Inside the Isshin Dojo, beneath the raging, tempestuous winds, Shiraishi and Uchiha Madara were undergoing an immense ocean of agony and torment.
Their faces had turned completely crimson, the pathways of their veins bulging prominently across their flesh as their hearts beat violently and relentlessly.
Watching the rampaging energies of Articuno and the Dark Nine-Tails, Ivankov looked at the two before him with a trace of caution: "Koushirou... could it be that you didn't notice these two boys possessed Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits earlier?"
Gently rubbing the back of his head with a serene smile, Koushirou spoke with a touch of helplessness: "I truly didn't pay attention to that... but this isn't a bad thing. The greater the potential they display, the more it proves that we are aiding a couple of future figures of immense historical weight."
Koushirou's keen, discerning gaze had previously been focused entirely on Unohana Retsu; he hadn't sought to probe the true combat depth of the others. Though slightly astonished by the sheer strength and latent potential of the two, his vision perceived a far broader horizon.
A Mythical Zoan, coupled with the boundless potential of those two individuals...
Compared to the so-called super rookies currently making waves in the Grand Line, these two were the true definition of super rookies.
In contrast to the later Golden Age of Pirates, the total quantity of Devil Fruits circulating across the Four Blues in this era was by no means vast. Leaving aside Logia types or Mythical Zoan beasts, even standard Zoans and Paramecias were exceptionally rare sights.
At this moment, Ivankov sensed that the surrounding cold currents and spectral ghost-fires were beginning to recede. As the violent aura enveloping the two gradually stabilized, his massive eyes spun wildly in sheer shock: "They seem to have already adapted... what a terrifying, monstrous display of willpower."
Shiraishi and Uchiha Madara were fundamentally no ordinary men. Under the excruciating torture of the three distinct hormone currents, their physical frames were rapidly recovering at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Throughout the entire process, even the Okama King himself couldn't help but harbor an inexplicable sense of awe deep within his heart.
Slowly rising to their feet, the two suddenly erupted with an aura resembling living demons from hell. Though it wasn't any form of Haki, the raw power bursting from their frames still left Ivankov feeling a lingering sense of dread.
They are clearly two handsome boys, so why do I feel the distinct illusion that I am standing face-to-face with two supreme kings?
Enveloped by the swirling frost, Shiraishi forcefully took a single step forward, and in an instant, the elemental power of the ice was reeled back into his frame!
The previously turbulent, unstable Mythical Zoan energies residing within them settled completely. Moments later, the physical parameters of both Shiraishi and Uchiha Madara achieved absolute, total stability.
These two boys are absolutely not ordinary individuals. Why haven't I ever heard of them before?
Under normal parameters, powerhouses of this caliber should at least be prominent Supernovas dominating a sector of the sea. Yet they clearly bear the appearance of complete newcomers—though the impression they give me is definitely not that of ordinary pirate rookies.
"Thank you very much. I feel my body is exceptionally comfortable now..."
A foul odor emanated from Shiraishi and Uchiha Madara as a massive volume of toxic impurities was purged from their systems, leaving their skin coated in a grayish haze. Once the two completed a simple wash and stepped back out, Ivankov's eyes lit up instantly.
The visual aesthetic of the two boys had seemingly risen by another entire tier; in particular, the cold, distant aura radiating from the black-haired youth had grown far more pronounced.
Adjusting his glasses, Shiraishi offered a thoroughly genuine smile: "Thank you for your assistance this time, Mr. Ivankov. Our Sunagakure Pirates owe you a profound debt of gratitude."
Shiraishi could intimately feel the profound transformation within his physical frame. Once Ivankov completely purged the residual toxic elements of chakra, his cells grew anew with pristine vitality, allowing the capabilities of the Articuno Fruit to achieve a vastly higher degree of integration with his body.
The Sunagakure Pirates?
