Ryuuzaki gave his blade a flick.
He took a deep breath. The smell of blood? Didn't exist.
Fresh blood didn't really carry a strong scent, not unless there was a pool of it on the ground.
"Ryuuzaki, certified, pass!" Bark announced.
But Ryuuzaki acted as if he hadn't heard. Calmly, he walked toward the pirates who had survived their duels.
Confused gazes followed him.
And then, in a flash, Ryuuzaki struck.
His blade cut through the throat of a pirate before anyone could react.
The next instant, he was already in front of another one.
Clang!
The pirate managed to block, but not entirely. Ryuuzaki's sword sliced across his chest.
"Ahhh, !"
The man cried out. Another follow-up strike, and he too was dead.
Within thirty seconds, Ryuuzaki had killed all the surviving pirates.
The field fell into stunned silence.
Bark frowned. "Ryuuzaki. Why did you kill them? You'd better have a reason."
"A reason?"
Ryuuzaki grinned.
"Commander, weakness is a sin. Being a pirate is a crime. They were weak and pirates. Two crimes added together, why show mercy?"
"...Heh... hahaha… You little bastard…" Bark chuckled.
No one could tell what he was thinking.
Lucci laughed too.
He gave Ryuuzaki a look of admiration. This kid… was his kind of people.
As for Ryuuzaki?
It was all just an edgy excuse.
He knew perfectly well that those pirates were never going to survive.
They'd seen the World Government's secret intel training base. No way they'd be allowed to leave alive.
Rather than let someone else kill them, he figured he might as well sharpen his swordsmanship while he was at it.
And so, Ryuuzaki, Kalifa, and Kaku officially passed their assessment, and became new members of what would one day be known as CP9.
That evening, Lucci and the older members hosted a welcome feast for the newcomers.
"Ryuuzaki, your swordsmanship is really something. You got time to spar with this old man sometime?" Kaku grinned.
Old man? Ryuuzaki twitched. Dude, you're like… what, eight?
"If your swordplay sucks, I'm not wasting my time."
"Hahaha! Duly noted!"
"Ryuuzaki, Kaku, Kalifa," Lucci said, voice calm but firm. "Starting now, the three of you should each choose a profession."
"A profession?" Kalifa asked.
"As intel agents, combat is only part of the job. You'll need a cover, something that lets you blend in while undercover."
Kalifa nodded. "A normal job would make us less suspicious during infiltration missions."
"Exactly. My secondary profession is shipbuilding. In this ocean, whether you're a pirate or a Marine, you'll always need a ship. Shipwrights are welcome anywhere."
"Then I'll learn shipbuilding too!" Kaku said cheerfully.
"I want to be a secretary!" Kalifa declared.
Ryuuzaki scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. After thinking a moment, he said, "I guess I'll be a blacksmith? There are tons of swordsmen out at sea, seems like a blacksmith would find work easily enough, hahaha..."
"Yohohoho… and I, "
"No need," Lucci interrupted, glancing at their more eccentric teammate. "You're too conspicuous. You'd attract attention."
"Oh? So I'm that useless? Maybe I should just kill myself. Tekkai: Seppuku!"
Ryuuzaki couldn't help but shake his head. These people are ridiculous.
He lay back on the ground, gazing up at the stars.
Comrades... aren't exclusive to pirates.
Even in CP9, bonds are real. And deep.
Justice in the shadows, huh?
He chuckled quietly.
Whatever. I'm not gonna bother worrying about that right now.
But he did remember what happened in the original story:
CP9 was defeated by the Straw Hats.
Afterward, they were discarded by the World Government, hunted down like criminals by the Marines.
Even though Lucci and the others eventually returned to government service, it was clear:
Whether it's the World Government or the Celestial Dragons, they're not to be trusted.
And to be honest?
Whether you stood for justice or evil, spies never met a good end.
Where does a spy's journey lead, in the end...?
A cold wind blew across the field.
Ryuuzaki closed his eyes.
He was already planning ahead.
What if the day comes when the World Government abandons me? What then?
It was a scary question. One without a clear answer.
Forget it. No point dwelling on it now.
"Cheers!"
The feast went on until the early hours of the morning.
,
The next day, training resumed.
But it was no longer just about physical endurance.
Now, half the day was spent on stamina, and the other half on basic martial arts, like punches and kicks.
Of course, Ryuuzaki and Kaku still trained in swordsmanship in their spare time under Bark's supervision.
Bark wasn't just a master of Rokushiki, he was also a seasoned swordsman.
This thrilled Ryuuzaki.
He figured a guy like Bark had sparred with plenty of swordsmen and seen countless different styles.
"Ryuuzaki, Kaku," Bark said one day, "If you two are serious about learning swordsmanship, there's one thing you must understand."
"A strong swordsman isn't just about sword techniques. Never neglect your martial foundation."
"Commander Bark, "
"Just call me Mr. Bark."
"Yes, Mr. Bark. I… I want to learn every sword style I can. Even the weakest ones."
"Oh?" Bark raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're trying to create your own style?"
It wouldn't have surprised him. After all, swordmasters often traveled far and wide, studying other schools so they could synthesize their own.
But Bark was reading too much into it.
Ryuuzaki's real reason? He just wanted to unlock more talent trees through the system.
But he didn't explain.
He simply said, "Mr. Bark, I want to become strong."
"Hmph. You brat…" Bark smiled faintly. "Alright. I'll teach you every sword style I know."
In Bark's eyes, Ryuuzaki was a prodigy. With enough growth, he could very well become the world's greatest swordsman one day.
But first, Bark needed to lay down their foundation.
Without strong basics in martial arts and swordsmanship, there would be no explosive growth, no greatness.
And so, under Bark's guidance, Ryuuzaki and Kaku began training in foundational sword techniques.
Their training resembled Zoro's early days, swinging bamboo swords at wooden stakes, over and over again.
It would be a daily grind.
An unending cycle of grueling repetition.
And just like that… winter arrived.
Snow began to fall.
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter