Chapter 7 To Cut What Can’t Be Cut?

3 DAYS LATER...

"Dude…. How long has it been" X Drake asked Mori, visible sweat rolling down his face.

"Shit.. like 3 hours" Mori said looking down at his watch, realizing it's been about 3 hours since they got here.

"I didn't believe him about the Rokushiki techniques before but watching this?" Drake replied with resolve, obviously intending to train his legs twice as hard as he has been.

"Yeah, I haven't even managed to activate it yet and his crazy bastard is doing it while smoking a cig!" Mori said in disbelief.

Turning to the source of their focus you can see Kal walking left and right as a 2.5 mete tall gorilla throws devastating blows at his body, the oddest thing was there wasn't even the slightest flinch besides a few bruises you couldn't even tell it has been going on for 3 hours.

'Yep it's been an entire hour since I've had a level-up, it looks like this training is useless now. I'll probably need to use it in actual combat to get any progress. I have been focusing solely on this for three days in hopes of marking at least one thing off my training list' I finished the thought with a sigh, sending a glare at Ceaser to communicate a break, the Gorilla seems hesitant to follow the order before jumping back.

TEKAI LVL 29-(50)/100- ONE OF THE SIX SECRET AND POWERFUL MARINE TECHNIQUES, TEKAI GIVES ITS USER THE ABILITY TO FLEX EVERY MUSCLE IN THE BODY TO GREATLY INCREASE OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE CAPABILITY EVENTUALLY.

CURRENT MASTERY: ABLE TO USE WHILE RUNNING, 121-(147)% BOOST TO DEFENSE WHEN NOT ATTACKING.

'So I guess that's a hard cap for advancing, I know that the true masters of Tekai can even attack while using it, how? I've got no Idea'

The only worrying thing I've encountered during this training is I haven't gotten a single training quest, it's mildly infuriating considering I've been so close to Leveling u..'

QUESTLINE UPDATED

THE WAY OF THE BLADE III

OBJECTIVE: ADVANCE YOUR SWORDSMANSHIP TO THE INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

PROGRESS:41/50

TIME LIMIT: 14H 45M

REWARDS: 30 GACHA COINS,10 STAT POINTS,25,000XP

"SHIT" I said in surprise. 'Can I even get the last 9 levels done in half a day!' I thought before the perfect Idea, turning to the guys.

"Ok guys change of plans for today, Mori I need your help for the rest of the day, so take a five-minute break. Drake come here I've got a good idea for your training." I yelled over to them as there were both locked in a Zoan WWE match. They both stop as Drake drops out of his Zoan and heads toward me.

"What's up?" He asked confused as to why I stopped their training.

"You've both made good progress on controlling your Zoans so I want you completely focus on learning Soru from now on, so I got this from the blacksmith yesterday just for that." I said dropping a 300-pound large metallic suit onto the ground.

"How the hell am I supposed to wear this?" Drake asked trying and failing to lift the torso above his head.

"Well, I didn't expect you to wear the whole thing on the first try, just wear the boots until you get used to the weight," I said with a sigh, he puts the the boots on with minimal trouble. Walking around with them I can tell his speed has almost been cut in half. 'Perfect'.

"So what now?" Drake asked excitedly.

"Run"

"Just like around the clearing?" Drake asked.

"No from him, Caesar get him!" I said with a smirk as I watched the color drain from his face as he barely jumped back from a quick jab sent by the gorilla.

"FUCK YOU BOSS!" Drake screamed barely dodging the beasts near perfect boxing moves.

"Oh and if I see you attack, I'm going to join in with my sword" I warned him with a devious smirk, he shivered slightly as I withdrew Tengoku from its perch in a tree. Walking over to Mori I can see him taking my advice to take a break to heart, religiously chugging water expecting to not get another chance with the way I've been training.

"So how long do you think you can keep your transformation up now?"

"I'd say about 3 hours now if I'm going at full blast and around thirty minutes before I can go again, still fighting or not. But only 15 minutes if I'm sitting and resting, why?" Mori answer with pride in his progress. 'Hmm, that might work, I could go around 4ish rounds with him at full power'

"I need to train my swordsmanship, I can feel that I'm on the edge of a big breakthrough so I'm planning on brute forcing my way past that barrier. I need you to come at me with the intent to kill with every strike." I said with resolve.

"You sure? That sounds a little extreme" Mori said worriedly.

"Trust me I'll be fine, you just make sure to keep swinging that big ass sword." I smirk as I gave Tengoku a twirl, a second later Mori turned full panda and without warning went into a powerful overhead strike.

*CLING*

Quickly parrying the slash and directing it downward I twist my blade from his going into a perfect stab, aiming directly for his shoulder he showed surprising dexterity by blocking it with his cross guard. With a roar, he sends a wide horizontal slash forcing me to jump back losing my advantageous position. With a smirk, I dash in using the advantage of my thinner and quicker sword, I'm able to hold my ground well against his superior Zoan strength.

*CLING* *CLING* *CLING*

Parry into a stab, blocked. Overhead slash dodged by a quick sidestep, going for the first opening in the fight I slash my blade against his torso. 'Jeez, barely a scratch' I thought before jumping back from his retaliatory strike.

