Chapter Sixty-six: Enchanting Words

With Qiu Bai's uniquely fresh brand of reserved flamboyance and his extraordinary powers of understanding, he quickly grasped the ultimate principle behind “Iron Body” during their exchange. In truth, it was quite simple. To put it plainly, using an analogy that any man or woman could easily understand, “Iron Body” was… engorgement, becoming hard as iron.

Isn’t it incredible? Once the truth is laid bare, it’s almost unimaginable that a technique universally used by the World Government could be so indecent.

What disappointed Qiu Bai was not how crude Iron Body was, but rather that it truly had nothing to do with Haki. They belonged to entirely separate systems of power. Iron Body was simply too shallow, incomparable with Armament Haki.

Of course, understanding the principle didn’t mean Qiu Bai could instantly master Iron Body—that would be far too reckless and, for him, impossible. He was neither Luffy nor some over-the-top protagonist—how could he possibly “engorge” wherever he wished?

His previous bravado was merely a trick. The real reason he’d managed to withstand Lucci’s tail with his supple neck was due to his own skills as a “Barrier Mage.” Though his repertoire was pitifully limited—projection and reinforcement—he could, in an instant, construct something hard on the surface of his skin to endure an enemy’s attack. For him, that was no impossible feat.

Such methods of defense are hardly limited to “Iron Body” alone in this world.

Still, his bluff had been convincing enough. After exchanging a single blow, the two immediately separated. Lucci, rather than pressing the attack, chose to widen the distance between them. He now stared at Qiu Bai with a look of wary suspicion.

Had he really mastered Iron Body so easily? Lucci doubted it. The evidence seemed undeniable, but such a learning speed was simply monstrous.

It was well known that Iron Body could only be mastered through systematic instruction and repeated practice—how could anyone grasp it in an instant?

Qiu Bai, of course, wasn’t nearly that gifted, or else he’d soon be known as the North Sea’s number one technician, the Copycat Pirate Chuchu Bai… though that didn’t have a very pleasant ring to it.

Qiu Bai reached up to touch his neck. Though his defense had worked, the tail had left a mark, and it hurt—badly. Then he pressed his right hand to the bleeding hole in his shoulder, which hurt even more.

“That sword of yours might explode, you know,” he said kindly as he examined his wounds, giving Lucci a warning.

Only then did Lucci remember to pull the weapon from his body, tossing the long blade to the ground at his feet.

Compared to Qiu Bai’s relentless bleeding, Lucci was in much better shape. Though his wounds seemed more severe, he possessed a technique called “Life Return”—a miraculous control method that allowed him to instantly tighten his skin and staunch even an absurd amount of bleeding.

“What’s wrong? Not going to continue your assault? The one who commands speed commands the initiative in battle, and by all accounts, you have the absolute advantage there.”

“Or perhaps… you’re worried your other techniques will be stolen as well? Don’t worry—it’s not something so easily done,” Qiu Bai said.

In reality, imitating the other Six Styles techniques with such verisimilitude was beyond him. For example, while the principle behind Moonwalk was even simpler, could he actually “fly”?

He was merely provoking Lucci with words. Then, removing his hand from his wound, he began driving knife after knife into the ground at his feet.

It was clear he intended to wait for Lucci to charge again—would Lucci dare rush into this web of blades?

Could Lucci remain unmoved by Qiu Bai’s taunt? Although he seemed mature, he was only fourteen, so… he could not.

Call it youthful brashness or recklessness, young men are always more impulsive. If one became hesitant out of fear that their techniques might be copied, then defeat was already certain.

Lucci had no intention of losing, nor did he want his perfect mission success rate to be tarnished.

All he could do was move faster, and faster still. As a result, Qiu Bai once again lost sight of him.

But this time, Qiu Bai didn’t need to see his opponent for the technique he was about to use—he would fight blind.

His extraordinary agility was a gift he’d possessed since birth. Now, with weapons densely arrayed at his feet, all he had to do was unleash a “saturation attack” with hands, feet, and every joint, slashing in all directions, regardless of target or distance.

In common terms, this could only be described as a “Blade Storm.”

How many strikes could he unleash in a split second, surpassing human limits? Qiu Bai had never counted, but he could guarantee it was quite a number.

And so, like a maiden struck by the bolt of a startled hare, he unleashed a flurry of silver flashes at the absolute limit of speed. In the blink of an eye, as blades whirled up and down, he formed a “sphere of light” with his swordplay.

Rob Lucci charged straight in.

This time, Qiu Bai’s attack focused on speed—his strikes were shallow, but the sheer quantity made up for it. Each blade’s passage through the air created a slicing whistle, while the whirlwind of sword-light produced a constant, droning hum, faint yet unending, like the whispered temptations of a demon from the abyss.

For this reason, the technique was named “Enchanted Whisper.”

The violent, anaerobic exertion paused for a split second. Qiu Bai now stood with feet apart, knees bent. His left hand gripped a sword behind him, lowered between his legs, while his right arm extended forward in a straight line, sword in hand.

Lucci’s head was aimed directly at Qiu Bai’s sword tip as he charged. By now, his body was covered in countless shallow cuts, blood oozing from each one.

The only problem was that Qiu Bai’s attacks were all too shallow, and Lucci still had the protection of Iron Body.

Like a feline predator, Lucci ducked low to evade Qiu Bai’s edge, accelerated again, and crashed his hardened shoulder into Qiu Bai’s chest.

With a wall at his back, Qiu Bai was driven straight through it.

It was as if he’d been struck head-on by a speeding train, the breath crushed from his chest in a single blow. Blood surged into his mouth and spilled from between his lips.

He was first sent flying through the wall, then tumbled down from midair, hanging upside down.

The blazing sunlight stung his eyes. Suddenly, Qiu Bai thought, if there’s a way to win, now is the time.