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"Tomioka Giyu? This entry-level swordsman Shadow actually has 1000 points of vitality. Is it because he's a Water Hashira?"
In the Sword Training Room, Ikki looked at the attribute panel before him and couldn't help but complain internally.
'Vivi's current life force is 1566, which exceeds Tomioka Giyu's Sword Shadow. But Vivi, with her limited foundation in swordsmanship, might not be a match for Tomioka Giyu's Sword Shadow.'
Ikki shook his head thoughtfully.
Originally, he wanted Vivi to directly acquire swordsmanship fundamentals by challenging an entry-level swordsman's shadow. This approach would save him the time of teaching Vivi swordsmanship personally. But he hadn't expected the entry-level swordsman summoned this time to be so formidable.
'Since we can't obtain the swordsmanship school right now, let's focus on reaching the appropriate realm first.'
With this in mind, Ikki's consciousness turned toward the "Iron-Cutting Realm Swordsman Zoro's Challenge Permission" in the system space.
[Name: Roronoa Zoro]
[Life Force: 410]
[Weapon: Ordinary Katana]
[Swordsmanship Level: Iron-Cutting]
[Style: Santoryu (Three-Sword Style)]
[Special Ability: None]
Though his swordsmanship level was quite high, the Zanpakutō in Vivi's possession would never be cut. 'With 1500 points of life force, Vivi shouldn't lose to this opponent.'
Thinking this, Ikki directly activated Zoro's challenge authority.
The next moment, under Vivi's watchful gaze, a swordsman wielding three swords appeared in the arena.
Although Vivi was curious about the figure materializing in the arena, she didn't question Ikki about it. While exercising in the training facility earlier, Nami and Nojiko had already explained to Vivi the structure and functions of both the gym and the Sword Enlightenment Room.
Ikki knew this, so after summoning Zoro's Sword Shadow, he immediately instructed it to begin the swordsmanship demonstration.
"How are you feeling? Has your stamina recovered? Do you think you can defeat him?" Ten minutes passed, and after Zoro's Sword Shadow demonstrated its techniques, Ikki turned to Vivi and asked.
"Yes, I've almost fully recovered," Vivi nodded, shifting her stance slightly as she looked up at Ikki. "Captain Ikki, I'll challenge this swordsman's shadow first."
"Don't worry. Your basic speed and strength surpass his. There's no reason for you to lose. Have more confidence."
"Understood, Captain Ikki."
Vivi flashed a bright smile at Ikki before quickly entering the dueling arena.
A few minutes later, Ikki nodded with satisfaction as he watched Vivi return after absorbing Zoro's swordsmanship realm.
At that moment, the system's voice resounded in his mind:
[Ding! Congratulations to Host for helping three partners advance their swordsmanship to the Iron-Cutting realm, taking a step closer toward becoming great swordsmen. Special reward: three lucky draw opportunities!]
[Host, please continue your efforts to cultivate more partners on the path to mastering the sword.]
'Interesting! So my partners' swordsmanship advancement also brings rewards! You want me to cultivate more partners? Should I understand that you're asking me to invite more people aboard the ship, system?'
Ikki shook his head and turned to look at Vivi, who was walking toward him.
"Vivi, today's training ends here. Tomorrow I'll provide you, Nami, and Nojiko with advanced nutritional supplements. Once your physical capabilities improve, you can challenge other swordsman shadows to gain more experience. For now, you should go rest and recover."
Hearing this, Vivi was about to nod in agreement when the sound of cannon fire suddenly reached their ears.
"Captain Ikki, that's artillery fire!" Vivi exclaimed.
"Haha, seems someone is looking for trouble," Ikki replied, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as he turned and walked out of the Sword Training Room toward the deck. Vivi naturally followed close behind.
"Captain Ikki, that's a Baroque Works ship!" As soon as Ikki reached the deck, Igaram nervously pointed at a small three-masted sailboat ahead of the Explorer.
"Baroque Works? They probably don't know that you and Vivi are aboard my ship. Is this a coincidence, or just a simple attempt to rob us?" Ikki observed the approaching sailboat and mused.
"Captain Ikki, should we take evasive action? I just spotted two Officer Agents on that Baroque Works vessel through my telescope. They're both Devil Fruit users, and that cannonball just now was hit by Mr. 4 with his baseball bat," Igaram asked nervously, eyeing the approaching ship.
"No need to hide!" Ikki declared, an almost wicked smile crossing his face. "Igaram, bring us alongside them!"
It was no joke—both Nojiko and Vivi had reached C-level vitality, and their swordsmanship had advanced to the Iron-Cutting realm. They were just one Devil Fruit away from achieving Shikai with their Zanpakutō. Someone was delivering Devil Fruits right to his doorstep—how could he pass up this opportunity?
Igaram hesitated momentarily, but after recalling Ikki's performance at Whiskey Peak, he quickly regained his composure. He steered the rudder, navigating closer to the Baroque Works vessel.
