One Piece: The Celestial Dragons' Self-Cultivation

Page 74

Through his experiments on Koala, Black discovered that after fusing Armament Haki into his body, he could still inflict effective damage on Logia-type Devil Fruit users even without actively activating Armament Haki.

It can be said that Armament Haki has now become a passive skill for Black.

The improvement in Observation Haki is also significant.

Black's Observation Haki not only has the ability to foresee the future and travel at great distances, but also allows him to enter a state similar to bullet time.

In this state, Black, like the Flash or Quicksilver, experiences a different perception of time than ordinary people.

Using this ability in combat can effectively dodge attacks or exploit weaknesses.

The Conqueror's Haki has also been enhanced.

However, since Conqueror's Haki users are few and far between, they may not necessarily obtain ability cards after the battle.

So after four years, Black only mastered all the Conqueror's Haki abilities that appeared in the original work.

Attack from a distance, kill by sight, and interfere with Devil Fruit abilities.

Apart from that, Blake did not possess any additional special abilities.

According to Black's estimation, his Conqueror's Haki strength has now surpassed that of Joy Boy, but his technique may still be inferior.

As Im's nemesis, Joy Boy will certainly be able to inflict effective damage on him.

If this ability is the effect of Conqueror's Haki, then Black has at least one advanced application of Conqueror's Haki that he hasn't mastered yet.

He wasn't in a hurry either.

If you haven't mastered it, it means you haven't accumulated enough quantity yet. Keep accumulating!

In terms of swordsmanship, after the combined skills of several great swordsmen, Blake's current strength has almost reached an unprecedented level.

Now, all that's missing is to condense the scroll into a black blade, and Black will be able to reach the level of the greatest swordsman in history.

It can be said that Blake's strength has completely surpassed that of the Emperor-level generals in the original work.

According to the previous life, no one of the Four Emperors could withstand the combined attack of two generals.

Blake estimated that he should be fine now.

However, he remained reserved about whether he could defeat Im.

Blake was a cautious man, and no matter how much he improved, he would not be confident enough to challenge Im before he had actually seen him fight.

Unless the mute system pulls one out for him sometime and lets him try it out first.

The card slot not only yielded an elderly Red Earl, but also a middle-aged Kizaru and a middle-aged Aokiji.

The latter generously revealed another Ice-Ice Fruit ability card, so Mandy's Ice-Ice Fruit has also been developed to the awakened level.

But Kizaru was quite oblivious, only unleashing his Armament Haki.

Compared to Observation Haki, swordsmanship, and Devil Fruit abilities, Armament Haki is probably Kizaru's weakest skill.

However, it was still an Admiral-level Armament Haki, so Black could only use it on himself with tears in his eyes. Koala's Devil Fruit awakening would have to wait a while longer.

For this, Black added another mark against Kizaru.

Besides the ability cards that had already been used, Blake had also accumulated quite a few low-level ability cards over the past four years.

Swordsman-level swordsmanship *7

Zoan type, Ox-Ox Fruit, Buffalo form

Zoan type, Ancient species, Lizard Fruit, Titan Lizard form

Zoan type, Ancient species, Bird-bird fruit, Moa form

Zoan type, Ancient species, Insect-Insect Fruit, Meganeam form

Paramecia type - Chain-Chain Fruit

Paramecia-type Phase Fruit

The advanced abilities revealed from the card space, such as physical attributes and domineering aura, have already been used.

Even ordinary Zoan-type ability cards, because it's easy to find the same users on the high seas, have been used by Black for experiments.

Therefore, the remaining ability cards in the card slots seem rather meager.

Among them are even chain-chain fruits, which require the chains to break through the user's body, resulting in self-harm before even harming others – truly a terrible fruit.

After downing the hot tea Hancock had brought him, Blake stretched and looked toward Pangaea.

"It's time to let the cannon fodder test Im's true abilities..."

Chapter 97 Carefully Prepared Intelligence

Ginny had acquired a broken Den Den Mushi a year ago.

But thanks to her familiarity with communication devices, she quickly restored them to working order and re-established contact with the Revolutionary Army.

The revolutionary army clearly had neither the plan nor the ability to save her.

However, Ginny's will did not waver. She did not want the Revolutionary Army, which she had worked so hard to build, to engage in direct combat with the World Government prematurely because of her.

Even if she were not in any immediate danger, she would be willing to sacrifice herself rather than let others carry out the rescue plan.

Tonight, Ginny took out the Den Den Mushi again and reported the recent situation in Mary Geoise to the Revolutionary Army.

“The atmosphere on the Red Line seems a bit off these days.”

Ginny carefully chose her words, and said somewhat uncertainly:

"I have a general feeling that there is a sense of urgency."

On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Bello Betty, who had succeeded Ginny as the new commander of the Eastern Army, spoke with concern:

"Ginny, be careful."

"Just focus on protecting your own safety; don't try to gather intelligence on purpose."

"Don't worry, I..."