With a snarl Mori charges forward himself, expecting it I easily dodge his telegraphed stab by going into a twirl landing me right inside his guard.

"You've died once," I said slamming the hilt of my sword into his chest imitating a stab through the heart. He gets the air knocked out of him before jumping back holding his chest in pain, a new look appearing in his eyes. 'Yeah, you understand now, this may be a spar but if this was the real world you could've died'

SKILL LEVEL UP

SWORDSMANSHIP 41-42

"Your strength is easily 10 times mine, your speed is a different story. Don't fight like me, fight your own way and you'll be fine" I told him with a smirk while charging in, deciding the warm-ups over I used all my speed to go for a twisting stab. Deciding to trust in his defense he blocks while holding the hilt and the back of the blade, easily stopping my attack.

I slide my blade off his twisting it into a sideways slash, Mori turned his blade blocking again. With a roar he pushes me and my blade back, using his momentum he slid his blade on the ground going into a horizontal slash that grazes my left arm before I could back away.

"There we go! Come on!" I yelled in battle lust and excitement for this fight

"I'M WAITING!" Mori roared back holding his blade in front of him with a smirk.

10 HOURS LATER....

A fierce battle rages on, a flurry of sword blows rain from the two combatants. An expert display of defensive battle as not a single attack lands.

"Come on, how much longer are we going to do this!" Mori yelled out in anger, he's already had to transform three times to keep up.

"Not too much longer, I can feel it," I said with a smirk ducking under his horizontal slash and slashing at his exposed shin, but instead of just a normal scratch, I go in almost an inch deep, surprised by this development I completely missed his retaliatory strike

{OVERHEAD SLASH!}

Thanks to my barely working Haki I manage to barely get my blade up in time to block, being sent flying 10 meters in the process. 'Phew thought I might've died there'. Rising to my feet getting ready to charge back in, I stopped abruptly to Mori's surprise.

SKILL EVOLVING...….

(INTERMEDIATE) SWORDSMANSHIP LVL 1/50- THE WAY OF THE BLADE, MANY HAVE WALKED THIS PATH BUT FEW HAVE SUCCEEDED. IN THE INTERMEDIATE LEVEL YOU'VE LEARNED TO 'CUT THINGS THAT CAN'T BE CUT'

CURRENT MASTERY:100% DAMAGE BOOST, 100% DEXTERITY BOOST,

QUESTLINE COMPLETED

THE WAY OF THE BLADE III

OBJECTIVE: ADVANCE YOUR SWORDSMANSHIP TO THE INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

PROGRESS:50/50

TIME LIMIT: 3H 23M

REWARDS: 30 GACHA COINS,10 STAT POINTS,25,000XP

LVL UP…. 10 STAT POINTS ADDED

"Ohhh, my stat points doubled nice. I can't believe I'm only level 10 with my skillset though. My swordsmanship alone is comparable to Alabasta arc Zoro, well besides his special moves. Really need to figure out how I want my One-sword style to be. Definitely, something speed-focused' I thought with a smirk giving my sword a practice swing I can already feel the art part differently than before.

"We.. done? did you figure it out? He asked between labored breaths.

"Yeah it's so simple once you do it once, 'to cut what can't be cut'"

"That doesn't make any sense" Drake said from the ground just now waking up from getting knocked out by Ceaser around an hour ago, Mori just nodded in agreement not voicing his confusion. 'He did good, lasted way longer than I thought, good progress' I thought looking down to his legs noticing he put on the entire lower suit without me telling him to.

"Well, you'll have to figure it out eventually if you want to improve as a swordsman, don't worry though. I'd say that after today your only a little behind where I started before our training" I tell him with a smirk causing him to smile with pride.

"Can we leave now, we've already been here two hours longer than usual" Drake said in tiredness. Looking up to the sky I realize it's almost sunset marking it close to 8 pm.

"Yeah let's get out of here, tomorrow we'll start at 10 in celebration," I said to which they both cheered finally getting some downtime.

"WOOOO" Drake and Mori yelled in joy

"Hah, fucking slackers" I can't help but berate them slightly. 'I guess if they knew what I did they would be begging for more training, but hell what's the point of living if you don't enjoy the process of getting stronger' I though with a smirk pulling up my newly updated status

LVL 10 (19,900/192,000XP)

TITLE:

NAME: FATE D. KAL

STR-109

END-159

WILL-150

INT-35

DEX-123

STAT POINTS:95

GACHA COINS:40

BERRIE COUNTER:23,145,000

'Hell yeah, I'd say with my Intermediate Swordsmanship and a half mastered Tekai I'm worth about 70 million berries. Completely based on that I'm pretty sure I could beat post Alabasta Zoro who received a 60 million bounty after his battle with Daz Bones or Mr.1. In terms of my crewmates I'd give Mori around 25 million, X Drake on the other hand I'd have to put him at 35 million. Not by strength but because of his flight ability and the rarity of his fruit. Still that's without even decent mastery of their fruits or powerful moves they'll make in the near future' Smirking at me and my crews progress I head towards the tavern with a smile. 'Oh yeah, it's only two or three more days till the boat is finished!' I thought with newfound excitement.