Chapter 191: How to Use Fujitora?
Ian's ship set sail, but this time there was a new passenger on board.
The members of the Dragon Hunter Pirates could naturally tell that Fujitora was blind, so they were all curious, wondering how their captain, Ian, had brought such a person onto the ship.
Because they didn't know Fujitora well, the crew seemed somewhat quiet, not talking much.
The composition of the Dragon Hunter Pirates was quite special. Since the crew members were all slaves Ian had rescued from Mary Geoise, they shared a common experience. Thus, even though they were of different races and had different preferences, they could tolerate each other. However, because their identities were still sensitive, having an outsider suddenly on board made them reduce their interactions, afraid that Fujitora might overhear something.
This was a kind of vigilance on their part...
Margaret found an opportunity to approach Ian and asked him in a low voice, "Captain, who is this old man?"
Ian understood their concerns, so he simply clapped his hands to gather everyone and introduced him: "This old man is Fujitora Issho. I met him in a casino. His strength is astonishing. He'll be staying on our ship for a month, and he might even become the first mate of our Dragon Hunter Pirates in the future. So, everyone, show him some respect."
Hearing Ian's words, everyone looked at Fujitora in disbelief.
This blind old man could potentially become the first mate? Was Captain Ian joking?
Ian had rescued everyone from Mary Geoise and even fought against Marine Admiral Aokiji for it. The crew had also witnessed Ian testing his various skills on the ship. They deeply admired Ian's power. Now, suddenly hearing Ian speak so highly of an old man and wanting him to be the first mate left them all shocked.
Even Fujitora hadn't expected Ian to say such a thing in front of everyone.
"Young man Ian, I haven't shown you my strength yet. Why do you hold me in such high regard?" Fujitora asked curiously.
Ian smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry about that. It's a special ability of mine. Uncle Issho, if I'm not mistaken, your strength should be comparable to a Marine Admiral, right?"
The members of the Dragon Hunter Pirates couldn't help but gasp when they heard this!
A Marine Admiral!? This blind old man was on the same level as a Marine Admiral!?
Holy crap! Captain Ian, you're amazing!
The crew first looked at Fujitora with fear, then turned their excited gazes to Ian.
Since joining Ian, the Dragon Hunter Pirates had already encountered two Warlords of the Sea: one was Sea Knight Jinbe, and the other was the famous Pirate Empress Boa Hancock. Both seemed to have some connection with their captain, Ian, which had already filled them with joy.
In fact, during this time, Ian had met three Warlords of the Sea, but they hadn't known about it when Kuma appeared.
And now, their incredible captain, just by visiting an island, had met someone who could match a Marine Admiral!?
If they had to describe the Dragon Hunter Pirates' current mood, it was probably similar to how Buggy the Clown's prisoners felt when he rescued them from Impel Down—pure awe!
Hearing Ian's evaluation of him, Fujitora was even more surprised. He knew about Marine Admirals, but as a commoner, he had never imagined that someone would compare him to one.
Fujitora was already quite old and had wandered many places. Because of his blindness, he often faced cold stares and discrimination. Although he had long since grown indifferent to such treatment, hearing Ian's words still warmed his heart.
The sincerity in Ian's words couldn't be hidden. Fujitora could feel the genuine respect.
With a hearty laugh, Fujitora leaned on his staff sword and said to the crew, "I am Fujitora Issho. For the next month, I'll be in your care!"
Fujitora's humility earned him a lot of goodwill from the crew. Earlier, when they heard Ian say this old man had the strength of a Marine Admiral, they had worried he might be difficult to get along with. Seeing this now, they relaxed considerably.
"Matthew, bring out your best cooking to entertain Uncle Issho!" Ian said to Matthew.
"Oh... okay... Cap... tain!" Matthew replied slowly and headed to the galley.
The others also dispersed, leaving space for Ian and Fujitora to talk.
"Young man Ian, your pirate crew seems quite different," Fujitora said, sitting on the deck and facing Ian. "Although it's a pirate crew, I don't sense much malice from them..."
Ian took a bottle of wine, poured two cups, handed one to Fujitora, and smiled. "To be honest, our Dragon Hunter Pirates were only established about ten days ago. My companions weren't pirates originally. They were just a group of pitiful slaves..."
