Half an hour later.
The chase had nearly ended. The reserve soldiers were clearing the battlefield, restoring it as much as possible to its natural state to erase traces of the fierce battle.
Meanwhile, they salvaged the sunken pirate ship, scouring it for potential loot.
The squad leaders gathered to report their results to Hatchan, the fishman.
Their enemies were, after all, pirates from the New World—ruthless and cunning, willing to resort to any means.
Despite the covert oversight of Revolutionary Army officers and the reserve soldiers' superior average skill, casualties were inevitable. Most were injuries, but four had died.
In this battle, the most dazzling performance unquestionably belonged to Rhode. Not a single reserve soldier would dispute that.
Seeing is believing.Rhode's displayed strength in destroying the pirate ship and slaying "Black Fist" Slote left everyone astonished and awestruck.
After the battle, the reserve soldiers, including the squad leaders, all looked at Rhode with a trace of reverence in their eyes.
This was reverence for the strong!
If it were merely a slight superiority, like facing Shano, the squad leaders might still dare to harbor some thoughts of challenging him. But against a monster like Rhode? Better not even think about it.
In just over two months! He had risen to become the undisputed strongest among the reserves—an unprecedented feat since the Revolutionary Army began training reserve soldiers.
"Perhaps, among his peers, only Sabo, who has long studied under the Commander, could surpass him."
This thought surfaced simultaneously in the minds of Nia and the other squad leaders.
After this battle, Rhode finally gained a clearer understanding of his own strength, realizing exactly where he stood in the hierarchy of the pirate world.
He had cleanly executed Slote, a pirate with an 80-million-berry bounty.
While his sharp swordsmanship played a role, it was undeniable proof that his strength at least matched that of a major pirate with a bounty exceeding 100 million berries! In a way, Rhode had achieved his first goal since arriving in this world—no longer would he be casually crushed by some random pirate worth over 100 million.
Moreover, destroying the pirate ship, slaying Slote, and the final pursuit had all yielded substantial energy gains for him.
The energy accumulated in the Book of Knowledge surged from 149 points to 170—a full increase of 21 points! More than what Rhode could gather from ten days of training!
This meant that the Thunder Power he wielded had grown significantly stronger. Soon, its might might even surpass his swordsmanship itself!
"To grow faster, battles truly are the way to go."
Rhode sighed, sitting cross-legged as he wiped his sword, his gaze calm yet carrying a hint of ease.
The material of this sword was ordinary. If not for the Thunder Power enhancing its sharpness, it would have long been unable to keep up with his rapid growth.
Especially after clashing with Slote's Black Fist today, it seemed on the verge of giving out.
However, renowned swords were rare treasures—one couldn't simply seek them out at will. Rhode wasn't in a hurry. Once he mastered Armament Haki, he could extend this sword's lifespan until he found a proper named blade.
Soon, the battle analysis concluded.
The fish-man Hatchan led the reserve soldiers back to the coastal base. After resting for a night, they set off for the headquarters castle.
This training expedition had yielded tremendous results, especially with the discovery of a prodigy like Rhode. Hatchan was in high spirits, smiling all the way, much to Koala's surprise.
In her memory, Hatchan was a true martial arts master who upheld the spirit of the warrior—rarely in such a state.
After several days of travel, the group arrived at the headquarters castle.
Gazing at the grand, ancient structure and the faint outline of the town in the distance, the reserve soldiers finally relaxed. For newcomers like Rez, it felt like a lifetime had passed.
"Ah... what a shame."
Rez's eyes reddened, his expression darkening. Among the four who had died, one had been a close friend.The two had grown up together, trained together, and vowed to join the Revolutionary Army together to fight for their dreams. Yet, they never expected...
"In the end, we're still lacking in strength."
Rez clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. If only he had Rhode's power, none of this would have happened.
"Alright, you all have a day off. Take some time to relax," Hatchan said.
Immediately, the reserve members slung their arms over each other's shoulders and dispersed.
Rhode stood still, blinking in slight bewilderment.
Rest?
What an unfamiliar word...
For over two months, every day had been filled with training and cultivation—even sleep had been replaced by physical conditioning. Rhode sometimes felt exhausted, not physically, but mentally and spiritually.
After all, he was still just a normal human, not a machine.
"Guess I'll take a proper rest today," he murmured to himself.
This time, the rest was complete and thorough. He slept through the entire afternoon and night, fully relaxed, only waking the next morning feeling an indescribable sense of comfort and lightness.
This relief wasn't just physical—it stemmed more from his soul and willpower.
Two months of relentless high-intensity training had kept his mind in a constant state of tension. This deep, unrestrained rest felt like shedding a heavy burden, tempering his spirit.
Faintly, even with his eyes closed, Rhode could sense the movements around him.
This was slightly different from the Breath of All Things that swordmasters comprehended—it was more direct, clearer.
"Observation Haki?" Rhode smiled faintly. This was an unexpected boon, though it was likely due to the perceptual enhancement from the Book of Knowledge.
It was as if his innate talent in this area had been amplified.
...
The dining hall.
Just as Rhode was about to order, he unexpectedly spotted a familiar face—one he hadn't met in this life, but had seen on screen in his past life.
The future Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, its second-in-command, and the older brother of the original protagonist, Luffy—Sabo!
"I wonder how strong he is now," Rhode thought, his gaze burning with curiosity.
In the original story, when Sabo made his debut, he displayed overwhelming power, defeating the highest-ranking officer of the Donquixote Pirates, the Flag-Flag Fruit user Diamante, and later Jesus Burgess, the first division commander of the Blackbeard Pirates. After consuming the Flame-Flame Fruit, his strength soared even higher.
It was currently the year 1521 on the Sea Calendar. Sabo was nineteen—with his talent, his strength likely far surpassed Rhode's at this stage.