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At this moment, inside Rojen's cabin aboard [The Logan], Jason, Crocodile, and Trens stood side by side, facing Rojen, who sat cross-legged on the floor. Expectation shone in their eyes.
"Captain..." Jason rubbed his hands together and called out eagerly.
Rojen glanced at the three of them and let out a chuckle.
"You three guessed right. I called you here today to teach you a new skill!"
"Really?!"
"That's awesome!"
Jason and Trens exclaimed with excitement, while even Crocodile's eyes lit up.
Though their fleshly bodies were now incredibly powerful, they still lacked advanced combat techniques to fully utilize that strength.
"Captain, what are you going to teach us this time?" Jason asked, unable to hold back.
Instead of answering immediately, Rojen turned to Trens and asked: "Trens, how's your injury?"
"My injury has improved," Trens replied quickly. "The damage to my lungs has healed rapidly; it's almost fully recovered."
"Good." Rojen nodded in satisfaction as he observed Trens' healthy complexion.
'The seeds I planted have finally sprouted and borne fruit.'
The three standing before him now were far stronger than they had ever been. With what he was about to teach them, they could become beings who, if released into the world, would easily rival pirates with bounties of over 100 million.
"This time, I will teach you the Marine's Rokushiki!" Rojen's eyes sharpened as he spoke.
"Rokushiki? That's the martial arts the Marines use, right?" Jason asked, puzzled.
"Exactly," Rojen confirmed. "It's a powerful close-quarters combat technique used only by elite Marines or officers. To even attempt it, one must possess superhuman physical abilities."
He paused, then continued, meeting their eager gazes.
"Because of how powerful it is, and because your bodies have progressed so fast, I've decided to pass this on to you. I have other martial arts as well, but compared to Rokushiki, they're all a bit lacking. You'll need to train hard and practice consistently."
The three men's eyes glimmered. They were filled with anticipation.
"Captain, please teach us now!" This time it was Crocodile who spoke, prompting Rojen to smile.
"Alright. Come outside with me." Rojen led the way out of the cabin, and the three quickly followed. Soon, the four of them arrived at the rear deck of the ship.
Noticing their captain and senior crew stepping out, the other crew members instinctively turned their heads to sneak a peek.
"The Marine's Rokushiki consists of: Geppo (Moonwalk), Soru (Shave), Kami-e (Paper Art), Tekkai (Iron Body), Rankyaku (Tempest Kick), and Shigan (Finger Gun)."
"Today, I'll teach you five of them, excluding Shigan. You can choose freely which to focus on, or even develop your own variations. With your foundation, you'll be able to unleash immense power through adaptation."
Rojen's words ended as he stepped forward, preparing to demonstrate.
Meanwhile, Sanbes, who had been listening nearby, suddenly froze. As soon as he heard the word "Rokushiki," a chill ran down his spine. And when he realized what Rojen had just said, his shock only deepened.
"What?! He knows Marine Rokushiki… and he's teaching it to those three?"
"Even I never had the clearance to learn it, and he's just... handing it out?! Is this real?!"
Filled with disbelief, Sanbes quickly slipped behind the group of trainee crew members and looked toward the rear of the ship.
And then, he saw it.
Rojen took three light steps forward and then, "Pop!"
A sudden vortex of air spun into existence beneath his foot. With that single step, Rojen kicked into the sky itself, his body lifted into the air, soaring upward by using the rebound of that kick.
"This is Geppo. Watch closely!"
His movements, though rapid, slowed just enough for Jason, Crocodile, and Trens to follow. He maintained a precise pace: clear enough to observe, yet fast enough to demonstrate its power.
"Pop!"
A vortex of wind burst into existence as Rojen's other foot stepped down once more. His body shot even higher.
With continuous kicks into the air, his figure ascended rapidly, within mere moments, he had reached a height of thirty meters above the deck.
At that altitude, with the entire crew gazing up at him in awe, Rojen suddenly paused in midair. With his feet rhythmically striking the air, he actually hovered, suspended as though standing atop invisible steps.
"Incredible! Captain's flying!"
Trens gasped in amazement.
At the same time, Jason and Crocodile started moving.
Their expressions grew serious. They stomped the deck rhythmically, starting slow but gaining speed. Then, whoosh, their figures blurred. The next instant, they were both three meters off the ground, suspended in the air.
"I did it!" Jason shouted in triumph.
"Hmph. You're not the only one." Crocodile scoffed beside him, though his eyes gleamed with amusement.
Meanwhile, Trens smiled and shook his head. Activating his true qi, he stomped his feet rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, he too had risen to join them.
"A-All three cadres are flying! What kind of power is this? This is insane!"
"I want to learn this so badly!"
The trainee crew members shouted with excitement, eyes sparkling with longing.
Sanbes, on the other hand, trembled internally. His eyes were filled with disbelief.
"It really is the Marine's Rokushiki… How is this even possible!?"
Watching the four men hovering midair, his entire understanding of the world was shaken.
"Every Marine who learns Rokushiki has a body that's gone beyond normal limits, superhuman strength and endurance, and even then, it takes ages to master just one move."
"But they… they just learned it this fast?!"
He couldn't accept it. If Rokushiki could be picked up this quickly, then what had all those Marines been training for? Might as well have taught dogs.
"Excellent."
From high above, Rojen looked down at the others and smiled.
These three had natural talent. Once their physical limits were broken through, grasping the principles behind Rokushiki allowed them to pick it up quickly. The only thing left was to hone it through repetition.
"Next is Rankyaku!"
He raised his right leg and swung it down hard.
A light-blue slash of compressed air roared downward, slicing into the sea below. Water exploded skyward, sending waves crashing as the crew let out another round of startled cries.
If that slash had landed on the ship instead, it might've cleaved The Logan clean in two. If it had struck a person... the result would've been devastating.
Crocodile frowned but didn't attempt the move. Trens paused as well and shook his head. Only Jason grinned, raised his thigh, and chopped downward, a shockwave split the sea surface, creating a jagged rift in the water.
Rojen nodded and continued.
"Tekkai!"
Boom!
A heavy, muffled thud rang out as Rojen's body turned as hard as steel.
After a brief pause, Jason let out a low grunt. His muscles tightened, and his body hardened, successfully executing Tekkai.
Trens did the same, using true qi to reinforce his physique and trigger the same effect.
Crocodile, however, simply shook his head. He wasn't discouraged, he knew that not every technique suits every person. Besides, he just hadn't grasped it yet. A few more tries, and he'd get it.
Rojen moved on to the next demonstration.
"Soru!"
In an instant, he vanished, only to reappear directly behind Crocodile.
Crocodile's pupils contracted sharply.
"Kami-e!"
Rojen's body grew light and nimble, drifting like a sheet of paper as he descended smoothly.
"These are the five Rokushiki techniques I'm teaching you. Master them well. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me again."
Watching the three men deep in thought, Rojen offered a faint smile.
Off to the side, Sanbes was completely stunned, his mouth agape, brain frozen.
(End Of This Chapter)