Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece.

Chapter 13 Chakra Training

"Rangiku and Robin, today I'll talk about my chakra training system. It's different from the training system Robin is familiar with, and I'd like to encourage you two to try training chakra with my help."

As he spoke, Uchiha Shiraha moved a chair over and gestured for the two of them to sit down and talk.

"This is not because I favor the cultivation power of my homeland, but because it can truly enable you two to break through bottlenecks and become stronger at the fastest speed. Moreover, this power is unique in this ocean, and it is impossible to obtain this power without my help."

"Chakra? What kind of power is this? I have never seen anything like it in any books."

Nico Robin couldn't help but marvel at the vastness of the world; it was astonishing that such a learned scholar as herself was so unfamiliar with this term.

Seemingly noticing Nico Robin's confusion, Uchiha Shiraha gave a brief explanation of the differences in the power systems.

"Miss Robin, perhaps no one has told you that to have true strength on this sea, you need to rely on Devil Fruits, Haki, and physical skills. But Robin, you only have the power of a Devil Fruit, so you don't have the ability to fully protect yourself."

Upon hearing Uchiha Hakuba's words, Nico Robin fell silent. However, as a scholar, her greatest love was reading more books rather than becoming stronger. Yet, the threat to her survival forced her to become stronger.

Seeing Nico Robin reflecting on herself, Uchiha Hakuba continued to analyze: "For example, your Flower Flower Fruit can be used for both attack and control, and Haki can strengthen your physical body and sense enemies. On this sea, even ordinary people can stand on their own by honing their swordsmanship and developing their Devil Fruits. However, the cultivation of Haki and the tempering of one's own body are not things that can be accomplished overnight."

Uchiha Hakuba explained the chakra system to the two of them in detail.

The core of the chakra system is chakra, a fundamental power that combines physical and spiritual energy. Its foundation lies in the three types of jutsu: ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu. Being able to use chakra in the world of One Piece is an amazing thing.

Because chakra is so versatile—it can be used for attack, healing, and even for training the body, making the already powerful natives of the pirate world even stronger.

After listening to Uchiha Hakuba's explanation, Matsumoto Rangiku couldn't refuse what Hakuba was saying, and Nico Robin also didn't refuse a method that could make her stronger.

On the boundless sea, the aroma of sake brought by Matsumoto Rangiku wafted on the sea breeze, mingling with the scent of hot tea brewed by Robin, creating an exceptionally pleasant atmosphere.

Uchiha Shiraha sat on the cushion, surrounded by a faint, stable wisp of chakra, like a soft halo of blue light mixed with red light. This was the external release of chakra, a high-level technique even in the ninja world.

Matsumoto Rangiku sat cross-legged to his left, a sake bottle beside her, her eyes closed as she focused her chakra. She felt the energy within her body flickering, dissipating like smoke in the wind as soon as it gathered. She couldn't help but frown, raising her hand to rub her throbbing temples, her tone tinged with frustration: "Damn it, this is difficult too. Although I've never been to Seireitei to take the exam to become an apprentice Shinigami, I feel it's even harder than becoming a Shinigami."

Nico Robin sat on the right, her fingertips lightly resting on the edge of the table, her expression quiet and focused.

She tried to imitate Bai Yu's appearance. He could feel an energy forming within his body, although this power was as thin as a thread and would break if he exerted too much force.

She wasn't impatient; she simply looked up at Bai Yu, her eyes filled with gentle doubt: "Bai Yu-kun, the energy of chakra and Devil Fruit abilities seem to be completely different."

"Chakra originates from the resonance between body and mind."

When it comes to beautiful women, Uchiha Hakuba is clearly more patient. Unlike when he taught Uchiha Sasuke, Hakuba is much gentler.

"Rangiku, you don't need to rush. Just like yesterday when you swung your sword for the first time, feel that sense of control and ease with your chakra. Robin, your Devil Fruit ability depends on your physical strength, and so does your chakra. You need to learn to meditate..."

Following his guidance, Matsumoto Rangiku closed her eyes, no longer rushing to gather chakra, but slowly recalling the smooth, flowing feeling when she swung the sword, letting Shiraha's chakra guide her, gradually transforming the power of her mind and body into fragments of chakra.

Suddenly, guided by Uchiha Hakuba, a cutting gust of wind emanated from her fingertips. She abruptly opened her eyes, her gaze filled with elation. She patted Hakuba's shoulder, then leaned close to Robin, her voice beaming, "Robin, Robin, look! I did it!"

"It's wind-style chakra!"

