Winter's cold currents swept across the East Blue, blanketing the outskirts of Kalmar City in a thick layer of snow.
In the middle of a frozen stream, William sat cross-legged on a massive green stone. His upper body was bare, with only a thin pair of shorts covering him. Heavy snowflakes fell freely onto his skin, but he remained motionless, his eyes tightly shut.
William was meditating, following the techniques of "Life Return" (Seimei Kikan).
The swordsmanship of the Ittoryu style, as taught by Koushirou, also included elements of mental and spiritual training. However, compared to the "Life Return" method William had learned from Nezumi, the former seemed overly general and crude.
Moreover, the direction of mental and spiritual training in swordsmanship differed significantly from that of "Life Return."
Swordsmanship emphasized the connection between the swordsman and their blade, as well as the connection between the swordsman and the external world. It involved projecting one's spirit outward, sensing the world around them. In simple terms, it was about releasing one's spirit from within to the outside.
In contrast, "Life Return" was the opposite. Its ultimate goal was for the practitioner to feel every limb, organ, and even the hairs on their skin, eventually gaining control over them. At advanced levels, one could even manipulate their hair to attack others, achieving effects similar to those of the Wool-Wool Fruit once consumed by "Redbeard" Barbarossa.
"Life Return" emphasized immersing one's spirit and mind inward, a method that worked from the outside to the inside.
Following the instructions in the notes, William immersed his heart, intent, and spirit into his body. He first synchronized these three elements with the rhythm of his breathing, allowing his consciousness to rise and fall with the subtle movements of his chest. Gradually, his thoughts flowed like a spring, and with each breath, he seemed to brush away the distractions clouding his mind.
A warm current emerged from his chest, coursing through his body. At the same time, William began attempting to use the "Life Return" technique to control the restless steam and heat that always seemed to escape his body uncontrollably.
For the first hour, the snowflakes that landed on William's shoulders instantly vaporized. But as time went on, the snowflakes began to melt into water droplets that slid off his skin. After two more hours, it seemed as though William's body temperature had completely disappeared. The snowflakes no longer melted upon contact, and the previously melted droplets had frozen into ice due to the frigid weather.
The heavy snowfall soon covered William entirely. In less than half an hour, the figure sitting on the stone in the middle of the stream resembled nothing more than a snowman, faintly outlining William's form.
William remained in this state for an unknown amount of time. The snow grew heavier and heavier until, suddenly, the "snowman" on the stone moved. William's eyes snapped open, and in the next instant, all the accumulated snow on his body evaporated into steam, swirling around him.
Standing up from the stone, William's body emitted a wave of heat. The temperature difference caused the stone beneath him to crack audibly. As he exhaled, a wave of hot air escaped his mouth, transforming into a long trail of white mist that extended far into the cold air.
William could tell that his body temperature had now far exceeded its previous limit of 100 degrees Celsius, reaching approximately 300 degrees. Yet, unlike before, he no longer felt the uncontrollable "leaking" of heat and steam due to his inability to contain it.
Clenching his fists, William felt a surge of power coursing through him. It was an overwhelming pressure from the steam within, urging him to release it.
Bending his knees slightly, William suddenly kicked off the ground. The massive stone beneath him shattered into fragments under the immense force, while William shot into the sky like an arrow.
As a swordsman who had already reached the level of cutting steel and was now learning to master "Life Return," William hadn't yet perfected either discipline. However, his control over his body had become significantly refined. He could sense that his current strength was nearly double what it usually was.
Leaping into the air, William began to descend. But before hitting the ground, he released jets of steam from his feet. The previously restless steam within him found an outlet, and William, using the "Life Return" technique, attempted to control the angle and speed of the steam's release. This allowed him to "step" through the air for a short distance before landing gently on the ground.
Upon landing, the surrounding snow began to melt rapidly, transforming into steam that enveloped William in a thick white mist. The falling snowflakes that entered the mist quickly vaporized, causing the mist to grow even denser.
Enshrouded in the fog, William laughed heartily. He wasn't content with simply enhancing his Devil Fruit abilities to this extent. What truly excited him was the confirmation that the "Life Return" technique could indeed help him gain greater control over his Devil Fruit powers.
...
As the saying goes, one man's joy is another man's sorrow.
While William, secure in his resources, celebrated the progress in his training under the same East Blue sky, the atmosphere in Tequila Wolf was one of despair.
The harsh winter conditions made life on the bridge even more unbearable. For the residents of Tequila Wolf, who lived and worked on the bridge without any means of production, shortages of food and clothing were already the norm. But winter brought with it an even harsher reality.
Local officials, wrapped in thick fur coats, mercilessly lashed out with whips at the laborers who moved sluggishly from hunger and cold. The workers, clad in thin, tattered clothing, had no protection against the blows, which often left their skin split open.
Among them was a dark-skinned boy, no older than ten, who pushed a large stone alongside other children his age. His hands, frozen stiff, were brought to his mouth as he tried to warm them with his breath. But before he could, the overseer's whip cracked against his back.
The boy, though muscular for his age, flinched under the lash. Yet, he turned to glare defiantly at the overseer, his eyes burning with anger.
His companions immediately stepped away from him, knowing what would come next. Sure enough, the overseer sneered and began whipping the boy repeatedly.
From a distance, a piercing scream rang out. A dark-skinned woman broke away from her labor group and ran toward the boy, shielding him with her frail body. Despite her thin frame, she displayed immense strength, holding the boy tightly as the whip struck her back.
The surrounding workers watched with blank expressions, their faces devoid of emotion. Under the prodding of other overseers, they resumed their labor.
The whip-wielding overseer, panting heavily, eventually lowered his arm. But the woman refused to let go of the boy. Looking down at his tear-streaked face, she spoke softly, her voice filled with both pain and tenderness. "Abram, be good. Listen to me."
"Mom..." The boy, Abram, stopped struggling.
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