Chapter 27 I'll be your sparring partner
The next morning.
The bright sunshine shone on the deck of the Merry, and the cries of seagulls came from the sky.
Under the expectant gazes of everyone, Usopp smiled confidently and threw the paintbrush back into the paint bucket.
"OK, mission accomplished!"
"How about it?"
"I told you my drawing skills were top-notch, didn't I!?"
Usopp stood with his hands on his hips and his nose in the air, as if waiting for everyone's praise.
The next second...
"Sri Kingdom One!"
Luffy, who wasn't very educated, spoke first, excitedly raising the pirate flag on the ground.
The flag features the classic straw hat and skull design.
The only difference is...
A crystal-clear, deep blue prosthetic eye was embedded in the skull's left eye.
"That's awesome!" Luffy stretched out his arms and unfurled the pirate flag, which fluttered in the wind.
"Not bad, long nose."
Zoro put down the discus marked 0.5t, a slight smile playing on his lips. "It's cooler than I imagined."
Nami, standing to the side, nodded in agreement:
"Not bad, not bad~"
Since praising someone doesn't cost any money, why not do it?
It is worth noting that...
At this point, Nami had completely changed her appearance.
She was originally slender, delicate, and lovely, like an unborn girl next door.
Now, Nami's delicate arms have long since disappeared.
Instead, he had a pair of cold, silver metal prosthetics.
This was none other than the Tier 4 cybernetic body that V had ripped from Bucky's body—[Split Wings].
Of course, to prevent Nami from encountering a better prosthetic body in the future, her arm V was not directly treated.
Instead, it was stored intact in the control room.
In addition, Nami now possesses a Tier 5 cybernetic body, the [Hundred Plans Calculation Core].
The two prosthetic bodies are worth a total of 30,000 transaction points.
This doesn't even include the value of the drone consumables.
It's fair to say that, aside from V, Nami is the richest member of the Straw Hat crew.
V smiled and said, "Since everyone thinks it's good, let's hang up the flag as soon as possible—this is the symbol of our pirate crew's official departure."
"Also, Usopp, I'd like to ask you to work on the symbol on the sails as well!"
"Leave it to me!"
Usopp patted his chest proudly.
Although he inexplicably boarded this pirate ship, he quickly adapted to his new identity.
"I'll go hang the flag up!"
Luffy cheered eagerly, his rubber arms stretched out with a "whoosh," and he leaped to the top of the mainmast in just a few steps.
The sea breeze was blowing fiercely, making the flag flutter loudly.
The eerie blue prosthetic eye embedded in the skull's left eye reflected a mysterious luster in the sunlight, as if gazing upon the vast ocean.
"My lords!!!"
Luffy stood atop the mast, one hand gripping the rope, the other raised high towards the sky, shouting at his crew on deck:
"Raise the sails—"
"set sail!!!!"
"oh--!!!"
V and the others cheered enthusiastically.
At that moment, gazing at the fluttering flag, their hearts inexplicably came together.
...
...
After the revelry, the Going Merry returned to calm.
Since none of the five people knew how to cook, Luffy had to abandon his idea of throwing a banquet.
This makes Luffy's need for a "ship's cook" partner even more urgent.
At this moment, he was dueling with Usopp at the bow of the ship, vying for the "captain's position".
On the watchtower, Nami quietly closed her eyes, as if she were asleep.
But above the Merry, twelve drones, resembling birds in flight, quietly accompanied the voyage.
They sometimes formed the character "人" (person), and sometimes the character "一" (one), creating quite a lively scene.
At the stern, V observed Zoro while chatting with him about his experience using the prosthetic body.
"I see. It seems the prosthetic body is even more powerful than I thought!"
V's eyes gleamed, his expression calm like that of a mysterious researcher.
I never imagined that "Effort Leads to Success" could not only enhance the user's physical attributes, but also amplify skills and insights!
Koby, that kid, really has a great physique.
After a moment's thought, V nodded:
"I have a general understanding of the situation."
"but..."
He looked up and carefully examined Zoro.
If the plot doesn't deviate too much, Zoro is about to suffer the most devastating defeat of his life.
Even with the effects of the prosthetic body, his Silent Step is about to evolve into the Six Styles: Shave...
Even though his understanding of swordsmanship had reached the edge of the realm of cutting through iron...
But in the face of the world's greatest swordsman, even this incredible progress is nothing more than turning an ant into a slightly stronger ant.
"Although these are all necessary growing pains, it's the path Zoro chose himself..."
V's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
"But even after my 'training,' I still got brutally beaten, making me feel really humiliated~"
After a moment of silence, the blue light in V's eyes suddenly became still, as if he had made a decision.
He suddenly looked up, his gaze sharp, and locked onto Zoro again.
"Saron,"
The sound opens with a V-shape, clear yet with a guiding pause.
"You just said... that you can feel your progress more clearly during battle, right?"
Zoro, who was exercising, stopped what he was doing and looked at V, puzzled.
"Ah, that's right."
His eyes held a confirmation of the changes he had undergone.
"Especially when I was fighting Luffy, the extreme pressure made it hard for me to breathe."
"But precisely because of this, my body is like a ferocious beast that refuses to give up, and that sense of 'growth' is even clearer."
"That makes things easier."
V's lips curled into a signature smile, a smile that carried a hint of calculation and anticipation.
"Since combat and high pressure are the best catalysts for your 'growth,' why don't we make the most of them?"
"Huh?" Zoro was taken aback. He vaguely sensed an unusual aura emanating from V. "What do you mean?"
"The meaning is very simple."
V's arms suddenly stretched out and transformed, with sharp alloy blades popping out layer by layer, reflecting a cold light in the sunlight, transforming into a pair of long and ferocious mantis arms.
"From now on, I'll be your sparring partner."
He moved the mechanical joints, making a slight metallic scraping sound, and a dangerous smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Don't worry, in order to make you stronger as soon as possible, I will definitely cut you down with the determination to kill you, and I guarantee that you will feel a lot of pressure."
Zoro's pupils contracted slightly.
But soon, he realized something, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.
"Hey, how can anyone feel at ease with what you're saying?"
While complaining, he reached out without hesitation and firmly grasped the Wado Ichimonji that was placed to the side.
The other two knives were drawn almost simultaneously, and he held them firmly in his mouth and in his left hand.
"but..."
All three blades pointed at V. Zoro lowered his center of gravity slightly, his eyes sharp as knives.
"This method of cultivation suits me perfectly!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the two figures blurred instantly.
V doesn't understand swordsmanship, but with the help of his cybernetic body, he can perfectly find the best angle to strike.
Even Zoro, who has mastered the Silent Step, can only passively take a beating in front of this heavy metal cybernetic body!
For a moment, the sound of metal clashing echoed incessantly from the stern of the Merry.
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End of this chapter...