On an island not far from Marine Headquarters, Roy stood on a jagged reef, facing the vast ocean with his eyes closed, completely focused on understanding the ninjutsu scroll that Sasuke had transmitted to him through the chat group.
As his understanding of the scroll's contents gradually deepened, Roy's hands naturally began to move, his fingers dancing.
The speed of his hand seals increased with each motion, every action precise and flawless, and as he moved through the smooth sequence, the chakra within him surged forth.
The once calm and undisturbed sea surface began to show faint ripples, and then these ripples gradually converged into powerful currents, as if drawn by an invisible, mysterious force, finally coalescing in the air to form a majestic, coiling water dragon.
This water dragon was crystalline, glistening under the sunlight, its massive body covered in rolling, scale-like droplets, radiating a heart-stopping wave of energy.
The water dragon was intimately connected to Roy's will, almost as if it had become a part of Roy's body.
"Just as I expected," Roy thought to himself, a pleased smile appearing on his face. "The Water Release techniques can not only draw upon nearby water sources, but in this vast world where the ocean covers far more land than land itself, they can also harness the power of the sea."
Roy slowly opened his eyes. Mastering Water Release would be one of his trump cards, adding a significant hidden advantage to his arsenal.
In a world dominated by the sea, the ability to freely control seawater was undoubtedly an excellent means of countering the powers of Devil Fruits.
Whether creating tsunami-like attacks or using water currents to build defensive barriers, Water Release allowed Roy to seize the initiative in battle.
Of course, Roy didn't stop at researching Water Release. He began exploring other ninjutsu recorded in the scroll, from Fire Release to Earth Release and more.
This also made him appreciate the robustness of the human physique in the world of One Piece; such powerful physiques resulted in an immense reserve of chakra.
However, Roy also realized that although these various ninjutsu had their unique characteristics, for him at his current stage, aside from Water Release, the other techniques weren't particularly useful.
Still, such gains were more than enough.
Roy transformed into a beam of light and returned to Marineford.
As a top-tier powerhouse in the Marines, he naturally had a quiet courtyard in Marineford.
Stepping into the courtyard, Roy removed his Marine coat, a symbol of his rank.
Then, he went inside. The fireplace was blazing, and the kettle was bubbling merrily.
Roy personally and skillfully brewed a pot of fragrant tea, his delicate movements resembling a ritual.
As the tea's aroma filled the air, he gently lifted the teacup, brought it close to his nose for a deep inhale, his face radiating satisfaction and comfort, before taking a delightful small sip. This tranquility and enjoyment seemed to allow him to temporarily forget the chaos of the outside world.
Setting the teacup down, Roy casually picked up a special-issue newspaper on the table. This newspaper, prepared specifically for the Marine high command, often featured on its front page confidential information and important developments inaccessible to the public. It was an excellent resource for understanding the world's局势 and grasping Marine movements.
However, as he casually glanced at the headline on the first page, his interest was piqued.
The newspaper clearly stated: "Shichibukai and World's Strongest Swordsman, Dracule Mihawk, Appears in East Blue!"
The accompanying photo clearly showed Mihawk's iconic black coat and sharp eyes.
"Mihawk is in East Blue?"
Mihawk, being somewhat of a loner, rarely made moves.
Roy continued reading, his gaze suddenly stopping on a photograph.
In it was the figure of the straw hat boy, Luffy, smiling brightly.
Roy gently put down the newspaper, his eyes turning profound as a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"It seems the gears of fate have already begun to turn slowly. Even as a transmigrator, I might not be able to completely change the course of history."
He murmured to himself, a mixture of reflection and acceptance in his voice.
He knew that despite his foreknowledge of the future, this world still followed its predetermined path, with everyone's destiny unfolding slowly along their fixed tracks.
"But still, can the world from now on continue to develop as it originally did?"
Roy picked up his teacup again, his gaze piercing through the rising steam to look out the window at the vast, boundless sea, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.
In this turbulent era of great pirates, anything could be changed.
"I should find some time to visit the Baratie later. The food there is pretty good."
Roy thought, wondering if he might happen to meet Luffy and the others.
Watching Mihawk toy with his opponent would also be an interesting sight.
The following days were rather calm.
Sasuke devoted himself wholeheartedly to an unprecedented level of training.
On one hand, under Kakashi's strict guidance, he was undergoing high-intensity ninjutsu special training; on the other hand, he was secretly practicing the Marine Rokushiki that Roy had gifted him.
Initially, Kakashi was quite perplexed by Sasuke's sudden fascination with these martial arts that seemed so out of place in the world of ninjas.
However, given Sasuke's resolute attitude, although filled with doubt, Kakashi ultimately chose to remain silent out of trust for his student, merely observing quietly from the side, lost in thought.
As time passed, Sasuke's mastery of the Marine Rokushiki grew increasingly refined. Each leap and each kick displayed astonishing explosive power and flexibility, even moving Kakashi, whose expression gradually shifted from initial surprise to seriousness.
He began to realize that behind these seemingly simple movements lay a systematic form of power. Sasuke's training direction might be far more profound than he had imagined.
Although these movements appeared simple, even unremarkable, the depth and essence contained within them were profound, stripping away complexity to reveal a fundamental truth.
They were not just demonstrations of physical technique but a challenge to and exploration of the body's ultimate potential – the Marine Rokushiki, a combat skill regarded as foundational by countless powerful individuals in the world of One Piece.
Each of the Six Powers was a challenge to the body's limits, each holding immeasurable power.
These seemingly simple movements, in reality, each required extremely high levels of body control and application skill.
When mastered to their peak, the power they displayed was in no way inferior to any Devil Fruit.
But beneath this calm, on that day, the rogue ninja from Kirigakure, Momochi Zabuza, arrived as expected, bringing his cold-blooded killing intent.
Only this time, he was not alone. By his side followed a youth with the Ice Release Kekkei Genkai – Haku, the last descendant of the Yuki clan and Zabuza's most loyal subordinate.
The battle horn sounded quietly. Kakashi and Zabuza were once again locked in combat, their figures darting around, the clash of blades making the outcome difficult to predict.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Sasuke and Naruto faced the formidable Haku, falling into an unprecedented struggle.
Haku's Ice Release techniques were piercing and deadly, each attack putting the two in constant peril.
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