Chapter 19: The Masked Hunter of Mock Town

Three years had passed.

Mock Town, a lawless pit of pirates, criminals, and scoundrels, had become my hunting ground.

I had come here seeking strength, looking for powerful warriors to fight and skills to copy.

But time after time, I was disappointed.

The people I fought—pirates with decent bounties, criminals who bragged about their power—were nothing but weaklings.

Their techniques were sloppy. Their Haki was barely developed. Their swordsmanship was crude and unrefined.

I had crushed them all.

Hunting in Mock Town

Over these three years, I became a ghost that haunted Mock Town's criminals.

Whenever a pirate boasted about their strength, I appeared to test them.

Whenever a bounty hunter claimed to be the best, I put them to the sword.

Whenever dangerous men arrived, I sought them out.

But none of them had the power I was looking for.

After a while, it became a routine.

A group of pirates would get drunk, bragging about their strength.I would challenge them.They would laugh at me at first.Then, I would cut them down within seconds.

Soon, the people of Mock Town stopped underestimating me.

A New Name

At first, they didn't know what to call me.

I was just a masked swordsman, appearing out of nowhere to fight the strongest in the town.

But as the years passed, the name spread.

The Masked Hunter.

That's what they called me now.

A nameless warrior who hunted the strongest in Mock Town, never showing his face, never staying in one place for long.

Rumors spread about me. Some thought I was an ex-bounty hunter, others believed I was a Marine deserter.

But none of them knew the truth.

None of them knew that I was the heir of Wano, training for the day I would return to overthrow Kaido.

Growth Over Three Years

Though I hadn't copied any new major skills, I hadn't wasted my time.

I pushed my body past its limits, training every single day.

1️⃣ Physique & Strength:

✅ My body had grown even larger, even stronger.

✅ I was now over 7 feet tall (215 cm)—towering over most men, my frame powerful and built for war.

✅ My endurance was inhuman, able to fight for hours without tiring.

2️⃣ Swordsmanship:

✅ My technique had evolved far beyond what I copied.

✅ I had developed my own style, blending speed, precision, and overwhelming force.

✅ My cursed sword, Oden, had fully adapted to my control—I no longer fought against its will.

3️⃣ Haki Mastery:

✅ Conqueror's Haki was no longer something I just "used"—it was part of my presence.

✅ My Armament Haki had become so refined that my slashes cut through steel like paper.

✅ Observation Haki had improved to near-perfect levels—I could read enemy movements before they even thought of attacking.

4️⃣ Battle Experience:

✅ I had fought hundreds of battles, perfecting my instincts and sharpening my reflexes.

✅ I had faced and defeated bounty hunters, pirate captains, and mercenaries.

✅ Even small-time Yonko commanders or warlords had passed through Mock Town, and I had tested myself against them.

But even with all of this—I wasn't ready.

I was strong. But not strong enough to defeat Kaido.

And that frustrated me.

Looting the Defeated

Since I never took money from people without reason, I began looting the people I defeated.

I didn't just take gold or treasure—I took anything useful.

Weapons – Even though I had my cursed sword, I kept rare blades in case I needed them.

Haki Training Scrolls – Some defeated bounty hunters had rare books or manuals stolen from Marines.

Information – I made pirates talk before I cut them down, learning about secret islands and strong fighters in the world.

Thanks to this, I had accumulated knowledge far beyond what most people in Mock Town had.

I knew which pirate crews were rising, which Marines were dangerous, and where the strongest fighters were.

But still, none of them were strong enough to push me to the next level.

I needed someone truly powerful to fight.

Checking My Panel

I stood on a rooftop overlooking Mock Town, the sound of brawls and drunken laughter echoing below.

With a thought, I opened my panel.

[STATUS PANEL]

Name: Unknown (The Masked Hunter)

Age: 13

Physical State: Superhuman (Peak Strength, Endurance, and Recovery)

Abilities:

✅ Toki Toki no Mi (Time-Time Fruit) – Limited Time Travel

✅ Advanced Conqueror's Haki (High-Level Control, Coating Perfected)

✅ Observation Haki (Near Future-Sight Level, Extremely Refined)

✅ Armament Haki (High-Level, Black Blade Progression Possible)

✅ Monstrous Durability & Recovery (Passive: Extremely High Pain Tolerance & Regeneration)

✅ Moon Shadow Sword Style – Master Level Swordsmanship (Self-Evolved Style)

✅ Supreme Grade Cursed Sword – Oden (Fully Controlled, Awaits Awakening)

I smirked.

I had come far.

But I wasn't done yet.

There was still more power to seek.