Chapter 36: A Good Show (Part 1)
"That bastard is absurdly strong!"
Sanji took a long drag from his cigarette, a dull ache throbbing in his abdomen. He had always known Apollo was powerful, but today he had truly witnessed the terrifying extent of that strength.
None of the three—Luffy, Zoro, or himself—could withstand a single move.
"No wonder he dares to aim for the title of World's Strongest."
Apollo stood before them, holding up two fingers. "There are two disciplines I will teach you: Haki and the Rokushiki."
He lowered one finger. "Haki is divided into three categories. You've already experienced Armament Haki firsthand. Then there is Observation Haki, which allows you to sense an enemy's presence and predict their movements. Finally, there is Conqueror's Haki, which exerts your will over others to intimidate or knock them unconscious."
He paused to let that sink in before continuing. "Armament and Observation Haki can be trained and improved by anyone. However, Conqueror's Haki is an innate talent; you are either born with the disposition of a king, or you are not. It cannot be trained, only controlled."
"As for the second discipline," Apollo continued, "the Six Powers, or Rokushiki, consists of six superhuman combat techniques: Soru (Shave), Geppo (Moonwalk), Rankyaku (Tempest Kick), Tekkai (Iron Body), Kami-e (Paper Art), and Shigan (Finger Pistol)."
Apollo knew the Six Powers not because a Marine instructor had taught him, but because he had reverse-engineered them himself.
The principles behind the techniques were actually quite simple. Whether learning them or creating them from scratch, the barrier to entry was physical conditioning.
High demands were placed on physical fitness and precise body control, with raw physical specs being the most critical factor. Given Apollo's monstrous physique, understanding the theory made executing them trivial.
Of course, these techniques didn't add much to his own overwhelming power level. However, for Luffy and the others at this stage in their journey, the Six Powers were invaluable.
Mastering them would provide a significant spike in combat effectiveness. Haki was arguably more important, but it wasn't something that could be mastered overnight.
And so, the training began.
Luffy showed extraordinary instinct for Soru, grasping the explosive footwork almost immediately. Sanji displayed a dual talent for the mobility of Soru and the aerial maneuverability of Geppo.
Zoro, on the other hand, learned Kami-e and Tekkai the fastest. Perhaps it was because he was always the one taking the most damage—he had a knack for endurance.
After sailing for some time, the Going Merry arrived at Whiskey Peak, a bizarre island characterized by giant, cactus-shaped mountains.
Before they made landfall, Mrs. Wednesday—the mysterious woman they had picked up—jumped ship and vanished.
Upon entering the town, the crew received an inexplicably warm welcome. There was music, food, and endless booze. Caught up in the atmosphere, the Straw Hats drank themselves into a stupor.
Or so it seemed.
Long after dark, when the town fell silent, Zoro quietly opened his eyes. There was no hint of drunkenness in his sharp gaze. Among the Straw Hat Pirates, the swordsman was always the most vigilant.
As Zoro slipped away into the night, Apollo sat up in his room.
He leaned back in his chair, propping his boots on the table. His Divine Sense spread out silently, covering the town like an invisible net.
"Well done, Zoro. Using Kami-e and Soru in actual combat already? As expected of the future World's Strongest Swordsman."
Apollo tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm? His slashes feel different tonight. Did he draw inspiration from Rankyaku? It seems he might comprehend the 'Breath of All Things' and the ability to cut steel earlier than expected."
"Who are you mumbling to?" A voice suddenly spoke beside him.
Apollo wasn't surprised. He tilted his head, smiling. "Not pretending to sleep anymore?"
Nami snorted, sitting up. "You're muttering right next to my ear; how could I keep pretending?" She paused, her expression turning serious. "What exactly is going on here? A town that welcomes pirates with open arms? It's too abnormal."
"This is a bounty hunter nest," Apollo explained casually. "They specialize in hunting pirates who have just entered the Grand Line and let their guard down. They funnel the bounty money to a criminal organization called Baroque Works."
He glanced at her. "Oh, right. Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday, the ones who traveled with us? They're agents of Baroque Works."
