The Most Talented Pirate Hunter - Chapter 6
“Shigan.”
A burst of force shot out in all directions.
The two ensigns collided and retreated, and in the next moment, like a fierce tiger descending a mountain, one of them brought their index and middle fingers together, muscles tensed, gathering a certain power, and thrust out like lightning.
Clang!!!
Sparks flew as metal clashed. The other ensign raised his long sword, barely blocking the attack.
The ground beneath their feet dented, and they quickly separated after a knee strike.
Hermes, who was watching from almost point-blank range, shouted in his heart.
The Rokushiki.
It’s the damn Rokushiki, and not just any Rokushiki, but one with extremely strong offensive power, the kind of power he currently lacked.
“It’s been several months, and it’s still like this!”
The ensign who used Shigan earlier looked frustrated, sighing as he glanced at his fingers.
He had been learning Shigan from a captain for almost three years. At first, he made significant progress, but eventually, he found it difficult to advance. Achieving the bullet-like force his captain could produce with a flick of his finger still seemed far off.
“At least you’ve reached the threshold. I haven’t even gotten a clue yet!”
The other ensign beside him pulled a long face.
Opportunities to learn Rokushiki were not available to every Marine. It required a certain level of experience, connections, and contributions. After all, in the vast organization of the Marines, there were strict rules and regulations for such training.
It could be said that ensigns who got to learn Rokushiki had something special and made notable contributions.
However, there were exceptions.
For instance, some officers would train their subordinates or take a liking to a particular Marine and offer guidance.
But those with such authority were usually majors or higher from the Marine headquarters.
“It’s already quite impressive. It took me over two years to initially grasp Shigan,” a rough yet gentle voice approached from afar—it was Bastian Hugel, the highest-ranking officer at this Marine base.
“Captain.”
Several ensigns and lieutenants saluted.
Each had eyes filled with respect and a hint of admiration.
“As expected of the captain, mastering Shigan in just over two years.”
“I wish I had the captain’s talent.”
The two ensigns sighed.
“Don’t belittle yourselves. Talent might play a role, but hard work and sweat are more important. Compared to those big shots at headquarters, I don’t even have a chance to compare.”
Their sighs echoed Bastian’s sentiments. There was always someone better. He might be the strongest here, but within the entire Marine system, he was just a grain of sand, incapable of stirring a ripple, let alone on a global scale.
“It’s getting late. The monthly training begins.”
Unlike other soldiers’ daily training, they gathered monthly to practice together, with Bastian explaining cultivation issues and guiding them in one of the Rokushiki, Shigan.
It was like a special tutorial.
The two lieutenants teamed up to spar with Bastian, showcasing an impressive and dazzling display.
The level of excitement reached a new height.
Eventually, they all sat on the ground, with a few ensigns raising questions.
“Captain, why does my Shigan always feel uncoordinated?”
“It’s lacking in both power and speed.”
Bastian pondered for a moment before answering.
“Shigan is an offensive technique among the Rokushiki, with the power of a gunshot. It involves concentrating all your strength on your index finger and instantly delivering a strike with hardened fingers. With enough practice, you can easily pierce through a human body; even steel will be like tofu at a higher level.
The focus isn’t limited to the index finger; it can be the middle finger, pinky, or even toes, each capable of tremendous penetrating power.
That’s just the basic use of Shigan. The truly powerful version involves projecting the force out of your body, able to easily pierce a person’s skull from a kilometer away, with immense long-range destructive power.
Some commanders at headquarters can release Shigan with explosive power comparable to cannon fire.
However, beginners often injure their fingers while learning Shigan, and severe cases can lead to permanent disability. So, patience is crucial in practicing Shigan.”
Hermes memorized every word Bastian said.
The initial excitement and joy had long faded, replaced by seriousness and determination.
Stealing skills were his forte.
As Bastian said, each of the Rokushiki techniques was extraordinary, and mastering them to a high degree meant acquiring a powerful ability essential for survival in this world where the strong prey on the weak.
Learning all six techniques and awakening “Life Return” would be immensely powerful.
That night.
Bastian not only explained Shigan thoroughly but also demonstrated it several times.
A stone had a hole poked through it by his finger as if it were paper.
If that were flesh, it would be a bloody mess.
“Concentrate all your strength into your finger.”
At three in the morning.
Hermes went to the outskirts, using the moonlight to practice Shigan.
After Bastian’s guidance ended, the group trained for a few more hours before concluding. Hermes, unable to sleep, decided to work on Rokushiki here.
“First, calm your mind. Don’t rush, don’t hurry.”
Recalling Bastian’s words verbatim, Hermes tensed his index finger and started poking the air.
It was challenging.
Because gathering all his strength into his hand was a significant hurdle.
Fingers were inherently fragile, so the first stage involved poking the air to get a feel.
No thrill.
No satisfaction.
Soon, the sun rose high.
Hermes felt no sleepiness; instead, his energy was at its peak.
His hands were almost too tired to lift, and he felt back pain.
It might have been an illusion, but even his kidneys felt sore, which was a big problem.
“I can’t keep going.”
Hermes knew it was time to let his body rest.
Since Shigan had appeared, he had to pause Plan B. The capital was out of the question.
The next day.
Hermes went to the training ground as usual, maintaining his five-millimeter form and joining the Marines in basic physical training while occasionally following a few ensigns, lieutenants, and Bastian.
Although they gathered monthly to train together, they undoubtedly trained individually.
It was a great opportunity to learn.
Thus, day and night reversed.
Time flew by.
Before he knew it, Hermes had been stationed at the base for seven months.
These seven months were fulfilling for Hermes, who felt that time wasn’t enough. During the day, he joined the Marines for physical training, occasionally following a few ensigns and lieutenants to watch their private training.
He never missed the monthly group training sessions.
Hermes only poked the air for the first two months, trying to gather his strength.
In the following month, he moved to the beach, poking the sand, then some animals, then some trees, poking non-stop.
Very indiscriminate.
He was hungry.
If given a choice, he would now like to poke a person, not for anything else, just to experience the feeling of wetness.
But anyway, after six months, he finally saw some results.
His fingers were no longer so fragile, even becoming deformed, especially when poking solid objects. The pain and torment made his soul tremble.
He had mastered the basics of Shigan.
He now had a certain level of destructive power.
A finger through a not-so-thick wooden board would penetrate, and human organs were even more fragile in comparison.
Apart from the initial success with Shigan, he also made progress in developing his Mini-Mini Fruit. Over these six months, he hadn’t forgotten to work on it.
He added new sizes from the initial five-millimeter and thirty-centimeter transformations, such as ten centimeters, fifty centimeters, and five meters.
That’s right.
Five meters.
Hermes developed the ability to grow larger.
He had been working hard on this development.
It was rough. Six months for such progress, whereas other transmigrators would beat admirals and kick Yonko from the start.
Awakening a Devil Fruit within three months was the minimum requirement.
Damn it.
Every night, Hermes questioned his existence, wondering why he didn’t have a cheat ability when others did. Was this discrimination?
Damn it.
However, the greatest gain was his physical fitness. Strength, speed, jumping ability, appetite, and more. He could now easily defeat a hundred of his former selves from six months ago.
His toned muscles and six-pack abs were the best proof.
—
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