Black Blade: Mountain Splitter, Against the Golden Lion

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As time passed, the people hiding inside the town gradually realized that the pirates who had been burning, killing, and looting were gone.

Relief washed over them, and the smiles on their faces were the smiles of people who had narrowly escaped death.

"Those damned pirates are finally gone!"

"Yeah. We can live now."

But when the townspeople reached the docks, disbelief froze across their faces.

Pirate corpses were scattered everywhere. The marks of battle were plain to see.

"This... This must have been some passing expert. They dealt with those pirates for us."

"Thank you."

"Everyone, when we return, we will build a small shrine for the benefactor who saved us. We are weak and have nothing else to offer, so this is the only way we can show our gratitude."

"Understood, village chief!"

"We will go back and prepare it now!"

On a distant slope, a man heard the villagers' words. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, and his mood was clearly excellent.

After watching for a little longer, he turned and left.

By the time Caius returned home, night was close. He quickly made dinner, filled his stomach, and sat on the bed once he had eaten his fill.

'I do not have anyone to compare myself against yet. Those little pirates were not worth mentioning.'

'Still, with my current body and abilities, I should at least have reached the level of a Marine officer.'

'That is nowhere near enough. Forget comparing myself to Rocks. I would not even match Newgate yet. I still have to keep pushing.'

'There are six years left before the Rocks Pirates are founded. Time will not wait for me. I have to get stronger.'

The clouds outside slowly drifted apart. Cold moonlight slipped through the gaps and shone into the room.

Caius fell asleep beneath it.

Early the next morning, after a full night's rest, he woke from sleep.

[System]

A new day has begun.

The host may perform today's sign-in.

"System, sign in."

[System]

Daily sign-in successful.

Reward acquired: Armament Haki Training Manual.

The reward has been issued to system storage. Host, please check it yourself.

The reward had arrived at the perfect time, and it brought Caius a pleasant surprise.

This island almost certainly had no one who knew the three forms of Haki. He had been worrying about that, only for the system to deliver exactly what he needed.

It was not a direct infusion of power, but that was fine.

Caius opened system storage, looked at the Armament Haki manual lying inside, and immediately took it out.

"Good."

"Starting today, I will sharpen myself one step at a time and set out as soon as I can."

The system had given him the tools, but if he wanted to use them freely, he still had to work. Only sweat and blood could turn borrowed knowledge into instinct.

Armament alone would not be enough, of course, but for the moment, it would do.

Caius smiled, stretched, and got out of bed to repair the house.

At minimum, he would need to stay here for another three years. The place was far too broken down as it was.

Once the chores were done, noon arrived. After lunch, Caius walked deep into the island's forest and began training.

[System]

Reward acquired: Basic Observation Haki.

[System]

Reward acquired: Basic Conqueror's Haki.

[System]

Reward acquired: Intermediate Swordsmanship Mastery.

[System]

Reward acquired: ...

...

Three years passed in the blink of an eye.

Sea Circle Calendar, August 1475.

On an island in the New World, a place crawling with enormous beasts.

Boom!

"Roar!"

Caius leapt up and drove a heavy punch into the gigantic gorilla in front of him. After taking the blow, the beast's eyes filled with unwillingness, but its life still came to an end.

"Heh."

"It took long enough, but I finally killed you."

"I trained like my life depended on it just to bring down monsters like you. Looks like it was worth it."

"System, open my status panel."

[Status]

System: Super Sign-In System

Host: Caius Redgrave

Devil Fruit: Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Red Dragon (70% developed)

Constitution: High

Conqueror's Haki: High

Armament Haki: High

Observation Haki: High

Swordsmanship: High

System Evaluation: The host now stands among the strongest on the sea. Go make trouble with confidence.

Reaching this level in three years was all thanks to the system. If Caius had relied on himself alone, he might not have made it this far until the Rocks Pirates were actually founded.

He knew very well that with his current strength, he would not face any fatal danger as long as he did not provoke Rocks.

Of course, he also could not court death by charging into Mary Geoise. With his current strength, forget the mysterious Imu. Even fighting the Five Elders would be more than enough trouble.

In short, as long as he did not go looking for death, he would not die.

Caius drew his thoughts back and made his decision.

His gaze swept across the island. After two years of nonstop battles, he had basically eaten his way through every large creature here.

It was time to set sail and experience this brilliant era for himself.

At noon the next day, Caius returned to town, said goodbye to the few friends who had helped him, and set out alone.

Boom!

In the latter half of the New World, the people aboard a pirate ship fired their cannons in a panic at the man standing not far away.

The man watched the cannonballs come without a trace of expression. He raised the Great Grade Blade Night Moon and swung it once.

The sea split apart.

Sword energy flashed forward. Neither cannonball nor pirate ship could withstand it. In the end, everything sank beneath the waves.

"A bunch of small fry..."

"Boring. The maggots on the sea right now are so weak I can barely get interested."

Then again, he had been at sea for two years already and still had not run into Rocks or Shiki.

That really was a shame.

He was just about to leave when a golden slash suddenly flew toward him from the distance.

Caius could not see the person yet, but Observation Haki told him who it was.

The corner of his mouth lifted.

"I wanted to meet him and could not. Now that I am about to leave, he shows up."

"How exciting."

"Shiki the Golden Lion."

Caius's eyes shone. He turned his hand and sent out a slash of his own.

The two attacks canceled each other out.

The impact gouged a massive pit into the sea, though the water quickly rushed back in and returned to calm.

"Jihahahahaha!"

"Kid, you are pretty strong!"

"You must be the Black Blade, Caius Redgrave, the one who has been making a name for himself these past two years."

As the voice fell, a man like a human lion appeared in the sky. He wore a kimono, and his long golden hair flowed around him.

"That is right. I am."

Caius smiled. "So, Shiki, did you come here to cause me trouble? If you did, I will see it through to the end."

"You have guts, kid. Then let me test what you are made of."

"Lion: Thousand Slice Valley!"

Countless sharp blades of sword energy flew toward Caius, slicing through a stretch of water as massive as a mountain along the way.

Facing an attack like that, Caius did not dare grow careless. He drew in a deep breath and, for the first time, used the technique he had created over the past two years.

"Black Blade: Mountain Splitter!"

A heavy, razor-sharp wave of sword energy burst out and collided with Shiki's attack.

The power of the clash forced the Golden Lion back half a step.

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