As they sailed through snow, Nami shouted out, "we are off course! I looked only looked away for but a second and we are completely turned around! Everyone, an 180 degree turn!"
"That is the grand line for you", Nox swung his sword at the wooden dummy. 95 swings, 96 swings, "it is why a capable navigator is worth more than any other position on the crew", 97 swings, "the further you go on the grand line, the more treacherous the sea becomes", 98 swings, "the only thing you can count on is the log pose. Weather, sky, even the sun and stars, they aren't reliable for navigation in these waters. Even seasoned pirates of the blues, those with decades of experience don't stand a chance without a log pose", 99 swings…
Power surged through his body as he unleashed the power of his lightning tattoo. His blade, channeling electricity glowed an unnatural blue tint, "100 swings! One sword style: thunder wave!"
The electricity formed an arc which cut the wooden training dummy in half and traveled out into the sea, frying the nerves of fishes, which then floated to the surface.
"Not even a week ago you were no better than a trainee at my old dojo and now you are creating new techniques", Zoro nodded, pleased by his students power, "that power of yours, are you sure it isn't a devil fruit? I can't see how an ordinary man could turn mere ink in the skin into lightning like that… even your blade is created by that power of yours, you can't ever lose it! What are the limits of this ability?"
"Threatened by someone actually being useful, unlike you, moss head?" Sanji mocked as he worked with Luffy and Usopp to get the Going Merry back on course.
"Shut up you third grade cook! This is a conversation between a sensei and his student! Anyways, Nox, you can use lightning but what of your other tattoos? Fire perhaps? You could make it your own, create your own fighting style, not just one sword style but… ink sword? Art sword? Tattoo sword? Hard to decide but I see great things in your future. Not as the world's greatest swordsman, that is my goal after all, but as a person who is feared and respected across the sea"
"Feared and respected? You are reading my mind. It is my dream, to become a legend who's journey reaches far beyond my death… the king of the pirates, the best swordsman in the world and finally, me, a legend amongst legends. Fear, respect, power, money and everything else the grand line has to offer!"
"How inspiring!" Usopps eyes widened as he looked at the tattooed man. His own dream, becoming a brave warrior of the sea seemed so small now but he also knew there was a difference between men like him and monsters like Nox, Luffy and Zoro. They was something more about these men, a subtle thing which differentiated him from them, "it's like they are kings or something"
Nox pulled another wooden dummy from the storage. Another hundred swings before he would attempt what Zoro had suggested. As flashy as his powers could be, it was important to remember the basics of swordsmanship. A man who can only go 100%, will sooner rather than later find out that brute force cannot solve every problem.
As day turned to night, he still stood there, swinging at the dummy. Fire was, much to his chagrin, not as easy to channel through a blade as lightning was. He could use flames but they just wouldn't flow through his weapon and form an arc, like the electricity did. What he needed was a battle. True strength was forged in the anvil of conflict.
A boom echoed through the silence of the night as a hook grabbed onto their ship. It seemed he would get his wish. A Marine vessel had latched onto them.
"Enemies ahead! Wake up everyone!" He ran to the sleeping quarters and shouted. His crewmates woke up, still groggy from sleep.
"What? I was dreaming about meat?" Luffy complained.
"Marines are attacking us! Get up now!"
He could already hear the marine grunts climbing onto their ship. Nox ran out onto the deck and activated his fire tattoo. What better way to practice?
He rushed at one of the grunts, slashing them down. Fire spilled over his blade but it still wasn't an arch. The others were also fighting. Marines were falling, left and right but all Nox could care about was getting this technique to work.
"Pirate scum… you have sailed into the wrong waters! You can count yourselves lucky to die by the hand of captain Ross!" The captain had to be three and a half meters tall, wearing justice on his back, like any marine captain ought to.
This was his chance… if he didn't learn this technique by fighting him, then it was truly beyond his reach for now, "leave him to me, I'll handle the big dog"
His crewmates nodded, concentrating on the grunts.
"What did you call me?"
"Erm- big dog?"
A vein popped on the captains head and he transformed, growing wicked sharp claws, a tail and… whiskers?
"Marvel over the great captain 'the cat' Ross!"
A zoan type eh? This was getting more interesting by the minute. Nox raised his sword high, its black and white blade reflecting the moonlight, as if it was polished metal.
Ross rushed at him, claws ready. Nox's sword clashed with the wicked sharp claws. This marine truly had strength. They struggled for a few second before both jumping back, "I must say, you are strong Captain but I have some more tricks up my sleeve!"
Fire danced around his blade, like it had done countless times but when he swung it, the flames died out before reaching Ross, " this is your secret weapon? I admit, you are strong but I am stronger, I ate the Neku neku no mi! I am a cat person! My strength is more than enough to get you down!"
Sadly it was true, as they clashed again and again, Nox's arms started trembling from the force of these consecutive clashes. Still, the flames denied following his will. He created some distance, closing his eyes.
'Come on, you can do it!' He thought, the fire danced as he demanded it to. One final try. One chance to make this work. He opened his eyes again. Captain Ross was running at him, three meters, then two, one…
Nox swung his blade in a wide arch and- just in time, as the claws were nearing his throat, the fire obeyed. A wicked arc of flame cut the captain in half, "Tattoo sword style, crescent flame!"