Chapter 26 Selling Art, Not Sex
The summer sunset still radiated warmth, sending waves of heat rising from the forest.
In a clearing in the woods, two figures clashed and collided, the sounds of metal clashing and flesh hitting flesh as dense as rain.
"Rubber rubber... Jet pistol!"
Luffy, his body flushed with blood, burst out of the forest like a red lightning bolt.
He suddenly compressed his legs, steam billowed from his skin, and his whole body turned into a blur as his fist slammed towards Zoro at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.
"Hiss~ Is this some kind of extreme?!"
Zoro's pupils contracted, and he almost instinctively activated Silent Step.
With a rapid series of taps on the ground with his toes, his figure flashed to the side, leaving a blurry trail.
He narrowly avoided the punch, but the force of the wind that tore through the air still stung his cheek.
"It's not over yet!"
Luffy, who had just mastered the new move, burst into laughter.
In second gear, he seemed to be on fast-forward, his whole being exuding a rhythm that was out of step with the world.
"Rubber rubber... Jet machine gun!"
Countless fist shadows enveloped Zoro like crimson meteors.
"Three-Sword Style: Ox Needle!" Zoro gritted his teeth, wielding his three swords to form an impenetrable barrier.
The blade clashed violently with the rubber fist, creating a continuous clang of metal against metal.
However, the power and speed of Gear Second were too overwhelming. Zoro felt his arms go numb with every punch he received, and he was forced to retreat repeatedly, causing his Silent Step rhythm to become disordered.
"Got you!"
A glint flashed in Luffy's eyes as he spotted Zoro's slight hesitation. His palms, which had been gathering power for a long time, were enveloped in steam and Haki, and he suddenly unleashed a powerful punch.
"Rubber rubber... Jet rocket launcher!"
This strike was as swift as thunder.
Zoro only had time to cross his three swords in front of his chest to parry.
Boom—!!!
The impact was enormous, like a volcanic eruption.
Zoro grunted, his three swords trembled violently, and his hands split open. He was sent flying uncontrollably as if struck by a giant hammer, crashing heavily into the grass dozens of meters away, carving a deep furrow.
At the edge of the open space, Nami and Usopp stared wide-eyed as the fruit in their hands fell to the ground with a "thud".
What they were witnessing was beyond their comprehension—it was not the speed and destructive power that human hand-to-hand combat should possess!
"Are these... are these two even human?" Usopp's voice trembled.
He subconsciously glanced at Nami beside him.
Unexpectedly, Nami, who was also in the same group, seemed even more shocked than him.
Only V stood under a tree a little further away, arms crossed, his dark blue prosthetic eye calmly scanning the battlefield.
He watched Zoro tremble as he stood up, and looked at the still unstable steam fluctuations on Luffy's body, and gently shook his head.
"It's still not quite there."
His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
"Luffy, after entering Gear Second, your punching accuracy has obviously declined. This shows that you have not yet adapted to the explosive increase brought by Gear Second, and you have not yet mastered the balance between power and control."
"As for Zoro, your Silent Step technique is indeed becoming more and more proficient."
"But this is ultimately just a technique that Kro developed due to the limitations of his own physical strength."
"Your next training direction is to truly master the Silent Step and integrate it into your sword strikes."
"Make footwork an integral part of the strike, not just a means of movement."
"To incorporate the Silent Step... into the slash?" Zoro looked down at the blade in his hand, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.
Before today, he would have definitely thought that V was making unreasonable demands.
Yet, in just one afternoon, he mastered the advanced combat technique of Silent Step...
This made him increasingly aware of the extraordinary nature of the prosthetic body within him.
Zoro quickly focused his gaze and nodded seriously to V:
"I think I know what to do!"
"As expected of you." V grinned.
A good prosthetic body also needs to be paired with a good user.
[Effort will lead to success] Meeting Zoro is like finding a treasure!
On the other side, Luffy had just deactivated Gear Second and was panting heavily, sweat dripping from his forehead.
The second gear is extremely physically demanding, and with his current level of skill, which hasn't undergone much training, he can only maintain it for three minutes.
Despite being exhausted, he still nodded vigorously at V to show that he understood.
Under V's gaze through his blue prosthetic eye, every movement, every exertion, and every breath of Luffy and Zoro was transformed into a real-time stream of data.
With the extraordinary computing power of his advanced brain-computer interface, he could easily discern the subtle flaws in their moves, the misalignment of their power rhythm, and even the minute differences in their breath transitions.
There is probably no more sophisticated cultivation aid in this world.
"Alright, let's end today's training here."
V looked at the setting sun and said to everyone:
"It's almost time. Let's rest for one night and set sail tomorrow."
"Also, Nami..."
V's gaze shifted to the navigator, who was still staring blankly at the 100 million Berries.
"Come to my room after dinner."
"Huh?" Nami snapped out of her shock and looked up warily. "To your room? What for?"
