Chapter 163: The Six Styles (Part 3)

"Shave." On a deserted island in the Calm Belt, Daniel Davis rapidly stomped the ground with his right foot, his figure instantly appearing behind Bartholomew Kuma. He leaped and kicked towards Kuma's right leg. Due to the height difference, Daniel aimed for Kuma's body but couldn't reach it.

Bang.

Kuma seemed to anticipate the attack and placed his left palm in front of Daniel's leg. The moment Daniel's kick connected with Kuma's palm, he felt an immense force rebound from Kuma's hand, sending him flying backward at high speed.

A month ago, Daniel would have helplessly crashed to the ground from such a powerful rebound, but now, he managed to regain control in mid-air. Using Moonwalk, he swiftly stepped on the air, changing direction and launching himself back at Kuma, aiming a kick at his right shoulder. However, once again, Kuma's palm met his attack, sending Daniel flying.

Sparring with Kuma for a month had been a frustrating experience for Daniel due to the seemingly invincible nature of Kuma's Paw-Paw Fruit. The stronger Daniel's attacks, the more formidable the rebound force became.

Daniel repeatedly used Moonwalk and Shave to close in on Kuma, but facing Kuma's massive hands and formidable body, his occasional successful hits were ineffective. 

Daniel had been training on this island for nearly two months. The first half-month was under Dragon's personal guidance, but then Kuma took over. As the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon couldn't be absent for too long. Kuma had been guiding and sparring with Daniel since then, utilizing his Paw-Paw Fruit to heal and Daniel's own regenerative abilities, allowing continuous, grueling training without rest. This period was crucial for Daniel's growth.

His progress in physical techniques astonished both Dragon and Kuma. Daniel's rapid advancement was primarily due to his strong foundation, enhanced by virus fortification, the Ope-Ope Fruit, dimensional magic, and the Philosopher's Stone, all of which significantly boosted his physical capabilities. What he had lacked was proper training methods.

In the world of pirates, strong individuals possessed incredible regenerative abilities, recovering from severe injuries quickly. For instance, Luffy's broken tooth was miraculously restored by drinking milk. However, even these resilient bodies couldn't match Daniel's instantaneous healing, which didn't require medical attention or rest.

If Daniel didn't need to conceal the extent of his abilities, Dragon and Kuma would have been even more shocked, as he hadn't yet used the Philosopher's Stone.

The Philosopher's Stone could heal anything, even potentially restoring Shanks' lost arm.

"That's enough." After Daniel was once again repelled, Kuma signaled to stop. Continuing would only waste time.

"Your strength is impressive now. You just need to continue honing your skills." As a Warlord and a high-ranking Revolutionary, Kuma's commitment to sparring for a month and a half was extraordinary. But now, he too had to leave.

As Kuma stated, Daniel's current strength was comparable to that of a Navy officer, though not quite at the level of a Vice Admiral, more like a Rear Admiral or Commodore.

By now, Daniel had mastered the basics of the Six Styles and needed to continue refining them. He had also started sensing Haki, similar to the Six Styles, requiring further practice.

To master Armament Haki, one's physique must reach a certain level. As for Conqueror's Haki, it was innate; Daniel didn't know if he possessed it.

"Thank you."

"It was just a transaction."

Before leaving, Kuma transported Daniel off the deserted island in the Calm Belt to ensure he wasn't stranded. Despite his enhanced strength, traversing the Calm Belt alone was still impossible.

"Such a gentle person being labeled a 'Tyrant,' and his tragic fate... But with me here, things will be different," Daniel thought. His time with Kuma gave him insight into Kuma's character. Without the burden of his country, Kuma's strength and Devil Fruit ability made him nearly unbeatable.

Even Kizaru, with his speed, couldn't surpass Kuma's instant teleportation.

Before leaving, Kuma asked Daniel where he wanted to go, offering to transport him. The Paw-Paw Fruit's ability was remarkable, enabling Kuma to send people or objects anywhere, making him indispensable to the Revolutionary Army.

