ONE PIECE: THE GREAT VOYAGE

"You have to work hard, Brad."

"Okay, let's continue."

The two sat down again, with Caesar standing behind them, brandishing his club.

Snap!

Boom!

Brad was struck and rolled out of the way, slamming into the jagged rocks.

No.

Bang! Another hit—this time, right in the middle!

"Again, again..."

Dozens of Days Later

Whoosh!

Gnaly's head tilted at an extreme angle, narrowly dodging the incoming club. Caesar's weapon left only afterimages in the air.

One, two, three… fifty…

He had already surpassed his previous record. Gnaly counted silently, excitement bubbling up inside him.

Boom!

A direct hit to his head—a large welt formed instantly.

Gnaly winced, clutching the swollen bump. "Did I lose focus again?"

Caesar rested the club on his shoulder. "Probably. You got emotional."

He patted Gnaly's shoulder. "You're improving, but you need to control your emotions. Fighting demands balance—no matter your mood, you must stay calm. Keep refining your Observation Haki."

Gnaly nodded seriously. "I understand."

When it was Brad's turn— Bang! Bang! Bang! —he was repeatedly struck.

But then—Whoosh!

The club missed.

Caesar raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Did it finally click?"

Brad yanked off his blindfold and jumped up excitedly.

"It worked! I really sensed your intent and attack direction just now!"

Another Dozen Days Later

Blindfolded, Gnaly took a careful step back—whoosh!—Caesar's club swiped through empty air.

But Caesar wasn't finished. He leapt, bringing his weapon down in a crushing vertical strike.

Gnaly clenched his fists, hardening them with Armament Haki, and blocked the attack. Then, with a powerful counter, he shoved Caesar back.

Boom!

Caesar took the impact, but countered with a rapid spinning kick.

Snap!—Gnaly blocked it again.

Caesar did a backflip, then dropped down with a powerful stomp. Gnaly sidestepped just in time.

Caesar smirked. "Not bad, Gnaly. Your Observation Haki is stabilizing in battle."

"And your range is expanding. Impressive progress."

Watching from the sidelines, Brad clenched his fists. His Observation Haki was still unreliable, flickering in and out.

"Gnaly, that's incredible."

Gnaly glanced at his fist.

"Observation Haki is useful, but it's still just a support ability. I need more attack power."

Ever since he set sail with Caesar, he had fought countless battles. With each one, his desire for a stronger, faster, more destructive offense grew.

His fists alone weren't enough.

Caesar noticed his pensive expression. "Thinking about picking up a weapon?"

Gnaly nodded. "Yeah."

"Do you have a preference?"

An image flashed through Gnaly's mind—Caesar standing atop the battlefield, his sword slicing through the ground, carving a massive rift in the terrain.

That was the kind of power he wanted.

"Swordsmanship," he said firmly. "I want to learn the sword."

Caesar studied him for a moment. "Are you sure?"

Gnaly nodded again, determination burning in his eyes.

Strength. He needed it.

And swordsmanship was the best way to get it.

---

[60] Departure: The Eve of the Battle of the Valley of the Gods!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of clashing metal rang through the night.

Under the moonlight, Caesar and Gnaly moved in a deadly dance, their swords colliding mid-air, sending sparks flying.

Gnaly wielded a katana, his swings sharp and deliberate. Each strike carried his full strength, his blade slicing through the air with precision.

Though he was still learning the basics, his raw power gave his swings a dangerous weight.

When not training with Caesar, he practiced alone.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

A massive, three-meter-high boulder stood in front of him, its surface covered in deep sword marks.

Gnaly's eyes burned with the desire to improve.

In his mind, he pictured Caesar wielding his sword in battle, effortlessly cutting down enemies.

That was his goal.

Click, click… The scars on the rock deepened.

Dust and rubble fell around him.

A week passed.

Boom!

The boulder shattered under his relentless strikes.

He had done it.

Gnaly stared at the broken rock, his breathing heavy.

He hadn't even used Armament Haki.

He had felt it—the breath of all things. The very foundation of the Iron-Cutting Realm.

And he had sliced through solid stone in under ten days.

A grin spread across his face.

Hearing the explosion, Caesar turned toward him, a proud smile forming.

"That's impressive, Gnaly."

Caesar gave him a thumbs up. "The next stage begins now."

He gestured toward the east.

A few hundred meters away lay the remains of a collapsed building—its steel frame still standing.

"Try cutting iron."

Gnaly's eyes burned with excitement.

Another week passed.

Keng! Keng! Keng!

The clash of metal rang under the scorching sun.

Gnaly gripped his sword, his body soaked in sweat.

His hands trembled from exhaustion.

But he wasn't done yet.

Gritting his teeth, he took a deep breath, stepped forward, and swung again.

Clang!

Sparks flew.

He refused to give in to fatigue.

With a loud roar, he raised his sword high.

The sunlight glinted off the blade.

"Break it!"

Veins bulged on his forehead as he released everything in a single slash.

Clang!

Crack!

The steel frame split in two.

Gnaly's pupils trembled.

As he let out a shaky breath, his body finally collapsed from exhaustion.

But even as he fell, a satisfied smile remained on his face.

---

Meanwhile…

Brad's Observation Haki training continued.

He barely managed to dodge a strike aimed at his head, his movements clumsy but improving.

He could faintly sense the trajectory of the attacks, but the feeling flickered in and out.

Caesar intensified the pace. His club whistled through the air.

One, two, three, four… fifty-five… one hundred and fifty-seven…

Brad gritted his teeth.

He had to get better.