"Alright, let's put the argument aside for now. Every tall building rises from the ground up. Let's start by learning the most basic vocalization. Proper breathing and vocal technique are the foundation of all singing."
Gordon motioned for Luffy to stand up straight.
"First, copy me."
"Feel the breath sink into your dantian, then exhale slowly and evenly with a 'sss—' sound, just like this..."
Gordon placed his hands lightly over his lower abdomen, took a deep breath, his chest and abdomen expanding slightly in unison, making him appear steady and powerful. He demonstrated a long, stable breath, controlling it with exquisite skill.Chapter 40: The Klabautermann and the Uta Uta no Mi
Luffy imitated him, also taking a huge gulp of air. The lung capacity of a rubber man was indeed astonishing; the sound of his inhale was like a bellows, instantly inflating him like a balloon.
Rubber... balloon?
Gordon's eyes went wide.
"Again, watch me carefully. Vocal technique isn't something you can master quickly; it requires long-term training..."
Gordon was mentally prepared for Luffy's performance.
How could you expect someone with zero foundation to do it perfectly right away?
Impossible.
That would make him a second Uta.
[Through instruction by a master teacher, your (Song) proficiency +20]
Luffy's eyes lit up.
He had struggled with that book for so long and only got 10 points total. Now, a bit of casual guidance gave him 20?
If that was the case, and he wanted to become a swordsman... wasn't that man called Hawk-Eyes supposedly the World's Greatest Swordsman? If Luffy could get him to teach a move or two, couldn't he become a decent swordsman really fast?
So teachers were this important.
From this moment on, Luffy understood the importance of a teacher.
Of course, he had to find a master teacher like Gordon, not some mediocre one!
At that moment, a certain old, handsome man on the Sabaody Archipelago sneezed.
Once theoretical knowledge was combined with practice, the proficiency points soared.
Vocalization, breath, diction, pitch.
After vocalization came breath training. Gordon's method was to train breathing first, then go back and learn vocalization.
Luffy's second attempt at breath control made Gordon pause.
"Not bad this time,"
Gordon asked Luffy to do it again. "Your breath should be continuous and steady; it can be an unbroken stream or encompass mountains and rivers. This part is quite difficult..."
The words had barely left his mouth before he was proven wrong.
Luffy nailed it on the first try. The progress was so obvious it made Gordon's expression even more peculiar. He shifted his teaching method from instructing a total novice to teaching a beginner.
He thought it would be somewhat difficult, but Luffy went from imitation to mastery in just two rounds.
Then came diction training, vocal projection training.
Gordon had seen many, many geniuses.
Like Uta, a once-in-a-lifetime freak of talent, a natural born to do this, who understood everything instantly.
Before meeting Gordon, Uta had already laid a solid foundation through self-study and then soared to incredible heights. That kind of person was a natural prodigy.
If Uta was a shining star, then Luffy's performance was undoubtedly like a moon that had been covered in dust, now being wiped clean.
[Shinsekai (New World)]
[Kaze no Yukue (Where the Wind Blows)]
[Gyakkou (Backlight)]
.....
Uta's small mouth hung open as she watched this unbelievable scene. Just because she couldn't teach didn't mean her musical prowess was inferior to Gordon's. What Gordon noticed, she naturally spotted too.
Was this still the Luffy she knew?
The songs Gordon taught were all Uta's original compositions, so she knew their difficulty well. Luffy had started by nearly inflating himself like a balloon while learning to breathe, yet after going through the whole process, he could now open his mouth and sing them.
He still couldn't compare to Uta, of course, but in Uta's impression, Luffy wasn't just someone who had nothing to do with music... he was a complete tone-deaf idiot.
Could it be that he was actually a genius? Not 'idiot' as in stupid, but 'idiot' as in obsessively devoted?
[Congratulations! After vocal training, your Song proficiency has risen to Lv1]
Song Proficiency: 0/200 (Lv1)
[Special Reward Time, Phase Two: Have Uta use the Uta Uta no Mi and sing a song together with you. Current (Nika) Consciousness Awakening Level: 30%.]
[Note: The Uta Uta no Mi possesses miraculous power. Singing aboard the Going Merry may yield unexpected rewards, potentially awakening the latent Klabautermann.]
Unexpected rewards?
Luffy was taken aback. He was still fuzzy on this so-called "Nika consciousness," and now what was a "Klabautermann"?
Could a Klabautermann be considered a new nakama?
Judging by the name... the Klabautermann should be Merry.
"Wait... I feel like I've heard about Klabautermann somewhere before."
"Luffy?"
Uta noticed Luffy spacing out and walked up to ask him.
Uta's voice brought Luffy back, and he grasped that fleeting thought.
"Oh, right! Uta."
Luffy suddenly turned around.
Their lips were now only a hair's breadth apart, their breath washing over each other's faces. Luffy saw his own reflection perfectly mirrored in Uta's widened pupils.
Gordon: "..."
Kids these days.
Why were they standing so close?
Luffy's heart involuntarily gave a powerful thump.
Under the filter of childhood friendship, many things felt different.
For example, when others lavished praise, calling her a beautiful superstar who could sing and dance, Luffy would only think that Uta was still that troublesome girl who tried to take a hot spring bath with him in a barrel using boiled water, who would crawl into his bed and steal his blankets after hearing ghost stories at night, and couldn't sleep.
When that filter was suddenly shattered by something...
Luffy realized why Uta's expression and lips looked so... appealing.
Cute. Want to...
A warning alarm rang in his head at an inopportune moment, the sudden reaction making Luffy jolt all over.
Business first! Focus on the task!
"W-what did you want to say?" Uta took a step back, feigning composure.
"I want to sing a song with you!" Luffy's expression changed.
Is... is this a confession?
Well, well, Luffy. I thought of you as a friend, but you've been harboring ulterior motives all along, huh?!
She didn't dislike Luffy—he was her only friend... but not disliking someone didn't mean you liked them, right?!
Of course not!
But why did their childhood friendship suddenly feel... different?
Could it be that during all those years apart, Luffy had actually been missing her?
At this thought, Uta's heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest. Ever since that day, she had always felt so alone...
"L-let me think about it," Uta said, covering her flushed cheeks, her gaze darting away.
"What's there to think about? Don't tell me you're afraid I'll sing better than you?" Luffy pressed urgently.
Uta's smile froze.
Saying that completely ruined the mood.
Had she misunderstood?
"Why do you want to sing with me?" she asked.
Why?
Because he was really curious about both the Klabautermann and Nika, but he couldn't say that outright.
Better to use that excuse again. Actually, it wasn't really an excuse.
Wasn't everything he was experiencing now all for that ultimate goal?
"To become the Pirate King!" Luffy's gaze was firm.
"...I give up. You win."
Uta let out a soft, snorting laugh. "Fine, I agree."
***
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