The next morning, Dragon got up early, intending to continue Arthur’s training.
The moment he stepped out of his cabin, he found Arthur and Cooper already hard at work.
The pair had trained late into the night, yet they were back on deck before anyone else.
One practiced sword swings.
The other beat It’s wings in synchronized drills.
It was as if they never grew tired.
“What smooth coordination…”
Dragon watched Arthur repeatedly swing the pale blue blade in his hands.
“His swordsmanship flows far more naturally than his hand-to-hand combat.”
The sea was clear that morning, without It’s usual mist.
Dragon rubbed his shoulders.
For some reason…
The air suddenly felt a little colder.
“Arthur.”
Arthur instantly stopped mid-swing.
A strange pressure that had been gathering around him dispersed all at once.
He remained motionless for several seconds, sword in hand, his sharp gaze fixed ahead.
Only then did he slowly sheath the blade and turn around.
“Colonel ?”
“It’s only around six.”
“Shouldn’t you still be asleep?”
“You wanted to learn the Six Powers.”
“We won’t reach Punk Hazard until tomorrow, so today is the perfect time.”
Dragon walked over and studied Arthur’s sword for quite a while before speaking.
“If you want to learn Finger Pistol (Shigan), you first need to master Iron Body (Tekkai).”
“Finger strength alone isn’t enough.”
Arthur wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“So how do I learn Iron Body?”
“I can’t consciously speed up my blood circulation.”
“The principle behind Iron Body is accelerating the flow of your blood, which in turn causes your muscles to contract and harden.”
Dragon stroked his chin, thinking about how best to explain it.
“You’ve just finished warming up.”
“Try focusing on the sensation of blood flowing through your body.”
“Once you can feel it…”
“Guide that flow toward whichever part of your body you want to strengthen.”
“Your arm.”
“Your finger.”
“Your chest.”
“Or even your entire body.”
Arthur suddenly slapped his palm in realization.
“Oh!”
“So I can make any part harder by making it swell?”
“…Y-Yes…”
Dragon nodded instinctively—
Then his face darkened.
A split second later—
Bam!
He punched Arthur square on the head.
“You little brat!”
“Stop letting your thoughts wander in that direction!”
“You’re right in the middle of puberty!”
Arthur simply smiled.
“How is that a dirty thought?”
“Colonel , that’s just how living creatures reproduce.”
“It’s the union of body and soul that creates the miracle of life.”
“Otherwise…”
“Neither you nor I would exist.”
Dragon immediately cut him off.
“…”
For once…
He couldn’t even argue.
“Enough.”
“Focus.”
“Try sensing your own breathing and the flow of blood inside your body.”
“In this world…”
“Everyone possesses hidden potential.”
“With enough training, you can perceive another person’s presence…” Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
“…or even sense what they’re about to do next.”
So learning Iron Body starts with perception…
Arthur wasn’t surprised.
He had already done something similar countless times while hunting.
Whenever he stalked particularly fast prey…
He instinctively sensed subtle changes in their emotions and alertness.
Following Dragon’s instructions without complaint, Arthur slowly closed his eyes.
His breathing gradually steadied.
His awareness turned inward.
His body still radiated heat from training.
Yet his breathing had already become calm.
Nearby, Cooper watched blankly until—
Smack.
Arthur lightly tapped him on the head.
“Quit staring.”
“Do it too.”
Cooper rubbed his head with one wing before reluctantly copying Arthur.
“When you finally sense your blood flow…”
“Try speeding it up.”
Dragon watched confidently.
Given Arthur’s physical foundation…
He believed this wouldn’t be difficult at all.
The Cipher Pol agents of the World Government spent their childhoods building the physical conditioning necessary just to learn the Six Powers.
Arthur, meanwhile…
Had mastered Geppo, Soru, and Rankyaku almost immediately.
That alone was frightening enough.
“Your body is already more than prepared.”
“Now that you know the method, you should pick it up quickly.”
Under Dragon’s guidance, Arthur soon found his own approach.
The moment he successfully hardened his index finger—
A miserable scream echoed beside him.
“COOPER!”
Following Dragon’s instructions, Cooper had forced his blood to circulate faster.
Instead…
His right wing completely locked up.
It stretched out stiffly like a cramp, refusing to move at all.
“Cooper!”
(My wing cramped!
It cramped!)
Dragon merely nodded.
That was perfectly normal.
Muscle cramps were common while learning Iron Body.
Arthur, meanwhile, looked at his hardened finger with a confident grin.
“Heh.”
“So?”
“Did you actually succeed, you little monster?”
Cold sweat appeared on Dragon’s forehead.
Judging from Arthur’s smile…
It looked like he had.
A second later, Arthur’s grin froze.
“…Colonel .”
“I can’t feel my finger anymore.”
Dragon buried his face in one hand.
“…Hopeless.”
“Both of you.”
Watching one eagle with a cramped wing and one boy with a numb finger rolling around the deck…
Dragon could only sigh.
“Once your muscles relax, it’ll go away.”
“Keep practicing.”
He returned to his cabin to deal with paperwork.
What happened to that kid…?
Did that battle on Lionheart Island knock something loose in his head?
Curious, Dragon glanced back out through the cabin window.
One second earlier… Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
Arthur and Cooper had been screaming.
The next—
They were beating each other with Iron Body activated.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Metallic impacts echoed across the deck.
Dragon stared in disbelief.
“…That’s Iron Body?”
“They were cramping just moments ago!”
“How are they already using it to spar?”
For the first time…
He genuinely felt as though he’d been tricked.
Several minutes later, the sparring finally stopped.
“Cooper!”
“I’m going to grab a rifle from the armory!”
“Let’s see if your Iron Body can block bullets!”
Arthur laughed excitedly.
“Cooper!”
(Sounds great!)
Arthur happily ran toward the cabin.
The moment he opened the door—
He found Dragon standing in the hallway.
Waiting.
His expression was equal parts confusion…
And irritation.
“…Colonel ?”
“You’re still here?”
Dragon smiled.
“I think…”
“I’ll personally test the durability of your Iron Body.”
Arthur laughed awkwardly and tried to squeeze past him.
Dragon immediately grabbed him by the back of his shirt and lifted him into the air.
“N-No need…”
“Come on, Colonel …”
“I was just trying to prank you…”
“I understand.”
“Most geniuses have their quirks.”
“I was the same way when the old man trained me.”
“So today…”
“We’ll spend some quality time strengthening your Iron Body.”
“I’m not a genius!”
Dragon actually laughed.
Though there was obvious envy mixed with his irritation.
“If you’re not a genius…”
“Then what does that make me?!”
“Cooper!”
“Help me!”
Arthur shouted toward the deck.
With a loud crash—
Cooper kicked the cabin door wide open and charged in heroically.
“Cooper!”
(Who dares lay a hand on my Arthur?!)
He launched a flying kick straight at Dragon.
Dragon casually caught him with his free hand.
In an instant…
Arthur dangled from one hand.
Cooper dangled from the other.
The eagle blinked blankly.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
For the rest of the day…
Gunshots…
And the miserable screams of one boy and one eagle…
Echoed across Dragon’s warship without end.