One meter eighty-five.
This was Xiano's height a few years ago, after he combined Life Return with Paper Drawing, compressing his body to the extreme without significantly affecting his combat capabilities.
The reason he settled on this specific number was initially because Bellemere was one meter eighty-six tall.
He didn't want his mother to always have to look up at him.
Later life experiences proved that this decision was quite comfortable.
Although still slightly taller than the average person, it no longer affected his daily life or made him overly conspicuous in a crowd.
After compressing his body density, he sacrificed a small portion of his strength but gained much greater agility.
His hitbox became significantly smaller, and the effectiveness of his Paper Drawing improved dramatically, allowing each part of his body to independently react with evasive instincts.
This gave him a clear advantage in ordinary combat situations.
He named this form the "Paper Drawing Martial Body."
If Lucci ever thought of this name in the future, according to the principle of first come, first served, he would obviously have to pay Xiano royalties.
As for his current true form...
"Hmm?"
Xiano suddenly looked up at the ceiling, frowning slightly. "It's only early summer, and there are already mosquitoes."
Whoosh—!
His body abruptly expanded and shot upward, and in an instant, his head was touching the top of the ceiling.
His muscles were knotted, strong, and powerful, yet the overall lines were smooth and aesthetically pleasing. Compared to the rough, devilish muscle-bound physique of a few years ago, he now looked more normal—
If you ignored the terrifying height of three meters seven.
He flicked his finger.
The flower-patterned mosquito, as large as a thumb, hadn't even had time to flap its wings before it turned into a cloud of powder, drifting down.
The spot on the ceiling where his fingernail had struck remained unscathed, not even a speck of dust shaken loose.
This was the pinnacle of control over every muscle and even the tiniest cells in his body.
In this state, he could unleash his terrifying strength without reservation, and his defense and durability were maximized, each form having its own advantages and disadvantages compared to the Paper Drawing Martial Body.
...
Xiano glanced at the powdered mosquito.
Satisfied, he nodded, then whooshed back to his everyday size, continuing to hum a tune while washing dishes.
The entire transformation took less than half a second.
"You're going to scare someone to death!"
Zoro's startled voice came from the living room behind the door. "You suddenly grew so big, I thought some enemy had come knocking! But it was just to swat a mosquito!"
"Zoro."
Koshiro's deep voice followed immediately. "Mind your manners. You're a guest. How can you be so rude when visiting someone else's home?"
"That sounds familiar. When I was the host at Isshin Dojo, you said the same thing, didn't you? So when exactly can I be rude... Ouch, that hurts!!"
"Mr. Zeff, when did you get back?"
...
Listening to Zoro's cries of pain, Xiano couldn't help but smile.
It was amusing, really.
Aside from his family members who lived with him day and night, almost everyone else who knew him thought his "Paper Drawing Martial Body" was his original form.
Meanwhile, his true form was considered some kind of transformation that was difficult to maintain for long periods.
Sanji, that little brat, had once sneakily asked him if he had eaten the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Beast type, and then ended up getting a good beating, crying and running away.
"Everyone's back?"
Just as the dishes were washed, Xiano turned off the faucet and wiped his hands with an apron as he walked into the living room.
"Everyone's back except Agin."
Zeff pulled his fist out from his Mosshead with a 'pop' and grinned, "We've pretty much said everything that needed to be said at the dinner table during our farewell. We should get going, Captain."
"Yeah."
Kuina and Koshiro exchanged glances, then suddenly turned their heads away, stretching casually, "It's time to leave, Captain."
"You're not calling me brother at this moment," Nojiko muttered behind them.
"Don't be so stingy." Xiano ruffled his sister's hair, "Have you made up your mind? You really want to come along?"
"Mm-hmm."
Nojiko nodded vigorously.
"Looks like you've made up your mind long ago. In fact, from the very beginning, when you mentioned wanting to train on the Orange Garden, you already wanted to set sail with me, right?"
"Just as expected from my brother, completely seen through."
Nojiko felt a bit embarrassed, but noticing Kuina's gaze on her, she immediately put her hands on her hips and huffed, "But back then, I was really too weak! I had no confidence and didn't want to be a useless burden, so I specifically said I wanted to stay in my hometown. But now..."
She clenched her fists tightly, "I'm strong now! Not only can I protect myself, but I can also help you, brother!"
"I believe that."
Xiano chuckled lightly.
Perhaps this was the bond between siblings; Nojiko, like him, was clueless about swordsmanship but displayed an incredible talent for martial arts.
First, she built a solid foundation with the Breathing Fist Technique, and later, under Xiano's guidance, she practiced the Six Styles, mastering Shave, Moon Walk, and Finger Pistol.
In addition to that.
Over the past few years, every time Xiano came across martial arts manuals, regardless of whether they were useful to him, he bought them all and handed them over to Nojiko.
Through diligent training, Nojiko's strength had skyrocketed.
Although she still had quite a gap compared to Kuina, who had already become a Master Swordsman, she was indeed fully qualified to venture into the Grand Line.
"And me, I want to go too!!!"
Suddenly, the wooden stairs trembled, and a girl with orange hair came rushing down, her petite figure light and nimble like a little bird. On the last few steps, she simply slid down the handrail, raising her hands in excitement, "Did you forget about this beautiful girl? Hmph, don't forget, I'm the only navigator, you can't leave me behind!"
"Stop messing around."
Xiano flicked her forehead with annoyance, "You're still a minor, what are you doing joining in on the fun?"
Males come of age at eighteen, and females at sixteen. Nojiko and Kuina were the same age and had just stepped into adulthood this year.
But Nami was only fourteen, and she could only sit at the kids' table with Zoro and Sanji during meals; she still had a long way to go.
"Minor? Who are you calling a minor?!"
Nami puffed up her cheeks, ready to puff out her chest in defiance, but a stern glare from Xiano made her shrink back. Her eyes darted around, and then she let out a dramatic "Ouch!" before clutching her stomach and collapsing onto the sofa.
"Miss Nami!" Sanji slid across the living room on his knees, anxiously crouching in front of her. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"When did you turn into such a fool?"
Zoro shot him a disdainful look. "Your brain's still as dumb as ever. It's that thing, you know, the thing that happens to girls when they reach a certain age! That's why Kuina lost to me for the first time back then—she suddenly got hit by it."
"Shut up, you idiot!"
Kuina's face turned red with anger, and she reached out to scratch Zoro.
"Everyone's here, so watch your mouth! And besides, it was only that one time! Don't forget, after that, I beat you a total of three thousand times!!!"
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