Chapter 9 : The First Day of Solitary Voyage at Sea

Early the next day, Titch prepared to set sail. He was well aware of the famous islands, the territories of the major forces in the New World, as depicted on the sea map he held. To reach the Land of Wano alone after leaving Whitebeard's territory, he would need to pass through sixteen islands, including four nations. This didn't account for any unexpected incidents that could alter his course or the presence of unknown smaller islands.

According to Titch's calculations, it would take at least three months. He prepared a small boat with an Eternal Pose, bid no farewells, and set out to sea alone.

The weather today was excellent—sunny and perfect for sailing. Titch gazed into the distance, looking at the vast sea, feeling a mixture of anticipation and excitement. This was his first extended solo sea journey, and he was somewhat nervous—no, excited. It was the excitement of adventure, the curiosity about the unknown. He believed this journey would bring significant gains. With these thoughts in mind, Titch couldn't help but touch the Den Den Mushi stored at his chest. To prevent any mishaps, Whitebeard had specially left a Den Den Mushi on him so that Titch could seek assistance from the Whitebeard Pirates in case of trouble or simply chat about the journey during calm times.

The weather in the New World was known for its extreme and unpredictable changes. Without a skilled navigator, one could easily fall victim to formidable weather disasters, leading to the destruction of the ship and the demise of its crew.

Shortly after setting sail, Titch encountered a heavy storm. The once sunny weather disappeared in an instant. Dark clouds rapidly gathered in the sky, and raindrops, each the size of a bean, began to fall. Seeing this, Titch knew a storm was imminent. Having spent a considerable time on Whitebeard's pirate ship, Titch was well-versed in some meteorological knowledge.

The small boat, although not equipped for rain protection, was solidly constructed, typical of ships made for the New World. However, this was a test, a tempering process. "Hahaha, as long as the rain doesn't stop, the ship won't be destroyed," Titch laughed heartily, making a joke. He was highly optimistic, using a ladle to bail water out of the boat. Otherwise, it would sink. He had no intention of swimming across the sea.

Riding the waves in the small boat, Titch held an oar in each hand, continuously paddling to keep the boat on course. However, he had to regularly clear the accumulated water from the boat.

After sailing through the torrential rain for three hours, suddenly, the rain stopped. However, Titch didn't relax. His expression changed, and he jumped up abruptly, his hands forming claws. "Hachimai Onna!" Flames and lightning ignited in his hands as he relentlessly attacked the sky above. Giant hailstones fell from the sky. In the New World, hail was undoubtedly a terrifying phenomenon. Weaker pirates hit by hailstones could either suffer severe injuries or face death. Additionally, hail posed a significant threat to the ship. If no action was taken, the small boat would be destroyed in less than three minutes.

One by one, huge hailstones, as they approached Titch, were sliced in half and then melted, dissolving in mid-air.

Titch's claw technique was on the verge of completion. Combining his claw technique with his swordsmanship, this was Titch's initial goal. He had been training his hands since the beginning, similar to a person integrating swordsmanship with their body. Titch regarded his fingers as swords, and with them alone, he could release sword energy.

Upon closer inspection, Titch's hands had gradually transcended the concept of hands; they resembled claws more than anything else. His fingers became more elongated and sharper, and his palms seemed to have enlarged. Accompanied by flames and lightning, adding Haki to the mix made them even more like demon claws.

This was the effect of Life Return. In less than a month, Titch's progress in Life Return was swift. He had already learned the basics, enabling him to make partial adjustments to his body. Its effect was similar to the assassination technique of the Zou Family in Hunter x Hunter—body manipulation, instantly sharpening his fingers to enhance the effectiveness of his attacks.

With his proficient Observation Haki, Titch could seemingly see the essence of things, providing precise control over strength and body. To test his power, Titch had taken a night trip to the area where he had fought Vice Admiral Thomson, recovering the two Devil Fruits, the complete Six Powers manual, and the treasures that had been left in the ship's hold by the admiral. Titch had noted the exact location where the warship had sunk. In the past month, he had revisited the area, retrieving the valuable items. Although the treasures were currently of little use to him, they were precious. The complete Six Powers manual provided Titch with inspiration as most physical techniques were interconnected. Moreover, the Life Return he desired could elevate his strength to another level.

Both Devil Fruits were of the Zoan type, one being the Zoan: Insect-Insect Fruit, Model Mantis, and the other the Zoan: Ancient Zoan Fruit, Model Emperor Crocodile. Both were top-tier Zoan Devil Fruits—one a top-tier Animal-type, and the other a top-tier Ancient Zoan. The Emperor Crocodile, in ancient times, was undoubtedly a dominant creature, a ruler both in water and on land.