V slowly sized her up, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.
You'll see when you get here.
...
...
The sun is setting.
The group of five returned to Koya Manor.
With the soothing words of Butler Merry, the manor had returned to peace, and everyone went back to their respective jobs.
Kaya, who was still grieving, had already ordered a sumptuous dinner to be prepared.
Dinner ended in a subtle atmosphere as Luffy devoured the food.
During this time, Luffy and Usopp quickly became friends.
Whether it was due to the alcohol or not, after witnessing Luffy's power, Usopp actually dared to put his arm around Luffy's shoulder and boast about his "80 million subordinates".
...
...
Night falls.
The second floor of the manor villa.
Nami, using the candlelight in the corridor, arrived at the door of a guest room.
Before she could even knock, the door suddenly opened from the inside, revealing V's mature face.
"You're here? Come in quickly!"
As they were talking, V stepped aside and entered the house.
Two glasses of red wine were already prepared on the table in the guest room.
Nami followed him in, looking around the room, then asked, feigning composure:
"Why did you call me so late?"
"Let me make this clear beforehand, I only sell my art, not my body!"
"Sell yourself?" V looked at Nami with amusement. "You're overthinking it. I prefer someone more mature."
Although in the near future, she will grow into a great woman with a heart full of ambition.
But Nami is only just beginning to show her potential; the best is yet to come.
With so many beautiful women in the world of One Piece, V has no intention of turning his colleagues into his sexual partners.
After all, that would make it difficult for him to randomly stab Nami.
"Please have a seat."
He patted the back of the chair and gestured to Nami.
After Nami sat down, he spoke with a smile:
"Actually, I'm quite surprised. With such a good opportunity after dinner, you didn't run away with 100 million Berries."
"..." Nami pursed her lips and stubbornly rolled her eyes. "You think I don't want to?!"
"It's all because you guys are like monsters, scaring me so much that I don't dare to make any rash moves."
She wasn't lying.
If it weren't for V's strange and unusual methods, she would have already run away with 100 million Berries.
"Haha...Is that so?"
V chuckled softly, but then his tone changed:
"So, do you want to become one of the monsters too?"
"Huh?" Nami was suddenly taken aback. "What do you mean?"
"It means exactly what it says."
"If you want, after tonight you too can become a strong person like Luffy!"
"Even... personally slaying the Arlong Pirates to avenge Cocoyasi Village!"
V stared at Nami, his deep prosthetic eye reflecting the abyss.
He slowly opened his palm, and a crystal-like metal component, contained in a transparent square box, lay quietly in his hand.
This was a brand-new prosthetic body that he had obtained by exchanging it for Kro's brain.
It must be said that Kuro truly deserves to be recognized by Oda himself as a top-tier strategist.
Despite having only a Tier 2 energy body, he managed to exchange it for a Tier 5 prosthetic body.
This was something even V hadn't anticipated.
[Hundred Calculations - Core Calculation]
[Effect:
Overclocked computing power: After implantation, it significantly enhances the brain's information processing capabilities, enabling rapid analysis of complex environmental data (such as weather, ocean currents, and celestial phenomena), and high-speed simulation and deduction of battlefield situations and tactical layouts.
Intelligent memory enhancement: Significantly improves memory capacity and retrieval efficiency, ensuring photographic memory and enabling the storage of experiential data to form a "tactical database" that can be called upon at any time.
Optimized neural load: Significantly increases the upper limit of prosthetic load, allowing multiple high-load prosthetics to operate simultaneously without causing neural overload or loss of consciousness, reducing the risk of cyberpsychosis.
Price: 20,000
This is a tier 5 prosthetic body that isn't particularly outstanding.
Compared to the [Military Technology - Telelocation - Sianwistan] in V's brain, which can achieve "self-time acceleration," the [Hundred Plans - Calculation Core] itself has no special combat capabilities.
Its only advantage is that it has a faster reaction time, more computing power, and greater capacity than a conventional 5th-order brain-computer interface.
These characteristics have no practical value to V.
However, it is precisely this purely auxiliary prosthetic body, which focuses on "calculation" and "bearing," that perfectly matches Nami's tactical role as a navigator.
So the moment V saw this prosthetic body, he already had a plan for modifying Nami in mind.
This plan also served as a crucial opportunity for him to lure Nami into officially joining the Straw Hat Pirates.
"How are you, Nami?"
"Should we continue like this, or make a choice now..."
"The decision is in your hands."
The candlelight in the room flickered in Nami's eyes, reflecting the burning hatred deep within her heart.
The night outside the window was deep and dark, as if a ferocious beast was lurking there.
At that moment, the girl in orange unhesitatingly placed her hand in V's palm.
"Isn't the answer to this question obvious?!"
Nami's voice was soft, and a sly smile played on her lips.
V grinned.
"Welcome to the team, Nami."
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