As Rojen slowly rose to his feet, excitement flickered in his eyes. The hour was nearly up, and Sing's possession was coming to an end. In this short time, he had mastered the Tathagata Divine Palm with the precision of a martial arts prodigy.
In front of 'The Logan', two small pirate ships bobbed in the water, encircled by a rowdy crowd.
These ships had come to rob Rojen and his crew.
The vast seas were lawless, ruled by powerful pirates who plundered islands and merchant ships alike. Among them, smaller crews— typically consisting of twenty to thirty pirates— prowled the waters, seeking easy targets. Though they lacked the notoriety of infamous pirate groups, their accumulated wealth was nothing to scoff at.
Pirates like these rarely sought a life of infamy. Instead, they viewed piracy as a quick way to amass riches before vanishing into obscurity.
Standing at the bow of 'The Logan', Rojen glanced at the opposing pirates, their cutlasses gleaming under the sun as they waved them menacingly.
"Hand over your valuables," A middle-aged man dressed as the pirate captain called out with a cigarette dangling from his lips. His grin was deceptively harmless. "With only two of you aboard, we might just let you go."
"Oh? You're robbing us?" Rojen smirked, amusement dancing in his gaze.
"That's right. Fork over your treasure, and we'll spare your lives," The captain replied with a nod.
"Captain, why waste words on them? Let me handle this," Jason grumbled, scratching his head as if impatient.
At his words, the pirates bristled, their hands tightening around their weapons as anger flashed in their eyes.
"Hold on. Let me take care of this," Rojen said, pulling Jason back.
He couldn't let Jason fight— not this time. He wanted to test his new palm technique himself.
An hour had passed, and only a few seconds remained. The timing was perfect to confirm his earlier theory.
The captain took a long drag from his cigarette and exhaled slowly, gesturing toward Jason. "Your friend looks eager for a fight. Is he always this anxious?"
Jason glared, but Rojen merely chuckled.
The pirates, held in check by their captain, suppressed their rage. They had no intention of picking a fight unless necessary— damaging their ship in combat was the last thing they wanted.
The moment stretched on.
Then, suddenly, Rojen's eyes sharpened, and his grin widened.
"Perfect! Just as I predicted."
With Sing's ghostly possession and the martial arts genius trait he had acquired, the Tathagata Divine Palm was now fully his to command!
A thrill ran through him as he realized something even more significant.
"This technique is worth a hundred thousand possession coins on the system's exchange platform!"
"By mastering it myself, I just saved a fortune!"
Even though Sing's soul had returned, Rojen could still feel the technique within him— its essence embedded in his very being. The knowledge was vivid in his mind, though not yet second nature.
That, however, was only a matter of time. With practice, mastery would come swiftly.
"Hey, kid, I've given you plenty of time to decide. What's it going to be?" The captain asked, tossing away his cigarette impatiently.
Rojen nodded, flashing a knowing smile. "I've made up my mind. Tell me… have you ever heard of an attack that falls from the sky?"
"Huh?" The captain frowned, confused.
Before he could react, his jaw dropped.
Rojen bent his knees slightly at the bow of 'The Logan'. Then, in the next instant, he shot into the sky like a soaring falcon.
As he ascended, Rojen felt the remarkable benefits of unlocking his Ren and Du meridians. The moment his feet left the deck, his body felt weightless, as if an unseen force was lifting him higher and higher.
It was surreal. He had never practiced any lightweight movement techniques, yet now, his entire body felt as if it had been hollowed out and made lighter than air.
Simultaneously, an immense power surged within him, coalescing as he moved.
"So this is the martial arts genius effect— the strength gained from unlocking the Ren and Du meridians."
A glimmer of understanding flashed through Rojen's eyes as he raised his palm.
He positioned it before his chest, his expression turning solemn. Like an Angry-Eyed Vajra, he exuded an imposing aura.
By now, he had reached the peak of his ascent— nearly a hundred meters in the air.
Then, he tilted his head downward, his gaze locking onto the two pirate ships below.
Slowly, he extended his palm forward.
An invisible pressure began to descend.
The moment Rojen started his rapid descent, the wind howled, roaring toward the sea like an invisible force of nature.
"Wēng wēng wēng!"
The ships trembled violently as the wind pressure grew more intense. The pirates' faces twisted with panic.
"Captain, the wind is too strong!"
"What the hell is happening?! It's like the air itself is crushing us!"
"That kid— he flew up and now he's falling straight at us!"
"Is he a Devil Fruit user?!"
The crew erupted in chaos, their nerves fraying under the immense pressure.
"Calm down!" The captain barked, though his face had gone pale. "Hold your ground—I want to see what he's planning!"
His authority momentarily silenced the panic as the pirates stared skyward in stunned disbelief.
From 'The Logan', Jason watched Rojen's meteoric rise— and his impending fall. Instinctively, he nudged the ship backward, distancing them from the impact zone.
He had a gut feeling that whatever was coming next wouldn't end well for the pirates.
Rojen plummeted toward the deck of the enemy ship at breakneck speed. The pressure in the air intensified as he closed the distance— thirty meters, then twenty.
Seeing that none of the pirates had the sense to flee, Rojen couldn't help but chuckle.
"Brave of you to stand your ground before the might of the Tathagata Divine Palm! I admire your courage."
Then, his palm pushed forward.
"BOOM!"
An earth-shattering force erupted from his descending strike. The sheer impact sent two-thirds of the pirates crashing onto the deck, their bodies convulsing under the pressure.
"Pfft!"
Blood sprayed from their mouths, only to be forced back down by the crushing weight of the invisible force pressing upon them.
And yet, Rojen wasn't done.
Hovering just twenty meters above the deck, he thrust his palm downward once more.
"Press!"
The heavens themselves seemed to respond to this shout.
(End of Chapter)
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