Chapter 12: Peak Mastery
Even Luffy, who had valiantly matched Ryu drink for drink (or rather, juice for alcohol), was swaying unsteadily on his feet.
Ryu polished off the last of his grape juice with a satisfied gulp before leaping onto Shanks' prone form.
"Hey, hey, hey! Shanks, you're not done yet, are you? Get up and keep drinking!" Ryu called out, but there was no response—just the rhythmic rise and fall of Shanks' chest as he snored softly.
With no one else left to challenge, Ryu spent the rest of the night sparring with Luffy. The future Pirate King proved to be a surprisingly worthy opponent, his boundless energy matching Ryu's own determination.
As dawn broke, Ryu finally conceded that even among the Four Emperors, Shanks was truly in a league of his own—at least for now.
The next day, after bidding farewell to Shanks and his crew, Ryu finally took a moment to examine the new skill he'd earned from their duel.
Peak Mastery (Passive Skill): Greatly enhances focus and perseverance. Once committed to a task, the user will not stop until they have reached the pinnacle of mastery.
Though it didn't provide any direct stat boosts, Ryu couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. For someone like him—still in the early stages of training—the skill was invaluable.
Over the past three months, his motivation had waned. He lacked the drive to push himself further because, honestly, he hadn't seen the need. His laid-back personality and lack of ambition toward becoming the Pirate King made rigorous training feel unnecessary.
But now, with Peak Mastery, things would change. This newfound dedication promised to accelerate his growth exponentially.
Red-Haired Shanks, Ryu thought, gripping BloodThirst tightly. Next time, I'll defeat you.
He pulled out his blood pouch and took two long gulps, savoring the rush of vitality that coursed through his veins.
The journey back to Boro Village was uneventful. Thanks to Garp's frequent patrols, the East Blue had been largely purged of pirates, leaving Ryu without opportunities to encounter fresh prey. Upon returning home, he immediately threw himself into an intense regimen of training.
This time, however, his focus wasn't limited to swordsmanship alone. Inspired by Rayleigh's methods of teaching Luffy, Ryu incorporated Observation Haki training, physical conditioning, and Armament Haki cultivation into his routine.
"Master Ryu, are you sure about this?" Mia asked hesitantly, holding a massive wooden club in her hands.
"Yes, don't worry. I can handle it," Ryu assured her confidently.
"Well… here I go, then."
"Alright."
With a cry of effort, Mia swung the club downward. Its sheer weight caused her to spin uncontrollably, nearly losing her balance.
Meanwhile, Ryu effortlessly dodged the attack using his Observation Haki. Removing his blindfold, he sighed as he watched Mia tumble to the ground. Clearly, this approach wouldn't yield results anytime soon.
Undeterred, Ryu devised a new strategy. If training while blindfolded wasn't effective enough, why not live life blindfolded entirely?
After all, Observation Haki was about enhancing one's senses to the point of predicting the future. Though uncertain if it would work, Ryu committed fully to the idea, trusting that Peak Mastery would ensure progress.
Days turned into weeks, and Ryu's relentless efforts paid off. By the day after his seventh birthday, his experience bar had reached Level 20 at 100%.
[System Notification: Prerequisites for Evolution Detected.
Requirements: 1,000 units of fresh blood and Level 20 experience. (Note: Higher-quality blood will result in greater post-evolution strength.)]
Ryu paused, considering the task ahead. One thousand units of blood—precisely the capacity of his blood pouch. Glancing at the remaining ten units within, he realized what needed to be done.
The vineyard operation had stabilized, production struggling to keep pace with demand. This imbalance had led to a sharp increase in Ryu's wealth. Initially, he'd offered generous wages to the villagers, ensuring their loyalty and hard work.
When he suggested raising salaries further, they declined, citing how much better their lives had become under his care. Many admitted they'd initially planned to work for free; such gratitude was unexpected but deeply appreciated.
However, prosperity also bred complacency—and corruption. A few troublemakers began slacking off during work hours, gambling instead of tending to their duties.
"Are we really okay doing this?" one young man whispered nervously.
"What's wrong with it? We're villagers of Boro. Ryu owes us his success. Why shouldn't he take care of us?" another sneered.
"Yeah, that softhearted fool won't abandon us. We've earned him so much money—he has no choice but to support us."
After a brief pause, one of them added, "By the way, have you noticed those two girls working at Ryu's estate? They're quite beautiful."
"What?! Are you insane?"
"Why not? Ryu's always away at sea. Once he leaves, we can make our move."
"But…" Though hesitant, the others were clearly intrigued. It seemed only a matter of time before they acted on their plans.
Unaware of the rot festering within his workforce, Ryu continued his training. Thanks to Peak Mastery, his focus was razor-sharp. Five minutes of practice now equaled what used to take two hours. His swordsmanship improved rapidly, nearing the threshold for Intermediate-level proficiency. Increased focus led to higher-quality training, which in turn accelerated his consumption of blood and subsequent Power Level gains.
His experience bar was already full—a virtuous cycle.
The only downside was his dwindling blood supply. Tomorrow, he decided, he'd set sail for Loguetown to hunt pirates.
The following day, at noon, three young men began lurking around Ryu's villa.
"When should we act?" one asked anxiously.
The ringleader scoffed. "What's worrying you? The fleet is assembling right now. They usually depart in the afternoon, and Ryu always boards early in the morning. He's definitely already on the ship. We'll strike tonight—it'll be easy."
"But what if he's still here?"
"That's impossible. Has Ryu ever missed a voyage? That greedy bastard follows the ships every time to protect his cargo. Trust me, he's gone."
That night, Ryu awoke refreshed and ready. To conserve resources, he'd prepared a small boat with just a single navigator for the trip to Loguetown. Since the navigator wouldn't be able to stay awake overnight, Ryu intended to rest while maintaining vigilance. After all, he needed to preserve his strength for the battles ahead.