Uchiha Hakuba also noticed the gust of wind and made his own judgment.

Seeing this, Robin's eyes flashed with a smile, and she nodded slightly.

With the help of Uchiha Hakuba, a violent bolt of lightning appeared.

Although she remained calm, the smile at the corner of her mouth betrayed Nico Robin.

Seeing the two of them so excited, Bai Yu couldn't help but sigh that everything was finally on the right track.

Rangiku, with her cheerful disposition, couldn't resist pouring three cups of sake after practicing for a while. She handed one to Shiraha and another to Robin, saying with a smile, "It's rare to be this relaxed. If you're tired from practicing, have a drink and rest!"

She raised her glass, a smile in her eyes: "Back in Rukongai, I didn't know anyone except Gin. Now that you two are here, it feels even more lively."

Robin took the glass and took a small sip, a rare occurrence for him, with a faint smile on his face: "I used to study ancient books alone most of the time, or I was on the run. I rarely had time like this to practice with you all. It's very reassuring."

Bai Yu looked at the two people in front of him. One was cheerful and outgoing, with gentleness hidden in his eyes; the other was calm and gentle, with a clear mind.

He gently touched their glasses together and said in a low voice, "Let's not stand on ceremony. From now on, we'll practice together, get along together, and grow together."

That night, Nico Robin seemed to let down her guard and would explain the ancient scripts she had seen to the two of them, as well as the local customs and traditions of various places, which captivated them.

Bai Yu would patiently correct their chakra usage and occasionally tell them little stories about the ninja world, setting aside the scheming and intrigue, focusing only on the ordinary and mundane.

As the evening breeze blew by, Rangiku leaned on Robin's shoulder, her hand resting restlessly on Robin's waist, and said with a smile, "We'll practice like this every day from now on. Robin, you have to stay with us forever!"

Robin nodded gently, his eyes filled with warmth: "Okay, let's do it together."

For Nico Robin, this kind of life was enough to satisfy her. If she were to be captured, she would never let her two true friends be implicated because of her.

Chapter 14 The Strange Activity of the Golden Finger

The West Blue is different from the Grand Line. Even though the West Blue is known for its harshness and viciousness among the four seas, it is just a beginner's village compared to the Grand Line.

At night, the small boat carrying three people drifted slowly on the calm sea, without a clear direction, only the soft sound of waves lapping against the hull.

The sea mist gently enveloped the small boat, making the three figures appear soft and indistinct.

Matsumoto Rangiku leaned back in her deck chair, a bottle of sake dangling from her hand, a faint blush on her cheeks. Perhaps she had drunk a few cups of sake, for her eyes gradually grew languid: "We should be able to reach the shore in the next day or two. The sea is indeed vast. We haven't encountered anyone else in all these days of sailing."

Nico Robin didn't answer the drunkard's question. Instead, she looked up at the starry sky, her eyes reflecting the shimmering starlight. A unique aura surrounded her, a result of Uchiha Shiraha's chakra training. Her progress was actually quite rapid, probably because the food in the pirate world was better...

"The sea breeze is a bit chilly."

Robin spoke softly, his voice gentle and serene, enveloped by the sound of the waves.

She subconsciously pulled her thin purple coat tighter around herself, her fingertips curling slightly as the sea breeze had made her shiver a little.

Bai Yu didn't say much, but slowly raised his hand, and a gentle wisp of chakra quietly rose up, like a soft barrier, gently enveloping Robin and dispelling the chill of the sea breeze.

"Although I consider myself an ordinary person, looking back, I have also figured out many uses of chakra, especially this chakra cloak."

"The method isn't difficult. Once you have enough chakra, you can also release your chakra to form a protective barrier, especially since you're a lightning-attribute user!"

Upon hearing Bai Yu's words, Nico Robin raised her hand and mobilized her chakra.

However, her chakra was only equivalent to that of a genin; it slowly dissipated after just a little bit was gathered.

Nico Robin frowned slightly, a hint of annoyance flashing in her eyes. Just as she was about to try again, Bai Yu's fingertips gently touched her.

His fingertips were warm as he gently pressed Nico Robin's hand. A gentle wisp of chakra traveled along his fingertips, guiding her chakra to slowly condense and settle steadily around her body.

"Remember this feeling; this is not the power you can control right now!"

Uchiha Hakuba didn't expect Nico Robin to be in such a hurry.

Their fingertips touched, and they felt a slight electric current pass through them.

Nico Robin's cheeks flushed slightly. At eighteen, she wasn't the twenty-eight-year-old she was in the anime, and her personality was also slightly different.

