After a few moments of silence, he shifted his thoughts.
"Leaving this topic aside," Shanks said calmly, his fingers idly tapping against the stone he sat on, "Raphael, you had made the list of my skills mastered by me, right? Or Ninjutsu, as we call it in this world."
"Yes," Raphael replied calmly.
Then she continued, her tone turning slightly more analytical, "If you wish, I can combine your different skills to create new skills."
As soon as Shanks heard this, his eyes sharpened with interest. A faint smirk appeared on his face. "This is exactly what I was going to ask you to do," he said without hesitation. "Do it."
"Understood," Raphael responded.
A subtle pressure formed within his spiritual space.
"Combining skills."
Immediately, multiple notifications began to resound in his mind one after another. Shanks straightened slightly on the stone, his restored left hand clenching instinctively as unfamiliar yet familiar sensations flowed through him. It did not feel like learning from scratch—it felt like reorganizing power he already possessed into something more refined, more dangerous.
As Raphael continuously spoke, Shanks listened carefully, filtering through the information, focusing mainly on his major skills.
"Acquired S-rank skill: <
"In this skill," Raphael explained, "you increase the efficiency of Conqueror's Haki by applying an advanced form of Yin Chakra Release. When an individual is struck by your Conqueror's Haki under this domain, weak-willed targets will not only fall unconscious but will also suffer from an insufferable illusion that directly damages their spirit."
"If the target's will is extremely weak," Raphael continued, "there is a possibility of death due to spiritual collapse. Those with slightly stronger willpower may survive the illusion, but they will remain unconscious for days or even weeks if affected by Conqueror's Abyssal Domain."
Silence followed.
Shanks' eyes widened slightly. He could feel it—the fusion was complete. This was not merely Conqueror's Haki overwhelming opponents anymore. The addition of advanced Yin Release had given it form, depth… malice.
It was no longer just suppression.
It was psychological annihilation.
He slowly exhaled, absorbing the information. This was an even further incorporation of Yin Release into his Conqueror's Haki, making it significantly stronger than before—far more lethal and precise.
A domain that attacks the spirit itself…
A faint, dangerous aura flickered around him for a split second before vanishing completely.
Raphael continued, her voice calm yet precise within his mind. "Combined Lightning Release with Conqueror's Haki to create another S-rank skill: Heaven's Judgment. In this skill, Conqueror's Haki manifests as a domain-type field. All weak-willed individuals who fall unconscious after being affected by your Conqueror's Haki will subsequently be struck by lightning from the sky, as storm clouds naturally gather due to the overwhelming release of Conqueror's Haki."
For a brief moment, Shanks imagined it.
A suffocating domain. Bodies collapsing. The sky darkening above.
Lightning descending in divine punishment.
He slowly digested the ability of this skill. It was not just powerful—it was overwhelming. A layered execution. First the will, then the body. Again, it was very good… superb.
Raphael did not pause.
"Combined Lightning Release chakra with Observation Haki to create God's View. By merging your Observation Haki with Lightning Release, technically, all objects capable of conducting electricity can be sensed by the user. Additionally, the range of God's View is significantly expanded. Current range: eighty kilometers in diameter."
Shanks' eyes widened slightly.
Generally, his Observation Haki had an extremely high range already. It could extend beyond twenty kilometers in radius—but that had always been near its limit. Now, the initial range of God's View was eighty kilometers in diameter—that meant forty kilometers in radius.
Double.
And that was only the beginning.
As he masters it further, the range would increase even more.
He could almost feel the world stretching outward in his perception—mountains, rivers, villages, even the faint hum of life carried through invisible currents.
Raphael continued without interruption.
"Combined Armament Haki, Yang Release, and Lightning Release chakra to create S-rank ability: Black Thunder Vitalization. Yang Release enhances physical strength and accelerates recovery. The application of Yin Release-infused Armament Haki forms an armor-type manifestation around the body. Lightning Release further amplifies both the enhancement and the impact force of Armament Haki."
Shanks was again deeply satisfied with this new skill.
But Raphael was not finished.
"Combining God's View with the Flying Thunder God Technique to create S-rank skill: Astral Imprint. The user no longer needs to pre-mark objects or physically touch a surface to create a Flying Thunder God seal. Anywhere within the range of God's View, you may create the mark—even in empty air."
For a split second, Shanks' breath hitched.
Even… in empty air.
The implication was terrifying.
Teleportation without preparation. Movement without limitation. The battlefield itself would become his domain.
Shanks, who had been sitting on the rock, immediately stood up. The stone scraped slightly beneath his sandals as he rose. A faint, excited energy radiated from him.
"I must say, Raphael," he said, unable to hide the satisfaction in his voice, "I knew you would combine my different skills and my Lightning Ninjutsu to create powerful abilities for me. But with each skill, you have given me one surprise after another. With these skills, my strength has received a humongous boost."
He flexed his fingers, then lightly clenched his fist.
"Not to mention, I can feel that I can use all these skills like the back of my hand—as if they are fully mastered, without any issue."
And that was the most astonishing part.
There was no awkwardness. No unfamiliar delay. No instability in control. It felt as though he had trained with these abilities for years—refined them through countless battles—polished them through relentless repetition.
Shanks truly marvelled at Raphael's broken analytical ability, as well as her capacity to imprint those skills into him so seamlessly. Now he could use them effortlessly, as if he had practiced them over and over again for years.
Of course, he understood that with more time, he could further enhance the mastery and precision of these skills.
But even at this stage—
He had ascended to an entirely different level.
----
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