Madara raised a single eyebrow, looking thoroughly displeased with the title. Yet Shiraishi didn't seem to notice his glare at all, casually introducing him: "This gentleman is Uchiha Madara, the Vice-Captain of our pirate crew."
Vice-Captain...
Madara attempted to break free, but Shiraishi firmly locked his arm around the youth-form Madara. Coupled with the fact that he was still somewhat weakened from enduring the raw force of the hormones, Madara was held down completely by Shiraishi's unyielding grip.
You bastard... I never agreed to serve as any Vice-Captain of a Sunagakure Pirate crew.
Since Konoha doesn't want you anyway, you might as well join Sunagakure!
Their gazes locked in a silent standoff for a brief second before Madara's expression turned icy cold, completely ignoring this lunatic Shiraishi.
Ivankov harbored no suspicion regarding Shiraishi's statement. Judging by the sheer potential Madara had displayed, becoming the Vice-Captain of such a pirate crew was by no means a strange occurrence.
"Hee-hahaha! So you are a newly established pirate crew! No wonder I had never heard your names before."
Commanded by a Captain and Vice-Captain of this caliber, the Sunagakure Pirates were bound to stir up massive, terrifying waves across these waters in the near future.
By helping the two today, Ivankov had forged a valuable bond of goodwill. Perhaps in the future, this relationship might prove to be of immense assistance to himself and his like-minded comrades.
As a prominent figure capable of ruling a nation, Ivankov was naturally no simple character. He immediately headed toward Koushirou's back courtyard to examine the condition of his pregnant wife.
"Uchiha Madara, stand alongside me as my companion in this world."
Shiraishi's words caused Madara's brow to twitch: "Companion? Don't you find that word utterly laughable?"
Since he was by no means a master of persuasive speeches, Shiraishi chose to be remarkably direct: "In this world, you and I possess absolutely no conflict of interest or stance.
Furthermore, your strength is more than sufficient to hold down the position of Vice-Captain on this ship. Only by joining forces can the two of us thoroughly alter the trajectory of this entire world."
The personalities of Kikyo and Unohana Retsu were fundamentally unsuitable for the administrative role of a Vice-Captain. As for Ace, his heart remained rooted with the Whitebeard Pirates; it was merely due to the timeline discrepancy that he hadn't departed yet, though he was willing to accept his temporary role on the ship.
Only Uchiha Madara—with his supreme strength and unyielding pride—was perfectly suited to hold this position.
Over the next few days, both Shiraishi and Madara rested quietly to recuperate. During this period, Shiraishi explicitly inquired with Ivankov regarding information about Sea-Prism Stone (Kairōseki).
"You want to purchase Sea-Prism Stone?"
"To be precise, I intend to forge a specialized weapon for our Vice-Captain."
Sea-Prism Stone, as the name implied, possessed the exact same properties as the ocean itself; it could be understood as solid sea, with its practical effects far exceeding static seawater.
Not only could it drain Devil Fruit users of all physical strength, but it could also temporarily reduce them to ordinary humans—regardless of whether they possessed a Logia, Paramecia, or Zoan type.
Functioning effectively as the crystallization of the ocean, its compositional makeup mirrored the sea in a solid state. Consequently, Devil Fruit users feared Sea-Prism Stone just as intensely as they feared drowning.
It was routinely utilized to counter capability users, which was precisely why Shiraishi sought to fashion it into a specialized weapon.
"Hee-hahaha! For that, you'll have to ask Koushirou. I recall he still has a bit of stock left. However, crafting a large weapon out of it is exceptionally difficult; at most, you can fashion minor armaments like daggers."
Ivankov offered no explanation as to why Koushirou possessed Sea-Prism Stone in his personal reserves, though that factor didn't hinder Shiraishi from seeking out Koushirou directly.
A few days later, Shiraishi took the Sea-Prism Stone acquired through trade with Koushirou, forging it entirely into a specialized weapon.
"This is..."
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