Approaching from opposite directions, the two ships soon drew alongside each other.
"Hehehe! What luck! Just planning to raid a ship, and we stumble upon the very person our boss wants dead," a short, bloated old woman with crimson hair jumped aboard the Explorer and said with a gleeful smile.
"Mr. 4, we've hit the jackpot!"
Next to her stood a large man carrying an enormous bat. At his feet was a strange-looking dachshund.
"Mr. 4, Miss Merry Christmas, it's you!" Vivi drew Sode no Shirayuki from her waist and glared at the pair with furrowed brows.
"The boss said... he wants you... dead... so you... have to die!" Mr. 4 spoke laboriously while retrieving his massive baseball bat.
The dachshund at his side immediately began spitting out round cannonballs, which Mr. 4 knocked toward them with his bat.
In Igaram's horrified gaze, the cannonballs launched by the dachshund hurtled toward Vivi at frightening speed. He wanted to intervene but couldn't match their velocity. His only hope was that Ikki, standing beside Vivi, would stop them.
However, faced with the incoming bombardment, Ikki not only made no move to block it but even stepped aside, leaving Vivi exposed to the projectiles.
Seeing this, Igaram's heart leaped into his throat. But the next moment, he realized his concerns were completely unwarranted.
'So slow!' Facing the incoming shells, Vivi remained calm and swiftly slashed Sode no Shirayuki downward. The sharp sword stroke cleaved the cannonball in two, the halves falling to either side of her body.
"Incredible! When did Princess Vivi learn to use a sword like that?" Igaram's jaw dropped in astonishment.
"What? She actually cut through Mr. 4's cannonball?" Miss Merry Christmas exclaimed. "It seems the princess of Alabasta has some skills. In that case, I'll join the fight." Her body gradually transformed into a mole-like shape.
"I won't give you the chance." Vivi's eyes narrowed as her foot pushed off the deck, bringing her before Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas in an instant.
Seeing Vivi suddenly appear before them, both Officer Agents were visibly startled. By then, Vivi's slash was already descending toward them.
A powerful sense of danger made Mr. 4 instinctively raise his baseball bat to block, while Miss Merry Christmas immediately leaped backward in an attempt to evade Vivi's attack.
However, their efforts proved futile. Although Vivi hadn't mastered any specific sword techniques, she had genuinely reached the Iron-Cutting realm. Combined with her enhanced strength, her slash cleaved Mr. 4's metal baseball bat into two pieces. The tip of Sode no Shirayuki also grazed his abdomen, leaving a long, bleeding gash.
Miss Merry Christmas fared even worse. Unable to escape in time, her body was nearly split in two by Vivi's strike.
"I... I actually defeated Baroque Works agents, and so easily?!" The outcome left Vivi, who had executed these moves, standing in stunned silence.
Although she had already experienced her increased strength when fighting Zoro's Sword Shadow, that had been a simulated battle. In the real world, defeating senior Baroque Works agents more easily than Zoro's Sword Shadow left Vivi utterly shocked.
At that moment, a chill from Sode no Shirayuki's hilt caught her attention. Looking down, she discovered a strange substance flowing from the fallen Miss Merry Christmas into her Zanpakutō.
Just as Vivi was puzzling over this phenomenon, a flash of insight suddenly illuminated her mind.
'I see, this is the Shikai Captain Ikki mentioned.' Vivi thought, hearing the release command for Sode no Shirayuki automatically manifest in her consciousness.
"Congratulations, Vivi. You can now utilize your sword's true power," Ikki approached Vivi and kicked the Devil Fruit-eating dachshund beside Mr. 4 toward Nojiko, who stood nearby. He patted Vivi's shoulder encouragingly.
Seeing the airborne dachshund, Nojiko raised her hand and impaled it with her Zanpakutō, Minazuki. Soon, the Devil Fruit ability within the dachshund's body flowed into her weapon.
Ikki opened his partner's attribute panel and confirmed with satisfaction that after Nami, both Nojiko and Vivi had now completed their Shikai achievements.
"Thank you, Captain Ikki. This is all thanks to you," Vivi turned and bowed deeply to Ikki, a full ninety degrees.
"We're all friends here. No need for such formality," Ikki patted Vivi's shoulder, smiling warmly.
"Captain Ikki, Princess Vivi, could someone please explain what just happened?" Igaram rushed over to them, confusion written across his face. "And how did you become so powerful?"
Igaram knew Vivi's capabilities well. He couldn't comprehend how, after being out of his sight for merely two or three hours, she had become powerful enough to easily dispatch senior Baroque Works agents.
"Igaram, it was Captain Ikki who helped me grow stronger," Vivi turned, about to explain to Igaram that she had become Ikki's partner.
Suddenly, the figure of a woman on the distant sea caught her attention.
"That woman... she looks like Miss All Sunday!"