Thanks to the experience from his previous life, Sage always had a knack for career planning.
Unfortunately, luck wasn't on his side, and he never completed it.
Now, as a pirate, there's finally a glimmer of hope.
"The Grand Line..."
Lily murmured, even though she grew up in the royal palace, she had heard of the Grand Line.
"The graveyard of pirates, some also call it 'Paradise', but no matter what it's called, it's a dangerous place. Can we really go there now? Only you can, Sage."
He is strong, there's no doubt about that.
Like the warships that have been chasing them lately, Sage handled them all single-handedly, and they didn't manage to help.
But such days can't last forever; there will always be times like when they encountered Ennio, where Sage gets entangled...
"Teach me to become stronger, Sage," Lily said firmly. "I want to be as strong as you."
"Even if you didn't say so, I would have taught you."
Sage's lips curled into a smile. "At our level, encountering a powerful person in the East Sea is not something we could necessarily overcome, let alone the Grand Line."
Originally, he planned to wait a while longer, let Lily adapt to pirate life before discussing it, and in the meantime, he would also strengthen his crew's capabilities, but since Lily spoke first, there was no reason to refuse.
"I will teach you the Six Styles, but how much you can learn depends on yourself. This kind of technique demands a high level of physical requirements. However, since you are a swordsman, it's not necessary to learn everything; what suits you is the best."
The Six Styles are definitely practical, but there's no need to learn them all.
Sage understands them instantly because the principles resonate with him.
But for others, it's not necessarily the case.
In Sage's eyes, the ones currently with potential for the Six Styles are Lily, Gin, and Pearl.
Lily's speed is swift, so she can start with Soru and then master Moon Step.
Gin's physique is good; he's a well-rounded type and can try to master all Six Styles.
Pearl... a natural Tekkai master.
"I understand, I will study hard!" Lily said with determination and left the captain's cabin.
Sage picked up a bottle of wine, opened the cork, poured a drink into a recently seized Gemstone Wine Glass but didn't drink it. Instead, he looked at his own hands.
"Haki..."
Compared to the Six Styles, which can be learned, Haki is much harder to cultivate.
To enter the Grand Line, even the first half, without Haki would be disastrous.
The reason it's called 'Paradise' is because those who failed in the New World return to the first half and call it so.
Moreover, there's the Navy Headquarters there. You can't say that a major base wouldn't know Haki, right?
Without mastering Haki, Sage won't venture into the Grand Line.
But it is indeed difficult.
Sage had undergone targeted training, and the North Star Divine Fist also has methods related to 'fighting spirit'. But he couldn't cultivate fighting spirit without Haki; they're one and the same.
Both are manifestations of willpower.
In terms of willpower, Sage is certainly not weak.
Despite his bad luck, he never gave up on his dreams, no matter how many times his ventures failed, he still stood strong.
In terms of action and willpower, he has no issues.
But neither Armament nor Observation, he hasn't mastered them.
As for fear and lethargy, those things that lose morale...
He gazed at the wine glass; in the light, the wine faintly highlighted his white hair and his pupils, in the reflection of the red liquid, a touch of crimson quickly disappeared into the drink.
He drank the red wine in one gulp, turned to look at the sea outside the window, and spoke in a calm tone imbued with an undeniable confidence.
"I've never been afraid."
Since his birth, he had will; from that moment, he had never feared, not even death itself mattered to Sage.
Compared to dying, being a pauper was more terrifying, especially a pauper with perpetual bad luck!
Sage poured himself another glass of wine and said to himself, "Old man, the peaceful life you wished for is also my dream, but it's impossible. I've done everything legal and illegal. I can't possibly die of poverty..."
Under the flickering lamplight, the silhouette of Sage serving himself stretched long, mingling with the rowdy laughter of those drinking outside, as if something was being nurtured.
"I'll just have to make some noise."
...
With the sea map in hand, Sage wasn't completely clueless. At dawn the next morning, he headed straight for Nadia, spending an entire day and reaching the island by nightfall.
Kingdom of Nadia, it is an island kingdom, a high island at that, surrounded by towering cliffs, with only one shallow area serving as a harbor.
