Chapter 23: Mobius' persistence

On the merchant ship, Teach found himself alone in a guest room. Such guest rooms were often reserved for travelers during their journey and could also serve as a refuge when facing pirate attacks.

The merchant ship was well-prepared with escorts for such situations. The ship was headed to the Kate Kingdom, which was also Teach's destination. To reach the Kate Kingdom, they had to pass through three islands and finally arrive at the island.

He was quietly exercising when he suddenly turned his head and said. "Come out, kid," he called out.

"Huh? You found me?" The figure under the bed was motionless, observing Teach training. Upon hearing Teach's voice, the figure was startled hit and hit his head against the bed.

The person hiding under the bed realized their mistake and silently watched Teach, staying hidden in the dark.

"Come out, or do you want me to drag you out myself," Teach said calmly, knowing who was hiding.

As expected, the figure crawled out from under the bed and stood solemnly in front of Teach, looking at him with admiration.

This person was Mobius, the young man with the blood of the snakehead clan.

The previous night, at the base camp of Annie's guards, a large warehouse where dozens of teenagers surrounded Mobius, they asked him what they should do since Teach was leaving. Mobius firmly stated that he had decided to follow Teach because he felt too weak and wanted to become stronger.

Mobius had always desired to become stronger, but this time, his desire was particularly strong, and he wanted to follow someone like Teach, who was powerful.

Mobius also mentioned to his companions that they should grow as well and that they couldn't always remain under his protection. His decision to follow Teach was made with determination and the belief that he would become stronger with him.

His companions expressed their support for Mobius, acknowledging that Teach was indeed strong and that Mobius would surely grow stronger under his guidance. They also shared their own plans to join the city guards, where they could apparently become even stronger than Mobius in the future.

"You guys!" Mobius was deeply moved, and he laughed heartily, "That's impossible. My boss's status can't be shaken, he will make me super duper powerful. With his guidance I want to be a pirate in the future and take all of you to the sea together."

"But Boss Mobius, how will you manage to go to sea with Teach? did he promise you?," one of his companions asked curiously.

Hearing this, Mobius couldn't help but smile, exuding confidence, "Haha, I have everything planned out long ago. I learned that the merchant ship Boss Teach was going in, will depart early tomorrow morning, so I will go to the ship too. We will board the ship together."

"we believe in you!" Some of his friends chimed in, showing their support.

…

"What are you doing here?" Teach asked, surprised to see Mobius kneeling in front of him with excitement evident in his eyes, and his hands and head supporting the ground.

Teach's eyes turned white, his expression unsure, "Ah, I'm not exactly suitable for taking on a child." He contemplated the situation. Though Mobius was similar to him and used to being alone, having a child around would be strange.

Mobius himself regularly exercised, and Teach could see that he had a good foundation.

"Please let me follow you. As long as I'm with you, I'll help you with anything—buying things, pouring water, pouring wine—I'll do whatever you need help with," Mobius shouted passionately.

"Okay, kid, I agree," Teach said loudly, knowing that if he disagreed, Mobius would keep pestering him until he gave in.

"Really? Thank you so much, boss," Mobius exclaimed with excitement.

"Okay, now stand up and wipe my face." Teach said, out of breath, as he tossed a tissue at Mobius.

"You said that you want to become stronger, but it's not that easy to earn my approval," Teach said with a smile.

"I will definitely earn your approval," Mobius declared, standing firmly in front of Teach.

Teach found a place to sit down and looked at Mobius, "Do you like snakes?" he asked with a smile.

"Snakes?" Mobius was a little confused, wondering why Teach brought up the topic. However, he started pondering whether he liked snakes or not.

Truthfully, Mobius had rarely encountered snakes. He mostly lived on Seth Island, where snakes were uncommon. He used to hate his identity as a snakehead and consequently hated snakes as well.

But now, he had come to accept his identity, and many others didn't care about it, so he figured, why should he?

He realized that he didn't truly hate snakes, and as he contemplated their characteristics—distorted, cold-blooded, hunting, and dormant—he found that he didn't hate them at all.

If he didn't hate them, then he liked them.

"I like snakes," Mobius affirmed.

Upon hearing Mobius' answer, Teach smiled, knowing how to guide him, "You know, the body structure of the snakeheads is different from that of ordinary people. General physical techniques don't suit snakeheads or allow them to fully utilize the talents of the Snakehead Clan. The Snakehead Clan doesn't have developed hand and leg muscles like the Long-handed Clan or the Long-legged Clan, nor do they possess the ten times strength of the fishmen."

"Every Snakehead is born with remarkable flexibility. The physical technique that can maximize their flexibility is the most suitable one for the Snakehead Clan. I'll teach you a trick. If you can learn this trick, it will be a sign of my approval, and then I'll teach you more," Teach said with a serious expression, indicating that he didn't casually teach to anyone.

