Chapter 219: The Shocked Shanks
"How long did it take you to learn how to shave?"
Shanks was genuinely curious about Ryosuke's straightforward answer. He asked tentatively, "In addition to Shave, you must've mastered the other techniques of the Marine Six Styles, right? How long did it take you—with the help of that World Government agent?"
After witnessing Ryosuke's overwhelming strength, Shanks found himself reevaluating the power structure of this world. Saki had once told him that the Hyuga clan's jonin represented the upper echelon of ninja combat power—people who could be dealt with easily in Ryosuke's eyes. That meant Ryosuke's strength was easily on par with, or beyond, the level of the Five Kage. But now... Shanks wasn't so sure anymore.
"Three days," Ryosuke replied casually. "I do know the other Marine Six Styles techniques."
Truthfully, it had only taken him a few minutes to learn the Six Styles from Blueno, but mastering them had taken a few days. Saying "three days" wasn't far from the truth—and it made for a cleaner explanation.
"So… you created your own Taijutsu technique by combining the essence of both worlds?" Shanks' eyes lit up with admiration. "You're quite an impressive guy."
Shanks always admired those with talent, but he knew that talent alone wasn't enough. "Still, forging something from scratch requires not only talent but real effort and pain," he added, casually resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. His heart itched with excitement, he wanted to test Ryosuke himself, to see whether taijutsu and swordplay from this world could rival the legacy of his own.
"It is troublesome at times," Ryosuke admitted with a calm nod. "Sometimes I wonder if there's even a path forward. But I enjoy the feeling of growing stronger, watching my body change, improve. It keeps me going."
"Interesting guy." Shanks found himself smiling. That pure hunger for growth—it was infectious.
"If you were from my world, I'd have asked you to join my crew in a heartbeat," Shanks said seriously. "With your talent, you'd be the most reliable partner I could ask for."
Ryosuke smiled politely. "Unfortunately, I already have my family."
Still, deep down, he couldn't deny it. If he'd been born in the One Piece world, he probably would have boarded Shanks' ship. The Red-Hair Pirates were one of the most balanced and dependable forces in that world. With his personality, he'd never roll the dice with someone like Luffy, running headlong into chaos for the thrill of it.
Shanks suddenly recalled Ryosuke's earlier invitation. His eyes narrowed slightly. "So… when you invited me to spar earlier, you were planning to learn my techniques during the fight?"
"I did consider it," Ryosuke admitted without hesitation. Since he'd been caught, there was no need to make excuses. Learning through battle wasn't stealing—it was mutual growth.
"As expected." Shanks chuckled, shaking his head. "You're really persistent, Mr. Ryosuke."
He instinctively tried to clap his fist into his palm, then paused—remembering he only had one arm. With a small sigh, he dropped the gesture. "What a shame."
His expression was full of regret. A match between the two of them would have been incredible—an experience that could push both fighters forward. But reality wasn't so simple. They had only met twice. Though their conversation flowed naturally, trust hadn't been fully established. In a foreign land, neither could afford to be careless.
Ryosuke could sense Shanks' unspoken concerns and felt the same reluctance. But there was no rush. Time would build trust.
From what he'd seen, Shanks was a man of loyalty, honor, and great emotional strength—someone worth befriending.
"My lords, pardon the interruption."
A butler from the Saki family approached with a respectful bow, his voice cautious. "Our master requests your presence for breakfast. Would this be convenient?"
"Of course," Ryosuke answered immediately.
After the morning exercise, their stomachs were already protesting, so he and Shanks didn't hesitate. They followed the butler through the corridors, past rows of servants who bowed politely as they passed.
They entered the dining hall and soon came face-to-face with Nozomi Saki, whom they hadn't seen since the previous night. His son, Yu, was noticeably absent—understandable, given his injuries.
"Before breakfast, I must apologize to you all."
Nozomi Saki's tone was sincere. "Last night, I left in a rush due to worry over my son's injuries. I failed to say my goodbyes properly. I apologize for the rudeness."
"There's no need to apologize," Ryosuke replied calmly. "It's human nature. We understand completely."
"Thank you for your kindness."
Nozomi gave a grateful nod, then turned to Ryosuke specifically. "Master Ryosuke, I must thank you personally. You saved Yu from the giant's jaws. If not for you, he wouldn't be alive."
He paused, then added, "I was also too extreme last night. Seeing my people suffer pushed me to speak harshly. Please forgive my tone."
"Extreme?" Ryosuke raised an eyebrow. "Last night, all I saw was a city lord worried for his people. I didn't hear any old man being radical."
He left it at that, giving Nozomi an easy way out. Since the other man had been respectful, there was no reason to create unnecessary tension.
Nozomi blinked in surprise, then chuckled. "…Master Ryosuke, you have a sense of humor."
He seemed to reach a decision in that moment. "I noticed Mr. Shanks showed interest in the Hyuga clan. How about this—I'll make arrangements for us to visit Konoha together and meet the Hyuga head?"
Shanks, who had been zoning out from the formalities, blinked at the sudden proposal.
"That's… not appropriate, Master Saki." His tone was skeptical.
"This city has just suffered a major disaster. Many citizens have died, and buildings have been damaged. This is a critical time when your leadership is needed. Leaving now would be…"
He paused, then added gently, "And I doubt Mr. Saki Yu will recover anytime soon, right?"
Before, the Saki family wanted to keep him locked in the city—never letting him leave, just serving as a kendo instructor for their retainers.
Now… why had their attitude suddenly changed?
"Actually, I'm planning to head to Hyuga because of something happening in the city."
With his hands calmly folded on the table, Nozomi Saki spoke with a warm tone.
