Chapter 24: Return
Half an hour later.
The pursuit drew to a close, and the trainees were cleaning up the battlefield, restoring it to its original state as much as possible to obscure any signs of the intense fighting that had taken place.
They were also salvaging the sunken pirate ship for possible loot.
The squad captains gathered to report their results to fish-man Hack.
The enemies were, after all, New World pirates—cunning and brutal, ready to resort to any means necessary.
Even with the covert supervision of Revolutionary Army officers and the superior skill of the trainees, casualties were still present, though mostly injuries, with only four fatalities.
Rhodes' performance in this battle was undoubtedly the most spectacular, and no one among the trainees would dispute that.
Seeing was believing.
Rhodes' feat of destroying the pirate ship and slaying "Black Fist" Slott had astonished and shocked everyone.
After the battle, the trainees, including the squad captains, looked at Rhodes with a hint of awe.
This was reverence for overwhelming power!
If it were just a matter of strength, like facing Shanuo, the captains might have dared to entertain thoughts of a challenge, but against a monster like Rhodes—forget about it.
In just over two months, he had already become the strongest among the trainees, undeniably the strongest. Since the Revolutionary Army began training reserves, no one like him had ever appeared.
"Perhaps, among his peers, only Sabo, who's been training under Dragon for a long time, could surpass him."
Captains like Nia shared the same thought.
After this battle, Rhodes finally had a clearer understanding of his own strength, a more precise grasp of his current position in the pirate world.
He had defeated Slott, with a bounty of over 80 million berries, with such decisive efficiency.
While this was certainly due to his exceptional swordsmanship, it also proved that his strength was at least on par with the most notorious pirates on the seas—those with bounties exceeding 100 million berries!
In a sense, Rhodes had achieved his first goal in this world: never again would he be caught off guard by some pirate with a bounty exceeding 100 million and killed in a single blow.
The destruction of the pirate ship, the slaying of Slott, and the final pursuit had all brought Rhodes considerable energy gains.
The accumulated energy in the Book of Knowledge jumped from 149 to 170—a full 21 points!
This was more than Rhodes would have gained from ten days of training!
This meant that the lightning power Rhodes had mastered had surged even further. Perhaps soon, his thunder abilities would even surpass his swordsmanship itself!
"To grow faster, I still have to rely on combat."
Rhodes sighed. He sat cross-legged on the ground, polishing his sword, his expression calm and contemplative.
The sword was made of ordinary steel. If it weren't for the enhancing power of lightning, it would have been unable to keep up with his rapid growth.
Especially after today's clash with Slott's black fist technique, it seemed to be reaching its limits.
However, meito—famous swords—were hard to come by, so Rhodes wasn't in a hurry. Once he mastered Busoshoku Haki, he could extend this blade's lifespan until he found a superior weapon.
Soon, the battle's aftermath was concluded.
Fish-man Hack led the trainees back to the coastal base. After a night's rest, they headed for the headquarters castle.
This training expedition had yielded significant results, especially with the discovery of a prodigy like Rhodes. Fish-man Hack was in high spirits, beaming throughout the journey—a sight that amazed Koala.
In her mind, Hack was a true martial arts master with an unshakeable spirit, rarely displaying such obvious emotion.
After several days of travel, the group arrived at the headquarters castle.
Gazing upon the majestic, ancient fortress and the town sprawling in the distance, the trainees breathed sighs of relief, especially the newly recruited like Rez and others, who felt as though they were entering another world entirely.
"Damn it..."
Rez's eyes were bloodshot, his expression dark. One of the four casualties had been his close friend.
They had grown up together, trained together, and pledged to join the Revolutionary Army to pursue their dreams. But unexpectedly...
"I'm still too weak."
Rez clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. If he had Rhodes' strength, how could such a tragedy have occurred?
"Alright, you have a day off. Relax," Hack announced.
Immediately, the trainees dispersed, walking arm in arm with their comrades.
Rhodes stood there, blinking in slight confusion.
Rest?
What an unfamiliar concept...
For more than two months, he had been training every single day, practicing relentlessly, even replacing sleep with physical conditioning. Sometimes Rhodes felt exhausted—not physically, but mentally and spiritually.
After all, he was just a normal human being, not a machine.
"Let's have a proper rest today."
He whispered to himself.
This break was complete relaxation and recovery.
He slept through the entire afternoon and night, completely unwound. Rhodes didn't rise until the next morning, feeling an indescribable sense of comfort and ease throughout his entire being.
This comfort wasn't just physical, but emanated from his soul and willpower.
Two months of intense training had kept his mind constantly on edge. This complete rest and relaxation felt like a massive burden had been lifted, tempering his spirit and resolve.
Even with his eyes closed, Rhodes seemed aware of the movements around him.
This was slightly different from the "breath of all things" that swordsmen mastered—more intuitive and clearer.
"Kenbunshoku Haki?"
Rhodes smiled slightly. This was a pleasant surprise, probably related to the perception bonus granted by the Book of Knowledge.
It had effectively enhanced Rhodes' natural talent in this area.
In the dining hall.
Rhodes was about to order when he spotted a familiar face.
This familiarity wasn't from this life, but from screens in his previous one.
Sabo, the future Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, second-in-command of the entire organization, and sworn brother of the protagonist Luffy!
"I wonder how strong he is right now."
Rhodes' eyes gleamed with interest.
When Sabo first appeared in the original series, he displayed overwhelmingly powerful abilities.
He had defeated Diamante, a top officer of the Donquixote Family and user of the Hira Hira no Mi, as well as Jesus Burgess, captain of the Blackbeard Pirates' First Ship. Later, after consuming the Mera Mera no Mi, his power became even more formidable.
It was now Sea Calendar year 1521. Sabo was 19 years old. With his natural talent, he was probably far stronger than Rhodes at this point in time.
(End of Chapter)
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