Amazon Lily of Kuja Island was an exceptionally unique nation—unique in that its people essentially lacked what one would call a normal bloodline inheritance.
Before Borsalino took charge of Amazon Lily, most of its inhabitants had never even seen what a man looked like.
The vast majority of the population had been abducted and brought to Kuja Island as children. No race was exempt—not even giants.
This reality was most vividly reflected among the national warriors, the elite of Kuja's female fighters. In terms of racial diversity, they were practically a living museum of humanoid species.
Take giants, for instance. Among the hundred-plus national warriors, there were four giants—an unusually high number, largely because giants possessed overwhelming natural combat power.
Even among elites like national warriors, innate racial differences couldn't be completely erased. And those giant national warriors certainly weren't useless brutes who relied solely on talent.
"All of you, do exactly as I say…"
After briefly explaining why he had gathered them, Borsalino began teaching the method of chakra extraction.
The results quickly proved that, for people with an existing foundation, learning chakra extraction wasn't particularly difficult.
Less than five minutes after Borsalino began teaching, Hancock—eager to please him—was already able to extract chakra.
Soon after, Kikyo and several of the strongest national warriors followed suit.
About half an hour later, with help from her companions, the final giant national warrior also successfully extracted chakra.
The efficiency was almost absurd—but when one considered that these hundred-plus national warriors were handpicked elites from Kuja warriors who all possessed Armament Haki, it suddenly made perfect sense.
"Very good. Next comes the Lightning Release ninjutsu body technique…"
Borsalino himself was a little surprised. He had expected at least a few people to struggle and fail, planning to have them self-study using scrolls later.
It seemed he had underestimated either the warriors' aptitude—or the compatibility between the Haki system and the chakra system.
In high spirits, Borsalino decided to strike while the iron was hot and teach them the Lightning Release body technique he had just obtained.
Even though he hadn't personally mastered it yet.
But with decades of training experience behind him, drawing parallels and learning on the fly shouldn't be a problem.
Crackle… crackle crackle…
Bzzzt…
Crack crack…
The national warriors showed tremendous enthusiasm for the "combat technique" personally taught by Lord Borsalino—especially after learning chakra extraction.
They didn't yet fully grasp what the chakra system truly represented.
But power appearing out of thin air was more than enough to excite them.
For a while, the training ground looked like a Pikachu breeding facility—electric sparks snapping and flashing everywhere.
Unfortunately, the Lightning Release body technique was far harder to master than chakra extraction. Even Borsalino needed several attempts before successfully grasping this somewhat underwhelming ability—for him, at least.
"Darling, this feels a lot like the Mink Tribe's Electro ability~"
What Borsalino didn't expect was that not long after he mastered it, Hancock did as well.
Compared to the national warriors who turned red-faced just to produce a few sparks, Hancock casually enveloped herself in brilliant lightning with a single motion.
Her method was deceptively simple—she used Observation Haki to directly "copy" it from Borsalino.
That realization brought Borsalino both good news and bad news.
The good news: national warriors with Observation Haki could quickly master this relatively simple technique.
The bad news: enemies with Observation Haki could do the same.
"Tch… I'll have to make sure the national warriors keep this confidential. We can't let the chakra extraction method leak out."
Borsalino was mildly exasperated. Thankfully, Observation Haki could only "copy" relatively simple ninjutsu body techniques.
More complex techniques requiring hand seals couldn't be obtained so easily.
Once it became clear that Observation Haki could replicate the Lightning Release body technique, some national warriors immediately tried to imitate it.
However, warriors who possessed both Armament and Observation Haki were still a minority. Even counting those who learned it through practice alone, only a little over thirty national warriors succeeded.
Crackle crackle crackle—
The newly successful warriors gathered together, electricity dancing around them in a spectacular display.
For the national warriors, chakra and Lightning Release were novel and exciting. As for combat effectiveness—that could wait.
Just the sight of being wreathed in lightning looked powerful enough, perfectly matching the Kuja warriors' aggressively martial aesthetic.
Most impressive of all was Goliya, the giantess who had mastered the technique on her own.
The lightning radiating from her body was utterly outrageous, covering a vast area around her—she looked more like a mobile power plant than a warrior.
Her immense chakra reserves perfectly compensated for the technique's heavy consumption.
Orochimaru, who developed this Lightning Release body technique, probably never imagined how much stronger it would become in the hands of a race with monstrous natural physiques like the giants.
"That'll do for now. Some of you have learned it—let the rest practice slowly. Remember, this must not be passed on beyond the national warriors."
Borsalino had no time to wait around any longer.
Kuja Island's outfits were certainly distinctive, but among a group of battle-hardened warrior women, truly eye-catching figures were few. Surely no one genuinely preferred muscle-bound, gorilla-like women… right?
Just as Borsalino was about to leave with Hancock, a sudden disturbance erupted from the direction of the island's port.
Even from several kilometers away, the thunderous explosions and furious shouting were clearly audible.
"What's going on?!"
Hancock snapped irritably—not because she cared about such a disturbance, but because it interrupted her private time with Borsalino.
"Sister, the pirate we captured earlier broke out of prison and tried to seize a ship to escape!"
Marigold quickly investigated and reported back, her expression grim.
After all, Borsalino had just emphasized secrecy, and now a pirate nearly escaped the island—it made them look incompetent.
Of course, it wasn't really their fault.
If Borsalino hadn't ordered the national warriors to gather, island defenses wouldn't have weakened so easily.
At the very least, if the four national warriors guarding the prison hadn't been redeployed, even a pirate with a bounty in the tens of millions wouldn't have been able to stir up much trouble.
"Hm? You mean that pirate called Bloodclaw Dark?"
Borsalino recalled the matter now—it was originally Vice Admiral Strawberry's assignment, which he had taken over and casually handed off to Hancock's sisters.
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