Chapter 2: Dragon's Wrath, Overlord's Haki
As soon as he touched the bubbles, they popped and were absorbed, instantly improving his related attributes.
Satisfied, Luo Ling rejoined the sparring revolutionaries, throwing punch after punch. He didn't leave the training ground until late at night, his small body drenched in sweat. After cooling down, he collapsed onto his cot.
The revolutionaries had cleared out a small utility room for him. Listening to the rhythmic beat of the waves against the hull, Luo Ling took a deep breath and focused his mind. "Hourglass, open my status panel."
[Analysis Complete.]
[Name]: Luo Ling
[Epithet]: None
[Armament Haki]: 5% (Beginner)
[Observation Haki]: 3% (Beginner)
[Conqueror's Haki]: 1% (Beginner)
[Rokushiki Arts]: 35% (Basic)
[Swordsmanship]: 29% (Basic)
[Spearmanship]: 13% (Basic)
[Devil Fruit Mastery]: 31% (Beginner)
[Meito]: None
[Berries]: 0
(System Note: Analysis reflects current proficiency. The Hourglass provides infinite spatial storage.)
(System Note: Hourglass functions include: Analysis, Synthesis, Extraction, and Reversal.)
...
Luo Ling had been hoping to snag some attribute bubbles from Dragon or Ivankov, but they were so powerful and controlled that they rarely leaked any excess energy for him to analyze.
Luo Ling stretched out his small hand, watching as the skin morphed into a furry monkey's paw. "Hourglass, can't you just let me awaken my fruit's full power?"
[Negative. The system is currently analyzing basic physical techniques for synthesis.]
Synthesis?
Luo Ling sat up, intrigued. His highest proficiency was in basic physical arts. If he could synthesize those into a single, powerful technique, it would be a huge boost.
Fish-Man Karate? Or maybe... one of the Rokushiki!
As long as it's not Tekkai, I'll be happy.
[Synthesis complete. New skill acquired: Rokushiki - Tekkai (Iron Body)]
[(Tekkai): Hardens the user's muscles to the level of iron, drastically increasing defense. Continued training enhances defensive power and recovery speed.]
Luo Ling wanted to cry. Of all the techniques, he got the one that was purely defensive. Still, he didn't have any real combat moves yet. The development of his Devil Fruit was still too low; all he could manage were partial transformations.
A crystal-clear bubble appeared before him. He tapped it.
Instantly, a flood of knowledge and experience—and even muscle memory—poured into him. He tentatively tensed his muscles.
Clank!
He couldn't move a muscle. So this is Tekkai...
After releasing the technique, Luo Ling felt his heart sink. It was literally a skill for standing still and getting hit. However, he couldn't deny that his body felt immensely tougher, his defense and resilience already much higher than before. The synthesized bubbles granted him 100% proficiency, giving him instant mastery. It was far more effective than absorbing the normal attribute bubbles.
"My Haki is still too weak, and I don't have a safe way to train it."
With that thought, he closed his eyes and began to practice his Observation Haki, expanding his senses to feel for any danger within the ship, the corridor, the vast sea outside.
A sudden, chilling premonition stabbed at his mind.
Danger!
Luo Ling's legs coiled and he leaped from his cot onto the small table in the corner.
The very next moment, the cabin door creaked open silently. A shadowy figure slipped inside and swung a blade at the empty bed, only to freeze in surprise when he found no one there.
"A monkey?!" the assassin gasped.
Luo Ling had already entered his full Zoan form. He coated his fists in a crude layer of Armament Haki and slammed his fist into the man's forehead. The explosive power of a Zoan-type was on full display!
The assassin was knocked down and out cold. At the same time, more black-clad figures appeared all over the ship.
Enemy attack!
Who would dare attack a ship with Dragon and Ivankov on board? Are they suicidal?
Only when Luo Ling landed did he realize his punch had killed the man instantly. His power had never been so strong before! The combination of his Zoan form, the newly learned Tekkai, and his basic Armament Haki had granted him terrifying strength.
"This sword is junk, and the gun is even worse." Luo Ling casually stored the dead man's weapons in his Hourglass's spatial storage. He also found and pocketed a total of 300 Berries.
A dozen or so bubbles now floated in the air around the corpse. They were filled with the man's life force, his skills, and even bubbles of resentment and regret. Luo Ling popped the useful ones and let the rest dissipate.
