"Once we get this ship, we can cross the Inverted Mountain and head to the Grand Line..."
Shano gazed calmly at the system interface.
He was too lazy to continue fussing around in the little pond that is the East Sea.
If you count the time he spent in hard training before Ah Long came, he had been steadily developing in the East Sea for four years. If it weren't for wanting to spend more time with his family before reaching adulthood, he would have ventured to the Grand Line long ago.
As for his current strength, it's far beyond what it was back then.
[Name: Shano (Siano)]
[Age: 18 years old]
[Height: 185/370cm]
[Power: 6.8]
[Agility: 6.6]
[Endurance: 6.4]
[Spiritual Power: 5.2]
[Skills: Rokushiki (Ultimate), Armament Haki (Great Success), Life Return (Great Success), Breathing Fist Technique (Ultimate), Wave Fist Technique (Great Success), Brain Sealing Skill (Great Success), Blood and Flesh Melting Furnace Technique (Great Success), Dust-Sealing Absolute Thought Slash (Great Success), Fishing (Great Success), Mining (Great Success), Stealing (Great Success)]
[Remaining points: 29000]
Three years ago, when most of his stats were in the 3-4 range, he could single-handedly crush the Ah Long Pirates with ease.
And now.
All his basic stats have been elevated to a terrifying level.
With his powerful physique, represented by Rokushiki, his body techniques have nearly reached their peak.
You could say that.
If the version of himself that defeated the Ah Long Pirates back then were to stand before him now, he'd last a few seconds at most before being effortlessly ripped to shreds.
It wouldn't be much harder than slaughtering small fry like Hachi and Croobi.
The East Sea has long fallen behind his capabilities.
Presently, not to mention the first half of the Grand Line, even heading directly to the New World, he is confident enough to make a name for himself!
"I wonder, by the standards of the sea enthusiasts in my past life, what realm I would fall into now."
Vice-Admiral Level?
Or maybe Half-Step Emperor's Sub-Grand Perfection?
These jokes stemming from fantasy novels are quite amusing in hindsight.
Shano grinned, then turned his gaze to the items tab.
Over the years, he bought a lot of things, ranging from various cultivation manuals to some interesting gadgets.
The points flowed like water, but fortunately, with resources as prime as Luffy, the points replenished yearly like a continuous trickle, constantly filling any gaps.
Compared to two years ago, there's only a deficit of less than ten thousand now.
Among the manuals purchased, the most expensive was the "Wave Fist Technique," valued at 2800 points, serving as a superior replacement to the Breathing Fist Technique.
Not only did it further expand Shano's physical growth potential, but it also allowed him to concentrate his full body strength more efficiently between his fists and palms.
The fist techniques varied greatly, and after deconstruction, they could be flexibly combined according to combat situations. A single punch would cause a formidable impact, even causing the air to ripple with intense vibrations.
Moreover.
He also practiced the "Dust-Sealing Absolute Thought Slash" to great success.
Yes, he successfully bypassed the prerequisite of reaching the Sword Hero Realm.
Relying on his adept "Life Return" skill, he can now turn his arms into sharp blades at will, slicing through steel as easily as a hot knife through butter.
So, to be precise.
On the ship now, besides Kuina, he is also a bona fide Sword Master, a Dual Blade Sword Master.
—If anyone questions that, he doesn't care. You can just say hand blades are indeed blades!
Regarding purchased items.
The most noteworthy is the "Devil Fruit Detector Radar," directly sold by the system, purchased for 2500 points.
Its appearance is quite similar to the Seven Dragon Balls Radar made by Bulma in Dragon Ball, and the size is almost the same.
It can be used ten times in total, and there's no need to take it out intentionally. As long as it's in the backpack, it will automatically light up a green light when a Devil Fruit enters a hundred kilometers within its range;
If within ten kilometers, it will flash a high-brightness yellow light.
If multiple Devil Fruits are detected simultaneously, the corresponding number of lights will appear on the radar screen, counting as only a single use, so there's no need to worry about wasting uses.
It's practical and very effective.
After purchasing it last year, during his last sheep-shearing trip, Shano paid special attention to it, but unfortunately found none along the way.
However, that's normal, as his sheep-shearing trip only took twenty days back and forth, and the route was fixed.
In the future, while adventuring across the seas, there will surely be some gains.
...
In the blink of an eye, it was seven days later.
The sailing speed of the New Gat was noticeably faster than the old ship, arriving at Sherly Island by the afternoon of the eighth day.
From a distance, the giant neon sign belonging to the "Giant Whale Shipbuilding Company" could be seen on the dock.
Glittering in gold, flashing, larger than all the other shipyard signs combined, quite eye-catching.
"We're finally here?"
Kuina stretched and yawned as she got off the ship, having benefited from Shano, she was also assigned a first-class luxury suite.
The bed was large and soft, and she slept exceptionally well at night, having the most comfortable sailing experience she ever had.
In comparison, sailing on her grandpa's cola-powered small boat felt like sheer torture.
"Haha, rest assured, your new ship will definitely be much better than this old one!"
Old Gat puffed on a tobacco pipe with a chuckle.
"How do you know? Have you seen our ship in advance?"
Nojiko asked curiously.
"Not really, but it's obvious! Don't worry, with your brother's reputation, Giant Whale Shipbuilding Company will definitely treat it with utter seriousness, crafting it to be their proudest masterpiece!"
Old Gat looked towards Shano.
"If you don't believe me, ask Lord Shano. When we contacted on the phone back then, wasn't their attitude particularly sincere and enthusiastic?"
"Sincere and enthusiastic?"
Shano paused, pinching his chin as he recalled, "It did seem quite enthusiastic. They even voluntarily knocked off twenty million from the price, but I didn't pay much mind, thinking all major customers received such treatment..."
"That's not as you think!"
Old Gat exhaled a smoke ring, "If it were another shipyard, they'd surely cater to major clients, but Giant Whale Shipbuilding Company, they've been established for over a hundred years, a seasoned famous old brand!"
"Those veteran shipwrights are all quite proud, handling major orders from all Four Seas, they wouldn't treat any major client so nicely, let alone voluntarily knock off tens of millions of Belly. That's more like a sun rising from the west kind of treatment!"
"That's true." Zeff nodded in agreement, "When I was young, my first ship was built by Giant Whale Company, and their service attitude was quite indifferent."
"So for my brother, how did the sun rise from the west?" Nojiko giggled and teased.
"Of course because most of the Great Pirates in the East Sea were taken out by your brother!" Old Gat laughed heartily, "Even though it was the hometown of Pirate King Gold Roger, now the pirates here are so weak it's laughable!"
"Trading is much smoother than before, and their shipbuilding business is more stable. They should be thanking your brother! Giant Whale Shipbuilding Company can't be an exception either!"
Shano was speechless.
Indeed, in a few years, almost every pirate emerging in the East Sea with a bounty exceeding ten million Belly met their end at his hands.
It's like a sustainable depletion of the sea, but ultimately the growth of the fish couldn't keep up with the speed of throwing themselves into death.
Now, the entire East Sea is nearly barren of pirates, not just big fish, but even small fry are few and far between, with those having a bounty over five million Belly being rarer still.
"Time really flies." Old Gat sighed, "When I first saw your brother, he was just a little runt under one meter sixty. Who would've thought, in a few years, he'd become someone respected throughout the East Sea!"
Speaking of these things, Old Gat beamed with pride, feeling a sense of shared glory.
After all, the strongest Sword Master with a formidable reputation in the East Sea took his first trip on his ship and even fought alongside Sea Kings.
Each time he boasts about these tales to his fellow old colleagues, it draws envious gazes, giving him quite the face.