Second Tier: Book of Knowledge
Attributes: Intelligence +2, Perception +1
Talents:
Swordsmanship Specialization—Man and Sword as One, greatly enhancing comprehension of swordsmanship!
Thunder Control—Thunder God Descends, freely manipulating Thunder Power!
Energy: 277/1000
"My Thunder Power has also grown significantly."
Glancing at his status panel, Rhode smiled faintly. Training in Haki also boosted his energy reserves, which was a pleasant surprise.
As for swordsmanship, progress had temporarily stalled.
At the level of a swordmaster, mere repetitive practice had limited effect. True breakthroughs came only through combat—against others and against nature itself. Every great swordmaster was forged in endless battles!
However, the enhancement of his physical strength and the mastery of Armament Haki had significantly amplified the power of his Sword Aura.
Overall, Rhode's current combat prowess was incomparable to before he began training in Haki. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he could effortlessly overpower his former self.
Two-Colored Haki could be considered the entry ticket to the realm of the strong in the pirate world, offering an immense boost to one's power.
"That's enough for today."
"It seems quite lively outside."
He sheathed his sword, opened the door of the training room, and stepped outside.
...
Training Hall.
"Crack! Bang!"
Two shadowy figures clashed, exchanging dozens of punches and kicks in an instant. Each strike carried a fierce gust of wind, and wherever they fought, the ground split with fine cracks, sending chills down the spines of Rez and the others.
The training hall was built with incredibly resilient materials, so their usual training sessions rarely caused any significant damage.
"No wonder the captains seldom train here," someone muttered.
"I'm still far behind. After this, I need to train even harder," Rez thought to himself, hoping his side's captain would win. Otherwise, the entire headquarters' reserve force would feel ashamed.
With a sharp "clang," the two figures abruptly separated—one standing firm, the other staggering back seven or eight steps, swaying unsteadily.Rez and the others focused their gaze, their expressions darkening as they recognized the person who had been forced back—it was none other than the captain of the Fifth Division.
He trembled slightly, a trace of blood at the corner of his lips, and spoke with unwillingness, "I concede."
His opponent's martial arts skills weren't overwhelmingly superior, but in terms of combat experience, they were on entirely different levels—like a battle-hardened veteran facing a rookie, completely crushing him.
He had hoped to make a stunning impression in front of the Revolutionary Army's high-ranking officers, but instead, he became a stepping stone for his opponent.
"Didn't expect the reserves from headquarters to be nothing more than greenhouse flowers, all brute strength and no skill, no different from reckless fools." Sass's expression and tone remained calm as he spoke before stepping back.
Shano, Nia, and the others all felt a hint of unease.
Headquarters was located in the New World, where opportunities for real combat were scarce, unlike the branches in other regions, which had more chances to accumulate battle experience.
After Sass retreated, another figure stepped forward. This person appeared to be barely in his twenties, yet his brows were sharp as swords, and his entire body exuded a keen edge. A sword hung at his waist, clearly marking him as a swordsman.
"East Army reserve, Kuro," the young man said coolly, this time not even bothering with formalities, his demeanor even more aloof and severe.
"I'll go!" Nia gripped her iron staff and stepped forward slowly.
"You're no match for me."
Kuro shook his head, his gaze shifting to Shano as he spoke lightly, "You're a swordmaster as well. Make your move—don't waste time."
In an instant, the entire hall fell silent.
No one had expected this young man to be a swordmaster, just like Shano!
Nia frowned. Against a swordmaster, her chances of victory were slim. But having already stepped forward, retreating now would be a blow to her pride—what kind of reputation would she have left?
"Please enlighten me."
Nia gripped her staff, showing no signs of backing down.
"If you insist on losing, I'll oblige."
"Hmph!"
Nia snorted coldly. This arrogance was too much—even for her temperament, it was hard to swallow. She lunged forward abruptly, swinging her staff down with force.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sparks flew as metal clashed violently.
On the field, their weapons collided repeatedly. Nia pushed her speed and strength to the limit, her staff strikes coming in an unbroken storm, so fast that even the reserves could barely follow.
Yet, to everyone's surprise, Kuro held his sword with one hand, the other behind his back, effortlessly blocking every one of Nia's attacks.
"Too slow."
After a moment, Kuro seemed to lose interest. With a single sweep of his sword, he deflected her attack, then stepped forward and struck horizontally with the flat of his blade, sending Nia flying.
A complete and utter defeat! Nia knew he had held back, but even so, she could only retreat with unwillingness.
"Damn it, not as strong as Rhode but twice as arrogant. When he gets here, he'll beat you to a pulp," Nia grumbled inwardly.
"Still not making your move?"
Kuro stood with his sword, looking at Shano. "You must be Shano, captain of the First Division. Don't waste any more time."
His tone was calm and unhurried, as if discussing something trivial, yet everyone could sense the confidence and pride in his words.
"This guy's got some skill," Sabo murmured with a low chuckle from the side.
Arrogance stemmed from one of two things—either ignorance or the unshakable confidence built from countless victories.Sabo was the same, though his gentle nature meant he didn't show it outwardly.
The commander of the North Army, Karasu, chuckled and said, "I've heard about this little guy's journey on the way here."
"He's challenged countless dojos and remained undefeated. With such a streak, it's only natural for a hot-blooded young man to be this confident. Most young swordmasters are like that."
Koala, however, giggled softly, recalling a certain newly promoted reserve who had swept through headquarters.
Suddenly, she found herself looking forward to the sight of Rhode dominating the field.
Having stayed at headquarters and watched these reserves grow, her sympathies naturally leaned toward their side.
"So arrogant," Rez and the other reserves clenched their fists, united in their indignation.
Yet they couldn't help but feel shocked.
Never before had so many young powerhouses emerged from other bases—not just in number, but in strength, surpassing even the captains.
"An era teeming with strong individuals… perhaps this is just the prelude?"
Rhode, who had just arrived, couldn't help but murmur to himself, his thoughts drifting to next year—the dawn of that turbulent, grand era.
A pirate crew carrying dreams would set sail from the East Blue, stirring the seas… Blackbeard, Ace, the largest war in history, the outbreak of the Summit War, the fall of legends…
A flood of figures and events surged through his mind, stirring Rhode's heart with excitement.
Hearing his voice, Rez and the others quickly turned, their faces lighting up with relief.
"You're finally here."
"Those guys are way too full of themselves."
The reserves voiced their grievances one after another.
"Hm."
Rhode nodded slightly. From the scene before him, he easily pieced together what had happened.
The only thing that truly surprised him was Dragon's presence.
This was likely the first time since arriving in this world that he had encountered someone truly at the pinnacle—both in strength and status.