Chapter 7: The Duel with Jinbe

Chapter 7: The Duel with Jinbe

After absorbing the talent, potential, and strength of the Naruto-version Chu Yang, his learning abilities far surpassed ordinary people.

In just four more days, Chu Yang's mastery of Fish-Man Karate reached another level.

Jinbe decided it was time to assess Chu Yang's progress.

The two engaged in a Fish-Man Karate match on the deck, a unique and eye-opening contest.

Other than Fish-Man Karate, neither was allowed to use any other abilities.

At first, the Fish-Men on the ship thought Jinbe was joking. How could a human, who had only been aboard for a week, possibly have learned Fish-Man Karate so quickly?

It seemed impossible, even if he'd been learning since birth!

With skepticism, the entire crew of the Sun Pirates witnessed the match between Chu Yang and Jinbe.

Even Arlong, whose upper body was wrapped in bandages, stood at the sidelines, his gaze never leaving Chu Yang.

"You attack first!" Jinbe stood confidently in front of Chu Yang, not even bothering to assume a defensive stance.

"Alright." Chu Yang, always direct and efficient, didn't hesitate. He clenched his fist near his abdomen, his body slightly recoiling like a tightened spring.

Chu Yang concentrated his strength into his fist, then forcefully punched forward, creating a powerful shockwave in the air.

[Fish-Man Karate: True Air Tile True Punch]

This was a technique Chu Yang had developed by refining Jinbe's "Karate Tile True Punch". It had greater range and more focused power.

Due to the effects of his Wood Release ability, Chu Yang's cell vitality had been steadily increasing. The power of this punch now rivaled, if not exceeded, Jinbe's original move.

Jinbe hadn't realized the power of Chu Yang's punch until the shockwave, like a cannonball, approached him. Only then did he sense the overwhelming pressure.

"Shark Tile True Punch!"

Jinbe's muscular blue arm tensed, his bulging muscles pulsing with strength as he swung a mighty punch into the air in front of him.

Boom!

The air seemed to rip apart, splitting into countless turbulent streams, sweeping the surrounding Fish-Men off their feet.

Arlong was stunned as he watched the two clash with just one move. The sheer force of it exceeded his wildest expectations.

"He actually learned Fish-Man Karate?"

"And he's evenly matched with Jinbe?!"

"Could he have Fish-Man blood in him?"

The Fish-Men whispered amongst themselves, their eyes filled with amazement as they looked at Chu Yang. Tiger's mouth hung open, not knowing how to express his emotions.

"Well done, kid!" Jinbe smiled at Chu Yang for the first time, dropping the dismissive attitude he had before. "Since that's the case, I'll have to take this more seriously!"

Chu Yang smiled back, his eyes gleaming with excitement, a hint of the bloodthirsty fervor he had shown before.

Seeing this, Arlong shivered uncontrollably, a cold fear settling in his heart.

The two began to fight again, abandoning meaningless probing and immediately engaging in direct, brutal hand-to-hand combat.

Every punch landed solidly!

However, given the size difference between Chu Yang and Jinbe, it seemed unbelievable that Chu Yang could withstand Jinbe's fierce assaults.

Chu Yang's body, still in his youth, barely reached Jinbe's waist, and his legs were no thicker than Jinbe's arms.

When their fists collided, it was like striking two matchsticks against massive logs.

The visual contrast made the battle appear even more shocking to the onlookers.

Tiger feared that Chu Yang's small frame might be broken any second under Jinbe's blows.

Indeed, every clash made Chu Yang feel as though his body was about to fall apart. The force from Jinbe's fists was like an invisible wave crashing through every muscle and bone in his body.

A normal person would have collapsed long ago.

But Chu Yang's regenerative abilities were beyond what anyone could imagine, giving him the stamina to keep going. Moreover, Jinbe hadn't used his Haki, so everything was within Chu Yang's limits.

The battle between Chu Yang and Jinbe raged from noon until dusk!

And then until the stars lit the night sky!

Jinbe finally ran out of energy...

He lay on the deck, panting heavily, his body covered in bruises and welts, in a pitiful state.

On the other side, Chu Yang was equally battered, his face swollen and bruised.

But Chu Yang had one advantage—he was still standing.

In front of everyone's eyes, Chu Yang, who had only been learning Fish-Man Karate for a week, had managed to fight Jinbe to a draw without using his Wood Release.

The result left everyone stunned!

It had only been a week!

Chu Yang had truly transformed from a total novice in martial arts to an elite in Fish-Man Karate.

Tiger stood in shock, looking at Chu Yang as if he were a mysterious monster.

Having witnessed Chu Yang's abilities back at Mary Geoise, Tiger had never considered him an ordinary boy, but Chu Yang's talent still left him astonished.

Jinbe muttered, "Kid, you sure can take a beating!"

Chu Yang grinned. "You're not as tough as I thought!"

"Hahaha!" Jinbe laughed heartily. "I'll admit defeat this time. Next time, I won't hold back."

Chu Yang rolled his eyes. "If you use Haki, I'll lose for sure. Let's skip it."

Jinbe suggested, "You could use your Devil Fruit abilities."

Chu Yang shook his head. "Still wouldn't win, let's just forget it…"

Jinbe, feeling a bit at a loss, came up with a compromise. "How about this? I'll teach you Haki, and next time we'll fight using that."

Chu Yang smiled with satisfaction and then slowly sat down on the ground. He had been holding on, but now he couldn't keep going any longer.

From that day on, the Sun Pirates stopped whispering about Chu Yang.

No one dared look at him with disdain or hatred anymore.

Wherever Chu Yang went, he could feel the respectful gazes of those around him.

It was the respect given to the strong.

Only Arlong dared not speak out against him. Even when passing by Chu Yang, he would lower his head and quickly walk past.

Two days after the match, Chu Yang eagerly sought out Jinbe again to learn Haki from him.

He was obsessed with the feeling of being able to learn anything twice as fast as others.

With every passing moment, he could feel his power growing significantly.

It was an addictive sensation.

"You really are a monster," Jinbe marveled, his body still covered in bruises, as he saw Chu Yang, who had fully recovered. "Tell me the truth, are you really human?"

Chu Yang rolled his eyes. "What part of me doesn't look human?"

Jinbe shook his head in wonder. "Everything about you doesn't look human…"

"Stop insulting me!" Chu Yang said with a smile. "Hurry up and teach me Haki!"

Resigned, Jinbe began explaining the power of Haki to Chu Yang.

Meanwhile, in the captain's quarters, Tiger's face was dark as he held the newspaper and wanted poster that had arrived from the News Coo that morning.

The bounty on his head had risen to 500 million Berries!