Chapter 38: A Complete Vision of the Six Techniques! Personal Tips for Effective Learning!

Chapter 38: Prospects of the Full Six Powers! Personal Tips for Learning!

Due to the use of the infamous "fail" skill, [Iron Body], Smoker was forced to withdraw from the battlefield, incidentally providing Cui Ze with another D-rank bait.

Cui Ze did not rush to "go fishing" immediately. He watched the drill instructor overseeing the combat assessment and only retreated from the arena after the results were officially announced. Shortly after, a team of sturdy, dark-skinned medical personnel in crisp uniforms carried a white stretcher to escort Smoker off the field.

"Real professionals!" Cui Ze paused, a hint of genuine sympathy warming his gaze as he looked at Smoker.

Because the intense clash between Cui Ze and Smoker had set the stage, the subsequent combat assessments felt rather lackluster. However, most people, including the instructors, didn't pay much attention to the proceedings of this minor weekly assessment. By comparison, Smoker’s second crushing defeat was far more worthy of discussion.

Even after the assessments concluded and everyone returned to the naval warship, people were still chattering incessantly about the details of the second match. Cui Ze’s tactical mindset, his combat flow, his sheer power—everything he displayed during this challenge was discussed with great relish.

When did Cui Ze become the top of the training camp? Today! It was today!

Back in his quarters, Cui Ze summoned the light screen and took out the D-rank bait obtained from defeating Smoker.

"Still D-rank bait! It seems that defeating someone a second time doesn't diminish the quality of the bait!" Cui Ze’s eyes lit up. This discovery provided a solid guarantee for his "green, circular, sustainable development" plan.

"The question remains about repeated defeats further down the line. I'm still not sure if multiple victories will eventually reduce the bait's quality, so... I still really need Smoker as a strong (experimental) opponent!"

Cui Ze tossed the D-rank bait into the Dimensional Sea. "The last time I fished with Smoker, I got the [Smoke Form] flight ability. I wonder what good loot I'll get this time!"

[Fishing in progress...]
[Loot type: Ability Entry]
[D-rank Ability Entry: Six Powers - Shave]
[Entry Description: A movement technique from the Six Powers.]
[Entry Effect: Within an instant (0.36 seconds), stomp the ground dozens of times at high speed, utilizing the explosive reaction force to move at high velocity. Movement speed scales with the user’s Agility attribute. Note: Usage requires Strength, Agility, and Stamina attributes to all be at D-rank (Requirement met).]
[Entry Evaluation: You might think Smoker is a natural-powered jet fighter, but in reality, he's just a leg-powered jet engine.]

"[Shave]?"

Staring at the newly acquired ability entry, Cui Ze couldn't help but be taken aback. This was already his second Six Powers technique! That’s right—just before accepting Smoker’s challenge today, Cui Ze had already mastered the [Iron Body] ability and converted it into a personal ability entry!

[D-rank Ability Entry: Six Powers - Iron Body]
[Entry Description: A defensive technique from the Six Powers.]

"The completely uniform naming style confirms that the Six Powers are a series of related abilities!" Cui Ze quickly concluded. "Both [Iron Body] and [Shave] are D-rank abilities. I wonder if, after learning all six, I can fully fuse them into one and evolve it into a C-rank ability..."

Cui Ze fell into deep thought. "It shouldn't be a problem! After all, beyond the Six Powers, there are the ultimate techniques of the Six Powers, and even Life Return! Those are all formidable abilities, especially the latter!"

Carried away by his dreams of the Six Powers and their potential evolutions, Cui Ze drifted into a reverie.

Following the weekly assessment, the Elite Training Camp entered a short break. Instructors no longer mandated training for the cadets, but they remained in their respective training rooms, waiting for those who were self-motivated to join them.

Early the next morning, after enjoying a delicious breakfast, Cui Ze hurried to the Advanced Taijutsu Training Room, where Instructor Shuzo, the teacher of [Iron Body], was stationed.

"You say you've completely mastered Iron Body?" Instructor Shuzo looked at Cui Ze with a hint of surprise. Although he had been certain days ago that Cui Ze would learn it quickly, the speed of this "quickness" still exceeded his expectations.

"I had a bit of an epiphany while fighting that group of attacking pirates," Cui Ze offered his pre-rehearsed explanation. "After practicing over the last two days, I've confirmed that I have mastered the Iron Body ability."

"Let me see it." Instructor Shuzo beckoned with a finger while raising his fist, which was the size of a mortar.

Cui Ze’s mouth twitched slightly. Putting on a brave face, he shouted, "Iron Body!" Some skills just don't feel right unless you shout the name.

*Thud!*

Instructor Shuzo’s fist struck Cui Ze’s body, producing a dull, heavy sound of impact.

"It seems you really have mastered Iron Body. There isn't much left for me to teach you regarding further improvement," Instructor Shuzo said, pulling back his fist and looking blankly at the "naturally gifted" cheater before him. "Regarding [Iron Body], I only want to repeat what I said before: practicing Iron Body—"

"—is a process of forging iron!" Cui Ze finished the sentence for him.

He understood well that the path forward for Iron Body led to the ultimate techniques of the Six Powers, and eventually, Armament Haki! But that wasn't what Cui Ze wanted to know right now.

"Instructor Shuzo, I’d like to ask: is it absolutely necessary to use military merit to redeem the Six Powers techniques?"

Instructor Shuzo nodded. "That is correct."

Cui Ze continued, "But I see that most members of the Elite Training Camp are able to choose which Six Powers techniques they learn quite freely."

Instructor Shuzo thought for a moment before answering, "I think you might have misunderstood something. First, the Six Powers do indeed require military merit to redeem. Second, apart from you, the vast majority of people in the Elite Training Camp were selected from various naval branches precisely because of their outstanding military achievements; naturally, they can easily afford to redeem the Six Powers. Finally, we are already halfway through the training camp term. Even those who lacked sufficient merit at the start have spent this time working hard, capturing pirates, and increasing their merit to qualify for the Six Powers."

"So, do you understand?"

Cui Ze nodded. Instructor Shuzo’s intent was clear: if you want to learn the Six Powers, go out and earn the merit!

But Cui Ze didn't have that kind of time. The Elite Training Camp was already at the halfway point, and the second half of the journey mostly consisted of solitary island training, where the chances of encountering and processing pirates were far lower than in the first half. It would be very difficult for Cui Ze to accumulate enough merit for the remaining four techniques in such a short time.

Fortunately... Cui Ze had another method that was time-efficient and yielded quick results.

Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Smoker, who so graciously provided [Shave]? Or Mr. Vergo, who specializes in [Iron Body]? And perhaps Miss Tina, who studies [Paper Art]?