he spoke...
If Zephyr could see inside Roy's body, he would have discovered...
Whether it was his bones and organs, or his muscles enhanced by the 'Quetzalcoatlus,' 'Daibutsu,' and 'Strong-Strong' fruits...
Everything now had a metallic, steel-like sheen.
In Roy's vision, the screen clearly displayed the truth.
[Fruit Slot 4: Empty -> Dice-Dice Fruit LV3]
[Dice-Dice Fruit]
[Fruit Ability: Can turn any part of the body into a blade and harden it.]
[Effects by Level]
[LV1: Gain faint fruit effect, slightly enhance defense and hardness.]
[LV2: Gain partial fruit effect. Can turn body into blades and enhance defense. Hardness level: 'Rough Iron'. Requires 60 Million / 20 Million Berries for Permanent / Temporary Unlock.]
[LV3: Gain full fruit effect. Can turn body into blades and enhance defense. Hardness level: 'Steel'. Requires 300 Million / 100 Million Berries for Permanent / Temporary Unlock.]
[LV4: Fruit Deep-Dive Development. Can rotate and reshape blade-body parts. Hardness level: 'Refined Steel'. Greatly enhance hardness and sharpness. Requires 1 Billion / 300 Million Berries for Permanent / Temporary Unlock.]
[LV5: Fruit Awakening · Omni-Cut. Can turn the surrounding environment into blades to slash enemies. Sharpness enough to cut mountains. Hardness level: 'Alloy'. Requires 6 Billion / 2 Billion Berries for Permanent / Temporary Unlock.]
That's right.
Roy had equipped the Dice-Dice Fruit (Supa Supa no Mi) into his fourth slot.
This upgrade was part of his plan.
"The Dice-Dice Fruit isn't a top-tier Paramecia. In terms of versatility, it's inferior to the Arms-Arms Fruit."
"But its body hardening effect is incredibly practical. And as long as I don't turn my body into visible blades, it's almost impossible to detect."
Roy knew the advantage of this fruit—practical, cheap, and great value for money.
He had planned to use it for his next clone.
But he hadn't expected to use it here first.
"Hmm..."
Confirming that Roy really had adapted to the 5,000-meter pressure...
Zephyr sighed again, then hesitated no longer.
"Since you've adapted..."
Armament Haki began to coil around Zephyr's body.
The jet-black Haki completely enveloped him, making him seem one with the dark ocean.
Zephyr leaped, passing through the coated pipe and into the deep sea.
"Follow me."
He beckoned, leading Roy deeper into the darkness.
The deep sea was silent.
Even with the Dice-Dice Fruit's defense handling the pressure, swimming in this darkness was strenuous for Roy.
"So strong..."
Watching Zephyr swim effortlessly ahead, wrapped in Haki, Roy marveled again.
But then...
"Hm!?"
Roy's heart skipped a beat.
He sensed a clear change in his surroundings.
"The water resistance increased?"
"No... that's not it..."
He quickly reached the correct conclusion.
"It's the water ahead—something's wrong with it!"
As he realized this, he heard Zephyr's voice.
"Here they come."
Here they come?
What comes?
Roy was confused.
But a second later, his pupils constricted.
In the already pitch-black deep sea...
Even larger, darker shadows appeared.
These shadows were colossal, practically spanning the entire deep sea.
They were long, slender bodies, like unbelievably massive 'Giant Serpents'.
Each one was endless in length, and as thick as a mountain.
On their 'bodies,' Roy saw glimmering points of light, like scales.
By that faint light, Roy saw what the 'Giant Serpents' truly were.
They were... Currents!
The 'scales' were bioluminescent deep-sea creatures and mineral debris caught in the flow. The massive bodies were the currents themselves.
Roy realized what this was.
"The Marine Giant Loop?"
Roy was currently deep beneath Marineford.
As everyone knew, Marineford, Enies Lobby, and Impel Down formed a triangle connected by a unique current, guarded by the Gates of Justice.
The gates were usually closed, creating the 'Current Tarai.'
Within this unique sea area lay the largest known undersea current in the Grand Line.
Its name... was the 'Marine Giant Loop'.
It trapped almost any ship that wasn't a World Government vessel, forcing them to circle endlessly.
"Correct!"
Zephyr's voice was deep.
"This is a 'Black Serpent'—part of the Marine Giant Loop beneath Marineford."
"Old man..."
Roy found it hard to speak.
"Don't tell me the 'real training' is..."
"That's right. Resisting water pressure was just the warm-up. Your real opponent is these 'Black Serpents'. You must... defeat it!"
Zephyr's words were clear and forceful.
Roy's evaluation was simple.
"This old man is insane!"
He knew these old Marine legends were all crazy.
Zephyr had the nerve to call Garp's mountain-smashing training 'reckless'—was tanking an undersea current with your body any less reckless!?
Actually, was that even possible?
As if hearing Roy's doubt...
"Roy, kid... watch closely!"
Zephyr's aura changed instantly.
Roy saw it clearly.
The black Armament Haki on Zephyr seemed to become tangible.
The immense Haki began to flow like a living thing.
Roy knew what this was. 'Ryou' (Flowing Sakura)—the advanced application of Armament Haki.
But what Zephyr was using wasn't ordinary Ryou.
Roy saw Zephyr's feet, waist, legs, and even his bulging muscles...
Every muscle and bone in his body was moving in sync with the flow of the Ryou.
Not just the skin. Even the blood and veins inside him seemed to be dyed black with Haki.
It was as if his entire body was transforming, squeezing out every ounce of potential to match the flow.
Watching this, Roy's eyes went wide.
"Tempering the whole body, unleashing potential."
"This is..."
Zephyr's movement confirmed Roy's guess.
No fancy moves. No wasted motion.
Zephyr simply clenched his remaining left fist and punched... at the 'Black Serpent'!
"Black Body Style Secret Technique: Mountain Breaker!"
VMMMM—
Roy saw it.
The moment Zephyr punched, a terrifying shockwave erupted.
The deep-sea water was blasted apart by the immense Haki.
And on the body of the colossal, unstoppable 'Black Serpent' current... a massive hole, hundreds of meters wide, appeared instantly.
Yes.
The massive undersea current... was severed by Zephyr's single punch!
Roy stared, slack-jawed.
And then, only one thought remained in his mind.
"Coach... I want to learn that!"
☆☆☆
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