Chapter 5: Advancement
"Gomen nasai."
Ed's expression hardened, his eyes growing stern. Even if Rhodes's performance contained some hidden element, it certainly wasn't to be underestimated.
After the Revolutionary Army proctor announced the start of combat, Ed rushed toward Rhodes.
Whoosh!
Ed's weapon was a practice sword. Gripping it with both hands, he charged toward Rhodes and slashed straight down. The sharp sound of his blade cutting through air drew excited cheers from the surrounding teenagers.
The force behind this strike was tremendous.
Unexpectedly, Rhodes stood perfectly still, neither blocking nor dodging. He waited until the blade was nearly upon him before suddenly moving.
His sword struck silently, yet somehow arrived first.
With a single audible swish.
Both were practice swords made of identical materials, but when they collided, Ed's practice blade instantly snapped in two, clattering to the ground.
Ed was completely stunned!
For a moment, the entire square fell deathly silent.
Everyone stared at the broken katana on the ground in absolute astonishment.
"This... this..."
Ron and the other young men who had intended to challenge Rhodes were in complete disbelief.
These practice weapons were forged from incredibly durable materials, boasting exceptional longevity—capable of lasting three to five years without issue.
"A true swordsman-level technique," Koala confirmed, still unable to conceal her amazement.
With that single strike, Rhodes had proven himself worthy of the title "kenshi"—though perhaps the physically weakest swordsman in history, due to his limited raw power.
With one casual strike, Rhodes had severed Ed's blade. He didn't attack again, simply standing quietly in place.
"Do you want to continue fighting?" he asked with a gentle smile, but in Ed's eyes, it appeared demonic.
Ed, clearly unable to accept this completely unexpected outcome, gripped his broken blade tightly and raised it again.
However, before his weapon could fall, Rhodes's practice sword pressed gently against his throat.
Clang!
The broken blade fell to the ground as Ed's grip failed him completely.
Feeling the cold steel against his throat, Ed felt as if he had plunged into an ice cavern. Finally snapping back to reality, a look of fear and disbelief crossed his face.
Witnessing this scene, the Revolutionary Army proctor shook his head and announced the result.
"Rhodes wins!"
Rhodes calmly withdrew his practice sword, glanced at the teenagers across from him, and said, "You..."
"Still want to challenge me?"
His tone remained calm, but Ron and the other teenagers seemed deeply shaken. They all took a step backward, not daring to meet his gaze, and lowered their heads.
Only then did they notice the incredibly clean cut on the broken sword—as if it had been sliced by a supremely sharp blade.
Such a terrifying technique clearly exceeded everyone's imagination.
Ron and the others couldn't even comprehend what kind of power could achieve such precision. Even Raz, with his Doriki of 387, couldn't have accomplished this.
Moreover, Ed's Doriki was 197—just three points short of passing!
Raz, always maintaining his composed demeanor, couldn't help but glance at Rhodes with a hint of wariness. He couldn't block that slash either, though Rhodes's inferior speed meant Raz wasn't completely intimidated.
"Tch."
Seeing the challengers on the opposite side decisively surrender, Rhodes shook his head with disappointment.
The sensation of cutting through everything with his sword was truly exhilarating.
"It takes time to prepare and cultivate that level of concentration."
"In actual combat, there won't be such luxury."
Rhodes returned to his group and quietly reflected. He needed more practice, ensuring he could easily enter that focused state in any situation.
As Rhodes retreated, Ron and the others finally breathed sighs of relief and continued challenging other successful candidates, though most attempts ended in failure, with only a few victories.
The young men who succeeded in their challenges weren't disqualified—they would simply look somewhat embarrassed.
"Alright, that's enough," Koala announced with a smile. "After review, the reserve members include Raz, Rhodes... Barry—thirty-one people total. Congratulations on becoming reserves."
Excitement erupted throughout the square.
Those who passed beamed with joy, filled with pride.
The others applauded in celebration.
In Baltigo, becoming a Revolutionary Army reserve was undoubtedly a matter of honor, and moreover, a symbol of strength.
