Werther decided to approach the problem from another angle.
What determined the power of a flying slash? His understanding of swordsmanship, the force behind the strike, and Lightning's cutting power.
And then there was Speed.
Yes, Speed. Tsubame Gaeshi seemed almost capable of cutting through space because it pushed the sword to its limits. If Werther wanted to shatter space, he had to start with Speed. Speed was power.
Werther closed his eyes again, recalling how it had felt to use Tsubame Gaeshi.
He drew Intent Blood and slashed at the air before him. This time, he used Tsubame Gaeshi with a single sword, and no purple sword energy appeared. He had controlled it deliberately; otherwise, his ship would have suffered.
Even so, Werther felt that faint sense of being on the verge of shattering space. It was not enough. Speed still wasn't fast enough. Tsubame Gaeshi alone could not shatter space, so he needed another approach.
Werther sank back into thought.
Developing a new technique placed a heavy strain on the body, and it was no easier on the mind.
Many people saw only a powerful fighter's moments of glory. Who saw the sweat they shed in training, or the frustration of wrestling with a new ability they could not quite figure out?
Werther had always believed that effort brought reward. Powerful figures like Sengoku, Garp, Whitebeard, Golden Lion, and Red must once have been like him, sweating to strengthen their bodies and thinking themselves dizzy as they developed new abilities.
After silently cheering himself on, Werther continued working on his new technique.
Three days later, Werther's work was interrupted—or, more precisely, interrupted by news Tuski brought him.
Tuski brought him that day's Newspaper and several wanted posters. There was nothing special about the Newspaper. The posters were the