The sun had just begun its descent when Jozu, armed with the teachings of Eight Inner Gates from The Legend of Might Guy, settled into a quiet spot to practice.
He clenched his fists, his massive frame exuding determination.
"Guy calls himself the Noble Green Beast of Konoha. Well then, I, Jozu, am the Incandescent Beast of the Whitebeard Pirates!"
Though his age had crept into the 40s, Jozu's spirit blazed with the invincible fire of youth, a spark ignited by the indomitable Might Guy.
"Like Guy said—Youth is eternal!"
With the Eight Inner Gates cultivation mindset revolving in his mind, Jozu began his first attempt.
"First Gate—Open!"
He slammed his foot down, causing the ground to quake. Dust and pebbles flew everywhere.
And yet...
Nothing happened.
Jozu scratched his head, laughing self-deprecatingly. "Yeah, no way it'd work on the first try. Such a powerful technique isn't that easy."
But if there was one thing Jozu had in abundance, it was perseverance. Again, he centered his focus.
"First Gate—Open!"
Again, no response.
Hours passed, and attempt after attempt failed. As the sun sank lower, casting an amber glow over the clearing, Jozu sat on the ground, frustration etched across his face.
"Am I… useless?"
He thought of his devil fruit, which he had yet to master fully. Now, this extraordinary gift from Lucas seemed equally out of reach.
"Dad…" Jozu murmured, his voice heavy with sorrow. "Am I the most worthless son you have?"
As twilight fell, The Legend of Might Guy he had borrowed from Lucas tumbled from his side.
Its pages fluttered open to the climactic scene—Might Guy's fiery determination blazing even as his body was battered beyond repair.
Jozu's eyes widened, his heart pounding.
"Guy gave his all for what he believed in. What right do I have to complain about a little setback?"
With renewed resolve, Jozu dove back into the comic.
Page after page revealed Might Guy's endless failures during his own Eight Inner Gates training. Yet, through every misstep, he grinned and continued. His mantra was simple:
"My youth is burning!"
Jozu clenched his fists, tears brimming in his eyes.
"If Guy can do it... I can, too."
As he stared at the comic, the world around him began to blur. The trees, the ground—everything shifted.
When the haze cleared, Jozu gasped.
This… this is Konoha Village!
Jozu's excitement overflowed as he stepped forward. He spotted the iconic green jumpsuit and unmistakable haircut.
"Guy! It's an honour! My name is Jozu, captain of the third division of the Whitebeard Pirates!"
But Might Guy didn't respond.
Confused, Jozu moved closer, only for Guy to walk right through him.
It didn't take long for Jozu to realize that he was just a bystander in this world.
Though disappointed, Jozu saw the opportunity in front of him. "If I can't interact, then I'll learn by observing. If Guy can master Eight Inner Gates, so can I!"
Time lost meaning as Jozu immersed himself in practice alongside Might Guy.
The rigorous training pushed him to his limits, but Jozu refused to quit. Guy's unwavering spirit inspired him at every turn, and each failure only stoked the fire in his heart.
One day...
Two days...
Three days...
Jozu stood in the clearing, muscles taut, his mind razor-sharp.
"First Gate—OPEN!!!"
With a resounding stomp, something within his brain clicked.
Boom!
A surge of energy erupted from his body, coursing through his veins like a raging river. His strength and speed skyrocketed, breaking through every previous limitation.
The bar would have shattered through the roof if his energy could be measured.
Jozu roared, fists clenched as power radiated from him like an inferno. His laughter echoed through the clearing, triumphant and unrestrained.
At that very moment, Lucas sat in his cabin aboard the Moby Dick, sketching a new panel.
Suddenly, the system chimed:
[Ding! Jozu has successfully opened the First Gate of the Eight Inner Gates. The host synchronously obtains this physique!]
[Ding! Host earns 50,000 mysterious energy points!]
Lucas's pencil froze mid-stroke.
"Well, that escalated quickly."
A grin spread across his face. If this was just the beginning, he couldn't wait to see what came next.