The Smooth-Smooth Fruit, the Threshold of Armament Haki!

Boom!

A black-and-red Flying Slash shot from the warship's stern and struck the sea, cleaving through a vast stretch of water. The recoil from the slash became a powerful thrust, sending the ship surging forward.

In the anime, Garp liked to use this move to speed up his ship. Now Ivan was putting it to use as well.

Half an hour later, the thunderous noise on deck gradually died down. Ivan finished his training, breathing slightly hard as he sheathed his sword.

A careful observer, however, would have noticed that the sword in Ivan's hand was not his old one, but a standard-issue Marine sword.

Remembering the battle a few days ago, Ivan could not help sighing.

He had yet to master Haki and could not use Armament Haki to strengthen his weapon.

After he unleashed "One Sword Style: Black Blue: Ashura" a few days ago, the sword that had accompanied him for years had shattered into pieces under the strain.

The sword Ivan carried now was of even poorer quality. After only a few days of practice, its blade was already covered in nicks and badly damaged. It did not look like it would last much longer.

This made Ivan resolve to get himself a good sword.

Thinking of good swords, he remembered Ipponmatsu's weapon shop in Loguetown.

Two famous blades were hidden in that shop: Yubashiri and Sandai Kitetsu, both among the 50 Skillful Grade Swords.

He had wanted to buy both swords before, only for the owner, Ipponmatsu, to chase him out.

In the old man's words: "You're not a true swordsman. You don't deserve to use swords this fine!"

Now that he had become a master swordsman, surely Ipponmatsu would not turn him away?

Just then, Nami's anxious voice rang out. "Ivan, I think there's a little island ahead... Wait, pirates are raiding it! We have to hurry over!"

She gripped her spyglass, brow furrowed as she stared intently at the distant island.

Ivan looked up and saw a lush green island rising above the horizon. Figures crowded its shore, and the sounds of fighting drifted faintly over the sea breeze.

The two sides were pirates and the island's residents.

At present, the pirates had the upper hand. If no one intervened, the residents would be brutally slaughtered before long.

Ivan kicked off the air and shot forward, leaving a few words behind. "I'll go ahead. Follow me."

Blue: Geppo!

With gravity's help, Ivan's Geppo consumed less energy and was faster than the ordinary version.

In just a few minutes, Ivan reached the air above the island.

He stopped hovering and plummeted from the sky like a meteor. As he fell, he shouted, "Red: Rankyaku!"

His legs moved rapidly, sending countless tiny black slashes raining down from the sky, each striking a pirate with precision.

Slash!

In an instant, dozens of pirates were either decapitated or cut in half at the waist. Not one survived.

The islanders froze, disbelief written across their faces.

Several elderly residents even fell to their knees on the spot, clasping their hands together and murmuring that the gods had shown themselves.

Only when Ivan appeared did they realize he was responsible.

When Nami and the others arrived, the islanders learned that Ivan was the legendary Major White Dove, leaving them even more astonished.

Before long, an old man carefully handed Ivan a box and said gratefully:

"My lord, those pirates invaded our island to steal this box.

If you hadn't arrived in time, everyone on the island would have died. Please take this box as a small token of our gratitude!"

When Ivan opened the box, he discovered a strange, smooth pink fruit inside.

His pupils contracted slightly, and he immediately understood. Wasn't this the Smooth-Smooth Fruit that Alvida was originally supposed to eat?

After dealing with the pirates and using Wood Release to help the villagers build some wooden houses, the warship set sail again, bound for Loguetown.

During the voyage, in the captain's cabin.

Holding the smooth pink Smooth-Smooth Fruit, Ivan took a bite without hesitation.

[Congratulations! You have gained one lottery draw!]

[Would you like to draw?]

[Yes/No]

Yes! Ivan said to himself.

The draw soon began. Countless cards flashed across the system panel, each bearing the image of a powerful figure from the myriad worlds.

Before long, the cards gradually began to slow.

[Omen King], [Frieren], [Madara Uchiha: Incomplete]...

At last, the cards stopped on a boy with a sea-blue eye and long black hair.

[Congratulations! You have obtained the template: Giyu Tomioka!]

[Congratulations! You have obtained the skill: Water Breathing!]

[Water Breathing: One of the basic breathing styles derived from Sun Breathing. It possesses the power to strengthen the body and enhance swordsmanship.]

A flood of knowledge about the breathing method poured into Ivan's mind, engraving itself deep in his soul.

He instinctively mastered a special breathing method and also gained several moves that went with it.

Ivan drew his sword without thinking and took a deep breath.

The next moment, his physical abilities rose beyond their existing level, and even his senses grew sharper.

At the same time, he sensed the moisture in the air, the sea beneath the ship, and even the blood in his own body. They all seemed to become streams he could control, trembling gently in time with his breathing.

There was no doubt that Water Breathing's power would reach an incredible level in the ocean-filled world of pirates.

Even so, it was not the gain Ivan valued most.

Because as he breathed, Ivan could sense a special power within his body more clearly...

It seemed to be Haki!

The rhythm of Water Breathing had helped him directly reach the threshold of Armament Haki!

That delighted him even more than simply mastering the breathing method itself.

Ivan went up to the top deck and drew his sword. A current of water appeared and immediately wrapped around the blade.

After a few practice swings, Ivan was certain that with Water Breathing, it would not be long before he mastered Armament Haki!

Knowing this, Ivan grew even more excited and continued practicing his swordsmanship against the sea.

Unlike his imposing black-and-red slashes from before, however, the water slashes he unleashed now looked much weaker, as gentle as an ordinary stream.

The water looked harmless, but just then, a small Sea King leaped out of the sea and ran straight into one of the water slashes.

A strange sight followed. The seemingly soft water sliced through the Sea King's body like the sharpest blade, cutting it in two instantly!

Seeing this, Ivan sheathed his sword and laughed. "Brothers, we're in for a treat today! We're having Sea King meat for an extra meal!"

Time passed bit by bit. One day, by the harbor in Loguetown, the fruit shop owner was sprawled in a sun chair, leisurely dozing.

Just as the fruit shop owner lay in his chair, about to drift off to sleep, he suddenly heard the old woman from the toy shop speak in a trembling voice:

"Hey, k-kid, wake up! Something terrible's happened! Look at the sea!"

The fruit shop owner was puzzled. "What is it?"

He sat up and looked out at the sea in confusion. Then he saw more than a dozen large warships sailing slowly toward Loguetown!

Battered skull-and-crossbones pirate flags flew from every one of them!

The fruit shop owner knew that pirate flag all too well. He cried out in terror:

"Ahhh! This is bad! The Krieg Pirates are attacking Loguetown!"

In an instant, all of Loguetown fell into a panic!

P.S. Giyu Tomioka