Three Months of Growth

Three Months of Growth

Li Yuan had joined the Rocks Pirates three months ago. For those three months, he had kept a low profile and trained on Hachinosu Island.

In those three months, he had thoroughly absorbed all of Shakky's training notes.

It was precisely because of those training notes that he had made tremendous progress in every aspect. After all, he had once been self-taught. Following proper instruction, his swordsmanship, physical skills, and Haki control had all improved at a rapid pace.

They had also given him a solid foundation, laying excellent groundwork for him to develop his own swordsmanship, physical techniques, and methods of using Haki in the future.

After fully absorbing everything from those training notes, he could feel that he had emerged from that state of explosive growth.

My progress has been incredibly fast. These three months—no, it should be four months—of improvement have surpassed two years of my previous training.

My swordsmanship seems to have reached the peak of a Swordmaster. All I need is an opportunity to break through and become a Great Swordsman!

The same goes for my Observation Haki. All I need is an opportunity for it to become even stronger!

If I ran into John again in an aerial battle now, I definitely wouldn't fear him. Even in a land battle, I wouldn't be defeated so easily!

I wonder how strong the other Rocks Pirates Officers are. If I get the chance, I can spar with them in the name of officer exchanges, test my true level, and see what the officers are really capable of.

After three months of grueling training, his further increase in strength had greatly narrowed the gap between him and veteran officers like John.

Though he still could not match John, who was nearly the weakest among the officers, it would not take long. At most, within a year or two, he would completely catch up.

If something else allowed his strength to improve even faster, that time could be shortened further.

With three months of training over, Li Yuan finally had time to explore Hachinosu Island.

Ever since he had joined the Rocks Pirates, Rocks seemed to have known that Li Yuan was training.

So for three months, Rocks had not disturbed him. Even when the Rocks Pirates went out plundering, Rocks had not asked Li Yuan to take action, allowing him to train and grow stronger in peace.

This was a benefit granted to every newly appointed Rocks Pirates Officer: after becoming an officer, they would be given a period of peaceful development.

During that time, no other officer would disturb them, nor would Rocks summon them for any missions. He simply gave them time to focus on training.

It had to be said that Rocks truly had a knack for raising monsters. Otherwise, the Rocks Pirates would not have produced so many of them.

Hachinosu Island was the most vicious and darkest place in the New World, because the New World's strongest and most brutal pirate crew was stationed here.

Yet some areas of Hachinosu Island were surprisingly peaceful and prosperous.

Li Yuan wandered aimlessly around Hachinosu Island and eventually arrived at its liveliest tavern.

Pirates loved to drink, so taverns were one of their essential destinations.

After arriving, Li Yuan ordered a crate of liquor and found himself a seat. As he drank, he watched the beautiful women dance in the tavern and listened to the rowdy conversations of the pirates around him.

"Hahaha, did you hear? Captain Rocks sent people to attack the Navy's G-10 Fortress in the New World. I heard Captain Rocks intends to destroy every Navy fortress in the New World and turn the entire New World into our pirates' Paradise."

"That's not all. I heard the Navy is short on manpower. Ever since Captain Rocks killed one Marine Admiral, the Navy only has that old bastard Fleet Admiral Brac and Admiral Steel-Bone Kong left. They're nowhere near enough to suppress our Rocks Pirates, so they called Marine Admiral Gokai, who had already retired, back into service. That old guy is currently stationed at a Navy Fortress in the New World with Steel-Bone Kong."

"The New World is the Paradise of our Rocks Pirates now. The Navy? Sooner or later, Captain Rocks will lead us in driving them out."

"That's right! The New World is the territory of our Rocks Pirates. All other pirates have to submit to the Rocks Pirates! Hahahahahaha!!!"

"..."

Li Yuan heard quite a few interesting things in the tavern. Although he had been training like mad these past few months,

he still read the newspapers often. Shakky also occasionally sent him intelligence that could not be found in the papers, allowing him to gain a deeper understanding of every aspect of this world.

"Gurararara, Li Yuan, have you finally finished training?"

Whitebeard carried a bottle of liquor over and set it on Li Yuan's table. Then he picked up the liquor from Li Yuan's table and began drinking.

"I'm done training. I came out to relax for a while."

Li Yuan wordlessly picked up a bottle and clinked it against Whitebeard's before drinking as well.

Whitebeard was an odd one out in the Rocks Pirates. He did not like plundering, Treasure, talking to people, or taking subordinates.

So despite having joined the Rocks Pirates for so many years, he had always been alone. Even any Treasure he obtained was sent back to his hometown, with none kept for himself. He could be called a true oddity aboard the Rocks Pirates.

Yet Whitebeard loved drinking. Since he had no money for liquor, he often came to taverns to mooch drinks. The bottle in his hand had also been mooched off another pirate.

But because of Whitebeard's strength as an officer, none of the pirates he mooched drinks from dared say no. They even handed him their liquor with smiling faces.

Li Yuan did not care about such a small amount of money, so he ordered several more crates of liquor to drink with Whitebeard.

"Gurararara, this is good liquor. You really are a monster. In just three months, you've grown this much stronger. I'm truly envious."

After downing a bottle, Whitebeard patted Li Yuan on the shoulder.

He had eaten Li Yuan's food, so naturally he had to say something nice as payment for the drinks!

"How could my little bit of talent compare to you, Whitebeard? You're the real monster."

Li Yuan rolled his eyes at Whitebeard. The guy had drunk his liquor and only offered a few compliments, without anything more substantial. Compared to a monster, Whitebeard was the one who truly deserved that title.