One Piece: I Am The Greatest Swordsman

Back on the ship, the first thing Weiss did was ask Jack to deliver a treasure worth 3 million Berries to Isshin Dojo. He didn't mind others owing him a favor, but taking advantage of people was never his style.

There was no sign of Ace—perhaps the pirate ship issue had been resolved, and he just hadn't returned yet. For now, only Kadun was left training on the ship.

Thinking that what could've been an exciting spar had come to nothing, Weiss sat down and drew the sword he had bought from Koushirou.

The blade gleamed brightly—flawless and pristine. It reflected Weiss's handsome face clearly, and the twin edges shimmered with a faint aura of lethality.

He lightly flicked the blade with a finger, producing a crisp and pleasant ding. Then, with a swift motion of his arm, the sword vibrated with power. A swordsman's aura burst forth, sweeping through the air around him.

The very air trembled as Weiss moved the sword. With a sharp swing, a flash of sword energy shot out—shoo!—cleanly slicing a distant patch of shrubs on the island in two.

"Hey kid! Don't bother an old man while he's reading. Go swing that thing over the ocean!" shouted an elderly voice from nearby.

"Okay, Grandpa!"

"What a fine blade!"

Weiss couldn't help but admire it. For a sword that merely rivaled a Great Grade Quality Blade, its sharpness and presence were already extraordinary. He wondered what it would feel like to wield a Supreme Grade Blade someday—he truly looked forward to that moment.

…

When that time came, Weiss's strength would surely reach a whole new level. Even facing an Admiral, he might dare to provoke them.

Far off, in the bushes that had been sliced, a person was lying face-down, paralyzed with fear. A blade of energy had just skimmed past their head. They didn't dare move a muscle, letting broken branches bury their head.

That man was terrifying. Just the pressure of a single sword strike had wiped out any thought of resistance. He could only pray Weiss hadn't noticed him.

Weiss, of course, hadn't. It had just been instinct—his intuition had told him to swing in that direction during the sword test. He wasn't actively using Observation Haki across the island at the time.

After sheathing his new sword, Weiss drew his old one and sighed. It was covered in cracks and wear. This blade had been with him for nearly four years—the longest by far.

Before he'd learned Armament Haki, he'd go through a sword about once a year.

Even a piece of wood could become sentimental after all this time. Though the sword now looked like a cursed blade, perhaps it might still have some use in the future.

He couldn't bear to throw it away. Until it completely shattered, this sword was a testament to his growth on the path of the sword.

For now, he would preserve it with care.

Just then, Jack returned. His long hair and tall figure gave him the look of a cool, handsome man. After several days of training, he'd visibly gained some muscle—and seemed to have gotten taller. He was almost eye-level with Weiss now.

Seeing him disassembling his beloved gun to clean it again, Weiss joked, "With how often you break down your gun, you might as well carry two. Otherwise, if the enemy shows up while your weapon's in pieces, you'll have nothing to fight with."

Jack glanced at Weiss silently, then pulled a single-shot pistol from behind his back. Still unsatisfied, he also drew a dagger.

Weiss recognized the dagger—it had come from that stash of treasure. It was sharp and deadly. Since it was bulkier than the sleek blade he'd chosen to show off with, Weiss had left it behind.

"Well then, how about a revolver? Next time we get a chance, I'll get you one." Weiss remembered Doflamingo had a golden one. Even if he couldn't get Jack a golden one, a normal revolver would do.

"Alright," Jack replied immediately, without hesitation. Guns were probably the only thing that truly interested him.

"So rude... Is that how you talk to your captain?" Weiss muttered. Jack was now acting all cool and distant—completely different from his excited energy back on the island.

Weiss even started to wonder if he'd been tricked when he recruited him.

"Who's there!"

Suddenly, Jack's sharp voice rang out. He raised his gun and aimed at the bushes by the shore. Weiss immediately swept the area with Observation Haki and sensed a trembling humanoid form lying there. He withdrew his Haki.

Jack must've sensed it too—his killing intent softened slightly.

The old man in the nearby hut saw the gun come out and vanished in a flash. He'd grown used to seeing swords swing around, but a drawn gun? That was too much for him.

From the bushes, a young man in his twenties shakily stood up with both hands raised high. "I'm a villager from Shimotsuki Village! I was just taking a crap and some sword energy flew over my head—I got scared!"

"Big bro, please don't kill me!" The young man was nearly in tears. Damn it, he thought, how unlucky could I be? I was just keeping an eye on things, seeing if anyone was up to no good... and now there's blades and guns flying around.

"Ahahaha! Jack, put the gun away—we don't want an accident." Weiss laughed awkwardly. He really should've used Observation Haki before testing his sword. It would've been bad if that swing had gone just a bit lower.

"Understood, Captain," Jack replied, stowing his gun and quietly returning to his spot beneath the mast to continue polishing it.

The young man bolted the moment the gun was put away.

"By the way, how did you even know there was someone there? I thought it was just a rabbit or something," Weiss asked. He'd heard the sound too, but assumed it was an animal.

"I hunt in the mountains a lot. The noises animals make are slightly different from those made by people. It's a tiny distinction—most people can't tell the difference. But I can."

Great. Another little show-off.

Weiss didn't bother replying. He pulled a newspaper over his face and went to sleep. Once Ace came back, they'd head straight for Loguetown. After seeing the famous execution platform, they'd set sail for the Grand Line.

Had he known that the spar with Koushirou wouldn't happen, Weiss would've just crossed the Calm Belt directly to the Grand Line. There was no real challenge left for him in East Blue.

As for why he didn't challenge Garp when they crossed paths before... well, cough cough…

After that young man escaped, he made several rounds through Shimotsuki Village. Once he confirmed no one was following, he hurried toward the mountain behind the village.

In the dense forest at the mountain's peak, a large group of people stood hidden among the trees. Silent and organized, they said nothing.

Strangely, though there was no wind anywhere else on the island, the forest here swayed gently. A breeze swept through, dispersing the stifling heat.

At the center of the group stood a man in a black cloak, his face covered in dark markings.

If Weiss had been there, he would have immediately recognized the man—

The world's most dangerous criminal.

The leader of the Revolutionary Army: Dragon.

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Currently at chapter 230 on Ko-Fi

https:// ko-fi.com/sami27