The scent of oranges mixed with the scent of sweat swirled through his nostrils. Shanu raised his right hand, gazing at the calluses scabbed across the tip of his fist.
According to the manual, the essence of this breathing boxing technique lies in "nourishing the blood with qi."
Through a specific frequency of inhalation and exhalation, the alveoli exchange several times the amount of oxygen per unit time, allowing the boiling blood to carry nutrients, continuously irrigating every muscle fiber.
Physical training achieves twice the result with half the effort, and the gains gained feed back into the flesh and bones.
Day after day, over time , his physical strength will gradually increase to a level far beyond that of an ordinary human. At its peak, it will significantly surpass the human body's original limits, as if unlocking a genetic lock and transforming into a completely new species.
"A completely new species?"
Shanu's eyes flickered, filled with anticipation.
This world is filled with countless monsters with astonishing talents.
His own body, while possessing some physical talent, ultimately falls within the realm of ordinary humans.
It would be utterly inadequate on the sea.
It was like...
No matter how diligently Usopp trained, he was still just Usopp.
Only by shedding this layer of restraining skin, revealing the new, splendid form beneath, could he stand a chance of competing with monsters like Luffy and Zoro for a position as the primary force in battle.
If the "Breathing Fist" could truly help him achieve this, then he'd have truly struck gold, proving its value far beyond the 700 points it cost.
He'd toiled for three years, accumulating just over 900 points.
And the benefits of practicing the Breathing Fist were more than that.
He could clearly feel the rhythm of his heartbeat, like the sails of a ship filled with wind in a storm.
The lactic acid that normally accumulates after strenuous exercise was transformed into heat energy from muscle vibrations by this breathing rhythm.
The bruise from striking the citrus tree was now rapidly fading thanks to the unique rhythmic metabolism of the breathing technique.
If not...
Without medical care, he couldn't commit to hours of self-torturing, hellish training every morning and night, while still working the orange orchard during the day.
"System,"
Shanu thought, reawakening the system panel.
None of the attribute values had changed.
This didn't surprise him; cultivation requires continuous effort, never achieved overnight.
He stared at the rows of data, making a rough estimate.
He could already easily defeat a dozen full-grown men.
If his boxing skills were perfected, and his body truly transformed to a new level, dealing with a few ordinary fishmen shouldn't be a problem.
However...
What he had to face was far more than just a few fishmen.
Thinking back to the news he'd read in the newspaper after dinner, and the public photo of Jinbei, a shadow darkened the dark-haired boy's eyes.
The newspaper didn't elaborate, but he remembered it clearly.
One of Jinbei's conditions for becoming a Shichibukai was the release of Arlong and his former companions in the Sun Pirates from Impel Down Prison.
Arlong, Arlong, Arlong!
Ever since the day he regained his memory, that name has hung like a sword of Damocles over his head, keeping him awake at night.
He didn't have to train so hard, at least not so early.
He could have happily continued his childhood, enjoying every day of his rural life in the East Blue with warmth, ease, and brightness.
But, it wasn't to be.
Arlong was coming! He was about to break ranks with Jinbei and part ways with the Sun Pirates! Bringing his loyal followers, he would live his life as a local tyrant in the East Blue!
If memory serves, in the original timeline, in the year 1512 of the Sea Circle Calendar, eight years before Luffy set sail, the Arlong Pirates would arrive in Cocoa West Village and demand a draconian protection fee of 100,000 berries per person per month.
The once peaceful rural paradise would then be transformed into a repressive hell. That same day, Bellemere was coldly shot dead by Arlong for his daughter.
And now…
It was the end of autumn and the beginning of winter in the year 1511.
He had only a year left… no, at most a year!
Bang!
A sense of urgency washed over him, and Xia Nuo, his face scowling, slammed his fist into the tree trunk.
After days of continuous beatings, the tree finally began to react.
Crack! Countless fine cracks spread rapidly across the trunk like a spiderweb. The next second, the entire seven or eight-meter-tall tree shattered with a loud bang, scattering to the ground.
