— — — — — — —
The next morning, after breakfast, Renzo took Kuina and Zoro to the place where he practiced underwater training every day.
"Let's start here! Try diving first and see how long you can hold your breath. No need to rush into underwater training just yet!"
He chose a spot with a suitable depth and pointed at the water, instructing the two.
"Got it!"
Kuina and Zoro nodded. Kuina waded in fully dressed, having worn special attire for the occasion. Zoro, on the other hand, simply stripped down to his boxer shorts and jumped right in.
"Glug glug glug..."
The moment he hit the water, he sank like a rock, leaving a trail of bubbles behind.
Renzo: "..."
Smack!
He slapped his forehead in frustration. "This guy... Is he here to train or to put on a comedy show? He doesn't even know how to swim?!"
Seeing Zoro struggle frantically underwater, Renzo wasted no time and dove in with a perfect diving form, causing barely a ripple on the surface.
If any professional divers from his previous world saw this, they'd probably give him a standing ovation.
The water wasn't too deep, so Renzo reached Zoro in a few swift strokes. He secured Zoro under one arm while supporting his neck with the other, then kicked off the seabed forcefully, launching both of them back up.
Whoosh!
They shot out of the water in an instant.
"Blegh...!"
Renzo gave Zoro's back a firm pat, making him cough up a mouthful of seawater.
"Huff... huff...!"
Gasping for air, Zoro looked like he had just survived a near-death experience. "Diving is terrifying! I almost died!"
Renzo rolled his eyes. "That's because you can't swim!"
"Who jumps straight into the water without knowing how to swim? I respect your bravery!"
"Forget it. Let's not waste time. I'll teach you how to swim, dive, and hold your breath first."
"Fine..."
Zoro had no choice but to accept. He was determined not to fall behind. This training method clearly had its benefits, and if both Renzo and Kuina could do it while he couldn't, the gap between them would only widen.
With Renzo's guidance, Zoro started learning. Despite his reckless nature, he wasn't dumb. In just half an hour, he grasped the basics.
After that, it was just a matter of practice and gradual improvement.
Seeing that Zoro could manage on his own now, Renzo left him to it and swam toward a deeper area to resume his own physical training and sword practice.
He had also observed Kuina earlier—being raised by the seaside, she naturally knew how to swim and dive well. Her skill level was quite decent, which likely meant Koshiro had trained her in these basics.
Unlike Zoro, who grew up as an orphan, with no one to teach him these things.
— — —
Half a Month Later
That evening, after finishing his underwater training and dinner, Renzo lay on his bed, ready to rest.
Suddenly, his consciousness flickered, and he found himself back in the familiar mental space.
A grin spread across his face as he eagerly stepped forward.
"Yo!"
Seeing Uchiha Renzo appear at the same time, along with Eevee coming in from another portal, he greeted them with a raised hand.
"Oh?"
Uchiha Renzo took one look at Pirate Renzo's tanned, muscular physique and whistled. "Not bad! Looks like you've been working hard this past month."
"Obviously!"
Pirate Renzo smirked and spread his arms proudly. "Someone as awesome as me would never just laze around! Look at this body! Look at this perfect tan! I could outshine ten Greek gods!"
...Wasn't this the same guy who once said, 'Freeloading feels great, freeloading forever feels even better'?
"Heh."
Eevee let out a sarcastic chuckle. "I don't know about ten Greek gods, but you sure haven't changed a bit. What's the point of looking good? Do you even have fur? You're completely hairless!"
Pirate Renzo: "...🙄"
Humans covered in fur? That'd be horrifying!
"You're just jealous!" Pirate Renzo huffed.
"Jealous, my tail!"
Eevee fumed. Why hadn't a lightning bolt struck this narcissist down yet?
Eevee was convinced that something had gone wrong when Pirate Renzo transmigrated—his personality in the past life wasn't thisvain.
"By the way, Eevee, did you complete your evolution? Have you learned Teleport yet?"
Uchiha Renzo ignored Pirate Renzo and turned his attention to Eevee, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Pirate Renzo perked up as well. "Oh yeah! Now that you mention it..."
Eevee's appearance had changed significantly, and its size had increased too.
"Hmph!"
Eevee lifted its chin proudly. "Of course! What else would you expect from me? Teleportation is—"
Before it could finish showing off, Uchiha Renzo and Pirate Renzo simultaneously placed their hands on its head.
They instantly shared its power and memories before quickly stepping back.
Eevee: "..."
😠💢🔥🤬
The next moment, its fur bristled in fury. A surge of psychic energy flared up, lifting both Renzos into the air.
Taking advantage of their disorientation, Eevee leaped up and—
Swipe! Swipe! Swipe!
It clawed both of their faces.
Then, with a satisfied huff, it released its psychic grip and landed gracefully on the central table, licking its paw smugly.
"OWWW!!"
Uchiha Renzo and Pirate Renzo crashed to the ground, clutching their scratched faces and wincing. But instead of being angry, they burst into goofy grins, savoring the newly acquired abilities.
"Hehehe... So this is psychic power... We really learned Teleport! And even mind communication!"
"This is amazing! Hehehe..."
At that moment, a new voice hesitantly spoke up.
"Um... Can someone tell me where this is? And what's wrong with those two?"
A newcomer, dressed in traditional Japanese-style robes, cautiously approached the table and asked Eevee.
"I was about to ask the same thing. Also, who are these two clowns?"
Another young man, dressed in flowing white robes with an elegant, aloof demeanor, stepped forward as well. He shot a condescending glance at Uchiha Renzo and Pirate Renzo before turning to Eevee for an explanation.
"Hah?"
Before Eevee could respond, Uchiha Renzo and Pirate Renzo immediately turned toward the white-robed man with indignant expressions.
"Who are you calling clowns?!"
"Tch, look at this guy. Not as handsome as me, but full of arrogance! So annoying. Who the hell are you?!"
.
.
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