[Attributes Acquired: Basic Swordsmanship +50, Basic Rokushiki Arts +40, Vitality +100]
It's all just basic attributes. No wonder he died so easily in a sneak attack.
Still, killing one enemy yielded as many attribute points as he'd get from the entire training ground. His proficiency had jumped significantly. Luo Ling realized that if he could wipe out a whole pirate crew in one night, he could probably level up his skills instantly.
"So weak, and yet they dare to launch a premeditated sneak attack? What's their plan?"
Luo Ling couldn't figure it out, but he knew he had to be cautious. His full Zoan monkey form was still too weak for a real fight, so he opted for a hybrid combat form. His hands and feet transformed into powerful beastly limbs, and a prehensile tail sprouted from his back. His recovery and mobility were drastically improved. Speed and agility were his main advantages, supplemented by the power of his Haki and Tekkai.
Luo Ling hung upside down from the doorframe, waiting quietly. With his beginner-level Observation Haki, ambushing the ambushers was his best bet.
BANG!
The next attacker chose to shoot through the door first, hoping to avoid any traps. But Luo Ling, clinging to the frame above, was completely out of the line of fire.
"No one's here!"
"The first guy is dead! The target must have escaped!"
"Strange... we've been discovered. If we don't leave now, we'll be tied down."
Two of them? Luo Ling held his breath, gauging their strength with his Observation Haki. Once he had a feel for their power, he hooked the doorframe with his tail. Hanging upside down like a striking scorpion, he used the sword he'd just acquired to slash across both their throats in one smooth motion.
Again, a shower of bubbles.
[Attributes Acquired: Vitality +200, Rokushiki Arts +90, Spearmanship +30, Swordsmanship +50]
Luo Ling had a question mark floating over his own head. His Spearmanship is worse than his Swordsmanship, so why did he use a gun to test the waters? What kind of mixed-up fighter was he?
He took their weapons and Berries, finding nothing that could identify them. The sounds of gunshots and clashing swords echoed down the corridor. It was definitely a ship-wide assault. Luo Ling was baffled as to how so many enemies could have infiltrated the ship so quietly. This was Dragon's flagship!
Unless...!
A Devil Fruit! A Paramecia that allows for instant movement or mass infiltration!
He leaped out into the corridor, bouncing between the walls and ceiling to avoid stray attacks. "The highest concentration of enemies is over there. The source must be nearby!"
Luo Ling's movements became faster, his jumps more fluid and practiced. He could only train in his small room normally; this chaos was a once-in-a-lifetime training opportunity.
"A door!"
In the widest lounge on the crew's deck, Luo Ling saw it: a freestanding door, shimmering in the air. Figures were continuously stepping out of it. These assassins weren't strong individually, but they were organized and clearly planned this attack meticulously. They just never expected to run into a 'hard nail' like him.
[Detected active Paramecia-type Devil Fruit: Doa Doa no Mi (Door-Door Fruit)]
So the Doa Doa no Mi hasn't been eaten by CP9's Blueno yet! It belongs to some pirate captain who specializes in sneak attacks.
[Analysis Complete. Attribute Detected: Devil Fruit Mastery +300]
[Extract?]
"Extract."
Luo Ling mentally tapped the prompt, absorbing the pure Devil Fruit energy to improve his own mastery. The Hourglass immediately issued a new alert.
[Detected Advanced-level Conqueror's Haki in use.]
[Analysis Complete. Attribute Detected: Conqueror's Haki +1000]
[Extract?]
"Extract!"
Luo Ling had thought this battle was just a good chance to farm some attribute bubbles. He never expected to hit the jackpot!
"Hourglass, is this some kind of starter pack bonus?"
[Negative. Conqueror's Haki radiates immense spiritual pressure when used. Its energy is impossible to contain, making it available for analysis.]
"A thousand points from a single extraction? Isn't that a bit much?"
[The result is a reflection of the user's immense power. Monkey D. Dragon is overwhelmingly strong.]
A feeling of sour jealousy washed over Luo Ling as he absorbed the power.
In an instant, his proficiency with Conqueror's Haki skyrocketed. If 100 attribute points was worth 1% proficiency, then 1,000 points had just boosted his Conqueror's Haki all the way to the Intermediate level!