In the moonlight, shimmering through the shards of wood, the boy's eyes grew cold as steel.
He was also angry.
It was just Arlong, a mere 20 million berries bounty. Not even a small fry in the New World, let alone the Grand Line.
How dare they tamper with my hometown? How dare they put so much pressure on me for so many years!
When his memories first returned, Shanu would have urged Bellemere to move. Now, that was impossible!
Cocoyashi was now his home, a place that had brought him so much warmth and healing.
The orange groves, meadows, streams, and shores—everywhere held memories of him and his family. He even grew attached to the giant white dog at the village entrance that he had nearly sacrificed.
Why should they leave?
Fuck you!
Aaron should be the one to go!
Shanu threw a few more punches at the wooden stake, until his already dwindling strength was completely exhausted. Only then did his furious temper gradually subside.
He sat down on a high spot, the pier faintly visible in the distance.
The salty sea breeze brushed against the boy's shoulders. Shanu looked up, gazing at the winding Milky Way in the sky. The waves shattered into silver flakes among the reefs, making the stars flicker in his eyes.
"I have to go out to sea," he whispered to himself.
Cocoyashi Village was, after all, too small.
To the East Blue, it was like a tiny, insignificant star on the edge of the brilliant Milky Way.
The world beyond was vast, and if he wanted to earn more points and become even more powerful, he absolutely couldn't be confined to this small corner.
In fact, even as soon as he realized he couldn't plunder a single sheep too often, he'd already been planning to go out to sea in search of other, fatter sheep.
But at the time, he was only ten years old, a tiny child of just 1.4 meters tall, unable to even outrun the village geese.
Going out to sea was simply a death wish. Now he had some self-preservation skills, but full-scale seafaring was still too dangerous and unworthy; that was something for adulthood.
However, if he had a clear target in mind, following a passing merchant ship, following a safe route, and returning quickly would be a good option.
It would avoid worrying his family, and the chances of an accident were low.
As for his target...
Shanu almost didn't need to think twice before deciding.
Monkey D. Luffy!
The straw hat that once belonged to Pirate King Roger should now have been handed over to Luffy by Shanks, and it was this very hat that he had his eye on.
It was something the Child of the Planes cherished as his lifeblood, and it carried the historical significance of the era from Joy Boy to Roger.
Throughout the East Blue, there was hardly anything more valuable than this straw hat.
As for how Luffy would react if he lost it, or how the future world would change…
He didn't care.
Not at all.
Compared to improving his strength and protecting his family, these things meant nothing.
He made up his mind.
Shanu put on Bellemere's hand-knitted thick-knit sweater again, took a deep breath, and strode out of the orange grove.
As he passed the last wooden stake, he casually took the wooden sword that had been placed nearby.
He claimed to be out practicing swordsmanship, but in reality, he had been boxing the entire time, never once swinging his sword.
It couldn't be helped.
In fact, his swordsmanship came before his boxing.
At ten, he'd spent 100 points to redeem a manual on basic swordsmanship. However, he was a complete novice in the field, and despite spending even more time, he'd barely mastered it.
Energy is limited, so one must ultimately strive to maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses.
Therefore, once Shanu realized he had a greater aptitude for physical skills, he devoted all his energy to his "breathing fist technique," essentially abandoning his swordsmanship. Every
gain has its downfall.
He still carried his wooden sword with him during training, simply out of habit.
Before entering the village, Shanu glanced back at the distant docks.
As was customary, the first cargo ships arriving to purchase oranges would dock there in the next few days.
These ships typically numbered three or four, belonging to different merchant guilds and following distinct trade routes.
However, they would inevitably pass through large towns with developed ports, where they could transfer and find a ship bound for Windmill Village.
He felt compelled to act quickly, and he refused to wait any longer.
Setting sail!
As soon as the first cargo ships arrived, he'd head out!
Luffy, here I come!