As night fell, the lights of Para Island glowed brightly.
Around a blazing fire, a group of shirtless pirates practiced their swordsmanship—each movement echoing the techniques Gawain had personally taught them.
Despite having trained the entire day, exhaustion couldn't overpower their resolve. None were willing to give up.
After all, only a hundred individuals could share in the dividends, and with the entire crew numbering just over two hundred, that meant every person had nearly a one-in-three chance of earning a cut. The odds were enough to drive anyone to give it their all.
The air buzzed with determination. Even those who had once been lackadaisical were now caught up in the fervor, throwing themselves into training with manic enthusiasm.
"The environment really does shape one's will,"
Gawain mused from his desk, gazing out at the port's lights and the sweat-soaked pirates. He nodded to himself, satisfied.
"It's better to roll up than to rot."
Just then, the familiar chime of the system echoed in his mind:
[Physical Experience +711!]
[Swordsmanship Experience +443!]
[Death Walk Experience +61!]
[Observation Haki Experience +103!]
"How much did my stats go up?"
Gawain scratched his head and summoned the system panel. A glance at the surging numbers made him grin uncontrollably.
"So once Sanji started grinding too, my physical experience tripled?!"
"Even Death Walk and Observation Haki increased noticeably."
"And Zoro's swordsmanship experience contribution is still consistent, even while injured? It'll probably spike once he's fully recovered."
"Sure, some gains came from the ordinary pirates, but most of it… it's thanks to the Four Great Leek Kings."
After a quick mental tally, Gawain's grin widened.
At this rate, he estimated it would take less than half a month for both his physique and swordsmanship to hit LV-10—unlocking new branch abilities. He had already experienced firsthand how game-changing those branching skills could be.
Since physique and swordsmanship formed the core of his combat strength, any new additions would only amplify his power further.
"Moving forward, I should shift most of my energy toward mastering Armament Haki," he decided.
"As for helping Kuro and the others awaken their Armament Haki, that'll have to wait until their physiques catch up."
"No need to rush."
Having mapped out his development path, Gawain tempered his anticipation for future abilities, freshened up, and turned off the lights.
The Next Morning
Dressed in loose training clothes, Gawain stepped outside, ready to head to the back mountain to train his Armament Haki. But just as he opened the door, he found Nami standing there, clutching two bamboo swords, her expression both nervous and determined.
The moment she saw him, her eyes lit up. She bowed deeply.
"Gawain, please teach me how to become stronger!"
Gawain blinked in surprise.
"Nami, everyone has their own strengths. Combat isn't yours. Navigation is your true calling—your dream," he said gently.
He wasn't wrong. Even in the original timeline, Nami had never been a combat specialist. In the battle against Kalifa, she had relied almost entirely on Usopp's climate staff and smart tactics to win.
Gawain had already assessed her combat potential. At best, it was at the Black Iron level—a rank so low that no amount of hard training would elevate her beyond the baseline level Gawain himself had when he first crossed over.
If she truly wanted to become powerful, she'd be better off seeking a Devil Fruit.
But Nami didn't budge. Her voice was firm.
"I don't want to be a burden anymore. Even if I can't fight the strongest, I want to at least be able to protect myself when we face tougher enemies."
Gawain opened his mouth to persuade her again—but her eyes were resolute. He nodded.
"I understand."
"I'll teach you my swordsmanship. But be warned, this path won't be easy. If we find a suitable Devil Fruit later, I'll keep an eye out for you."
"Yes, thank you!"
Nami beamed, then followed Gawain to the back mountain of Para Island.
High on a cliff, the stone wall bore deep, jagged cuts—so many that it looked as though someone had tried to slice the mountain in half.
Nami gasped.
"Did you do all this during your training, Captain?"
"That's not important," Gawain replied, brushing it off. He took one of the bamboo swords and began explaining.
"Swordsmanship has countless schools and styles, each with their own philosophy. But in the end, they all share one goal—"
"—To strike the opponent before they strike you."
"My own style pursues maximum efficiency..."
After a brief theoretical lesson, Gawain noticed Nami's confusion and gave up on lectures. He taught her the basic grip and stance, then moved straight to practical training. After all, muscle memory is often learned faster than the brain.
"Now, try to cut me."
Nami took a deep breath, raised her bamboo sword, and slashed downward.
Snap!
Gawain parried with ease, then bonked her lightly on the head.
"Your intent is too obvious."
"Watch the opponent's subtle movements—try to predict their next move."
Snap!
"I said observe, not freeze like a statue!"
Snap!
"You anticipated that one, but your attack timing is off. Also, your movements are still too stiff!"
And so it went.
By the time the sun began to set, Nami lay flat on a stone slab, panting for air.
Her clothes were soaked through, clinging to her and outlining her shapely figure. Even with Gawain's crew badge reducing physical strain and speeding recovery, she was clearly at her limit.
Still, she smiled faintly and whispered:
"Thank you, Gawain…"
She hadn't even scratched the surface of swordsmanship yet, but that subtle feeling of growth made it all worth it.
She would no longer be a burden.
"Mm."
Gawain waved casually.
"Same time tomorrow."
He then turned away and headed to a nearby spot to begin training his Armament Haki.
Meanwhile
In the training hall, Kuro and Gin stood opposite each other—one wielding claw blades, the other an iron crutch—as they sparred intensely.
Whoosh!
Kuro lunged forward and vanished in a blur. His clawed fingers flared as he rushed Gin.
Clang!
Sparks flew as claws met crutches. The clash repeated again and again in rapid succession.
With DeathWalk activated, Kuro seemed to appear everywhere at once. Her relentless onslaught overwhelmed Gin, whose arms trembled under the pressure of defending himself.
The standoff lasted only seconds. Kuro found an opening, delivered a heavy kick, and sent Gin crashing into the wall.
Bang!
Though Kuro had held back, the sheer momentum behind DeathWalk was too much. Gin, whose physique wasn't strong enough yet, lay there stunned.
After a while, he gave up on getting up, collapsed on the floor, and stared at the ceiling.
"The gap's even bigger than before…"
"Damn it… I really can't accept this…"