Shano raised his right hand, examining the calluses on his knuckles.
According to the manual, the essence of this breathing technique lies in "nourishing the blood with qi."
Through specific breathing frequencies, the alveoli exchange several times the amount of oxygen per unit of time, allowing the boiling blood to transport nutrients and continuously cleanse every muscle fiber.
Physical training achieves twice the results with half the effort, and the gains further nourish the skin, muscles, and bones.
Day after day, over time.
His physical strength will gradually increase to a level far exceeding that of ordinary people, and upon reaching its peak, it will significantly surpass the original limits of the human body, as if a genetic lock has been unlocked, transforming him into an entirely new species.
"An entirely new species..."
Shano's eyes flashed, filled with anticipation.
This world has too many monsters with astonishing talents.
His own body, though possessing a certain physical talent, was still at the level of an ordinary human.
On the high seas, it was completely inadequate.
It was like…
No matter how much Usopp trained, he was still just Usopp.
Only by shedding that skin that limited his potential, revealing the formidable new form within, could he have a chance to compete with monsters like Luffy and Zoro for a leading position in combat.
If the "Breathing Technique" could truly help him achieve this, then he had struck gold, proving its worth far exceeding its price of 700 points.
In three years of hard work, he had only managed to accumulate a little over 900 points.
Furthermore…
The benefits of practicing the Breathing Technique didn't end there.
At that moment, he could clearly feel the rhythm of his heartbeat, like a candle flapping in a storm.
The buildup of lactic acid that normally occurs after strenuous exercise in ordinary people was being converted into thermal energy thanks to the muscle tremors under this breathing rhythm.
The bruises left by the blow to the citrus fruit were quickly fading thanks to the unique rhythmic metabolism of this breathing technique.
Otherwise,
without medical support, he wouldn't be able to endure hours of almost self-torture-like training every morning and night without interfering with the orange harvest during the day.
"System."
Shano's mind raced, and he activated the system panel again.
The attribute values still hadn't changed.
This wasn't surprising; cultivation required continuous accumulation, never a one-day effort.
He observed the data lines, making a rough estimate in his mind.
At that moment, he could easily defeat more than a dozen strong adult men.
If he perfected his fist technique, his body would reach a new level.
Dealing with a few ordinary fish-men shouldn't be a problem.
However…
He would be facing much more than just a few fish-men.
Recalling the news he'd seen in the newspaper after dinner and the picture of Jinbe published, a shadow fell across the black-haired boy's eyes.
The newspaper hadn't gone into detail, but he remembered it clearly.
One of Jinbe's conditions for becoming a Shichibukai was the release of Arlong and his crew, his former comrades from Impel Down.
Arlong, Arlong, Arlong!
Ever since he regained his memory, that name had been like the sword of Damocles, constantly hanging over his head, making him uneasy, even keeping him awake at night!
Originally, he hadn't had to train so desperately, at least not so early.
He could have happily continued his childhood, making each day in this rural East Blue warm, easy, and bright.
But it can't be.
Arlong is coming! He's about to sever ties with Jinbe and leave the Sun Pirates! He's coming to the East Blue with his band of loyal followers to live the life of a local tyrant!
If I remember correctly.
In the original timeline, in the year 1512 of the Marine Calendar, eight years before Luffy set sail, Arlong's pirate crew landed on the shores of Cocoyasi Village, ruthlessly extorting all the villagers with an exorbitant protection fee of 100,000 Berries per person per month.
The peaceful rural paradise was transformed into a hell under an oppressive regime. It was on that day that Bellemere was callously shot dead by Arlong for her daughter.
And now…
It's late autumn/early winter of the year 1511 of the Marine Calendar.
He only had one year left… no, at most one year!
Thump!
A sense of urgency washed over him. Shano, his face grim, slammed his fist into the tree trunk.
After enduring several days of blows, the tree finally experienced a chain reaction.
Crack! Crack! Countless fine cracks spread rapidly across the tree like a spiderweb. The next second, the seven- or eight-meter-tall tree shattered with a deafening roar, its fragments scattering across the ground.
