On the Grand Line route toward the famed Water 7—
A small Marine warship cut swiftly through the waves.
Upon closer inspection, three figures could be seen on deck, immersed in relentless training beneath the blazing sun.
They were none other than Bai Yu, Koby, and Helmeppo.
Under Bai Yu's rigorous guidance, Koby and Helmeppo were undergoing intense physical conditioning.
After all, to begin learning the Rokushiki (Six Powers), one must first pass the most grueling physical tests.
Meanwhile, Bai Yu maintained his own brutal daily regimen.
"1997… 1998… 1999…"
"2000!"
With a powerful shout, Bai Yu completed two thousand consecutive swings of his heavy Dragon Flame Ōdachi.
At that exact moment, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.
> [Ding! Host has successfully completed 1,000 swings. Rewards obtained: Qinglong Sword Intent proficiency +5%, Haki (three-color) proficiency +1%, Ju·Ryūren proficiency +5%]
> [Ding! Host has successfully completed 2,000 swings. Additional rewards obtained: Qinglong Sword Intent proficiency +5%, Haki (three-color) proficiency +1%, Ju·Ryūren proficiency +5%]
The system updated as his swordsmanship skills improved in clear increments.
Both Qinglong Sword Intent and the advanced technique Ju·Ryūren surged by 5%. In contrast, his Haki progress was slightly slower.
Still, Bai Yu wasn't concerned. This was, after all, the early phase of the Great Pirate Era.
True Haki users were still rare, and the demand to master it swiftly wasn't pressing.
"Colonel Bai Yu!"
While Bai Yu paused to catch his breath, Koby and Helmeppo jogged over, panting but alert.
"I've noticed, Colonel," Helmeppo began, "you swing your sword every single day. But I never see you practice footwork, combat drills, or even flashy techniques."
"Can just swinging a sword really make you stronger?" he asked curiously.
"The same action, when pushed to its absolute limit, becomes invincible," Bai Yu replied, his tone calm and mysterious.
But inwardly, he muttered, You think I enjoy this monotonous training? I'm grinding for system rewards!
"Besides," he added aloud, "don't underestimate the sword swing."
"Right now, you two wouldn't last more than ten exchanges against me."
"What?!" Koby exclaimed, incredulous. "Ten strikes is nothing! I can handle that!"
"That's right, Colonel!" Helmeppo agreed. "You're underestimating us."
"Then prove it," Bai Yu said with a sly grin. "If either of you can last ten strikes against me, I'll cut today's training in half. If you fail… training doubles."
Helmeppo blinked. "Isn't that a trap?"
"Eh, whatever. It's just ten moves. How hard can it be?" Koby said, brushing aside doubt.
Despite Bai Yu's suspiciously amused smile, both were lured by the promise of lighter training.
"Let's begin."
With that, Bai Yu drove the Dragon Flame Ōdachi into the wooden deck tip-first.
BOOM!
The moment the blade touched the deck, a thunderous crack rang out. The sheer pressure from the weapon cracked the wood slightly—though it was obvious Bai Yu was holding back.
"Wh-What is this…?" Koby and Helmeppo were stunned, their confidence visibly shaken.
Just from that impact alone, they realized how dense and terrifyingly heavy the weapon was.
Gulp!
Koby stepped forward first, gritting his teeth.
"Hah…!"
He grasped the hilt of the Ōdachi with both hands, muscles flexing, face reddening.
Clack!
Not even a millimeter of movement.
"Are you pulling or posing?!" Helmeppo yelled.
"I—I'm trying! This is my full strength!" Koby wheezed, shaking with exertion.
Finally, Koby collapsed onto the deck, completely spent.
"Step aside. Let me try."
Helmeppo rolled his shoulders and approached confidently—but the result was identical.
Even when they tried to lift the blade together, it wouldn't budge.
Panting, the two collapsed side by side.
"Colonel Bai Yu… This is the same sword you used to defeat Crocodile, right?" Koby asked between gasps.
Bai Yu nodded.
To be precise, during the battle against Crocodile, he had wielded the system's beginner Taidao—a lighter version of the one they now struggled with.
"You're too brutal, Colonel…" Helmeppo muttered, giving Bai Yu a trembling thumbs-up.
After a long silence, the best they could muster was that line.
"Break's over," Bai Yu said, standing tall. "Back to training. Double time."
With a smooth motion, he lifted the Ōdachi like it weighed nothing.
He resumed swinging as if nothing had happened.
The sight left both Koby and Helmeppo reeling—and more determined than ever.
The blow to their pride was too real.
Time passed quickly, and by mid-afternoon, the silhouette of their destination appeared on the horizon.
Water 7.
Originally, they had estimated half a day's travel—but thanks to favorable winds and the warship's steady speed, they arrived ahead of schedule.
Water 7 lived up to its name.
A magnificent city sculpted around layered canals and towering aqueducts, water flowed not just along streets but from raised levels that crisscrossed like spiderwebs through the city.
A place where transportation and architecture were one with the waves.
Because of this unique environment, the locals relied on a special amphibious species called the Yagara Bulls, large cow-fish hybrids used for transportation and cargo movement through the canals.
As Bai Yu's ship neared the shore, they could already see the city bustling with activity—artisans shouting, merchant boats moving, and dockworkers calling out instructions.
Under Bai Yu's command, the warship slowed, anchor dropping with a splash.
The trio disembarked soon after.
"Hey… isn't that the Navy?"
"They're not the usual patrol unit."
"What's a new face doing here?"
"Wait—the one in front... He's so young!"
A small crowd gathered near the docks, murmuring in curiosity. Locals recognized the trio as Marines but were baffled by their unfamiliarity—especially the young officer leading them.
FWOOOOSH—
Suddenly, a gust of wind whirled down from above.
The three Marines looked up instinctively.
High in the sky, a figure soared down with outstretched limbs—clearly a user of some sort of aerial technique or perhaps a Skywalk variant.
The figure spotted Bai Yu and descended rapidly.
BOOM!
With flair and precision, they landed directly before the trio, drawing even more attention.
"Welcome to Water 7, officers of the Navy," said the figure, flashing a courteous smile.
"Need repairs on your warship?"
"Government vessels get a discount, of course."
The speaker adjusted their goggles and extended a hand warmly, clearly a shipwright of the Galley-La Company—the most prestigious builders in the world.
With the city alive around them and a new arc beginning, Bai Yu's adventure was about to shift gears once again.