"This time, it was thanks to Master Ryosuke that we were able to resolve the giant and save Saki City from an even greater disaster."
"So… I plan to visit Konoha in person to express my gratitude to the head of the Hyuga family."
"Also, I had some business ideas before and had hoped to collaborate with the Hyuga clan, but I never found the right opportunity. Now, I have a reason to come to you. I hope Master Ryosuke can be flexible."
Oh?
Ryosuke and Hinata exchanged a look, both catching the smile in the other's eyes.
Although they were a little surprised by the sudden shift in the Saki family's attitude, they didn't reject it. Talents like Nozomi, with strong business management skills, were exactly what their clan needed at this stage—so they welcomed everyone willing to join.
"You are very welcome."
Since Hinata handled the clan's domestic affairs, she stepped in at the right time to respond on Ryosuke's behalf.
"Whatever the head of the Saki family needs, our Hyuga clan is happy to assist."
"Thank you very much, Miss Hinata."
To Nozomi Saki, it didn't matter who spoke. In his eyes, Ryosuke and Hinata stood as one.
"As for Yu…. I actually want to bring him with me to Konoha."
He finally brought up his son.
"Although Yu's burns aren't fatal, they've affected some of his bodily functions. I'd like to take him to Konoha and have Lady Tsunade—the renowned medical expert—take a look at him."
"Lady Tsunade…"
Ryosuke smiled gently. "Actually, I have some experience in medical ninjutsu myself."
"If it's convenient for Master Saki, I could try treating Mr. Saki Yu as well. But since it was pitch dark last night, I wasn't able to properly assess the extent of his injuries. I can't promise a full recovery… not yet."
Of course, that was only half the truth.
Ryosuke had already examined Saki Yu's condition the previous night. He knew precisely how serious the burns were—and the consequences they would bring.
As for whether he could heal him? Ryosuke was completely confident. There would be no lingering side effects.
But at the time, relations between the Saki family and themselves were distant, so there was no point wasting effort on what felt like a thankless gesture.
Now things were different.
With the Saki family suddenly changing their stance and extending cooperation, this small favor became worth doing.
"Young Master Ryosuke possesses medical skills in addition to combat expertise?"
Nozomi Saki was a little surprised. "Of course I trust Master Ryosuke, so I'll leave it to you."
"Um…"
Shanks suddenly raised his arm. "It might be a little bold of me, but… may I observe the treatment?"
He knew it might seem strange to watch someone else perform healing techniques, but his curiosity about this world's medical methods was too strong.
"I don't mind."
Ryosuke answered casually.
"Since Master Ryosuke has no objections, I doubt Yu would mind Mr. Shanks being present either," Nozomi added.
With that, the Saki family had officially taken a step closer to building stronger ties with Hinata and her clan.
At Nozomi's signal, the kitchen began serving dishes.
While they ate, they chatted lightly about family matters. Most of the conversation came from Nozomi Saki himself—Ryosuke and the others listened quietly.
Yet, thanks to the delicious food, the atmosphere remained warm and far from awkward.
The enjoyable breakfast ended swiftly. After a short rest, Ryosuke and the others made their way to Saki Yu's room for treatment.
Naturally, Ryosuke's medical ninjutsu was beyond description.
He had mastered the Yang Release and developed his own secret medical technique. While he might not match Tsunade's extensive experience and insights, in terms of raw ability, the difference between them was slim.
In less than half an hour, Ryosuke—already well-acquainted with the specifics of Saki Yu's injuries—completed the treatment.
When Saki Yu appeared before everyone, looking as if he had never been injured, the true weight of Ryosuke's earlier modesty became clear.
Not only had the charred skin completely regenerated, but even the deeper tissue damage had been healed.
This was no simple healing—it was reconstruction.
"Now that Yu has recovered, let him resume managing the city's affairs."
Nozomi's respect for Hyuga deepened further.
"There's no time to lose. For every minute we delay, we miss a minute of profit in our future business ventures. Let's not waste any time."
"I'll arrange for a carriage immediately. We'll set off for Konoha as soon as possible."
He remembered clearly that Ryosuke and his companions had left hurriedly yesterday. It seemed they had pressing matters to attend to—so staying longer was never in the plan.
With the Saki family off to prepare the carriage, Ryosuke and the others found themselves with a moment of free time.
Ryosuke turned to Shanks, who had been unusually quiet since observing the treatment, and chuckled.
"Well? What do you think? How does the medical level here compare to your world?"
Shanks hesitated for a moment, then said, "All I can say is… it's unbelievable."
Even now, he was still somewhat stunned by what he had witnessed.
Just by placing his hands on Saki Yu, Ryosuke had caused both external and internal injuries to heal—right before their eyes—through a strange, glowing energy.
He had seen comparable effects in his own world, usually from rare Devil Fruits.
But based on Ryosuke's explanation during the treatment, many people in this world had access to similar medical arts—though the quality varied greatly.
That idea alone was staggering.
"This is the way of the ninja? Truly mysterious…"
Shanks' voice held a tinge of envy. "If everyone could master such healing techniques, then in war, the reduction in casualties would be massive. It would also put incredible pressure on the enemy."
A warrior who could also heal himself during battle.
That meant greater survivability, endurance, and sustainability during prolonged combat. It was nothing short of all-around development.
So far, Ryosuke had only demonstrated two techniques: his powerful taijutsu and his medical ninjutsu.
But just these two had already left a strong impression on Shanks.
And now, he found himself even more eager for the next destination—Konoha.
He had heard rumors that it was one of the most powerful shinobi villages in the entire ninja world.
There, he hoped to witness firsthand the true heights of this world's combat prowess.
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