Chapter 19: Return from Cultivation, the Unchanging Practice

"Xuan... Xuan Ye..." Huoshaoshan swallowed, a bit uncertain, for the man's face was obscured by his hair at the moment.

Panting slightly, Xuan Ye calmed the tumult within his chest, reached out to tidy his hair a little, and spoke with a gentle tone, "Sorry, I just finished training. Thank you for your trouble."

"So it really is you. Just over a month, and you look like a wild man," Ghost Spider’s face twitched. Xuan Ye’s hair was disheveled, his appearance unkempt, and aside from a tattered pair of shorts, he looked like a beggar.

Xuan Ye gave a wry smile, "I'll go take a shower first. Please prepare some food for me. Honestly, I've grown tired of roasted meat these days." With that, he headed toward the cabin. After a few steps, as if remembering something, he turned back to Huoshaoshan and said, "Please prepare more—three hundred servings to start. Sorry for the trouble."

Watching Xuan Ye’s disappearing figure, Ghost Spider and his companion’s faces twitched, unsure what to say.

"It seems this lunatic has grown even stronger. The aura he gives off now actually scares me," Ghost Spider said gravely. Just now, Xuan Ye's terrifying speed was beyond their reach.

"This time, when we get back, there’ll be quite a spectacle. No wonder he’s one of the Four Monsters—and ranked first, the Madman."

Last month, upon returning to headquarters, the current batch of trainees unanimously recognized four monsters: Xuan Ye, Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji. Though their rankings varied, the most recognized was Xuan Ye, ranked first. Tang was close but ordinary, so everyone gave Xuan Ye the nickname "Madman," a rather down-to-earth moniker.

Two hours later, on the warship’s deck, Xuan Ye stood in a white coat, his shoulder-length hair tied back with a purple ribbon, appearing strangely ordinary.

If not for the three scars on his right cheek, perhaps he would seem even more perfect.

"Can you tell me what’s happened lately?" Xuan Ye turned slightly, his gaze gentle as he looked at Huoshaoshan.

"Which aspect?" Huoshaoshan replied quietly, gazing at the azure sea.

"Anything, for example, about pirates."

"Alright, about a month ago, the Roger Pirates conquered the Grand Line, which was thought impossible to complete, and reached the final island. Now, the whole sea recognizes Roger as the Pirate King..."

Listening intently, Xuan Ye’s expression remained unchanged, but his heart stirred. Roger becoming Pirate King meant the entire sea would soon be thrown into chaos. In this stormy world, could he truly be safe with only his current strength?

Besides Roger’s ascension, there was news about the Whitebeard Pirates and other emerging powerful crews, such as the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates. Undoubtedly, these groups were beginning to bare their fangs.

In short, it wouldn’t be long before, once Roger was executed, the entire sea would erupt.

Thinking deeply, Xuan Ye grew frustrated, finally shaking his head, thinking, "Since I’m here, I’ll settle in. As long as I’m strong enough, all schemes and plots will be crushed. Perhaps, a turbulent sea will better hone my abilities."

The warship moved swiftly, and two days later, at Marineford, Xuan Ye gazed calmly at the towering fortress, lost in thought.

"Ye." A rough voice, filled with deep affection, interrupted his reverie.

"Master." Feeling emotional, Xuan Ye smiled and walked up to Zephyr.

"Good, good. Just over a month, and you’ve grown sturdier," Zephyr said, patting Xuan Ye’s shoulder, his face joyful.

"Without you, Master, there would be no Xuan Ye today," Xuan Ye replied sincerely, grateful for Zephyr’s guidance and support.

"Ha ha... Good, good," Zephyr laughed with satisfaction, then advised, "Now that you’re back, rest first. There’s still half a month before the tournament. Use this time to adjust yourself."

"Alright." Chatting and laughing, Zephyr kept asking about Xuan Ye’s past month and a half; Xuan Ye answered everything except for certain special matters. As for the others, the pair of master and disciple had left them far behind.

A few days later.

At night, behind Marineford, in their old training spot, flames soared and explosions echoed.

"Ha ha... Again!" Zephyr laughed with satisfaction, his whole body covered in black, the terrifying Armament Haki enveloping him. He launched himself like a cannonball into the air.

"Master, watch out!" In midair, Xuan Ye bathed in fire, arms outstretched, ten fingertips burning. In a flash, ten beams of fire shot through the atmosphere.

"Light energy rays!"

But for all their speed and intense heat, Zephyr met them with his ink-black fists, extinguishing them in midair.

"High-energy hand blast!"

"Armament!"

"Endless arrows!"

Booms and smoke filled the sky, chaos reigned, the ground glowed red. Xuan Ye knelt, sweating profusely, his breath erratic.

"This shouldn’t be your limit! Show me your full strength!" Shrouded in black, smoke swirling, Zephyr used Moonwalk to stand in the air, eyes fierce as he looked at Xuan Ye.

Gritting his teeth, Xuan Ye stood, determination burning. Flames erupted from his body, lighting up all of Marineford.

"Half-beast form!"

A terrifying surge of heat exploded, and with a bang, Xuan Ye appeared before Zephyr, a foot wrapped in fire and Haki, kicking mercilessly at Zephyr.

"That’s it!" Zephyr’s eyes narrowed, his aura majestic. His right hand, clad in Haki, seemed to ignite the air as he struck straight at Xuan Ye.

Boom! Boom! With a hand and a foot, it was as if meteors collided, the deafening sound and shockwave engulfing everything.

Bang! Bang! Fist met flesh, sand flew, red and black figures ravaged everything around them.

"They’re at it again, that bastard Zephyr," in the Admiral’s office, Kong gritted his teeth as the explosions shook his desk and echoed from the rear hills.

Ever since Xuan Ye returned, every night the sounds from the back mountain continued deep into the night, and Kong had received numerous complaints about Zephyr.

"Both master and disciple are lunatics," Kong muttered, choosing to ignore them.

"Here we go again, the Madman lives up to his name," at the Naval Academy, Ghost Spider and others wiped cold sweat and shook their heads helplessly.

"Hmph... The humiliation you gave me, I’ll repay tenfold," at the training grounds, Akainu’s face was dark, training fiercely.

"The Madman’s world truly is mad," Kizaru sat atop a roof, watching the glowing rear mountain with apprehension.

There were all kinds of reactions—fear, disdain, admiration, and more.

At the Navy’s senior residences, in Crane’s villa, Crane was chatting with Momousagi.

"They’re at it again, every day. Aren’t they tired?" Momousagi sat on the sofa, watching her teacup tremble, speechless.

"For that little one, as long as he can get stronger, he fears nothing. Mere loneliness from training can never stop him," Crane said carelessly, sipping her tea. Truthfully, she’d grown used to it.

"Sister, why is he like this? It seems he has no interest except for training," Momousagi asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Because of attachment," Crane set down her teacup with a sigh. "Xuan Ye has a younger sister, who was captured by the Golden Lion. To rescue her, he must become stronger, ever stronger."

"In general, those with attachments are terrifying. This kid’s will, ability, and talent are extraordinary. Given time, he’ll be famous across the seas."

"Weakness isn’t frightening. What’s frightening is an unyielding will, willing to give up everything and use any means to grow stronger."

"Sister, is he really doing all this just to rescue his sister?" Momousagi nervously gripped her clothes, not even knowing why she felt so tense.

...