Chapter 37: Moving Forward
Den Den Mushi are unique creatures in the pirate world, primarily used for long-distance communication. Anyone of any standing in the pirate world possesses one.
The Den Den Mushi that Sabo gave Rhodes appeared pristine and unused, remaining in its most basic state.
As its owner uses it, the Den Den Mushi gradually takes on their features, mimicking the owner's expressions and tone during calls. It's a fascinating creature.
However, Rhodes wasn't particularly interested—to him, it was nothing more than a telephone.
Although the mission hadn't been long, having experienced two major battles, especially that final technique which had pushed his lightning powers to their limit, Rhodes felt physically and mentally exhausted.
After confirming they were safe, he returned to his cabin and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day,
Rhodes awoke feeling completely refreshed, and the minor injuries he'd sustained seemed to have healed during his rest.
"The Book of Knowledge's energy... four hundred and ninety-three points?"
Rhodes stretched as he stood, his eyes lighting up with excitement.
Bzzt!
An arc of electricity pulsed like a silver serpent, its light blazing brilliantly.
The lightning now appeared much closer to blue—a deeper, more intense shade than the previous pale blue.
As for the energy gained, at first glance, it seemed his battle with Squard hadn't yielded as much as his fight with Silver Fox.
However, this was because Rhodes' battle with Squard had been too brief and not particularly intense—it couldn't be considered a complete engagement.
"My Armament Haki is still far from complete..."
After this battle, Rhodes had gained a clearer understanding of his current strength on the seas.
Judging from what he knew of the original story, a captain of Squard's caliber was roughly equivalent to a Vice Admiral.
Of course, within the Navy, there was a significant power gap between a branch Vice Admiral and a headquarters Vice Admiral, making Squard's exact position unclear.
However, being able to battle Squard and completely suppress and eliminate someone of Silver Fox's level meant Rhodes possessed at least the strength of a Rear Admiral from Marine Headquarters, with even greater destructive capability.
With a stronger physique and more powerful Armament Haki, he should be able to defeat a branch Vice Admiral.
"Physical strength can't be rushed—it's a matter of persistence," Rhodes' eyes flickered with determination. "But my swordsmanship is falling behind."
Unfortunately, the Revolutionary Army lacked skilled swordsmen, or rather, they weren't stationed at headquarters, so Rhodes couldn't seek instruction.
Of course, for Rhodes at his current level, ordinary swordsmen—even those at the peak of their craft—probably wouldn't be able to teach him much.
Only the great swordsmen who stood at the pinnacle of swordsmanship were qualified to instruct him.
But what kind of people were great swordsmen? They were like legendary dragons—elusive and rare. Meeting one was a stroke of incredible luck, let alone receiving instruction from them.
Lost in thought, Rhodes made his way to the deck.
Koala was the only one there, leisurely sunbathing. Her clothing was light and comfortable, revealing expanses of fair skin.
"Where's Sabo?"
"Oh, you're awake. Sabo should be training right about now," Koala said with a smile, removing her sunglasses.
"So where are we heading now?"
"Remember how you mentioned I'd have another mission after completing the officer assessment?"
Rhodes leaned against the railing, squinting as he savored the warm sunlight.
He craved battle and enjoyed training to grow stronger, but he also appreciated moments of relaxation after intense training—as evidenced by his love of good food.
"Mmm."
Koala sat up, pondered for a moment, then said, "Bell, the lord of Krinos Island, once served the World Government. While his position wasn't particularly high, he wielded considerable influence and handled many classified cases."
"He's quite clever—knowing that such a position rarely leads to a good end, he faked his death during a mission and settled on Krinos Island in the New World. Using the secret intelligence he gathered from his previous work, he befriended several underworld bosses and now lives quite comfortably."
"This mission is to steal the intelligence Bell has in his possession."
This information might reveal secrets and scandals about the World Government that could prove useful to the Revolutionary Army.
"Are we going to kidnap and interrogate him?"
Rhodes' eyes flashed with excitement.
"..."
A few stress marks appeared on Koala's delicate forehead. She glanced at Rhodes with exasperation and said, "Bell is a former agent—he's quite capable. He's also recruited many mercenaries, and he'll be in his stronghold. Relying purely on force isn't impossible, but the three of us might not be enough."
"This mission is primarily about infiltration and theft."
With insufficient raw power, they'd have to rely on more subtle tactics.
"Then what's my role?" Rhodes pursed his lips.
When it came to infiltration, he'd always subscribed to the 'perfect stealth' philosophy—eliminate all witnesses. But clearly, that approach wouldn't work this time.
Koala stretched and stood up, replying, "Bell has a habit of hosting tournaments with generous prizes. The first-place winner often receives a Devil Fruit, which he uses to attract strong individuals for potential recruitment."
"When a promising talent appears, he'll be there personally, making it easier for Sabo to act."
So they wanted him to show off?
"I'm good at that," Rhodes nodded, indicating it would be simple.
Koala rolled her eyes. "I'll handle central coordination. You need to be careful not to reveal too much of your true strength."
Bell was no fool—he knew a single Devil Fruit wouldn't be enough to attract genuinely powerful individuals. If Rhodes displayed too much strength, it would naturally arouse suspicion and complicate matters.
"Got it," Rhodes nodded gently. That was easy enough.
He just wanted to hone his swordsmanship anyway.
In terms of pure swordsmanship, Rhodes wasn't particularly strong—perhaps only slightly better than Shano, thanks to his mastery of Armament and Observation Haki.
Without guidance from a master swordsman, the only way to improve his blade work was through constant battle.
Of course, combat alone made for slow progress—just look at Zoro. Before becoming Mihawk's student, his performance was decent but not spectacular.
However, after two years of training under Mihawk, his strength skyrocketed, making him fully qualified to serve as vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates.
...
After more than a week of sailing, their ship gradually reached its destination.
Under Bell's management for over a decade, Krinos Island had become a thriving hub, bustling with visitors: merchants, pirates, and even World Government officials.
This was clearly the result of Bell's extensive network of connections.
Meanwhile, Rhodes spotted the flag of the Beast Pirates at the harbor.
"How lively!"
Rhodes sighed softly.
The pirate world lacked true continents—it was all islands, categorized by size into small, medium, and large. Small islands possessed complete ecosystems, were well-equipped with essentials like fresh water, and supported communities of people.
Medium islands were much larger, featuring at least several small towns and often a major city at the center.
Large islands, capable of supporting entire nations, were considered vast—places like Arabasta and Dressrosa.
The island of Krinos before them was medium-sized.
It was well-developed, and from the port, they could see a wide road leading directly to the central town.
(End of Chapter)
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