Teach stood up and demonstrated to Mobius. He took out a piece of paper, pinched it with his left hand, and gently let it go. The paper fell from mid-air.

Mobius kept a steady gaze on Teach's movements, intrigued by what he was about to be taught.

Teach's right hand underwent a dramatic transformation with a distinct "click" sound, resembling a snake's movement. He swiftly struck the paper in front of him, twisting and contorting his hand in a way that produced a myriad of shadowy images.

In a mere second, Teach executed countless strikes, and Mobius was left in awe as the entire piece of paper shattered into thousands of pieces, cascading down from mid-air.

"This technique is called the snake hand. By quickly manipulating my joints, I can extend my hand like a snake, delivering powerful blows that can shatter an opponent's bones. Mastering this requires exceptional speed and strength," Teach explained.

He continued, "you need to continuously remove your joints until you can freely manipulate them. I won't lie; it will be painful. Mobius, you also have to improve your strength, speed, and striking force. When you can break a tree with a single strike using the snake hand, I will acknowledge your mastery, and I'm giving you one month to achieve that."

"One month—I'll train for one month," Mobius murmured, undeterred by the challenge. The difficulty of the training was anticipated, but his determination to stay by Teach's side and experience the sea firsthand fueled his resolve to learn the technique.

He was captivated by the power displayed by Teach in this trick, and he was eager to acquire it himself.

"How do I remove my joints," Mobius looked at his arms, unsure where to start. He paused for a moment before turning to Teach for guidance.

Teach explained, "Learning physical exercises is a process of mastering the body. In a arm, there are many joints, but we'll focus on the three main ones—the shoulder joint, the elbow joint, and the wrist joint. I'll help you remove these three main joints for the training. I'll assist you in putting them back in place after each session."

"But going forward, you'll have to do it on your own. There are other joints in your arm that you'll need to master if you want to delve deeper into this technique. In that case, you'll have to seek help from a doctor. Are you up for the challenge?" Teach emphasized the seriousness to him.

The training for the snake hand was indeed arduous. Teach had observed others practicing it on the Whitebeard's ship, and there was even a secret book on the technique available. While others couldn't easily learn the snake hand, Mobius had an edge due to his inherent flexibility.

Teach had set a time limit, eager to witness the extent of Mobius' potential and dedication.

The essence of the snake hand was akin to a whip-like slap, requiring extraordinary skill and power.

"Are you ready?" Teach asked, knowing the initial pain could be

"I'm ready," Mobius replied confidently. He produced a rag from somewhere and bit it to endure the pain.

"Good, 3, 2..." Teach began counting, and before he could even say "1," he swiftly removed the six joints of both of Mobius' arms in an instant.

Mobius was taken aback, staring blankly at Teach, as if he was trying to say "why" but couldn't quite articulate it. The initial pain had certainly shocked him, but he was determined to endure it and prove himself worthy of Teach's teachings.

As Mobius endured the excruciating pain, he clamped down on the rag with all his might, tears streaming down his face. His body trembled, and his legs bent as if he was being contorted at a ninety-degree angle.

Teach reassured him, "Okay, okay, the severe pain only lasts for a moment. Although it's still painful, it's much better than before." He observed Mobius, who was still shaking from the pain, with a nod of approval.

Regaining his focus, Mobius asked, "Then what should I do next? I feel like I have no control over my arm."

Teach advised, "Train your slaps. Strike that piece of wood with your arms. You must get accustomed to the pain. Once you become familiar with it, the feeling will diminish over time. The most challenging part is in the beginning."

He pointed towards an iron frame near the window with a piece of wood sandwiched between the iron bars, approximately 20 centimeters in diameter. "Your goal is to strike this wood with your arms. Start with your right hand, then your left. Two pieces of wood a day, and eventually, we'll replace it with a larger piece."

As Teach started doing push-ups, he continued, "Once you're done, I'll help you reconnect your arms, and then we'll focus on strength and physical exercises."

Teach made one request, "But for now, focus on your training and don't disturb me."

With determination, Teach devoted himself to training. He realized that after the previous battle, he lacked the strength to match Patton's power. He aspired to possess overwhelming power like the old man, working in harmony with his claws. Although he didn't have the same defense as Big Mom or the incredible resilience of Kaido, he believed that his power could surpass even those mighty giants.

However, he understood that achieving this level of power required continuous effort and hard work.

Observing Teach's focused training, Mobius was taken aback. It became evident that great strength was not an inherent trait. Even individuals like Teach had to toil diligently to attain their formidable abilities. This realization motivated Mobius further; if he wanted to become stronger, he knew that he, too, must put in the effort and dedication.

The journey towards becoming a true force to be reckoned with had just begun for Mobius, and he was ready to face it head-on, guided by Teach's teachings and inspired by the desire to stand alongside his mentor as a fellow pirate.