7: Chapter 007 Making Friends Feels Pretty Good, Doesn’t It?
7: Chapter 007 Making Friends Feels Pretty Good, Doesn’t It?
The next day, after completing their trade, Roger used many jewels and valuable items to exchange for fresh water, food, liquor, and Eternal Log.
Richard had previously purchased Eternal Log from passing merchant ships.
Ever since the Grand Line emerged, a business had gradually developed where merchant ships used light “power vessels” to record routes.
Later on, whether it was adventurers, pirates, or marines on solo missions, they all needed Eternal Log.
So Richard had stockpiled a decent amount.
He had Eternal Logs for Sabaody Archipelago, to Amazon Lily, to Impel Down…
everything was available.
(T/N: Sabaody actually doesn’t have magnetic field for Log Pose.) Roger purchased the one for Sabaody, which indicated he was about to launch his final assault on the last leg of his journey.
Shanks said his reluctant goodbyes to Mihawk.
“It’s so frustrating to leave without having beaten you!
I’ll train hard during our voyage and definitely come back to defeat you!!!” “Oh.” Mihawk nodded to show he understood.
Even after losing to me, this red-haired kid’s face quickly regained its confident smile.
This was what Brother had once spoken of…
having the courage to face one’s own weaknesses and mistakes, engraving them in memory, and correcting them…
that was the heart of a true warrior.
Pat.
Richard’s hand rested on Mihawk’s shoulder.
The young Mihawk was visibly moved for a moment and turned his head to look back.
“Brother?” “Mm.
Making friends feels pretty good, doesn’t it?” Richard said with a smile.
Up until now, although he had mostly lived on Kuraigana Island, he had already received quite a few pirates as guests.
A high-ranking Marine Admiral had also visited once, and Richard had given him some advice over a drink.
He told him not to take large groups of trainees out recklessly…
it would make them easy targets for slaughter and pillaging.
Not only would he himself get hurt, but he’d also endanger an entire ship full of rookies.
Other than that, his visitors had included bounty hunters, business magnates, the Morgans Family’s news coos, marines, and pirates.
He had never hosted any Revolutionaries.
And he didn’t want to have anything to do with them either.
“Now then…
this coming winter is going to be quite cold.
Tell the islanders to prepare their harvested grains and fruits.
We’ll take them to Sabaody to sell.” “After this winter passes, I’ll take you out on a journey.” “Really?!!” Mihawk’s eyes sparkled with curiosity and anticipation.
At last…
was I finally going to see the world beyond the sea?
…
Shing!!
Boom!!!
Bringing both hands down in an overhead slash, Richard casually sent out a gust of wind pressure with a single swing, the powerful force bending the surrounding grass and trees low to the ground.
The blade of Richard’s Shintei occasionally emitted a faint golden radiance.
A regal aura, as noble as an emperor’s, radiated around his entire body.
Liam and the other guards were left utterly speechless.
He had already reached this level…
just a casual swing could produce wind gusts.
If someone were to actually take a solid hit from that blade, no matter how formidable their defenses, they’d be cleaved in two.
“Powerful and sharp…
that is the strength of the blade…” Richard explained in a soft voice.
“Here it comes!!!” Liam and the others pulled out their notebooks.
A group of thirty or forty men were all waiting for this very moment.
For the past three years, their lord had developed a habit during his sword training sessions.
Once he entered his flow state, he would mutter his insights aloud to himself.
Over the years, just catching a phrase or two here and there and reflecting on them later had brought them immense benefit.
This was one of the reasons why more and more people were willing to stay at Black Rose Castle and serve as guards.
Richard’s eyes blazed like torches, his expression utterly serious as he swung out a string of brilliant sword beams.
The slender, noble blade of Shintei moved like a dancing butterfly, weaving threads of sword light and floral shadows, flowing in an effortless, graceful dance.
Forward-step slashes, side-step thrusts, large-striding overhead chops.
Backward-step swings.
Leaping backward swings.
It all seemed to come to him as naturally as plucking fruit from a tree.
This was the result of Richard’s exquisite control over his own body.
“Besides chopping and slashing, you must combine it with footwork to achieve unity between man and sword, advancing and retreating with perfect measure.” Advance like a fierce tiger, retreat like an impenetrable fortress.
…
Whoosh.
Shing.
Richard flicked the dew off the tip of Shintei, then sheathed his blade and stood still.
The wind ceased, and the grass stood upright once more.
In the silence that followed, he heard the system’s notification chime in his ear.
[Completed one session of sword technique training.
Daily reward obtained: Strength +10, Agility +10.] This was his daily routine.
The strength and agility he gained would become intangible power, integrated into Richard’s body and making him even stronger.
Though it was just a little bit each time, accumulated over the days and months…
the total would become something extraordinary.
“Brother!” Mihawk, dressed in a wine-red floral shirt, approached from a distance.
His amber eyes gleamed with sharp brilliance.
He gave a slight bow and said: “I’ve informed all the residents.
They said they would offer up all their surplus grain, beyond what they need for their own consumption, to the castle for you to enjoy.” As he said this, Mihawk was filled with immense pride.
His brother’s governance was being admired by the people.
And this admiration wasn’t born of military oppression…
it came from genuine affection.
Over the years, the population of Kuraigana Island had steadily grown, and the village behind the castle now housed over three thousand people.
That was proof of the people’s unity and devotion.
“Good.
Tell Rowling to prepare the ship.
We’ll set out for Sabaody tomorrow.” “Yes!!” Every time he could go out to sea, Mihawk became visibly excited.
Moreover…
it seemed that in recent years, his brother’s standing in the Sabaody Archipelago had become quite significant as well…