Chapter 18: The Jungle’s Lessons

The morning sun filtered through the thick canopy of the jungle, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. Vulcan stood at the edge of his makeshift camp, his body still aching from the previous night's battle with the massive beast. His arms were bruised, his knuckles raw, and every movement sent a dull throb of pain through his muscles.

But he couldn't afford to rest.

The jungle was alive with the sounds of distant creatures, some small, others massive, all of them dangerous. Survival on this island wasn't going to be easy, and last night had shown Vulcan just how far he had to go.

He glanced down at the Rokushiki handbook he had left open beside him. His eyes lingered on the section about Soru (Shave), the high-speed movement technique he had been trying to master for weeks. He hadn't expected it to be easy, but the thought of how useful it would have been during his fight with the beast gnawed at him.

Vulcan clenched his fists, determination filling him once more. "I have to get it right."

He needed to train. Harder than ever.

Soru: The Constant Struggle

The clearing just beyond Vulcan's camp had become his training ground. The jungle floor was uneven, with thick roots crisscrossing the earth and underbrush covering the ground, but it was the best place to practice.

Vulcan took a deep breath, lowering his stance as he prepared to attempt Soru once more. His legs tensed, the muscles coiled with power as he focused on the technique described in the handbook: ten rapid kicks off the ground in an instant. The principle seemed simple, but mastering it was something else entirely.

He pushed off the ground, his legs kicking faster than before—but still, it wasn't enough. He only managed to cover a short distance, his body stumbling as he landed off-balance.

"Not fast enough," Vulcan muttered, his frustration building.

He reset his stance and tried again. This time, he kicked off the ground with more force, but again, it wasn't enough. His speed wasn't there. His legs burned from the repeated attempts, and each failure only deepened his frustration.

Hours passed as Vulcan continued to practice, his shirt drenched in sweat, his muscles trembling from the effort. He refused to stop. Every failed attempt brought him closer to understanding the technique, but he still couldn't grasp the full power of Soru.

The sun was high in the sky when Vulcan finally collapsed to the ground, his chest heaving with exhaustion. He stared up at the canopy, his mind racing.

"I'm missing something," he thought, his frustration gnawing at him.

He reached for the handbook, flipping through its worn pages once more. The descriptions were clear, but it wasn't the same as seeing someone execute the technique in real life. Vulcan closed the book, his brow furrowed. He needed to figure this out—before the island's dangers caught up with him again.

The Unseen Threat

The jungle was never quiet for long.

As Vulcan sat there, recovering from the morning's brutal training session, a low growl echoed through the trees. His head snapped up, his senses immediately on high alert. He slowly rose to his feet, his eyes scanning the dense foliage around him.

The growl came again—closer this time.

Vulcan's muscles tensed, and he grabbed the knife strapped to his side. He hadn't forgotten the creature from the previous night, and he wasn't about to let himself be caught off guard again. The jungle was home to countless beasts, many of them larger and more dangerous than what he'd faced before. This one, judging by the sound, wasn't small.

A flash of movement in the corner of his vision caught his attention. Something large was stalking him from the shadows.

Without warning, the creature lunged from the underbrush—a massive cat-like predator, its body covered in sleek, dark fur, its claws gleaming in the sunlight. It was fast, much faster than the beast he had fought before.

Vulcan barely had time to react. He threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding the predator's sharp claws as they slashed through the air where he had been standing moments before. The beast snarled, its eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger.

Vulcan gritted his teeth. He couldn't afford to run—not this time. He needed to fight. But this beast was faster, and Vulcan knew he couldn't rely on his current speed to match it.

His mind raced. Soru was still out of his reach, but maybe… maybe he could use a piece of it. If he couldn't move ten times faster, he would have to settle for two or three.

The predator lunged again, and Vulcan's legs tensed. He kicked off the ground, attempting a partial Soru—not enough to disappear completely, but just enough to dodge the attack.

It worked.

Vulcan's body shot to the side, moving faster than he had before. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough to evade the predator's strike. The beast snarled in frustration, its claws swiping at empty air.

Vulcan grinned. "That's it… I just need to push harder."

The predator roared and charged at him once more, but this time, Vulcan was ready. He kicked off the ground again, his body moving faster than it had in the past attempts. He could feel the technique starting to click, the speed coming together in a way that almost felt natural.

As the predator closed in, Vulcan leaped forward, aiming a powerful punch at its side. His fist connected with the beast's ribs, the impact sending a shockwave through the creature's body. It let out a pained yelp, staggering back from the blow.

Vulcan didn't give it time to recover. He pressed the advantage, using his new burst of speed to close the distance and deliver another powerful strike, this time to the predator's jaw. The beast collapsed to the ground, stunned.

Vulcan stood over it, breathing heavily. His legs were shaking, the strain of using Soru—even partially—taking its toll on his body. But he had done it. For the first time, he had managed to use the technique in a fight.

"I'm getting closer," Vulcan muttered to himself. His heart raced with excitement, but he knew he wasn't there yet. The full power of Soru still eluded him, but now he had a glimpse of what it felt like.

The predator let out a low whimper, slowly rising to its feet. It gave Vulcan one last look before retreating into the jungle, defeated.

A New Understanding

The victory was a small one, but it was enough to reignite Vulcan's determination. He spent the next few days honing his technique, pushing his body to the limits. Each time he attempted Soru, he could feel himself getting a little bit faster, a little bit more precise.

He still wasn't at the level he wanted, but he was improving. Slowly but surely, the pieces of the Rokushiki techniques were falling into place.

The beasts of the island continued to challenge him, but with each encounter, Vulcan grew stronger. He learned to read their movements, to anticipate their attacks. His body, already hardened by Garp's intense training, became even more resilient.

And with each fight, he came closer to mastering Soru.

One afternoon, as Vulcan rested at his camp, he pulled out the handbook again, flipping through its pages. His eyes lingered on the next technique: Tekkai (Iron Body).

"A technique that allows the user to harden their muscles to the point of becoming as tough as iron, capable of withstanding powerful blows."

Vulcan's lips curled into a determined smile. Once he had Soru under control, Tekkai would be next. He needed both speed and defense if he wanted to survive on this island—and eventually, in the world beyond it.

But for now, his focus remained on mastering Soru.

With the sun setting in the distance, Vulcan stood up, his legs still sore from the day's training, but his spirit undeterred. He walked back to the clearing, ready to push himself again.

He wouldn't stop until he had mastered the technique.