"Hmm!?" Fujitora said in surprise. "Slaves?"
"Yes, and they were slaves of the Celestial Dragons," Ian nodded. "I rescued them from Mary Geoise. Since the Marines are chasing them, they've been following me."
Fujitora suddenly lifted his head in shock. "Mary Geoise!? You... young man, you wouldn't be the black-clad man from a while back, would you!?"
"That's me," Ian smiled slightly. "Because I killed a Celestial Dragon, our pirate crew is called the Dragon Hunters."
"No wonder, no wonder!" Fujitora shook his head and sighed, then bowed to Ian in respect. "Forgive my rudeness. Your good deed fills me with admiration!"
"Do you think I did the right thing, old man?" Ian asked with a smile.
"Absolutely!" Fujitora admitted readily. "I've always believed that the World Government gives the Celestial Dragons far too many privileges. Now, those privileges have made them lose control. Their existence has become a cancer."
Ian wasn't surprised by Fujitora's words. Given his clear sense of right and wrong, it would be strange if he actually liked the Celestial Dragons.
After saying this, Fujitora continued, "Young man Ian, the Marines have placed a bounty of 500 million Berries on your head, but your identity hasn't been exposed yet. Since you trust me enough to tell me directly, I naturally won't reveal it. Rest assured."
"Of course," Ian clinked glasses with him and downed his drink before saying, "If you become my first mate in the future, I'll have even less to worry about."
Fujitora laughed heartily. "It seems you're quite confident in recruiting me!"
"Of course, that's called confidence!" Ian replied with a smile.
Yes, confidence. A monster like Fujitora, on the level of a Marine Admiral, would be overreaching if someone without sufficient strength tried to recruit him. But Ian had that confidence. He knew that given enough time to develop, he could reach the same height as Fujitora. Between two people of the same level, there wouldn't be any talk of overreaching.
"By the way, old man, you're also a Devil Fruit user, right? What kind of ability is it?" Ian asked. Although he already knew, he still had to ask.
"I am a Gravity-Gravity Fruit user," Fujitora said.
"Gravity?" Ian pretended to think, stroking his chin. "Does that mean you can apply immense gravity to people?"
"Of course, but it's not limited to people," Fujitora explained.
Ian stood up and said to Fujitora, "Can I experience this power?"
"Of course," Fujitora also stood up, picked up his staff sword, and gently placed the blade across Ian's shoulder.
The next moment, a heavy sensation suddenly hit Ian, and he felt his body become much heavier.
This heaviness was different from carrying Dorry during training. When carrying Dorry, the weight was concentrated on a specific part of Ian's body—like when doing push-ups with Dorry on his back, the weight was focused on his waist. But Fujitora's gravity suppression was different. The heaviness spread throughout Ian's entire body, including his blood and bones, creating a sense of pressure.
The heaviness Ian felt at that moment wasn't too great because Fujitora was just letting him experience it.
Ian tried moving his hands and feet and found he could barely adapt. So he asked Fujitora, "Can you increase it a bit more?"
Fujitora was a bit surprised. "Young man, increasing the gravity a little isn't a problem, but can you handle it?"
Fujitora knew his ability well. Gravity and weight were two different concepts. Excessive weight could crush a person, but that was only muscle damage. Gravity, however, was different. Too much gravity would increase the pressure on the heart and blood vessels, potentially causing them to burst!
Assuming a person weighed 100 kilograms, they might be able to lift 300 kilograms, but that didn't mean they could withstand double the gravity.
Ian estimated it himself and thought it should be fine, so he said, "Increase it just a little more."
Fujitora didn't say anything else. He increased the output of his ability, applying it to Ian.
A stronger gravity hit him, and Ian almost collapsed, but he gritted his teeth and persisted. Following the breathing method Rayleigh had taught him, he adjusted his breathing to ensure his body got enough oxygen.
Then, under this gravity suppression, Ian began trying to do push-ups.
As he tested this, Ian was delighted. His hypothesis was correct. Under gravity suppression, when training in physical combat, the proficiency of his physical combat skills skyrocketed!