"Materials really are a problem."
In the pirate world, obtaining all kinds of raw materials is already extremely troublesome; trying to get fusion materials is even harder.
"In the short term, it's difficult to get good fusion materials."
"Meow—if there were flames hot enough, I could also produce some materials. It'd be great if the next pokemon that appears is a fire pokemon."
The Pokémon arc Vane had fully watched was actually only the one unmarked arc—the one where the super-newbie had just started traveling.
In his memory, the fire-type Pokémons that left the deepest impression were only two: one was Charizard, and the other was Magmar.
"First make some weapons to supplement the Rocket Team's firepower. When conditions improve later, we'll manufacture new equipment to upgrade."
The Rocket Team now, excluding Meowth and himself, had expanded to 22 people. Aside from Tant, who had decent physical talent, everyone else's physical aptitude was really average. Weaponry and equipment were the only way to effectively boost their combat power.
If these 22 people trained with firearms, scenes like the previous charge of a hundred people—casualties would double. If those two captains didn't lead the charge, a hundred pirates would have no chance of breaking into the small town.
The gap in weapons could make up for the lack of numbers. With sufficient distance, even five times their number would be unable to break through their 22-person musket squad.
From now on, this kind of technological gap would only grow larger. As long as Vane helped Meowth solve the materials problem, then aside from Vegapunk, their team would be the most technologically advanced team in the world right now.
As for how to solve the materials problem, there were currently two ideas. One was to place hope on the chance of swapping for a fire-type Pokémon next time.
The other was the Drum Kingdom. There might be a Devil Fruit there called the Munch-Munch Fruit, which could fuse together anything eaten—extremely convenient for making fusion materials.
The latter clearly offered much better efficiency and quality for producing new materials, but Devil Fruits depended heavily on fate. You couldn't put your hopes on a Devil Fruit.
Whether he could even find it was one thing; that fruit might very well have already been eaten by that guy Wapol. He wasn't Blackbeard, capable of stealing others' Devil Fruit abilities. Even if he killed Wapol, it would be useless.
...
Another ten days passed.
Vane's training had shifted from boxing techniques to sword techniques. These days he didn't go to Bullfish Bay; instead, he stayed on the coastline outside the Rocket Team's camp, holding the best sword among those seized.
Swordsmen in this world could roughly be divided into ordinary swordsmen, swordmasters, and great swordmasters.
A swordmaster is someone who has comprehended the realm of cutting steel—using a steel sword to cut steel objects.
Great swordmasters were somewhat vague, but mastering Armament Haki and wrapping one's blade in it to form a black blade should be the most basic requirement.
Relying on breathing techniques, Vane's sword skill was in a hazy state—around the level of a swordmaster.
When using sword techniques, he could rival a swordmaster, but he couldn't cut through steel.
So he needed to comprehend the secret of cutting steel. He recalled Zoro's method of advancement: the whole world quieting down, being able to hear the breathing of all things, and so on… somewhat mystical.
Vane summarized it a bit. To comprehend the secret of cutting steel, first you need confidence—the resolve that you can cut through anything.
If you hesitate before swinging, wondering whether you can cut what you want to cut, then you won't be able to cut it.
That part was fairly normal.
The second point was more abstract: seeing through the essence of matter. It was a very elusive description. Zoro heard the breathing of all things; in Vane's view, this meant entering a state—a state of extreme focus.
The resolve to cut everything, and a very mysterious state. Achieve these two conditions, and perhaps you could become a swordmaster.
A swordmaster isn't just about cutting steel; they can also unleash flying slashes—long-range sword energy—practical and stylish in equal measure.
"The resolve to cut everything, a mysterious state that lets me cut everything."
Listening to the voices of all things gave Vane no clue, so he took another path: seeing through the essence of things.
Back in the Demon Slayer world, Vane couldn't open the mark, couldn't forge a crimson blade… the Transparent World—at the moment before death, when he struck Muzan, he was fortunate enough to experience it once, just a glimpse.
That state was incredibly mysterious. Perhaps if he could recreate the Transparent World, he could cut steel.
These days, he stayed by the coastline. Sometimes he swung his blade to refine new sword techniques; more often, he held fish feed and fed the fish here.
Watching the small sea fish scramble for the feed, he used his eyes to try to see through their bodies.
There were a few moments when his eyes pierced through the fishes' scales and skin, revealing the internal tissue structure.
Though it lasted only a few moments, the images were extremely clear. Recently, he saw such scenes more and more often, yet he still couldn't connect them into a whole.
"Something's still missing."
As Vane stood by the sea thinking about something, suddenly a red firework rose from the direction of the docks and burst in the air.
This was an emergency firework made by Meowth, indicating that the people at the docks had spotted threatening pirates and needed support.
"Maybe I can find the secret of the Transparent World in real combat."
Vane drew the blade planted at his side. This blade seemed to have flowed out from the Marines—finely crafted and fairly handy.
...
At the docks, there was no trace of the two large ships Vane had captured. Those two ships had already been sailed to Bullfish Bay. After the bullfish were gone, Bullfish Bay became a natural deep-water harbor. Putting the two large ships there also prevented rude pirates from coming to bombard them.
"Has this sea area really been so restless lately? In less than two months, we've been targeted three times."
"Everyone get ready. Lord Vane and the others will arrive soon."
"That's the Black Panther Pirates! Their captain Calder is a powerful Devil Fruit user."
Calder's ship stopped and went along the way, ultimately taking ten days to reach Shell Town. In fact, the island he had decided on back then was at most only a day and a half away from here.
This showed the laziness of pirates—after looting a place, they'd indulge for two or even three days. At this efficiency, it was only because Vane hadn't changed locations; otherwise, all he'd ever see would be a poor village.
Calder's ship docked steadily at the pier.
The soldiers didn't stop them from landing, because they currently had only one cannon, while the pirate ship had more. Better to let the enemy land and lose their artillery advantage, then use firepower to strike them hard.
"Why did only a few people come down from the other side?"
"It's the pirate captain Calder and his subordinates."
After obtaining his Devil Fruit ability, Calder had become a bit arrogant. At the same time, he was also quite stingy. In his view, fighting this way could reduce losses to some extent.
For example—king versus king.
He believed the greatest advantage of his pirate crew was himself; the others were currently nothing but dead weight.
Letting them charge would only mean a few more deaths. It was better to invite the enemy leader out for a fight. If the other side agreed and he killed them decisively, he could then smoothly take over their subordinates and treasure.
If not, then he'd have the useless lot on his ship launch a full charge together.
One of Calder's subordinates picked up a loudspeaker: "Hey, you little grunts, hurry up and call your boss out. My boss has no interest in you."