Devil Fruits, also known as the Sea's Secret Treasures, are said to be the incarnations of sea devils. Their taste is famously awful, but eating one grants the user incredible powers-at the cost of being cursed by the sea, rendering them unable to swim.
Because of that, both seawater and seastone-a solid material that represents the sea-are commonly used to restrain or capture Devil Fruit users.
Aside from their inherent powers, Devil Fruits also have a more advanced form-Awakening.
But awakening a fruit isn't something that can be achieved through mere training. It requires a trigger, a moment of fate, or a powerful event. So very few users ever reach that level.
The fact that Lin Mo, still so young, had already awakened all three forms of Haki was impressive enough to earn Shanks' respect. And now, he apparently possessed the powers of a Logia-type Devil Fruit, one of the strongest categories!
Not only did he use the power fluently, it was overwhelmingly strong.
What a hidden gem.
If only that kid had agreed to join my crew...
Shanks turned around, casually waved his cloak, and called out, "Alright, boys, back to the tavern. Let's drink!"
By the time the stunned villagers recovered from the shock, Lin Mo's little boat was already far out at sea.
"Wh-What just happened? Did that kid... really beat the Lord of the Coast?"
"My god, I didn't imagine that, right? He's just a kid!"
"One hit! He took out the Sea King in one shot! Who is that kid?"
"No idea. He arrived a few days ago. I thought he was just a regular child. Man... he was hiding his strength all along."
"Wait! I saw him at the tavern once! I even mocked him for trying to drink like an adult... damn, I hope he didn't take it to heart."
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Meanwhile, on Lin Mo's boat
He sat calmly, feeling quite satisfied with the power of the Fire Style: Great Fire Dragon Technique, even if it was only at beginner level.
As for the voices from the dock, even from a few hundred meters away, he could hear them clearly. But he paid them no mind.
Opening the system's built-in navigation, he began heading toward his next destination-Shimotsuki Village.
By dusk, he spotted the island.
After docking and stepping ashore, the system chimed in his mind:
"Ding! Congratulations, Host, on successfully arriving at Shimotsuki Village. Sign-in progress +10%. Current total: 10%. Reward: Cursed Blade 'Starshatter' and Swordsmanship Lv.1 unlocked."
Starshatter?
Interesting name.
Lin Mo had some knowledge of famous blades in this world, but "Starshatter" didn't ring a bell at all.
Well, let's take a look.
With a thought, a simple-looking wooden sword appeared in his hand.
Yep a wooden sword.
Engraved on the hilt: Lake Toya.
Lin Mo fell silent.
He might not know Starshatter, but Lake Toya? That was unmistakably the sword wielded by Sakata Gintoki from Gintama.
"Ding! System notice: Cursed Blade 'Starshatter' is also known as 'Lake Toya'. Forged from ten-thousand-year-old Diamondwood, this blade can slice through rock and meteorite alike, and even shatter bullets. It's said to have the power to cut through stars and moons, destroying anything in its path."
Cutting stars and moons…
Yeah, that's pretty good.
Lin Mo gave the sword a few test swings. Surprisingly, it felt perfectly balanced in his hand.
He strapped Lake Toya to his belt and began walking into the village.
Shimotsuki Village immediately brought one name to mind: Zoro, and the Isshin Dojo.
Given his current age, Zoro should've already started training under Koushirou.
And considering this visit's first rewards were swordsmanship and a blade, his sign-in task clearly had to do with swordsmanship.
With directions from some friendly locals, Lin Mo soon arrived outside the dojo.
Even though it was getting late, the dojo was still lit up. The sound of children practicing sword strikes echoed from within.
"Ding! Location reached: Isshin Dojo. Sign-in progress +10%. Current total: 20%. Swordsmanship level +1."
A warm current flowed through his body, and in his mind, he instantly grasped the techniques of Level 2 swordsmanship.
Compared to Level 1, the improvement was very noticeable.
With a slight smile, Lin Mo stepped through the dojo doors.
Inside, a blue-haired girl led dozens of young students through their practice swings.
Lin Mo's eyes immediately landed on two people:
A green-haired boy among the students: Zoro,
And a calm, bespectacled middle-aged man sitting nearby: Koushirou, the dojo master and Kuina's father.
Lin Mo knew Koushirou was a hidden master. Even with his current Level 2 swordsmanship, he wouldn't stand a chance against the man at full strength.
The slight noise at the entrance caught Koushirou's attention. His eyes, behind the gleam of his glasses, immediately noticed the wooden sword at Lin Mo's waist.
There was... something unusual about it.
Koushirou stood and walked toward him.
The other children stopped practicing and turned to look.
"You're not from around here, are you? Are you a swordsman too?" he asked with a gentle smile.
Lin Mo gave a slight nod but didn't directly answer. He'd only intended to get a brief look at Koushirou and Zoro before leaving.
He turned to go.
Koushirou watched his calm and steady stride. Most people wouldn't notice it, but he wasn't most people.
Years of experience told him this child was no ordinary boy.
And in his eyes...so calm, so clear
Koushirou saw a rare heart, one detached from emotion, yet deeply grounded in purpose.
He saw potential.
"Wait a moment."
Lin Mo stopped and turned back. "What is it?"
"What's your name?" Koushirou asked.
"Lin Mo."
"Do you like tea?"
"...?"
"If you have time, how about staying for a cup of tea and some snacks? Maybe a bit of conversation."
"No need," Lin Mo replied calmly. "I prefer sake over tea."
"Sake?" Koushirou blinked. "Heh, what an interesting kid. I actually have a bottle of aged brew, been saving it for years. Want a taste?"
Well now…
Lin Mo was a bit tempted.
"Sure."
Just as he said that
Kuina marched over, clearly unhappy. "Father, what are you doing? He already turned you down! Why are you still trying to get him to stay?"
"Kuina, you don't understand." Koushirou smiled. "There's still a lot you could learn from Lin Mo."
"Learn from him? Father, are you serious? He looks younger than me!"
"Age doesn't mean everything," Koushirou replied. "His skill already far surpasses yours."
"What?! Him?" Kuina growled, raising her bamboo sword and pointing it at Lin Mo. "Then I challenge you!"