Chapter 6: Development
When Rhodes chose to begin the draw, dazzling multicolored light suddenly flashed before his eyes, and a variety of seemingly modest words drifted past.
"Sugoi..."
After just a quick glance, Rhodes lost his composure and exclaimed in amazement.
He had previously assumed the drawable talents would be limited to physical expertise, firearms proficiency, and abilities similar to swordsmanship. He hadn't expected this Book of Knowledge to be far more powerful than he'd imagined.
Not only were there physical talents like [Fortification], [Divine Strength], [Lightning Speed], and [Endurance], which would instantly and dramatically enhance his physique, but there were also elemental talents like [Thunder Control], [Ice Control], and [Fire Control]!
And that wasn't all.
Rhodes even glimpsed incredible abilities like [Spatial Gates], [Faith Power], and [Fortune's Blessing] among the flashing words—talents similar to the Devil Fruit abilities of the pirate world!
Watching these talents float by, Rhodes's heart raced, his eyes growing wide with desire.
"Ah, divine strength would be incredible! With that, my cutting power would skyrocket several times over!"
"Elemental control is amazing too. Even without Logia transformation, the versatility would be incredible..."
"Spatial Gates? Damn, with that ability, I could travel anywhere in the pirate world instantly!"
Damn it, why can I only draw one? I want them all...
Amid Rhodes's endless frustration, the golden words drifting before his eyes finally began to slow.
One incredibly powerful talent after another floated past, moving slower and slower.
Gradually, it seemed about to stop at [Medical Expertise]...
"No way..." Rhodes was slightly taken aback. Was this his destiny—being a medical practitioner for two lifetimes?
But studying medicine couldn't save this world!
Almost instantly, the selection jumped slightly, finally settling on the next talent.
"Thank kami it's not Medical Expertise..."
Before Rhodes could even see it clearly, the chosen talent transformed into dazzling golden light, flowing like stardust and finally merging into his attribute display.
Level 2: Book of Knowledge
Attributes: Intelligence +2, Perception +1
Abilities:
Swordsmanship Mastery – "Blade and wielder become one, dramatically enhancing comprehension of sword techniques!"
Thunder Mastery – "The Thunder God descends, freely commanding the power of lightning!"
Energy: 0/1000
"Thunder power?"
Rhodes was momentarily stunned by this development. He had hoped this Book of Knowledge advancement would provide the foundation for his journey to becoming truly powerful.
As it turned out, it would indeed prove to be exactly that.
With intelligence more than double that of an average person and incredibly enhanced memory, countless sparks of inspiration flashed through Rhodes's mind the moment he saw the [Thunder Mastery] talent.
Past scenes raced through his thoughts.
There was Skypiea's Thunder God Enel with his nearly omnipotent Goro Goro no Mi.
There was also the Raikage from the Naruto world, who used lightning to activate cells and strengthen neural responses.
There was also Misaka Mikoto's railgun, iron sand manipulation, and true lightning strikes from A Certain Magical Index...
A series of techniques instantly flooded Rhodes's mind, and he was almost eager to develop each and every one of them.
"Calm down, I need to stay calm..."
Rhodes took a deep breath and forced himself to regain composure.
Everything had its priorities, and no one could accomplish everything at once.
Besides, the lightning power Rhodes currently controlled wasn't sufficient to develop overly powerful techniques.
"For now, I have swordsman-level slashes for offense, and my damage output is adequate. What I lack most is..."
"Physical strength, speed, and stamina."
Rhodes wracked his brain, recalling the pitiful Doriki value he'd measured today, and couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
A true master swordsman's Doriki should start at least around 1,000 with no upper limit, but he only managed a measly 249 points—barely above the minimum threshold.
It was all due to this weak body.
If he didn't solve this fundamental problem, he would never become a truly formidable warrior.
Biri biri...
Slowly channeling lightning throughout his body while carefully controlling its intensity, Rhodes's entire form took on a pale blue glow. He glanced in the mirror—his hair wasn't standing on end.
Gazing at his reflection, a figure wreathed in azure light, and feeling a faint tingling sensation across his skin, Rhodes pondered quietly.
Using lightning to stimulate cells and enhance their activity was definitely a viable approach.
If successfully developed, it would truly establish Rhodes's foundation and strengthen his core essence. Combined with his rapidly advancing swordsmanship, with just these two abilities, Rhodes could confidently face any being in this world—whether Kaido or Whitebeard.
However, this method was dangerous and potentially fatal, requiring considerable time and effort to master safely.
The Raikage techniques were passed down through generations, and his predecessors must have invested countless years of research to develop practical, effective strengthening methods.
But Rhodes was different. Setting aside the physiological differences between the One Piece world and the Naruto world, his innate talent for lightning control allowed him to manipulate electrical current with exquisite precision, adjusting the intensity incrementally. Starting with minimal current and maintaining consistent levels would prevent high voltage from burning his body or causing uncontrollable damage.
He acted immediately, sitting cross-legged on his bed. First, he reduced the lightning's intensity to barely perceptible levels.
Then he guided the current through his body.
As a doctor, Rhodes understood exactly where the human body could withstand stress and where it was most vulnerable. While internal organs were clearly beyond safe limits, muscles and bones were far more resilient.
At this point, his enhanced Perception proved invaluable.
With perception 1.5 times greater than average, Rhodes could more acutely and quickly sense physical discomfort and adjust accordingly.
Simultaneously, his swordsmanship mastery's concentration training allowed Rhodes to completely immerse himself in current manipulation, unaffected by external factors, without risk of distraction causing control errors.
Every step remained under precise control.
Zzzzt...
Slowly adjusting, sensing—the electrical humming was barely audible.
The current flowed through every muscle and bone in Rhodes's body, carefully avoiding vulnerable internal organs and sensitive areas.
Perhaps because Rhodes's foundation was so weak, or perhaps due to the incredible strengthening effects of the current, Rhodes could clearly feel waves of intense tingling and warmth throughout his body—as if his very bones were growing stronger!
This visible, almost tangible enhancement was more intoxicating than the finest sake. Rhodes lost all sense of time's passage, completely absorbed in the process.
Dawn was breaking outside, but his room remained pitch black.
A pair of eyes suddenly opened in the darkness, gleaming like two stars in the deep night sky.
"Though the effects aren't particularly dramatic yet, this was only my first attempt."
"With continued practice and refinement, the results will definitely become more pronounced," Rhodes said with excitement.
Three months in this world, and he'd been completely overshadowed by others in physical strength—barely surpassing women his own age!
Can you imagine the humiliation of being looked down upon by a girl for lacking strength?
Rhodes couldn't tolerate it, and he never wanted to experience that shame again!
(End of Chapter 6)
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