"Luffy, that idiot!" Nami slapped her forehead in exasperation, then shot Apollo a glare. "I told you she was a bad woman, but you didn't believe me!"
"There's more to the story than meets the eye," Apollo said with a mysterious smile. "Come on. I'll take you to watch a good show. You'll see Miss Wednesday's true colors soon enough."
"More to the story?" Nami blinked, confused.
"Let's go."
Apollo didn't explain further. He wrapped an arm around her waist, shot up from the chair, and floated out of the window like a ghost. They landed silently on the roof of the tallest building in town.
Below them, the chaotic battle between Zoro and the bounty hunters was raging.
Apollo and Nami sat on the edge of the roof, looking down.
After a few minutes, Nami whispered, "Is it really alright for us to just watch?"
"Of course. This is a rare opportunity for actual combat experience. Besides, I'm sure Zoro wouldn't want me to interfere with his fun," Apollo said with certainty.
"That's true." Nami nodded, her mood improving as she realized she didn't have to fight.
So, the two sat high above the chaos, leisurely enjoying the violence. However, the battle wasn't particularly thrilling to watch. The bounty hunters here were essentially low-level thugs; numbers meant nothing to Zoro, who cut through them without breaking a sweat.
Watching the fight wind down, Nami asked curiously, "The battle is almost over. Where's this 'good show' you promised?"
"Don't rush. The actors are just arriving." Apollo pointed toward the edge of town.
Almost immediately, the sound of an explosion echoed from that direction.
Nami looked at Apollo thoughtfully. "You really can 'see' things beyond your line of sight, can't you?"
Apollo feigned surprise. "You figured that out?"
Nami playfully punched his arm, rolling her eyes. "Do I look like an idiot? You're being so obvious about it, anyone could guess!"
Apollo laughed heartily. "Look, the main event is starting."
Nami followed his gaze. Aside from the unconscious bodies Zoro had piled up, two new figures had appeared in the street below.
There was a man sporting a distinct afro and a woman wearing a lemon-yellow dress and carrying a parasol. They walked with an arrogant stride from the direction of the explosion.
Nami squinted, trying to make out the details. "They seem to be arguing with someone... but I can't hear clearly from this distance."
"Ah, I forgot about that. Don't worry, I've got you."
Apollo raised his hand. He pressed his index and middle fingers together, then gently tapped the center of Nami's forehead.
"Can you hear now?"
"This is..."
Nami gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in shock.
Her senses had suddenly expanded violently. The blurry figures below snapped into high-definition focus. The muddled sounds of the wind and distant voices became crisp and distinct.
She felt as if she had been viewing the world through a thick fog, and suddenly, the sun had burned it all away.
"Don't get too addicted to the feeling," Apollo reminded her softly. "I'm using external force to temporarily stimulate your five senses. The effect will wear off in a few minutes."
"This is amazing," Nami whispered.
She turned to look at Apollo. With her enhanced vision, even at this close distance, she couldn't find a single flaw on his face. The man wasn't just terrifyingly capable; he was unfairly handsome.
Apollo chuckled, noticing her stare. "Just a small trick. Hurry and watch the show; it's about to reach the climax."
In truth, this was more than a trick. Over the past few days, Apollo had been attempting to recover his cultivation methods. He finally had some leads.
Currently, he couldn't directly cultivate spiritual energy in this world, and he wasn't entirely sure if his technique was still the Grand Heavenly Immortal Art, but his control over his internal energy had reached a new tier.
It wasn't just about proficiency anymore. He was realizing that spiritual energy had applications he had never considered—or never needed—in his previous life.
What he had just done to Nami was one of those applications. It wasn't a spell, or a technique recorded in any manual. It was just a casual manipulation of energy.
Dear Readers,
I have an important favor to ask of you today. If you've been enjoying the story, please consider switching to Patreon to support me directly.
By joining, you will instantly unlock 20 chapters and gain access to a total of 50 to 55 chapters every month.
To be honest with you, I am currently in deep financial trouble, and your support would mean the world to me during this difficult time. Furthermore, if I can get more members, I plan to add even more new fanfics by the end of this week!
Please consider supporting me on Patreon so I can continue creating content for you.
Thank you for your help
patreon.com/anish_44