Titch had not anticipated obtaining such powerful abilities. Without him, these two Devil Fruits would have remained buried in the sea, not resurfacing for who knows how long.

Titch's eyes were locked onto every hailstone about to fall on the small boat. Where else could he find such natural places to test his combat abilities? Moreover, this journey was meant for honing his skills.

Twenty minutes later, Titch was breathing heavily, sweating profusely. The hail had fallen continuously for over twenty minutes, and he had been attacking for just as long, shattering and destroying the descending hailstones. At least ten to twenty hailstones fell on the small boat every second, and their speed was high.

As the hail ceased, the clouds in the sky dispersed, and rays of sunlight shone through. Before Titch could catch his breath, the weather changed again. The sunlight vanished in a flash, the sky gradually darkened, and the wind intensified. The small boat rocked up and down with the waves.

With a thunderous roar and lightning dancing across the sky, Titch's face darkened. He felt like his face was covered in soot. On his first day out, he encountered three extreme weather conditions. While on a pirate ship, he didn't feel much because extreme weather was relatively rare. Ships had navigators who could detect changes in weather and navigate away from dangerous areas. The New World's extreme and erratic climates were localized, highlighting the importance of a skilled navigator. In every pirate crew in the New World, the navigator held a position not inferior to that of core members.

However, Titch was fearless. Breaking through the wind and waves, he continued moving forward. In the midst of a storm on the open sea, alone, his arms became robust from exertion. Luckily

, the quality of the boat's oars was excellent, preventing it from being carried away by the waves.

Titch's muscles swelled as he paddled, and veins bulged under the wet clothes, visible through the fabric. Breathing in the power of nature, Titch stood firm, undaunted. It seemed as if he were the only one in the vast expanse of the sky and sea. While solitude could be terrifying, Titch endured it well. Many nights and days were spent training alone in a room, preparing for moments like these.

He heard a roar echoing from the depths of the sea, a sound that seemed to resonate between heaven and earth. Instinctively lowering his head, Titch spotted something. A smile crept onto his face.

From above, a colossal shadow passed beneath Titch's small boat, circling around it. It seemed like the creature had set its sights on him—a Sea King.

A massive shadow emerged from the water, looming over Titch's small boat. It covered the sky, making Titch appear minuscule in comparison. At a glance, the creature's body, just breaking the surface of the water, reached a height of three hundred meters.

This was a Sea King, a sea serpent. Lowering its head to look at Titch, it opened its enormous mouth, revealing a myriad of sharp teeth. A long serpent tongue extended, and within its mouth, a vast abyss seemed to unfold. The Sea King bent down and charged towards Titch, seemingly intent on taking a bite to swallow him whole.

"Get lost!" Titch's eyes narrowed, and an invisible Haki radiated from him, directed at the Sea King.

Time seemed to freeze. Under the impact of Titch's Conqueror's Haki, the Sea King's eyes showed signs of dizziness, then it fell into a stupor, unconscious. The colossal figure halted in mid-air and crashed onto the sea's surface, gradually sinking into the depths.

This marked the first time Titch had used Conqueror's Haki against a living being since awakening that power. Titch could sense that his aura had strengthened significantly, especially after today's ordeal, further enhancing his abilities.

The storm persisted for an unusually long time, but Titch's condition did not deteriorate much. After all, enduring a whole day of training for several days was not uncommon for him; the storm alone couldn't affect him significantly.

Titch glanced at the Eternal Compass; the boat's direction aligned with the needle on the compass. Letting the waves propel the small boat forward, Titch remained unfazed. In the New World, as long as he had the Eternal Compass, Titch would never lose his way.

Standing steadily on the boat, he began his solitary practice. The wristguards on his hands and feet had changed style. Each wristguard weighed a ton, meaning Titch carried a total of six tons of weight. Although the wristguards were large, they were concealed by his clothes, only visible during certain movements.

Alone on the boat, Titch silently performed push-ups, exercising his arm strength and willpower. The raging storm seemed unable to affect him. Like an ascetic, he remained silent, with no one to talk to; training required undivided attention.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the storm finally subsided. The sky brightened, sunlight bathed the sea, radiating dazzling brilliance. The azure sea, in this moment, appeared exceptionally beautiful and magnificent.

The ocean—the greatest wonder of nature.

Titch couldn't help but lift his head, pausing his exercises. His eyes sparkled with light, a smile playing on his face—a sensation he had never experienced before.

In the distant horizon, the outline of an island appeared. Finally, he had arrived.