Chapter 24: Guardian of the Realm Examination

Even the weapons used by the marines were muzzle-loading flintlock muskets. While Ai Haibara was no expert on firearms, she knew that such weapons were now only found in museums. If she could send over some modern weaponry, it would surely bolster the naval strength of Borsalino’s world. At the very least, she had Professor Agasa by her side; though he could be unreliable at times, his inventions were always extraordinary. If necessary, she could simply ask him to invent gear suitable for combat. Since the navy in Borsalino’s world belonged to the camp of justice, she wasn't worried about being an accessory to evil.

[Passerby who wants to hug Luo Feng’s thigh: It’s hard to compare, given it’s a world almost devoid of magic. You could roughly equate a Navy Headquarters Lieutenant Commander to someone capable of taking on ten Gin-types—or a hundred if both sides were unarmed. Well, that’s a conservative estimate... and stop calling me a police dog!]

[Ai Haibara: ...Never mind then, sorry to bother you.]

[Kobayashi: Um, I asked Tohru, but she doesn’t have any good ideas either.]

[Jotaro Kujo: Mr. Borsalino, if there is truly no other way, I could try to get the training method for the Ripple from my grandfather, though I cannot guarantee you would be able to master it.]

[Zhang Sanfeng: Haste makes waste.]

[Passerby who wants to hug Luo Feng’s thigh: Boss Kizaru, why not ask Boss Orochimaru? He might have a solution.]

[Borsalino: @Orochimaru, do you have any quick-to-learn techniques or skills? Preferably ones without too many side effects!]

[Orochimaru: Heh, I’ve been busy researching Devil Fruits lately and haven’t had much leisure time. As for quick-to-learn abilities... I have a fragmentary scroll of simplified Lightning Style Ninjutsu-Taijutsu. Anyone with decent aptitude should be able to learn it.]

[Orochimaru: While its practical combat effectiveness isn’t top-tier, once you master the nature transformation of lightning-attribute chakra, it shouldn’t be weaker than the average Special Jonin...]

[Borsalino: Sounds good, I’ll take it. Should I trade with Devil Fruits again?]

[Orochimaru: Heh, no need for now. I haven’t finished thoroughly researching the two Devil Fruits from last time.]

[Orochimaru: I originally developed this set of Ninjutsu-Taijutsu to counter the ninjas of the Hidden Stone, mimicking the Cloud Village’s style, but the war ended before it was perfected. This unfinished set is useless in my hands, so just give whatever you think is fair.]

[Borsalino: Understood. I’ll trade you the Six Powers of the Navy. I’ll send the data over, and you can pick two styles.]

The Six Powers of the Navy may look simple, but they were classics forged by countless marines; trading two of them for a semi-finished set of Ninjutsu-Taijutsu was by no means taking advantage of Orochimaru. Before long, Orochimaru sent over the scroll. Although Borsalino had never truly witnessed the Lightning Style Ninjutsu-Taijutsu of the Hidden Cloud Village, he could see at a glance—after reading the records—the "imitation," or rather, the "referenced" elements within it.

The Lightning Style Ninjutsu-Taijutsu developed by Orochimaru abandoned the effect of using lightning to stimulate and activate the body’s cells. It was unclear whether this was due to limited ability or because such a function wasn't intended in the original design. Borsalino leaned toward the latter; after all, Orochimaru’s talent was beyond doubt. Furthermore, by sacrificing the body-activation capability, Orochimaru’s version significantly enhanced the output of lightning. Simply put, it was akin to the ability of the Mink Tribe—in close combat, the user was essentially electrified with 100,000 volts. Any "small fry" weaker than the user would perish instantly, and even opponents of similar strength would be at a significant disadvantage.

The pity was that in front of true powerhouses, this technique was of little use. Not to mention top-tier fighters like Borsalino, even Hancock could ignore that level of lightning.

"It’s passable, I’ll make do with it for now..." Borsalino pursed his lips, casually stuffing the scroll into his beach shorts pocket, and followed Hancock to the training grounds of the Warrior Women.

The Amazon Lily warriors participating in the assessment were already prepared. The method for becoming a Warrior Woman was simple and brutal: one must defeat a current, official Warrior Woman in a one-on-one duel to pass. Moreover, any Warrior Woman who was defeated by an examinee more than three times would lose her status and would have to be re-assessed if she wished to regain her position. Borsalino had often grumbled that such a system was unreasonable, as those not suited for direct confrontation had almost no chance of passing. But the women of Amazon Lily were stubborn; they were convinced that a true warrior had to win through head-on combat.

Yet, this method wasn't without its merits; at the very least, every Warrior Woman chosen this way was an elite among elites. Becoming a Warrior Woman was merely the beginning; if one failed to keep growing stronger, they would sooner or later be weeded out by the constant stream of newcomers. Such cruel customs and systems were perhaps the true reason why every single warrior on Amazon Lily possessed Armament Haki.

"The assessment begins!"

Presiding over the test was Kikyo, a Warrior Woman who exuded a wild aura and possessed both Observation and Armament Haki—a powerhouse who ranked in the top five even within the Kuja Pirates. At Kikyo’s command, the twenty-some examinees charged without hesitation. To defeat a Warrior Woman who was theoretically stronger than them, they had to give their all. Even though every warrior on the island possessed Armament Haki, deaths during these assessments were not uncommon.

"My dear, how many do you think will pass this time?"

Sensing that Borsalino’s attention was drifting, Hancock leaned into his embrace, unconcerned by the many warriors nearby, and sought his intimacy.

"Hmm? Want to make a bet? Three... maybe four."

Borsalino glanced at the field. The warriors were exceptionally fierce; clad only in protective gear that offered little real-world utility, they swung their longswords and clashed with their opponents. Even the weakest among them would be a force to be reckoned with in the Four Blues or the first half of the Grand Line. Among them was even a giantess, wielding a sword at least seven or eight meters long, chasing down her opponent. The Giants were born warriors—upon reaching adulthood, they possessed the strength of a Navy Lieutenant Commander; with a little training, they could reach the level of a Headquarters Colonel or even a Commodore. Although this giantess appeared to be in her youth, having grown up on Amazon Lily, she was already a seasoned fighter.

Her opponent, a veteran Warrior Woman, was no weakling, but under the pressure of such raw, overwhelming power, even the finest sword skills were rendered ineffective.