The entire kingdom is like a massive staircase, from bottom to top, you can see villages, towns, and the castle at the highest point.
Lily put down the telescope and said, "Sage, this seems difficult to attack."
Although it's night, the enemy's port is brightly illuminated, and there are many cannon platforms nearby. Looking through the telescope, one can also see heavily guarded soldiers.
"Difficult to attack or not, we have to go for it, otherwise I won't be able to swallow this anger."
Sage also put down the telescope and casually tossed it to the pirate behind him. He stepped onto the bow of the ship, "I'll attack first, take down the cannon platforms, then you guys can go in!"
The pirate ship obviously can't charge in; it's too easy to be shot down by the cannons. This is the only ship he has, and it still carries Belly and treasures.
Might as well go up on his own.
"Wait, Sage, it looks like a ship is coming."
Just as Sage was about to use Moon Step to fly over, Lily suddenly said, picking up the telescope to look to the left, she said, "It's the Black Sail Pirates."
"Hmm?"
Sage turned his head and saw a Black Sail fast ship sailing across the sea, quickly approaching.
Beside him, Gin gripped his cane tightly, and the remaining pirates drew their swords and guns, their gazes unfriendly.
"Hey! What are you guys doing!"
Just before they could act, a voice sounded from the Black Sail ship.
A pirate stood at the bow of the ship and shouted, "You dare to raid without orders, and this ship... you hijacked a warship?!"
The ship got closer, and after confirming it's a warship, the pirate exclaimed in fear, "You guys are too bold, openly sailing towards the port. Quickly retreat, from the secret passage... wait, who are you?!"
As the ship approached, the pirate on the bow also saw the people on the Black Sail Warship clearly; he didn't recognize any of them.
"Enemies..."
"Flying Finger Gun!"
Just as the pirate was about to shout, Sage flicked his index finger with force, the pirate across as if hit by a bullet, his head jerked back, his entire body fell back.
"Moon Step!"
He stepped on air, rising as if ascending stairs, swiftly landing on the bow of the ship, overlooking the pirates who were now on alert due to the attack.
The sea breeze blew, ruffling Sage's hair, his grin showing off his sharp white teeth, appearing extremely sinister in the night.
"I've been looking for you guys for some time now, glad to finally see the lair!"
"You are..."
"Soru!"
Before the pirates could react, Sage's figure swiftly disappeared from the bow, becoming a fleeting shadow that passed straight through them, instantly reaching the stern.
Whp...
The wind swept, causing his 'Sword Mountain Cloak' to flutter noisily.
"Don't rush..."
Sage turned his head, looking at the terrified but motionless pirates, he said calmly, "I will ask one by one."
Secret Hole Acupoints allowed Sage to instantly immobilize these pirates' bodies.
This move actually has a name, called 'North Star Kisha Fist,' typically pointing to the shoulder area can paralyze someone.
But having trained to his level, the specific location doesn't matter anymore; forehead, shoulder, chest, back, thigh all have similar Secret Hole paralysis points.
Anyway, it's just a Secret Hole technique, unlike Hundred Split Fist with its unique effects, naming or not is the same thing.
The Black Sail Warship pulled alongside the sailboat, Lily jumped onto the deck, drew her thin sword, coldly scanning the pirates, "Should I kill them?"
"Not for now, I still need them to lead the way."
Sage approached the nearest pirate, smiling at him, his fingers quickly tapped twice on his face and chest, immediately, the pirate's face contorted, his immobile body twitched slightly, sweat poured down, seemingly enduring extreme pain.
"Remember this feeling."
Sage tapped a few more times, and the pirate suddenly collapsed to the ground, breathing rapidly, his eyes filled with terror.
Just in that instant, the pain was like his body being forcibly twisted, like countless knives scraping inside him, yet he couldn't even scream.
"Good reaction."
Sage nodded, "Tell me, how to reach your secret passage."
He didn't want to play some futile game of threat with these pirates; he had a better method.
As long as they feel the pain, and this pain won't kill them, only silently endured.
A group of ordinary pirates, none can endure this, even if their will is determined enough to withstand...
Sage glanced at the other frozen pirates.
There are still others...