Soru — a technique that allows the user to move at such high speed that they appear to vanish. It works by stomping the ground ten times within 0.36 seconds, creating an explosive burst of momentum.
It doesn't require energy like chi, spirit force, or inner power. As long as your body is strong enough, and your legs can move fast enough, you can pull it off.
There's no mystical manual or ancient scroll—just stomp fast. Ten times. In less than half a second.
When Kaos first trained in it, he'd done it half-seriously, not expecting much.
He also experimented with Tekkai—which basically meant "get hit a lot."
Techniques like Geppo, Rankyaku, and Kami-e hadn't shown much progress yet. Maybe his body just wasn't ready.
He hadn't managed Shigan either, but when his hands were transformed into gold, he could leave deep indentations in tree trunks. Not quite piercing finger strikes… but close.
Compared to the person he'd been three years ago, Kaos could now beat thousands of his past self into the ground.
But the strength he had today came at a cost—three long years of sweat, bruises, and relentless grind.
The beginning was the hardest. But once the pain became routine, the routine became his life.
Now lying flat on the back of a massive tiger, his body still shimmering in full gold form, Kaos let his mind drift. The golden transformation could last until his stamina wore out, but honestly, the energy drain was barely noticeable unless he was actively taking hits.
"Roar..."
Not long after, the tiger carried him over the mountain to a grassy clearing, where a scar-faced lion — nearly as large as the tiger — lay sprawled under the sun. It looked even more savage than the striped beast.
This was Lil' Lion — one of the three so-called idiots of the wild.
His story was nearly identical to Lil' Tiger's.
Ever since crossing paths with Kaos, his life had become a tragic drama. He'd once roared proudly over the hills — now, his feral expression instantly wilted at the sight of that shiny golden menace.
"Go fetch me two top-quality elk," Kaos ordered, straightening up on the tiger's back, his golden eyes narrowing as he stared at the lion's sulky face.
What was with the attitude?
Was he hoping for a heart-to-heart? A lesson in love?
Please. If Kaos wasn't scared of the inked-up tiger, he sure as hell wasn't scared of a lion with a perm.
In the animal kingdom, he was the undisputed alpha.
"Pfft…"
The lion snorted miserably, flicking his tail like a reluctant prince from a tragic play. With a sigh, he got up and stalked off into the trees.
Meanwhile, the tiger continued on, eventually bringing Kaos to a wide, glistening riverbank. There, belly-up in the sand and snoring with his tongue lolling out, was a 15-meter-long armored crocodile — the undisputed overlord of the river.
Its greatest dream? To chomp Kaos into oblivion.
BOOM!
Kaos vanished from the tiger's back and reappeared in a flash on the riverbank. He pulled his leg back and kicked the crocodile square in the jaw, sending it flying through the air like a ragdoll. It crashed down with a thunderous thud and rolled across the sand.
By the time it scrambled to its feet, teeth bared in fury—
That fury melted away the moment it saw him.
That golden bastard again.
Ten minutes later...
On a dry patch near the riverbank, the three beasts were back. Lil' Lion dragged in two large elk, looking about as cheerful as someone delivering their own funeral flowers. Lil' Tiger returned with a pile of dry firewood from the forest. And the crocodile — known as Lil' Jaw — emerged from the water, carrying several fat fish in his jaws.
Each had their role. A well-oiled machine.
Kaos, currently doing one-finger handstands as part of his training, paused and got to work lighting a fire.
And just like that, a man, a lion, a tiger, and a crocodile gathered around the flames. Despite his growth over the past three years — from 1.76 meters to a towering 2 meters — Kaos still looked small next to the beasts.
"What're you staring at? Skin 'em and gut 'em. You need me to show you how again?"
Kaos arched a brow, his gaze sharp as a knife.
"Roar…"
The three beasts grumbled in protest, but fear still ruled their hearts. Grudgingly, they began the butchering process.
With precise claws, they opened bellies and removed guts like trained chefs, peeling back elk hides and scraping fish scales with grim efficiency. Then they cleaned everything in the river, skewered the meat onto sticks, and brought them back to the fire.
It was... disturbingly practiced.
Kaos sat by the flames, watching them work with zero guilt. Not even a flicker.
This world was weird like that. Some animals were too smart. Some even learned Armament Haki — including these three poor bastards.
In fact, over the past three years, he'd grown quite fond of them. If not for being chased across half the island by this trio when he first arrived, he might not have pushed himself this hard.
Unfortunately, aside from Soru, he hadn't made much progress with the rest of the Rokushiki, and both Armament and Observation Haki remained elusive.
He remembered hearing that Tekkai and Armament could be awakened by taking beatings — the more the better. Well, he'd definitely done that. Still no dice.
His pain tolerance and recovery speed had improved significantly, at least.
He'd also practiced Observation Haki — blindfolding himself, turning golden, and letting the trio ambush him. His reaction time and reflexes had improved, but he still couldn't pierce that final veil.
And in the world of pirates, Armament and Observation Haki were non-negotiable. You needed them.
Kaos stared into the flames, lost in thought.
"It's time to leave."
Three years of living with beasts was one thing. But he'd never fought a real human opponent.
That was a problem.
He lacked real combat experience.
Without it, he'd never spot his weaknesses. Training in isolation could only take him so far. To grow stronger, he had to test himself in the chaos of the real world.
It was time to step out and face the storm of this great era.
The trio of beasts noticed his silence but didn't interrupt. Instead, they quietly tended to the fire, flipping meat and fish with their claws as the delicious scent wafted through the air.
Drool began to drip from their massive jaws, tails sweeping the ground like overexcited dogs.
This… this was the one moment of the day they actually looked forward to seeing Kaos.
The rest of the time?
They'd kill him without a second thought.
Once their bellies were full, it was back to their daily ritual of love and violence.
Kaos closed his eyes as the three animals lunged at him from different directions. He dodged where he could, took hits where he couldn't, and fought back just as fiercely.
No holding back.
And the beasts? They were absolutely trying to murder him.
There was no pretense anymore. They all knew the deal.
This was not the life a lion, a tiger, or a crocodile were meant to live.
Every scratch, bite, slam, and stomp was delivered with mutual understanding:
Once this golden bastard was dead, we'll be best buds again.
They dreamed of the good ol' days — herds of lionesses, carefree tiger strolls, lounging like kings atop the food chain.
But now?
They were stuck in this sitcom of survival training.
The clearing became a war zone of roars, crashes, and growls until the sun dipped below the horizon.
"Whew…"
"Damn, that was good."
Kaos stretched, shirt soaked with sweat, his body bruised and aching all over. For some reason, if he went a day without getting beaten up… he felt uncomfortable.
The three beasts lay sprawled across the ground, gasping for breath. Tongues out. Eyes glazed. Their faces twisted in silent agony.
It was like something had been forcibly taken from them for the first time in their lives.
They were no longer clean.
Ten minutes later...
Kaos slung an elk over his shoulder and waved goodbye to his three unwilling training partners with a cheerful grin.
The trio, sitting in the dirt, simultaneously turned their heads and spat in the same direction.
They would give anything for this menace to disappear from the world forever.
They'd prayed for it for over two years.
Didn't work.
Because the very next morning…
That bastard would be back again.