A large stream of information surged into Rin's mind—the intricate techniques of Moonwalk (Geppo) and the fundamentals of Sword Qi flooding his senses.
Rin closed his eyes, concentrating as he absorbed the knowledge.
It took a full four or five minutes before Rin opened his eyes, his gaze sharper than before.
'Boom.'
Rin unsheathed the Thunder Tribulation Blade, his grip firm. Channeling his newfound skill, a pale white sword aura manifested along the blade's edge.
'Chop!'
With a single swing, the sword aura cleaved through the air, slashing towards the sea. As it struck, the water parted momentarily before sealing itself again.
"Not bad." Rin nodded, satisfied with the initial results.
But in comparison to legends like Red-Haired Shanks or Whitebeard—whose slashes could split the heavens and seas—his attack seemed minuscule. Their power lingered, their slashes leaving the very atmosphere trembling.
For now, Rin had the strength to make an impact in the East Blue—perhaps on par with Luffy at the start of his journey. But he knew he was still far from the level of the Four Emperors or the Marines' top brass.
"Still, even they honed their strength over decades. Give me enough time, and I will surpass them." Rin's eyes gleamed with determination.
Now, he could wield Sword Qi at will.
Sword Qi had three major levels:
[Basic Sword Qi] → [Form Manipulation] → [Condensation]
Each tier represented a deeper mastery.
Basic Sword Qi was merely expelling raw energy from the blade.
Form Manipulation allowed the wielder to shape the aura—much like Zoro's beast-shaped slashes in his Santoryu techniques. In the original series, Zoro began grasping this concept upon reaching the Grand Line.
Condensation, the final stage, involved compressing Sword Qi for maximum density and power—reserved for true masters like Mihawk or the greatest swordsmen.
(PS: These levels are my personal interpretation, so no need to nitpick!)
Having grasped Sword Qi, Rin turned his attention to Moonwalk.
'Moonwalk!'
With rapid leg movements, he launched himself into the air. He stepped against the sky itself, momentarily floating before dropping back down.
"I see… This consumes a ridiculous amount of stamina." Rin sighed.
Moonwalk required immense leg strength, surpassing even the demands of Soru (Shave). It was no wonder that Marine elites trained relentlessly to maintain this skill in battle.
As Rin caught his breath, he noticed the pirates behind him wearing expressions of sheer terror.
His display of Sword Qi and Moonwalk had shattered their morale. Regret was written all over their faces—if only they hadn't provoked this monster.
Rin remained oblivious to their inner turmoil.
After some more training, he took a break, storing the Meteor Hammer in his inventory. He had no immediate use for it.
Before long, several hours had passed.
Soon, an island emerged on the horizon.
Despite being called an "island," it was sizable—at least three times larger than Shimotsuki Village, where Isshin Dojo was located.
The navigator approached Rin, speaking respectfully. "Sir, we've arrived at Arthur Island."
"Good." Rin's gaze sharpened as he looked ahead. His anticipation grew.
Knight's Island.
With such a name, it must have a strong warrior tradition. Even now, there were likely skilled knights inhabiting the land.
"I wonder if any of them are worthy opponents," Rin thought to himself, eager for a challenge.
The ship neared the dock.
Since it was originally a pirate vessel, Rin had the crew remove the Jolly Roger beforehand. As a result, their arrival went unnoticed.
Just as Rin prepared to disembark, he paused and turned toward the navigator.
"What's your name?" Rin asked.
The navigator flinched, then quickly responded. "Sir! My name is Gar!"
"Gar, do you recognize this?" Rin pulled out a peculiar fruit—the Tanuki Tanuki no Mi, which he had obtained earlier.
Gar's eyes widened in shock. "T-That's…!"
His voice trembled as realization struck. "Lord, my lord… is that a Devil Fruit?!"
Even in the East Blue, the Devil Fruits were legendary. Only those in remote villages remained unaware of their existence.
Rin nodded. "Correct. It's a Zoan-type Devil Fruit. Can you find a buyer for it?"
Gar looked stunned. "Sir… you want to sell a Devil Fruit?!"
To many, even a single Devil Fruit was a priceless treasure. Yet, this man spoke of selling it as if it were a mere commodity.
"This particular fruit doesn't suit me," Rin explained.
If it were a powerful Mythical or Logia-type, he would have considered eating it. But a mere Zoan? Not worth the trouble.
Gar hesitated, his expression shifting.
After a moment, he spoke up. "Sir… would you be willing to sell it to me?"
Ambition gleamed in Gar's eyes.
Rin raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? And how would you pay for it?"
"You should know that even the weakest Zoan Devil Fruit is worth at least 100 million Berries."
"I don't have that much…" Gar admitted. "But my captain did."
Rin's eyes narrowed.
Before his death, Gar's captain had plundered many islands, amassing great wealth. Originally, they had planned to enter the Grand Line. But now, with the captain gone, only Gar knew where the treasure was hidden.
"You're saying… you'll use your captain's fortune to buy this Devil Fruit?" Rin asked with a smirk.
"Yes." Gar nodded, his tone serious.
He feared Rin might just take the treasure for himself. But to his relief, Rin simply smiled and said:
"Alright. You've got yourself a deal."
....
(PS : Pls drop your votes and review guys )