Pirates: Martial Arts Masters on the Straw Hat Ship

In the past few days, the USS Merry has seemed to have become a mobile dojo floating on the sea.

Under Ronan's almost obsessive training, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji's Thirteen Bodyguards Body Training Hard Qigong improved rapidly.

The physical strength has long since exceeded its original limits.

Strong bones and muscles, and abundant blood and energy, provide the perfect breeding ground for the awakening of domineering power.

Just yesterday, following Ronan, Luffy, Zoro, and even Sanji, who joined last, all touched the threshold of Armament Haki.

I successfully lit the lamp of "armor of will" in my mind.

Looking at these three people in front of me, who completed the path of domineering awakening in just a few days, a path that ordinary people would take years to complete.

Ronan was filled with a storm of emotions.

Is this the true value of being a chosen one of the world...?

Ronan clicked his tongue in amazement.

It should be noted that he was able to master Armament Haki so quickly entirely thanks to the tenfold sustained deathmatch multiplier provided by the [Persistence System].

These three guys, merely under his guidance and beatings, relied on their physical instincts and terrifying talent to break through the bottleneck.

"Huff... huff..."

A round of intense sparring has ended.

The four men, shirtless, slumped on the deck without any regard for their image.

Sweat streamed down their bulging muscles, glistening in the sunlight.

After these weeks of rigorous training under the "Thirteen Bodyguards," the Straw Hat crew's three main fighters have undergone astonishing changes.

Luffy, who was originally thin, now has broad shoulders and a full chest.

Although he still retains the slenderness of a rubber man, he possesses a sharp and powerful physique that exudes explosive strength, and he has also grown taller.

Zoro's neck became thicker, and his trapezius muscles bulged high.

The muscles in his back were as ferocious as a ghost's face, and his whole body exuded a sense of oppression like a fierce tiger.

Even Sanji, who is known for his leg techniques and has a slender build, is now all muscle.

The circumference of the thighs has increased significantly, and with every step, you can see the thigh muscle fibers being stretched, full of explosive power.

The group is indeed a size larger than Ronan was when he first boarded the ship, but there's nothing that can be done about it.

Practicing the Thirteen Bodyguards' Horizontal Hard Qigong naturally has this side effect: muscle gain is an inevitable process, and with more muscle, the body will naturally appear stronger.

Upon reaching the second stage of the Thirteen Bodyguards' Horizontal Training, not only do the muscles increase in strength, but even the bones regenerate, becoming stronger and more resilient.

Recently, due to their arduous training, the group's appetites have increased, leading to a second growth spurt in Ronan and the others, who have all grown more than ten centimeters taller.

In addition to his strong muscles, he's not just a size bigger, he's several sizes bigger than he was a few weeks ago.

"Cool!"

Luffy lay sprawled on the ground, looking at the blue sky, grinning foolishly.

"I feel an endless surge of power flowing through my body! Now, even if I were hit by a cannon, I wouldn't feel any pain!"

Zoro wiped the Wado Ichimonji, gazing at his powerful reflection on the blade, a satisfied smile curving his lips.

"This kind of external training is truly amazing. Not only does it greatly increase defensive capabilities, but it also elevates the speed and power of sword strikes to a whole new level."

Ronan picked up a towel, wiped the sweat from his face, and his breathing gradually calmed down.

He turned his head and looked at Nami and Usopp, who were hiding in the shadows on the second floor, drinking juice and watching the show.

"Hey, Nami, Usopp."

Ronan's voice, though gentle, sounded like a devil's summons to the two: "Since you're both just killing time, why don't you two join in?"

"Especially you, Usopp. As a sniper, how will you survive on the high seas if you don't even know the most basic Observation Haki?"

The relaxed atmosphere instantly froze upon hearing this.

Nami and Usopp exchanged a glance, both seeing the terror in each other's eyes.

"I won't practice! Absolutely not!!"

Nami suddenly stood up, crossed her arms, and pointed at the four "muscle men" on the deck with a look of disgust, her voice shrill:

"Look at the state of you all! You've all trained like gorillas! Your necks are almost thicker than your heads!"

"I'm a beautiful female navigator! If I developed muscles like yours, how would I wear pretty clothes? How would I seduce... no, how would I negotiate with others?!"

Nami imagined herself as a muscular Barbie doll, and a chill ran down her spine. She shook her head frantically.

"This technique is terrifying! He's grown this big after only a few days of practice! I don't want to become like that!"

"Nami is right~"

Sanji, who had just been looking cool, instantly switched to noodle mode, wriggling his body as he approached Nami's apartment building, his eyes sparkling with hearts:

"Nami-sama, all you need to do is be beautiful! Leave this rough fighting and training to me, the knight of love! I will protect your delicate skin with my life!"

"Get out of here! Don't splatter your sweat on me!" Nami kicked the railing and said irritably.

"Okay, Miss Nami! I'll accept this loving kick!"

Looking at these two clowns, Ronan shook his head helplessly.

Nami's rejection was within his expectations. After all, physical training does change one's physique, which is indeed difficult for women who pursue beauty to accept.

So he turned his attention to Usopp.

"Nami is a girl, so it's understandable that she's afraid of getting too strong. But what about you, Usopp?"

Ronan's gaze was piercing, straight into Usopp's heart:

"Are you a woman too? Or do you want to spend your whole life hiding in the back, watching Luffy and Zoro fight their way through the battlefield while you can only shout 'Go Luffy!' from the sidelines?"

Usopp froze in his tracks as he was about to sneak away.

He looked at the four towering figures on the deck.

Luffy, Zoro, Ronan, and even Sanji who joined later, are all getting stronger at an alarming rate.

His solid muscles and the powerful aura he exuded made him feel a deep sense of inferiority and alienation.

Although I felt envious, I couldn't help but think of the screams I'd heard Sanji make these past few nights.

And then there was that chilling sound of the iron spear striking—Usopp's legs started to go weak.

"I...I can't stand this way of getting stronger either..." Usopp shrank back, trying to argue, "I'm a sniper, I fight with my brain and skill..."

"Skill?"

Ronan sneered, his tone laced with a provocative and sarcastic tone:

"In the face of absolute power, skill is a joke. If one day the enemy charges at you, what will you do?"

"Are you going to kneel down and beg for mercy? Or are you hoping Luffy will always be there in time to save you?"

"Usopp, this ship doesn't keep useless people."

This statement carries significant weight.

It was so heavy that even the air seemed to quiet down.

Luffy stopped grinning, Zoro stopped wiping his sword, and Sanji also put away his playful expression.

They all watched Usopp silently, their eyes filled with no mockery, only a silent waiting.

That's an expectation for your partner.