Zhang Da Ye contemplated the possibility of learning swordsmanship from Tom, but he still preferred another type of sword:
**[Ordinary Knight's Sword: Though displayed as decoration in a palace corridor, its quality is far from inferior.]**
He found the long sword somewhat heavy; a wider double-edged sword suited him better. Strength mattered more than style, and he hoped Tom could guide him.
Besides swords, Zhang Da Ye had also obtained a flintlock, a double-barreled shotgun, and a revolver—all items Tom had experience with. Before mastering physical skills, firearms were useful for self-defense.
After organizing his weapons, Zhang Da Ye began physical training. In this world, strength was the foundation for growth—even Devil Fruit users needed strong bodies.
By the time Tom woke up, Zhang Da Ye was drenched in sweat, energy at 80%. He stopped and said, "Awake, Tom? Let me shower first, then we'll go shopping."
Tom nodded, but boredom soon led him to the fridge. Not hungry, he just craved snacks and couldn't resist exploring the familiar appliance.
Having survived the sea together, Tom had saved Zhang Da Ye's life once. Unlike Tom's previous owner, who punished him for raiding the fridge, Zhang Da Ye merely tidied the mess, educated Tom on not wasting food, and cherished every morsel.
"Remember our survival days at sea, Tom. Every bit of food was precious. The eggs you broke then would have fed us a proper meal."
These memories made Zhang Da Ye intolerant of food waste. He also realized he should prepare snacks like cat food, dried fish, and toys for Tom, whom he never treated as an ordinary cat.
Tom, acknowledging his mistake, obediently listened, ready to accept scolding—but now, hearing his owner's sincere words, he merely raised three fingers in promise never to repeat the mistake.
With Tom on his shoulder, Zhang Da Ye headed to the bookstore first. The shelves were neatly arranged, labeled roughly by subject: medicine, biology, geography, history (excluding "the Void Century"), literature, and even newspapers.
He purchased an entire year of past newspapers to better understand this world. Each cost 50 Berries, totaling under 20,000 Berries for over 300 copies.
The store owner, amused by the "Running Da Ye" nickname, cheerfully packed the newspapers in a large bubble for easier transport alongside four cookbooks:
- **Eastern Sea Culinary Methods Compendium**
- **Western Sea Culinary Methods Compendium**
- **Southern Sea Culinary Methods Compendium**
- **Northern Sea Culinary Methods Compendium**
With bubble packs, the heavy load floated beside Zhang Da Ye, who abandoned questioning the science behind it—it simply worked.
Next, he purchased vegetables, meats, seasonings, spare clothes, and some treats for Tom.
Back at the tavern, Zhang Da Ye stored the items and decided to train until dinner, maximizing his energy.
From May 5 to June 3, roughly a month had passed. He hadn't meticulously tracked the magic circle's charging, usually once a day, occasionally two or three times. Daily practice led to noticeable improvement; now, he could recharge it twice a day, though exhaustion was inevitable.
As night fell, moonlight filtered through the dense red trees. In the backyard, Zhang Da Ye, energy at 90%, eagerly activated the summoning. Having his own home meant no need to hide in alleys.
However, he froze: unlike before, the energy dropped not by 80% but directly from 90% to 0.
Before he could analyze the situation, the screen fragmented into golden sparks forming a one-meter-diameter magic circle on the ground.
Originally purple, the light now shimmered gold—Tom had said it should be blue. Maybe cats were colorblind?
From the golden light emerged a figure.
A 15-year-old-looking girl, delicate yet poised, with green, serene eyes. Her blue dress swayed gently, silver chest and skirt armor glinting, golden hair damped by moonlight. Her right hand held an invisible weapon.
The sight was breathtaking. More than beauty, her knightly aura left Zhang Da Ye nearly exclaiming, "So cool!"
The golden light faded, revealing her fully. She looked up at Zhang Da Ye, voice clear and crisp:
"Servant Saber, summoned in obedience. Tell me, are you my Master?"