In the pirate world, strength meant everything.
And due to Rhodes's stunning swordsmanship display, everyone's attention focused on him.
Sounds of admiration were endless.
Rhodes remained composed. He was long past the age where flattery would make him lose his head.
This was merely the first step.
From this point forward, he still had an incredibly long journey to reach the true pinnacle of this world.
That night, after completing his daily preparations, Rhodes returned home, intending to master his concentration techniques while he could. But then, out of habit, a thought crossed his mind, and his status window appeared before his eyes.
Level 1: Book of Knowledge(Advancement Requirements Already Met)
Attributes: Intelligence +1
Energy: 100/100
Seeing no apparent change, Rhodes pursed his lips and attempted to dismiss it.
But the next moment, his eyes widened as if he'd seen a ghost.
"The advancement requirement is met?"
Rhodes felt both surprised and bewildered.
He couldn't understand why.
Rhodes began recalling today's events, trying to determine how he'd satisfied the advancement conditions.
Combat?
That shouldn't be it—he'd fought before without triggering advancement.
"So it can only mean becoming a reserve member?"
But that seemed too simple. If he was just a reserve now, wouldn't he have to advance again upon becoming a full member?
If that were the case, this advancement would be relatively insignificant.
But none of that mattered—he would advance first and worry about details later.
The next moment, Rhodes focused his mind, and the ethereal space reappeared before him. At its center, the mystical book hovered silently.
Without hesitation, Rhodes chose to advance.
Buzz!
In that instant, the hazy space underwent a startling transformation. Rays of divine light flashed and intertwined, dancing like dragons, surging toward the book at the center.
The dazzling radiance completely enveloped the ancient tome.
As the divine light infused it, the book suddenly glowed with soft, ethereal luminescence, radiating a vast and ancient aura.
"gulp..."
Rhodes swallowed reflexively, his heart trembling with anticipation.
Buzz!
Finally, as he watched with excitement, the divine light dissipated, and the book's glow slowly faded.
The change wasn't dramatic, save for several mysterious and intricate patterns now adorning the cover.
Suppressing his excitement, Rhodes once again accessed his status display.
Level 2: Book of Knowledge
Attributes: Intelligence +2, Perception +1
Ability: Swordsmanship Mastery—"Blade and wielder become one, dramatically enhancing comprehension of sword techniques!"(One additional ability can be drawn)
Energy: 0/1000
Intelligence +2 meant Rhodes's cognitive abilities now exceeded those of an average person by more than double, placing him at genius level. His memory had dramatically improved, and if he were to take university entrance exams now, he could easily gain admission to the most prestigious institutions.
Furthermore, his enhanced intelligence made Rhodes's thinking faster and his reasoning clearer.
"Combat and training generate energy, while status determines advancement eligibility!"
"However, based on the increasing energy requirements, the next advancement will likely require a much higher rank. Perhaps a Revolutionary Army commander, one of the Four Army Generals, or even Shichibukai level?"
Rhodes formed this hypothesis instantly, gaining some understanding of his previously inexplicable advancement trigger.
As for his newly acquired Perception attribute, Rhodes didn't notice any immediate change.
This was likely because he hadn't yet mastered abilities like Kenbunshoku Haki.
"Mastering that concentrated state should be quite beneficial."
"It would be nice to have bonuses to strength and speed as well."
Rhodes shook his head. Attributes like Intelligence and Perception were indirect and couldn't immediately boost Rhodes's combat power. Perception was particularly useless for the time being.
While contemplating these thoughts, Rhodes's eyes fell on the additional text in the ability section.
"Additional ability draw? Let me try it."
(End of Chapter 5)
join patreon for update and advance 40+ chapters
https://www.p-atreon.com/c/Soulforger
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
"If you're enjoying this story, don't forget to drop a Power Stone! Your support keeps me motivated and helps the novel reach more readers."
"100 Power Stones this week = 1 extra chapter release!"
"500 Power Stones = bonus side story."