She subconsciously looked up at Bai Yu, her eyes meeting Bai Yu's deep gaze.

Her eyes reflected only the image of the starry sky and her own reflection, like a faint light in the deep sea.

For some reason, Nico Robin didn't look away or pull her hand back. She just looked at him quietly, a faint, gentle smile on her lips, and said softly, "Thank you, Shiraha-kun. I've been troubling you every time since I learned chakra."

Bai Yu's fingertips paused slightly, but he didn't move them away. He simply shook his head gently: "It's no trouble. You've made rapid progress."

Bai Yu's gaze fell on the smile in her eyes, and his heart stirred slightly. He could clearly sense the gentle chakra within Nico Robin, the warmth of her palm, and the subtle ambiguity that was quietly spreading, like sea mist, gentle and lingering, yet with a certain degree of restraint, without offending each other.

There is a degree of compatibility between people...

At that moment, Matsumoto Rangiku rolled over and mumbled, "Sake... another cup!"

Then he fell into a deep sleep again.

However, even though the doll already has a human body, can it really get drunk!?

Matsumoto Rangiku broke the momentary silence, but failed to dispel the ambiguity.

Uchiha Hakuba slowly withdrew his fingertips, but still left a wisp of chakra, gently enveloping Robin, as if afraid the sea breeze would chill her.

Nico Robin also looked away, down at the back of her hand, where the warmth of the white feather still seemed to linger, faint yet exceptionally clear, warming her heart.

The two sat side by side, saying nothing more, simply watching the sea, listening to the sound of the waves, and keeping Rangiku company as she slept soundly.

After some time, Bai Yu spoke again: "We should be able to reach Hoh Xil Island in a few days. I'll need to ask you for help then."

Nico Robin responded softly, "Okay."

The small boat drifted gently on the tranquil sea, silent and peaceful. Having calmed herself, Bai Yu spoke again: "Robin seems to be in a very good mood today!"

Nico Robin slowly turned around, a gentle breeze ruffling her hair. Her beautiful face was adorned with a gentle expression, and her profile was bathed in a beautiful halo of starlight. She slowly smoothed her hair and said, "Going out to sea with Bai Yu-kun is so much fun. I really hope that life can continue like this forever."

"What are Bai Yu-jun's plans for the future? It's not like there are only the three of us on such a big ship, is it? I really want to read all the Poneglyphs!"

"Of course not! I'll find some reliable companions like Robin, and we'll move forward together!"

Uchiha Hakuha casually put his arm around Nico Robin and continued, "So, Robin, I've decided, our next crewmate will be a chef...!"

Nico Robin was taken aback by Uchiha Hakuba's sudden embrace, then smiled and said, "Eh? You're bringing a chef along?"

"As expected, no matter what, we can only ensure that we don't starve to death at sea. We really still need a cook."

At this moment, Matsumoto Rangiku woke up and said quite frankly, "We need to find a chef. My cooking is no good, but I feel like I have a talent for brewing!"

After the two returned to the cabin, Uchiha Shiraha began to ponder. Although he didn't know the principle behind it, he was certain that his Mangekyou Sharingan could open the gates of Soul Society and capture souls from within...

However, capturing Matsumoto Rangiku's soul was a very random and coincidental event...

His strength is not enough; capturing souls from Soul Society definitely cannot be done by someone who has been famous for a long time...

But if it were another world, he wasn't sure which other world's door he could open...

At this moment, Uchiha Hakuba noticed his long-dormant cheat ability and was surprised to find that its progress bar had reached 20%.

"What's going on? The progress bar started running without me even noticing... What did I do during that time?"

Bai Yu immediately realized that this must be related to Matsumoto Rangiku, so this is a cheat related to his own Sharingan. Only by using the Mangekyou Sharingan's abilities can the cheat be continuously activated.

However, even with this possibility in mind, Uchiha Hakuba still dared not use it lightly, since it consumes far more energy than a regular Mangekyou Sharingan.

Chapter 15 Taking Money from a Gambler's Pocket

The Dead Sea is the most important route before entering Hoh Xil. Crossing the Dead Sea only takes two days to get to Hoh Xil, but if you choose to take a detour, it will take an extra half month.

Even though there are rumors of pirates roaming the area, most merchant ships do not choose to take a detour because there are only reports of pirate raids every two months or more.

After all, nobody expects to be the unlucky one.

The surface of the Dead Sea is as calm as a piece of dark glass, not even a ripple can be stirred by the wind.