In the moonlight filtering through the flying wood chips, the boy's expression turned icy.
He was getting angry too.
He was just Arlong, a nobody with a 20 million berry bounty. He didn't even deserve to be mentioned in the New World, let alone the Grand Line.
How dare they touch his hometown? How dare they pressure him so much for so many years!
When he regained his memory, Shano would have advised Bellemere to move away. Now, no way!
Cocoyasi Village was now his hometown, a place that had given him countless moments of warmth and healing.
The orange groves, the meadows, the streams, the shores: everywhere held memories of him and his family. Even the large white dog at the entrance to the village, the one he had almost sacrificed years before, held a special place in his heart.
Why did they have to leave?
Go to hell!
It's Arlong who should be lost!
He hammered at the wooden stake several more times until his already dwindling strength was completely exhausted. Only then did Shano's frenzied and violent temper gradually subside.
He sat down on a high spot, with the distant pier barely visible.
A salty sea breeze brushed against the boy's shoulders. Shano tilted his head back, gazing at the winding Milky Way in the sky. The waves broke into silvery flakes among the reefs, reflecting starlight into his eyes.
"I have to go out to sea," he murmured to himself.
Cocoyasi Village was far too small.
To the Eastern Sea, it was like a tiny, insignificant star on the edge of the brilliant Milky Way.
The outside world was vast. To gain more points and grow stronger, he couldn't confine himself to that small place.
In fact, he had already planned to venture out to sea in search of other fat sheep as soon as he realized he couldn't keep hunting the same ones.
But back then, he was only ten years old, a small bean barely six feet tall, incapable of even defeating the village geese. Going out to sea was simply courting death.
He now possesses some self-defense skills, but setting sail and venturing out officially is far too dangerous and inappropriate; that's for grown-ups.
However…
If he had a clear objective, following a merchant ship along a safe route, a quick round trip, would be a good option.
This would avoid worrying his family, and the likelihood of an accident would be low.
As for who to attack…
—Without even thinking, Shano identified the answer in his mind.
Monkey D. Luffy!
The straw hat that once belonged to the Pirate King Roger should now be in Shanks's hands, and it is this straw hat that he has his sights set on.
It is something the chosen one of this world cherishes like his life, and it holds historical significance from Joy Boy to Roger.
Looking at the entire East Blue, almost nothing is more "valuable" than this straw hat.
As for Luffy's reaction to losing the straw hat and how it might change the timeline...
He didn't care.
Not at all.
Compared to improving his strength and protecting his family, these things were completely insignificant.
—————
Having made his decision,
Shano put on the crumpled knitted sweater Bellemere had knitted for him, took a deep breath, and left the orange grove.
Passing the last wooden stake, he casually picked up the wooden sword lying beside him.
He claimed to have been practicing fencing, but in reality, he practiced boxing all the time, never once wielding a sword.
There was no other option.
In fact, he practiced fencing before boxing.
At ten years old, he spent 100 points to exchange for a basic fencing manual, but unfortunately, he simply wasn't cut out for it. Even after dedicating much more time to it, he barely grasped the basics.
Human energy is limited; ultimately, one must capitalize on their strengths and avoid their weaknesses.
Therefore, when Shano realized he was more talented in physical combat, he devoted all his energy to the "Breathing Fist Technique," practically abandoning swordsmanship.
There are always trade-offs.
Now, he still carries a wooden sword during training, simply out of habit.
Before entering the village, Shano took one last look at the distant dock.
As was customary, the first group of cargo ships arriving to buy oranges would dock there in the coming days.
There were usually three or four cargo ships, belonging to different merchant guilds, each with its own trade routes.
But they inevitably passed through large, well-developed port cities, where they could transfer to another ship bound for the Mill Village area.
The sooner the better; I didn't want to wait any longer.
Set sail!
As soon as the first cargo ships arrive, I'll set sail immediately!
Luffy, here I come!
(End of chapter)