Chapter 17: Intangible Copy

Due to the strong objections of those around me, I had no choice but to return to my original body.

However, I never gave up training with the Copy-Copy Fruit.

No—if anything, the opposition only made me burn with greater determination.

‘If it’s that unpleasant to look at, I can just set restrictions so it’s not too unpleasant, right?’

In that moment, my skin, which had been as white as porcelain, began to transform into a bronze hue.

A rich, sun-kissed tan like a perfect suntan—chocolate skin that enhanced her allure rather than harming her appearance.

And the slightly pronounced muscles that appeared only added to her healthy beauty rather than detracting from it.

She only drew out just enough of Garp’s information to reach that state.

[Copy-Copy Fruit – Partial Synchronization!!]

Starting from the base function of completely copying the original.

To partial implementation—copying only arms or legs.

And now, even beyond that—applying a diluted version of the copied information through partial synchronization…

The talent possessed by Hancock, now burning with determination, combined with the miraculous growth potential of Kocho Kanae’s talent, resulted in her achieving two astounding breakthroughs.

Applying only the diluted information meant she now covered her entire body in a weakened version of Garp’s power.

“Fuuuh──”

She truly felt that she had trained hard enough not to lose to anyone.

But even so, the gap in physical ability was enough to make her realize the difference in league.

This was a glimpse into the peak of power in this world—Monkey D. Garp’s physical ability…!!

And it was just a fraction!!!

Even so, the overwhelming strength made her feel lightheaded.

If this was only a fraction—no, a diluted fraction—what would 100% feel like?

There was no other word for it.

Monster.

It felt like he could destroy and uproot a mountain with brute strength alone, without any Haki whatsoever.

With that thought, I charged toward the enemy without hesitation.

“Oooooh…!!! Hancock got even hotter!!!”

“What the hell?! That’s good though?!”

“She looks like she might eat us alive!! Like a wild cat!!!”

“Doesn’t she look like the Vice Captain?! The two of them would really suit each other!!”

The noisy shouts from behind didn’t bother me.

I threw a punch at the enemy—without drawing my sword.

For some reason, despite never having learned the basics of a proper punch, my body instinctively fired it off with perfect accuracy, focusing the overflowing strength into a single point and unleashing it.

It was clear that not just physical ability, but Garp’s skill, engraved into his body, had also been copied when I copied his physique.

As I thought that, my punch flew forward.

“You damn brat…!!!”

─KWAANG!!!

The power was enough to send the enemy flying like a cannonball.

Without even time for a death cry, they shot straight through a wooden wall like something out of a cartoon.

The ones charging toward me, treating me like a brat, immediately slammed on the brakes with a screech.

They had only just realized why she was standing at the front.

Because she appeared young and absurdly attractive, the pirates had been blinded by greed.

But that single punch had made them understand.

Even if they didn’t know the full story, they recognized her as the one destined to become the next queen of Amazon Lily and the strongest on the ship—second only to the captain.

Just as the pirates began to retreat in hesitation, their faces paling in fear,

I crushed the solid wooden floor beneath me with a loud CRACK! and used the rebound to launch myself forward like a missile.

Then, I delivered another punch to a different pirate.

KWAANG──

‘…So this is what people call technique…’

Even while exchanging blows, I focused inwardly on another thought.

Originally, I’d planned to find a way to maintain my strength while returning to my usual appearance.

But I became too absorbed in what was happening within me.

A sense that I had discovered the key to copying technique—an intangible form of experience.

‘The only thing I copied was Garp’s physical ability. That’s all the data I extracted…’

Technique is invisible—something intangible.

Because of that, it was impossible to copy it accurately.

Haki, though invisible, has quantity and presence, so it can be copied.

But technique, skills—they’re essentially immaterial memories.

That’s why I believed they couldn’t be replicated.

At most, what I could copy were their physical attributes or talents.

And I thought that was enough.

But right now, I was undeniably superimposing Garp’s experience onto my own.

I hadn’t learned how to throw a punch.

And yet, I could execute it perfectly.

It was clear evidence of that fact.

This wasn’t just transformation.

It was the memory embedded in the copied body—the technique polished so thoroughly that it left a mark on the very cells.

Those techniques were now passed on to me through the body I had copied.

Rather than just being happy about this, I realized one possibility.

If technique is only flowing through the copied physical ability and not my original body,

Then by comparing the two, I might be able to clearly recognize what technique actually is—even if it’s intangible.

In this world, there’s a power called Observation Haki that can even glimpse into the future.

If I used that power, I might be able to see through even intangible skills.

And if I could perceive them…

Then maybe I could copy them too.

This discovery was a hundred times more important than just copying strength while maintaining my appearance.

Half-unconsciously, I entrusted my movements to the memories engraved in my body, focusing all my attention through Observation Haki.

Searching my inner self thoroughly to understand what exactly technique was.

What intangible energy truly meant.

“…At last… I understand.”

I mumbled as I smashed the final pirate’s face to pulp with a single blow.

After sweeping through one pirate ship, I broke into the second fleet’s ship, and then invaded the third fleet’s ships as well—

I had taken down more than ten pirate vessels in a trance-like rampage.

And finally, I could faintly perceive the existence of intangible aura—technique.

It was a blurry feeling, but the sensation that something was there was undeniable.

Maybe it was just my imagination.

But I believed in that feeling.

And because I believed, I decided to polish that perception.

In hopes that one day, I would be able to steal technique from others.

Especially if that technique belonged to Dracule Mihawk…

While imagining such a convenient future, I spent my days with the Kusa Pirates training my Copy-Copy Fruit with unmatched focus.