Just as Ginny was about to say something, footsteps sounded outside the door, and soon they arrived at the door.

A flicker of panic crossed Ginny's eyes. She instinctively grabbed the Den Den Mushi, her gaze sweeping across every corner of the room—

A vase filled with white roses, a half-open jewelry box on the dressing table, a lace nightgown hanging on the coat rack...

Finally, she lifted the down comforter and, without even ending the call, stuffed the Den Den Mushi into the bottom of the bedding.

Blake pushed the door open with just enough force that the hinges groaned, and his coat still carried the distinctive scent of the slave market.

Ginny quickly stood up, displaying just the right amount of respect—

She was neither as fearful as ordinary maids, nor as casual as Robin and others.

Blake walked up to her and gently lifted her chin with his fingers:

"We've had you here for years, it can't just continue like this... what a waste!"

Seeing the fire in Blake's eyes, Ginny's pupils contracted slightly, and her body tensed for a moment, but she quickly returned to normal.

She took a few steps back, lowered her head, and concealed the complex emotions on her face.

Anger, helplessness, fear... and so on.

Blake hung his coat on the hanger, the rustling of the fabric masking the gasps of Bello Betty beneath the covers.

As the heavy body pressed down on her, Ginny bit her tongue hard.

The taste of blood filled her mouth, and in a daze, she seemed to hear Bello Betty covering the microphone.

Blake's movements were theatrically brutal, with every sound precisely calculated—

The sound of a belt buckle hitting the bedpost, the reverberation of a hand slapping against skin, the rhythmic vibration of the bedside table hitting the bed...

All of this noise was clearly transmitted to Bello Betty's ears on the other side through Ginny's carefully modified Den Den Mushi.

When the last creak of the bed frame stopped, Blake lay on the bed holding the silent Ginny.

His fingertips traced meaningless circles on Ginny's shoulder blades, and sweat left dark marks on the feather pillow.

Blake suddenly spoke up:

"Don't leave the manor recently, as we might have to go out for a while in a few days."

Ginny's eyes instantly cleared from confusion; she suddenly realized that this might be an opportunity to gather information.

Her eyelashes fluttered in the darkness, her turning over was a calculated laziness, her calf brushed against Blake's waist, and she tentatively asked:

"Your Highness, what happened?"

Blake, however, seemed to enter a state of enlightenment, answering every question directly.

He fiddled with Ginny's hair, his voice just loud enough for the Den Den Mushi below to catch:

“Garlin whipped four slaves to death a few days ago, and Christopher fought with him again.”

"Do they...do this often?"

Ginny gently stroked Blake's chest, letting out a soft, kitten-like whimper.

Blake found it somewhat amusing that this usually carefree woman was actually trying to seduce him.

However, he didn't expose her, but instead continued to press Ginny's wrist above her head as if she hadn't noticed, explaining:

"Their conflict has been going on for a long time, and it's just getting worse now."

"Christopher and Garlin have fought twice in the last month, and they're getting increasingly out of control."

“Last time, these two really fought. Christopher cut off a section of Garin’s hair, and his own clothes were torn to shreds like a slave’s.”

"It was only after the Five Elders intervened that they were separated."

"But if things continue like this, it won't be long before, or due to some special circumstances, the two of them will go to war."

Ginny endured the slight pain in her wrist, trying to continue capturing crucial information:

"Those two Celestial Dragons...are they very powerful?"

Just then, the static on the Den Den Mushi suddenly intensified.

"Is there any noise?"

Blake looked up and asked, feigning confusion.

Ginny knew that Black didn't usually use his Observation Haki in Mary Geoise.

At this time, you must not let him become suspicious.

Otherwise, once Black activates his Observation Haki, he will immediately discover the Den Den Mushi hidden under the bed.

She gritted her teeth, stretched out her leg and hooked it around Blake, silently praying:

"Don't find out! Please don't find out!"

It seemed that her prayers had worked, and Blake's attention was completely diverted.

He turned over and continued speaking amidst the violent shaking of the curtains:

"Where were you talking about?"

"By the way, Karin is the commander of the Knights of God, which is the last line of defense for the Celestial Dragons, the true top-tier fighting force of the Celestial Dragons."

"Christopher might not even be a match for him in a one-on-one fight, let alone facing the entire Order of the Gods?"

"However, this guy has also trained some strong individuals, who should be able to cause considerable trouble for the Knights of God."

As Blake spoke, Ginny raised her neck and let out a whimper, successfully coaxing Blake to continue:

"And that merman slave who escaped from Mary Geoise last time..."

"I think his name was Tiger?"

His snickering, mixed with the creaking of the bed frame, drifted through the Den Den Mushi:

"Without Christopher's covert help, how could a mere slave have escaped from the Red Earth?"

"I met some people there when I passed through Fishman Island last time."

"Just today, I received a message from Fishman Island—"

"That fishman named Tiger is planning to gather a group of people, run back to the Red Line to create chaos, and free the other slaves."