Chapter 168 — The Breakthrough in Steel and Breath
S.C. 1511 — Mid March
Hidden Island — Forest Training Grounds
The morning fog clung low to the ground, drifting between tree roots and Ren's feet.
Zemo trotted ahead, ears high, tail swaying softly as he scouted.
Behind him came Kiro, Jin, Kael, Mira—
and Luffy, who had insisted loudly:
"IF REN IS TRAINING, I'M TRAINING TOO!"
Makino had sent Ren off with a lunch bag and strict instructions:
"No overworking. And feed Luffy properly."
Ren wasn't sure which part worried her more.
---
Sword Training Ground — Ready
A clearing opened between old trees, soft soil beneath their feet.
The ground had long cuts on it from Ren's earlier experiments—arcs, lines, and gouges.
Kiro whistled low.
"You trained here alone?"
Ren nodded.
Kael shook his head.
"I keep forgetting your brain runs like a machine."
Jin carried a wooden target disk.
Mira carried chalk and measuring strings.
Luffy carried… nothing.
But he looked incredibly excited.
Ren stepped forward, hand on the hilt of his practice sword.
"Let's begin."
---
Warming the Storm in His Chest
Ren inhaled.
The Breathing Method—
slow oxygen draw, diaphragm expansion, pressure to the ribs…
the familiar warmth crawling through his bloodstream.
This method didn't create magic.
It made energy efficient.
Muscles awakened.
Reaction time sharpened.
Fatigue vanished faster.
His body—still young—glowed with heat and readiness.
Luffy's eyes sparkled.
"REN IS GETTING STRONGER AGAIN!!"
Zemo barked in agreement.
---
Kiro Steps In
"Show us the new move," Kiro said calmly.
Ren exhaled.
His telepathy tingled—
air currents, soil vibrations, the slight tension of each observer's stance.
He positioned his feet:
Left heel grounded.
Right foot angled.
Shoulders loose.
Core tight.
Sword lowered but alive in his grip.
Kiro nodded.
"That stance looks new."
"It is."
Ren tightened his grip.
"This one… is for cutting the invisible."
---
The Seven-Vane Slash — Birth
Ren closed his eyes—
not to block sight,
but to rely on every other sense.
Breath in—
telepathic pulse expands—
air resistance mapped—
muscle torque calculated—
balance corrected—
and then—
SLASH.
A blur of movement tore through the clearing.
One slash became two.
Two became four.
Then seven lines carved into the air with a speed that made the grass flatten in circular waves.
SHUUU—SHH—SHHHHH—
The wooden target Mira had placed 5 meters away—
split into seven perfect fragments.
Not cracked.
Not shattered.
Cut.
Cleanly.
Smooth edges like polished wood.
Silence followed.
---
Reactions
Luffy's jaw dropped.
"THAT WAS SO COOL!! DO IT AGAIN! DO IT AGAIN!!"
Kiro stepped closer to the cut fragments, fingers brushing the clean edges.
"…Ren," he whispered, "this isn't something a human is supposed to do with a wooden practice sword."
Mira covered her mouth, eyes wide.
"You… you cut seven times in the time I blinked."
Kael and Jin fist-bumped each other.
"Knew he'd pull off something insane again."
Ren rested the blade on his shoulder, breathing lightly.
"It's not perfect yet."
Everyone stared.
Not perfect?
---
Ren Explains Simply
"There are seven arcs," Ren said, drawing lines in the air with his hand.
"The first cuts wide.
The next shapes energy flow.
The last sharpens the center pressure."
Blank stares.
Luffy raised his hand.
"Can it cut meat?"
"…Yes," Ren sighed.
"YEEEESSSSS!!"
Zemo barked energetically, as if volunteering to help demonstrate.
"No," Ren replied instantly.
---
Vector Line — Second Technique
Ren stepped back.
His telepathy extended outward like invisible fingers—
reading wind pressure, soil firmness, even the micro-vibrations from birds flapping above.
He lowered the sword to one straight line.
"This one is for precision."
He thrust.
Just one motion.
But it moved like a laser.
A thin, narrow force sliced across the field—
and pierced the center of a distant tree trunk
—leaving a clean hole the size of a coin.
The group froze.
"…Ren," Mira whispered. "Your sword is wooden."
Ren nodded.
"Yes."
Luffy yelled, "I WANT THAT MOVE TOO!"
---
Footwork Breakthrough — Phantom Step
Ren wasn't done.
He adjusted his feet again—
this time lighter.
Telekinesis didn't lift him—
but it nudged the air around him,
helping remove drag
and stabilizing micro-balance shifts.
He inhaled sharply—
Step.
And vanished.
Not truly invisible—
just extremely fast, with a sliding, gliding momentum that left behind a faint afterimage.
He reappeared behind Jin.
Jin screamed and fell forward.
"Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"It wasn't intentional," Ren replied calmly.
Jin crawled away.
"IT WAS DEFINITELY INTENTIONAL."
---
Everyone Wants a Turn
Kiro raised a brow.
"Can you teach us any of that?"
Ren nodded slowly.
"Not the telekinesis parts."
Luffy pointed at himself.
"I don't need it! I can be super fast on my own!"
He immediately tripped over a rock.
Makino, who had quietly walked up with water, sighed.
"Luffy… why are you like this?"
Kael lifted a hand shyly.
"Can you at least teach footwork?"
Mira added, "And breathing?"
Kiro looked right at Ren.
"Teach me sword forms."
Ren nodded.
"Yes. I'll teach all of you."
Luffy's grin stretched huge.
"WE'RE ALL GONNA GET SUPER STRONG!!"
---
Ren's Realization
As the group practiced awkward stances,
tripped,
fell,
and argued…
Ren watched them.
Makino giving water.
Luffy swinging wildly.
Kiro copying forms with sharp focus.
Mira correcting everyone's posture.
Kael and Jin turning training into competition.
Zemo barking encouragement.
This wasn't a lab.
This wasn't an experiment.
This was—
family.
Ren tightened his grip on the sword.
"I'll make sure all of them grow stronger," he whispered to himself.
Zemo nudged his hand gently, agreeing.
---
End of Chapter 168