PIRATE:SEEING MY PROFICIENCY I BECAME A LEGEND

The battle had finally concluded. Though it lacked the grandeur of earth-shattering techniques like Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi or Mihawk's masterful swordplay, it served as a humbling lesson for those who witnessed it firsthand.

The frog at the bottom of the well had finally glimpsed the vastness of the outside world.

Yet, this victory came with its own consequences—Dongze soon found himself relentlessly pursued by Kuina and Zoro, their thirst for competition knowing no bounds. Twice a day, without fail, they would challenge him.

At first, Kuina had dismissed her father Koshiro's words as mere exaggeration, but when she faced her childhood friend in battle, she finally understood Zoro's frustration and helplessness from all those years ago.

Because of their constant duels, Dongze had to slow down his practice of the thirteen fundamental sword techniques. Yet, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. In his pursuit of mastering the basics, he inadvertently unlocked their true essence.

When his proficiency in the Thirteen Forms reached 1000/1000, the label changed from "Basic Swordsmanship" to "Basic Swordsmanship EXP."

A line of faint, almost imperceptible text appeared before him:

Swordplay—Unlocked!

"Swordplay?"

Dongze took a moment to process, his mind racing with the implications of this sudden development.

Without hesitation, he gripped his bamboo sword tightly in his right hand while placing the index and middle fingers of his left hand against its dull edge.

A sudden breeze stirred. Ink-dark rain began to fall. A shadow loomed as if a dragon had been unleashed.

In his mind's eye, the scene was spectacular—his blade flashing with brilliance as he moved seamlessly with it, executing a perfect technique.

Reality, however, was far less poetic. He had merely thrown his bamboo sword with all his might.

Yes, it was none other than the ultimate technique of swordsmanship seen in legends—the Hundred Step Flying Sword!

Watching the shattered remains of his weapon scatter in front of him, Dongze sheepishly scratched his head and muttered, "Well, that didn't go as planned."

Just as he was about to dismiss the thought, a system notification appeared before his eyes:

Swordsmanship—Hundred Step Flying Sword Proficiency 1/10,000

The surprise nearly made Dongze cry out in joy.

"In that case…"

His lips curled into a smirk, his eyes gleaming with newfound determination.

However, mastery was far from his reach. Just like Oden's Togen Totsuka that cleaved Kaido, or the raw force behind Zoro's Asura, Dongze knew he was still leagues away from wielding such overwhelming power.

For now, he had only unlocked three techniques:

1. Hundred Step Flying Sword

2. Iai Draw (Battōjutsu)

3. Tai Chi Sword

"Hey! What are you two doing here?"

Dongze's contemplation was interrupted as he noticed Zoro and Kuina watching him in stunned silence.

Checking his system notifications, he saw that his Iron Head Technique proficiency had reached 950/1000. He decided to stop for the time being.

Zoro and Kuina stood there, mouths agape, eyes bulging in disbelief.

"Oi! Am I seeing things? Did I really lose to this idiot?"

Before Zoro could continue, Kuina seized the opportunity to smack the top of his head, looking down at him with disdain.

"Green Algae Head, you itching for a fight again?"

"Who's itching for a fight?! I can beat you today for sure!"

Zoro, ever the firebrand, exploded in response. The tension between them crackled like the moment before a Conqueror's Haki clash.

Watching their bickering, Dongze let out an exasperated sigh.

"Oi, I asked what you two are doing here."

Perhaps his timing was off, as both Kuina and Zoro snapped their heads toward him and shouted in unison:

"Shut up!"

Dongze rolled his eyes. "Mō, these idiots…"

"Who are you calling an idiot?!"

Once again, they spoke in perfect sync.

"Oi, Dongze, what exactly are you doing?"

"Yeah, have you gone mad?"

Their puzzled expressions made Dongze smirk. He folded his arms and spoke with conviction:

"To learn how to fight, you must first learn how to take a hit. In battle, offense and defense exist in balance—yin and yang. If you can't endure a hundred battles without falling, even the sharpest blade is meaningless if you can only strike once."

His words carried weight, striking a nerve in both Kuina and Zoro.

Though his logic was sound, the training method seemed unorthodox at best—borderline self-destructive.

"Oi, Dongze… are you sure this isn't just self-inflicted torture?"

Dongze coughed awkwardly, feeling slightly embarrassed. Though his real goal was to grind his endurance stats, it didn't sound too convincing when put into words. But he refused to back down.

"Fools! If you fear pain, then your so-called ambition is nothing but empty words!"

His declaration made both Kuina and Zoro flush with indignation.

As Dongze's proficiency continued rising, his strength steadily grew to monstrous levels. Every attack carried the force of a Sea King's thrash. It was no wonder that Kuina had lost in just two moves during their last duel—her strength rivaled that of an adult man, yet she still couldn't match his raw power. Even Zoro struggled to block a single one of his blows.

Fine, fine! You have the bigger fists! You win!

The two rivals reluctantly acknowledged the gap in strength. For now, at least.

"Father wants to see you."

Kuina broke the silence, her tone serious.

Dongze raised an eyebrow. Ever since refining his basic swordsmanship, he hadn't stepped foot in the dojo. Koshiro had allowed him to train freely, so the sudden summons was unexpected.

"What for?"

Kuina shook her head. "I don't know. He didn't tell me."

Dongze narrowed his eyes, contemplating the implications. If anyone could gauge his true progress, it would be Koshiro. Was this meeting a sign of recognition? Or a warning?

"Yo! Dongze, you're here!"

"Master."

"Ashamed to say, I haven't truly taught you anything yet."

"If you hadn't taken me in back then, I wouldn't be the person I am now."

Dongze meant every word. When he had first arrived in Shimotsuki Village, a group of bandits had ransacked the place. Weak and helpless, he had nearly perished under their blades. If not for Koshiro's intervention, he would have been nothing more than a forgotten casualty.

"You now stand at the precipice of vengeance."

Dongze's gaze sharpened. "You mean…?"

"A sword is a weapon born for battle. To reach the next level, mere training is insufficient."

The realization hit him hard.

No wonder his proficiency had stagnated since unlocking the Three Sword Techniques. It wasn't just about form and repetition—true mastery could only be achieved in the heat of battle.

With newfound resolve, he borrowed a blade from Koshiro and left, his steps firm and unwavering.

Facing the setting sun, Dongze muttered under his breath:

"Bandits…

Today, I release the lottery.

And send you to Huangquan."