The materials and weapons previously transported were done with Kuma's ability, avoiding detection by the World Government and CP-0.

Though Daniel had spent the past two months training, he picked up information from Kuma's conversations with Dragon. The Revolutionary Army had made significant moves, bolstered by the new weapons, prompting CP-0 to investigate the source. Underground arms dealers, even Doflamingo, were suspected due to the scale of the weaponry, though the investigations yielded no results. The concept of alchemy was beyond their comprehension.

Contrary to their perceived inactivity, the Revolutionary Army operated mainly on land, toppling regimes and engaging in espionage against the World Government and CP-0. Even Sabo, a high-ranking officer, had fought on various battlefields.

"If only I were stronger, I could introduce modern warfare to this world. Imagine missile strikes," Daniel pondered as Kuma disappeared.

Dragon and Kuma were extraordinary individuals. Interacting with them increased Daniel's respect for the Revolutionary Army. If he didn't have his own plans, he might have joined them, as they genuinely cared for the people, unlike those seeking power.

Though Daniel wouldn't join, he planned to supply the Revolutionary Army with even more powerful weapons once his strength increased, letting the World Government experience the might of Jericho missiles.

He even considered obtaining the sky battleship from Project Insight to bombard the Celestial Dragons. But before that, he needed to acquire things like the technique to make objects eat Devil Fruits, Vegapunk's lineage factor research, and Pacifistas.

Pacifistas, with their advanced technology, intrigued Daniel. If he could harness that technology, combined with land and air dominance, he'd be unstoppable.

"I almost forgot about Ace. He's not with Whitebeard yet, so Blackbeard hasn't gotten the Dark-Dark Fruit. Should I go to the Whitebeard Pirates to seize it?" Daniel contemplated. The Dark-Dark Fruit, coveted by Blackbeard for years, was highly desirable.

"Should I warn Whitebeard about Blackbeard to secure the Dark-Dark Fruit? That could alter Ace and Whitebeard's fates," Daniel thought. He could even heal Whitebeard's injuries and rejuvenate him using the Philosopher's Stone. A restored Whitebeard would be a formidable force.

"If I can gain Whitebeard's trust, especially concerning Ace, he'd likely act. Whitebeard is highly respected. Despite being one of the Four Emperors, he's a philanthropist, donating his money to his impoverished homeland, a victim of the Celestial Dragons' heavenly tribute."

Daniel admired Whitebeard for his selflessness. Unlike other pirate crews, the territories under Whitebeard's protection didn't benefit as much. Yet, Big Mom's territories were prosperous due to her subordinates' food-based abilities, ensuring no shortage of supplies.

"It's ironic that the best living conditions among the Four Emperors' territories are under Big Mom, not Whitebeard, Kaido, or Shanks."

To approach Whitebeard, Daniel needed Ace to join the crew first. So, he returned to the Calm Belt, finding another island for training, far from the previous one.

"Let's begin." On the island, Daniel formed hand seals, summoning ten identical clones using the magic of Kamar-Taj, the Icon Projection spell. This spell, similar to the Shadow Clone Technique, allowed him to create multiple tangible clones.

Doctor Strange had used this spell to briefly restrain Thanos.

With the Icon Projection spell, Daniel's clones helped him dodge all their attacks using Paper Drawing, perfecting his mastery of the Six Styles and Haki over six months. Only Conqueror's Haki remained elusive.

Daniel had moved to three different islands, eliminating all the creatures there, though they weren't as powerful as the apes Luffy fought during his training.

"Now, Crocodile shouldn't be a match for me," Daniel mused, preparing to act. He aimed to save a certain princess's country and rescue Nico Robin.

If he waited for Luffy to defeat Crocodile, it would take over two years, during which the princess's country would suffer greatly. With his current strength, Daniel could help, and he coveted the position of Warlord.

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