"Shriek—"
A piercing cry rang out.
Before the astonished onlookers at Dream House, Moss, a member of the lion Mink Tribe, began to grow rapidly in size. His arms transformed into wings, and his body morphed into an enormous Pelagornis bird, resembling a seagull but with sharp teeth and an imposing form.
"Woohoo…"
With a powerful flap of his massive wings, Moss, now a Pelagornis, took flight, creating gusts of wind as he soared into the sky.
"This is amazing! I'm really flying!" Moss exclaimed joyfully, speeding higher into the air. Instinctively, he spread his wings wide, effortlessly gliding, circling, and diving.
"Not bad..." El nodded in approval. If his crew could eventually develop something like a Rumble Ball, which altered the transformation forms of Zoan Devil Fruits, that would make everything even better.
Having wings in place of arms was still not as practical as having wings grow directly from the back. Wings on the back would allow one to retain the ability to fight with both hands while flying, making it far more versatile in combat.
El mused about the future. Perhaps they could persuade Vegapunk, the world's greatest scientist, to develop a drug that could alter Zoan transformations. If not, El wouldn't hesitate to use force. He certainly had no intention of allowing a talent like Vegapunk to remain in the hands of the World Government. Once Vegapunk advanced the bloodline factor and artificial Devil Fruit technology, El intended to extract every bit of value from him. And if Vegapunk couldn't be controlled, El wouldn't hesitate to eliminate him.
But for now, Vegapunk was still just a child, likely even younger than Charlotte Linlin. El decided he would deal with him once the scientist grew up and returned to his home, Karakuri Island, in the future.
"Alright, everyone…"
El clapped his hands to gather attention, addressing the children who had gathered to watch Moss. "Stop crowding around! Get back to training!"
"Streusen, you'll be supervising. If anyone slacks off, you'll be training through the night with no dinner!"
"Yes, El-sama!" Streusen responded firmly.
The children, including Linlin, quickly ran to the training grounds by the coast and began their exercises in earnest.
"Huh?" Little Oars scratched his head. "What about me, El?"
"Didn't I teach you the basics of the Six Powers over the past three days?"
El, preparing to practice his own Six Powers, smiled and said, "Just follow those instructions and keep training."
With his natural gifts, incredible strength, and the knowledge El had gained from reading the memories of a high-ranking CP0 agent, El had quickly mastered most of the Six Powers. Over the past few days, while returning to Dreamland, he had spent time each day teaching Little Oars how to train in the Six Powers.
Thanks to the Mini Mini Fruit's shrinking ability, Little Oars, an Ancient Giant, had drastically reduced his size, making his compressed body even more durable. Despite his smaller frame, he retained immense strength and speed. Through El's patient demonstrations, Little Oars had managed to roughly grasp 'Shave,' though his immense power nearly tore the ship apart in the process.
"Is this how it works?"
Little Oars stomped the ground.
"Boom..." The earth shattered beneath his feet as his shrunken two-meter frame vanished in a blur, reappearing several meters away.
"Finger Pistol!" At the same time, he extended his green index finger like a bullet, striking the trunk of a tree.
"Boom..."
The entire tree exploded and snapped in two, causing Linlin, Rock, Jien, and the others to turn their heads in surprise. Although they were familiar with the incredible strength displayed by El and Linlin, Little Oars' demonstration still left them in awe.
"..."
El's mouth twitched slightly. That wasn't 'Finger Pistol'—it was just brute force that shattered the tree.
"Watch carefully. You need to control your strength and avoid breaking the ground. That way, you won't waste energy, and you'll be able to move faster."
El personally demonstrated, vanishing in a blur as he stomped the ground, reappearing in front of Little Oars. "When you can do it this smoothly, you'll have mastered 'Shave' perfectly!"
"And as for 'Finger Pistol,' this is how it's done!"
With a quick step, El stood in front of the broken tree. His right hand flashed, and his index finger pierced the air like a bullet.
"Zing... zing..."
Under Little Oars' amazed gaze, the tree's massive trunk was riddled with small, black holes, each perfectly precise without damaging the rest of the tree.
The goal wasn't always about holding back power. While penetrating a target's weak point could kill an enemy, overwhelming them with sheer force could do the same. Physical techniques and martial arts were meant for swift, efficient combat. Each person had their own style, and there was no definitive "right way." However, mastering one's strength and control would undoubtedly make a fighter stronger, allowing them to conserve energy and maintain an advantage in battle.
That was why El had spent time learning the Six Powers. His goal wasn't to become a martial arts master but to fully understand and control every muscle in his body. This mastery would help him unlock the secrets of Life Return.
"Moonwalk!"
With a tap of his foot, El launched himself into the air, smoke trailing from his feet as he soared without using his wings.
Everyone watched in awe.
"You're already a Devil Fruit user, so aside from 'Shave' and 'Moonwalk,' the rest of the Six Powers are optional. You can focus on the techniques that suit you, or I can teach you swordsmanship."
El landed smoothly on the ground, smiling. "But I think your Devil Fruit power is better suited for a different approach to 'Finger Pistol.'"
"In battle, you could shrink your body to its smallest size and launch yourself at the enemy like a bullet, piercing them with your speed."
"Or, you could enter their body, revert to your giant form, and expand until you burst them from the inside."
Although Ancient Giants weren't known for their intelligence, Little Oars had a natural racial advantage and was obedient, never slacking off. Hard work could make up for a lack of intelligence, and with dedication, Little Oars had great potential for the future.