For the time being, Kouzuki Oden's return—and his naked dance outside the shogun's palace—had little impact on Bai Feng's life on Onigashima.
Aside from becoming casual dinner-table mockery, his days remained disciplined and self-contained. Nearly all his time was devoted to rehabilitating the combat techniques of his previous life.
And just like that—
A year passed quietly.
After a full year of recovery training, Bai Feng had regained mastery over his three core combat arts from his former life.
Demon Mode:
Through a specialized breathing method and precise muscular control, he could briefly break past his body's limits, entering a half-human, half-demon combat state. In exchange for sustained stamina drain, his overall combat ability increased dramatically.
—In simple terms: short-term explosive physical enhancement.
Longsword Spirit Blade Style:
By resonating his fighting will, bodily energy, and weapon material, he generated a unique energy field. Through continuous attacks, this energy accumulated and manifested along the blade, progressing through white → yellow → red tiers.
—Essentially similar to Armament Haki coating, except it was sword aura coating.
Greatsword Charge Combat Style:
A hunting technique fusing peak human strength, weapon structure, and monster bio-energy. Through the three phases of charge → resonance → release, ordinary strikes transformed into devastating blows capable of cleaving dragon scales and shattering bone armor.
—In short: concentrating all power into a single, ultimate burst.
In his previous life, Bai Feng could deploy all three simultaneously.
Demon Mode to enhance his physique.
Spirit energy to amplify weapon destruction.
Charged strikes for ultimate burst damage.
With that combination, he became the famed Sapphire Star—the hunter who saved the world.
Of course, the rules of the Monster Hunter world differed from those of the One Piece world.
In Monster Hunter, a hunter's personal skill accounted for only 50–60% of total strength. Over 40% came from top-tier equipment crafted from elite monster materials.
But without sufficient personal strength, even the best gear was useless—and might even drive its wearer insane due to lingering monster resentment.
In contrast, the One Piece world—though it possessed powerful equipment like Germa's Raid Suits or the Supreme Grade Blades—placed far more emphasis on personal strength. It could account for 80–90% of one's overall power.
Thus, even though Bai Feng had regained his three core techniques, he was nowhere near Admiral level.
He was only five years old.
His fundamental physical attributes had yet to mature.
By his own estimation, he probably couldn't even match a Worst Generation pirate.
Moreover, the body reconstructed for him by the will of the Monster Hunter world—using a Xeno'jiiva egg as its core—greatly raised his growth ceiling.
But it also slowed his growth speed.
Over the past year, Bai Feng had continuously absorbed the leyline energy of Onigashima.
What little greenery the island once had was now gone.
Onigashima had become a barren stone island.
Even so, he still hadn't reached the point where he could fully wield Xeno'jiiva's complete power.
"Open system panel."
After finishing a day's training and soaking in the bath, Bai Feng silently issued the command.
A translucent interface appeared before him.
Name: Bai Feng
Age: 5
Elder Dragon Power: Xeno'jiiva (Egg Form — Early Stage — 75%)
Three Types of Haki: Not Awakened
Devil Fruit: None
Inventory Space: Ice Dragon's Zero Gem
Life Energy: 0
At the early-stage egg form, the only complete ability he could fully utilize was the power of devouring—absorbing leyline energy and life energy.
All other abilities remained incomplete.
For example, the Fires of the Underworld—
He could only release and control a limited amount of pale blue-white flame.
Its temperature and destructive power were respectable.
But in scale?
Not even comparable to one of Kaido's dragon breaths.
As for transformation—
He could only partially morph certain limbs, barely sufficient for low-intensity combat.
"About one more year…"
Bai Feng murmured inwardly.
Another year of absorbing Onigashima's leyline energy, and he would likely enter the Stable Phase.
At that point, though his usable Elder Dragon abilities would remain largely the same, he would no longer be bound to Onigashima like an earthbound spirit.
He could leave the island—
Or at least operate freely away from major leyline nodes.
As long as he didn't suffer severe injuries requiring core energy to regenerate, his growth ceiling would not decrease.
At worst, operating in leyline-poor regions would merely slow his development.
Nothing noteworthy occurred that night.
The next day—
A new piece of news exploded across Onigashima, rivaling the shock of Roger becoming Pirate King a year prior.
"Pirate King Roger has been executed by the World Government!!"
Shouts and gasps rang across the island.
Bai Feng took a newspaper from Dodogama and read.
"You want my treasure? You can have it!
Find it! I left everything this world has to offer there!"
The iconic declaration dominated the front page.
The article went on to describe how, after Roger's execution, countless individuals set sail in pursuit of his great treasure—ONE PIECE.
New pirates emerged in waves.
The Great Age of Pirates had begun.
"Uuuugh… Roger! How could you die like that?!"
Before Bai Feng finished reading, loud sobbing echoed from the banquet hall.
"I hadn't even gotten around to robbing you yet, and you just go and die on me! Wororororooo—!"
Bai Feng lowered the paper and peeked inside.
As expected.
A drunken Kaido was bawling his eyes out.
Satisfied his guess was correct, Bai Feng quietly turned and left.
Sober Kaido was rational, cold, cunning, ruthless, goal-oriented, self-aware, and intelligent.
He possessed formidable charisma.
Even when he vented, it was controlled.
But drunk Kaido?
A pure lunatic.
Love, hate, laughter, tears—his emotions flipped instantly.
His actions followed raw instinct, with no regard for consequences.
Anyone nearby could be beaten half to death—or killed outright.
Bai Feng had no interest in being collateral damage.
Best to stay far away.
Coincidentally—
While Kaido raged drunkenly over Roger's death on Onigashima—
In Wano, Kouzuki Oden also received the newspaper from Orochi.
He ran wildly along the beach like a madman, crying like an idiot, shouting:
"Roger!! You were incredible!! What an incredible life!! Uwahahaha—sob—sob—!!"