Rhode didn't place all his hopes on the advancement of the Book of Knowledge.
He was a pragmatic man, understanding that only the power firmly in his grasp truly mattered.
Thus, after unlocking the Swordsmanship Specialization talent, he had persisted in sword training, dedicating all his time outside his medical duties to practice.
Countless slashes gradually tempered his mind, stripping away restlessness and leaving behind a serene, intensely focused state.
Once, for a fleeting moment, he had glimpsed a peculiar black-and-white world where all things pulsed with life.
In that instant, a simple, ordinary slash effortlessly cleaved the wooden post in two, leaving an impeccably smooth cut.
Unfortunately, in the three months since, aside from that one accidental occurrence, he had never re-entered that state.
Later, he recalled the original story's plot and felt it resembled the Breath of All Things that Zoro had comprehended when defeating the Baroque Works assassin Mr. 1. Thankfully, his enhanced memory allowed him to barely recall the details of those scenes.
"That's the threshold of a swordmaster... It greatly amplifies the lethality of slashes and also enables the use of Flying Slashes, or Sword Aura."
"Absolute focus on the sword, absolute focus on the slash—this allows a swordmaster to unleash unimaginable strikes..."
Rhode continued practicing while silently pondering.
He had asked Koala, the clever and adorable girl who knew many things, and she had given him a relatively clear answer.
The Breath of All Things might sound esoteric, but in essence, it was simply a state of unparalleled focus.In this state, a swordsman could sense the rhythm of all things. Following this rhythm, even a rusted iron sword could cut through steel!...
Half an hour later.
Feeling waves of soreness and spasms throughout his body, especially in his arms, Rhode had no choice but to stop practicing and stand still to rest.
"My body is still too weak, huh..."
After catching his breath and easing the muscle soreness, Rhode slightly closed his eyes, quietly recalling each strike he had just performed.
His innate Swordsmanship Specialization allowed him to easily detect and correct mistakes in his sword practice, maximizing the effectiveness of every training session.
For the same sword technique, others might need a day or even several days of continuous practice to develop muscle memory.
But Rhode only needed one or two hours—the difference in efficiency was like night and day.
"Rhode, you should go take the assessment later."
Koala, who had apparently been teaching martial arts just moments ago, had a faint sheen of sweat on her fair forehead, exuding a youthful energy that drew the gazes of many young men nearby.
"Assessment? What assessment?"
Rhode turned his head and looked at her curiously.
"The reserve force assessment. It generally includes two parts: a Power Level test and a combat test. Those who pass can become reserve members of the Revolutionary Army and receive further training."
Koala said with a smile.
As an instructor for basic physical training—though only temporarily—she still bore the responsibility of discovering talent.
Unlike the World Government or the Marines, the Revolutionary Army couldn't openly recruit soldiers. They had to rely on individual members scattered across the world to actively seek out and recruit promising newcomers. This was undoubtedly inefficient and also required vigilance against spies.
Fortunately, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon, was a far-sighted man. Since the founding of the Revolutionary Army, he had adhered to the policy of nurturing talent from childhood.
Orphans gathered from all over the world were brought to Baltigo for centralized training. These young people, raised in the Revolutionary Army's headquarters, were undoubtedly the freshest and most trustworthy blood for the cause, with little concern about loyalty issues.
"Further training?"
Rhode didn't care much about being a reserve member, but the prospect of further training intrigued him.
Practicing swordsmanship alone wasn't ideal. Only by relying on a major organization could he rise faster and stronger.
At the very least, advanced martial arts techniques and the training methods for Two-Colored Haki had to be obtained from the Revolutionary Army.
In the world of pirates, without Haki, it was nearly impossible to become a true powerhouse.
"Alright, I'll go give it a try later," Rhode said.
"Don't worry too much. Your Power Level test might be a bit troublesome, but the combat test should be fine," Koala said with a laugh.
She seemed to enjoy smiling? Rhode nodded slightly and then focused on resting.
He preferred to face upcoming challenges at his peak and disliked acting without certainty.
Time passed slowly.
Today seemed to be a special occasion.
Rhode noticed many familiar faces gathering around, pointing and whispering in the distance, their expressions a mix of excitement and nervousness.
Most of them were locals who had settled here.This is the Revolutionary Army headquarters. Whether the children can become reserve members of the Revolutionary Army is undoubtedly an agonizing piece of news—roughly equivalent to kids from other regions joining the Marines or the college entrance exams in his previous life.
Many people saw Rhode standing with his sword and greeted him with smiles. The reputation of "Doctor Rhode" was quite well-known in Baltigo.
There were also quite a few young girls sneaking glances at him from a distance, their cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
Here, it must be mentioned that although Rhode's physical aptitude was somewhat lacking—his build noticeably slimmer and weaker than his peers—his looks were first-rate.
In his previous life, he would have been the type to rely on his face for a living—an idol celebrity, nothing more. But in this world teeming with all sorts of freaks, cross-dressers, exhibitionists, and gigantism sufferers, he stood out even more. If he claimed second place in looks, no one would dare claim first.
Yeah, no doubt about it.
Stamina recovery in this pirate world was bizarre. Watching the anime, Rhode often saw the protagonists exhausted after a battle, only to recover most of their energy after a nap and bounce back to life.
Unfortunately, Rhode didn't possess such an enviable monstrous constitution.
But he had prepared plenty of high-energy jerky—stuff packed with immense nutritional value, far superior to the Red Bull of his previous life.
In just over ten minutes, Rhode felt his shoulders no longer ached, his legs no longer hurt, and he could climb twenty flights of stairs without breaking a sweat.
Gradually, the training square quieted down.
Groups of boys and girls stood at the edges, staring at the strange equipment in the center with eyes full of curiosity and excitement.
"Are these the devices for testing Power Levels?"
Rhode narrowed his eyes.
In the original work, the Power Level system was rather vague.
The standard was that an ordinary Marine soldier with a gun had a Power Level of ten. Superhumans had over four hundred, and Rob Lucci, hailed as CP9's strongest in eight hundred years, had four thousand.
He wondered what the requirement was for the Revolutionary Army reserves. It must be pretty high, given that the Revolutionary Army currently followed an elite-soldier strategy. Without a certain level of strength, one couldn't thrive in underground operations.
No one gave a pre-test speech.
Under Koala's efficient arrangements, the boys and girls immediately began their Power Level tests.
As Rhode watched from the side, he gradually understood what this so-called Power Level was all about.