Jango swung the ring in his hand—it was a special hypnosis tool.
"Look at this ring… listen to me… when I say 'One, two, Jango,' you will forget all fear and pain."
"Your muscles will erupt with a thousand times their power! You will become an unstoppable beast!"
"One, two, Jango!"
"ROAR—!!"
Accompanied by an inhuman howl, Buchi's already massive, obese body underwent a terrifying transformation in an instant.
His eyes rolled white and filled with bloodshot veins. The fat on his body seemed to inflate like a balloon, instantly transforming into rock-hard muscle!
His previously loose pirate clothes split apart with a ripping sound, exposing muscle groups bulging like granite.
A violent, chaotic aura filled with destructive desire erupted outward from Buchi!
Usopp, who had been watching from the slope, was so frightened by the pressure that he fell flat on his butt. "Th-that thing… what is it?! Did it transform?!"
Even Zoro's gaze sharpened slightly. "Hypnosis? To forcibly draw out the body's latent power… interesting."
"DIE—!!"
Completely losing his sanity under hypnosis, Buchi's mind contained only a single command—tear the enemy before him to shreds.
The ground beneath his feet exploded as he charged forward like an out-of-control heavy tank, carrying terrifying explosive force and suffocating wind pressure straight at Ronan!
Seeing the muscle monster charging at him, Ronan showed no panic. Instead, excitement flared in his eyes.
"Perfect!"
Ronan was overjoyed. Sam had been fast, but far too weak—barely useful for training strength or physique.
But Buchi was different. He was a perfect gift from heaven—a living punching bag.
"This is exactly what I need—a strength-type sparring partner!"
Boom!
Buchi arrived in an instant. His massive clawed palms, like enormous shovels, slammed down at Ronan!
Ronan didn't block head-on. His feet slid as he used Xingyi footwork to sidestep.
Boom!
Buchi's claws smashed into the spot Ronan had just occupied.
Solid rock shattered instantly. Stones flew everywhere, leaving behind a crater over half a meter deep!
"What terrifying power!" Nami cried out.
But though immense, this power looked slow and rigid through Ronan's Observation Haki.
"Strength means nothing if you can't hit your target."
Ronan sneered. Instead of counterattacking, he began using Buchi's attacks to refine his movement and force-redirecting techniques.
He weaved through Buchi's storm of punches, occasionally blocking with the spear shaft, feeling the "a massive shockwave." transmitted through the weapon.
Ronan could clearly sense his bones and muscles undergoing deep refinement under that immense force.
Meanwhile, Sam—having recovered some stamina—saw Ronan seemingly "suppressed" by Buchi, and a vicious glint flashed in his eyes.
"Now's the chance! He's tied down by Buchi!"
Sam silently lowered himself, once again turning into a gray afterimage.
Using Buchi's massive body as cover, he circled behind Ronan.
Just as Ronan dodged a sweeping attack from Buchi and had yet to regain full balance—
"DIE!!"
Sam burst out from under Buchi's arm, his sharp claws stabbing straight for Ronan's heart!
The strike was vicious and perfectly coordinated with Buchi's frontal pressure, sealing off nearly all escape routes.
"Ronan, watch out!" Luffy and Zoro shouted together.
Yet Ronan showed no panic at all. Instead, a mocking smile appeared on his face.
"I've been waiting for you."
Within his Observation Haki, Sam's cold killing intent blazed like a torch in the night.
Ronan didn't turn around. His movement was lightning-fast.
His right hand gripped the spear butt and lifted it smoothly, while his left hand shoved the shaft forward!
Blood and qi instantly boiled. His spine cracked like thunder as a unified force surged from his feet straight to his fingertips!
Xingyi Great Spear · Fierce Tiger Pushes the Mountain!
This technique emphasized full internal-external coordination and uninterrupted force flow.
In that instant, the spear seemed to come alive—not a simple thrust, but a crushing forward push like a collapsing mountain!
Zhangba Iron Spear carved a black streak through the air, striking first despite moving later!
Instead of blocking Sam's claws, it pierced directly into the path of his attack!
To an outside observer, it looked as if Sam had foolishly thrown himself onto the spearpoint!
Pshhk—!
The sickening sound of flesh being pierced rang out.
The arm-thick spearhead instantly punched through Sam's frail chest, bursting out his back in a spray of blood!
"Ugh… ah…"
Sam's pupils dilated. His claws froze less than ten centimeters from Ronan—unable to advance even a fraction.
He looked down at the icy spear embedded in his chest, disbelief filling his eyes.
"How… is this possible…"
Ronan didn't give him time for final words.
A cold light flashed in his eyes as his arm snapped!
"Bang!"
A violent shaking force exploded through the spear.
Sam's body flew into the air like a rag doll, then was hurled violently to the right!
Using the momentum of the throw, Ronan spun, the spear butt whipping like a steel lash and smashing into Buchi's face as he tried to sneak in—forcing distance open.
Bang!
Sam's corpse slammed into the cliff wall. The sound of shattering bones was unmistakable.
He slid down the stone, leaving a horrifying smear of blood, lifeless.
"Sam!!"
Seeing this, Jango nearly dropped his glasses in terror.
As for Buchi, having lost his partner, deep hypnosis left him incapable of grief.
He only roared more violently, charging at Ronan again like a tireless beast.
"All right. The fly's been dealt with."
Ronan flicked the blood from his spear tip, eyes blazing as he faced the charging Buchi.
"Now, it's time for our private lesson."
What followed became a one-sided slaughter.
Ronan stopped merely dodging and began meeting force with force.
Xingyi · Crashing Spear!
His spear tip struck Buchi's incoming fist. Metal met flesh with a sound like colliding steel.
Though Buchi felt no pain under hypnosis, the physical damage was real.
His fist split open, finger bones shattered.
Ronan used the rebound force to continuously adjust his power output.
Xingyi · Cleaving Spear!
The spear rose high and smashed down like Mount Tai, slamming into Buchi's shoulder.
The hardened muscle armor collapsed inward, his clavicle snapping audibly.
Xingyi · Drilling Spear!
The spear spun like a venomous dragon, punching bloody holes through Buchi's thigh.
Ronan's attacks flowed without pause—thrusting, striking, cleaving, pushing.
The Zhangba Iron Spear seemed alive in his hands, each blow landing precisely on the weakest points of Buchi's muscular defense.
Though Buchi was fearless and relentless, against absolute technical suppression he was nothing more than a living target.
Blood soaked the slope. Buchi's massive body was already covered in wounds, not a single unbroken patch left.
Yet under Jango's commands, he continued to swing his fists mechanically.
Finally, after Ronan hard-blocked yet another punch, the long-awaited system prompt sounded in his mind:
[Ding! Host's Strength attribute increased!]
[Strength: 12 → 13]
[Ding! Host's Physique attribute increased!]
[Physique: 12 → 13]
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