Kuina pricked up her ears.
"Is it Luwell?" she wondered, recognizing the voice. Despite some slight changes, it was still familiar to her.
Kuina thought to herself, Is Leno still in contact with Luwell and Kuro? Why didn't I know?
Of course, she had no way of knowing. She practiced with her sword daily in the dojo, while Leno spent most of his time working in the swordsmith's furnace, their schedules rarely aligning.
Facing Luwell's charm, Leno looked as calm as ever and said leisurely, "Luwell, you owe me 7 million Belly!"
That single sentence shattered Luwell's composure.
"Huh? You still remember that from last year? You're not cute at all," Luwell sighed, recalling the only time in her life she had been blackmailed, a memory still fresh in her mind.
"Thank you for complimenting my memory!" Leno replied.
The phone bug had a black line on its forehead.
"Alright, what do you need me to do?" Luwell's voice turned serious. "If you have time, come to Glass Ball Island. We're in trouble."
Leno raised an eyebrow lightly. "Huh? With your current strength, and with Kuro by your side, who could possibly cause you trouble?"
Half a year ago, Luwell and Kuro, after escaping from Glass Ball Island, returned to take control. Familiar with the island's factions, they ended the chaos that had followed, becoming the new rulers of the Spider Casino in the Eastern District.
Their success wasn't coincidental. The island's Fashion Committee didn't want the ongoing chaos to disrupt the island's atmosphere, and Luwell had used 100 million Belly at an underground auction to acquire a Spider Fruit not listed in the "Devil Fruit Illustrated Book." She ate the fruit, gaining enough power to suppress all the factions in the Eastern District.
Given that Garp, a treasure of his hometown, frequently returned to East Blue to conduct raids, the combination of Luwell and Kuro was usually enough to handle most troubles.
"It's not a person, it's a sword!" Luwell clarified.
"A sword?"
"A sword that can kill people has appeared on the island, and Kuro was almost cut down by it."
A killing sword? What kind of sword doesn't kill people? Leno frowned.
Suddenly, he thought of Dragon Gold. Could it be that Kaze had really used it to forge a sword? It must be. No swordsmith could resist using such rare material, even if it meant creating a cursed blade.
Leno said, "We're already on our way. Be careful."
"Really? That's great!" Luwell heaved a sigh of relief.
Leno hung up the receiver.
"Is it Dragon Gold?" Kuina asked. She had reached the same conclusion as Leno.
"Probably," Leno replied with a shake of his head. "I knew I should have destroyed it."
He had obtained Dragon Gold back then but, fearing its malevolent nature, he hadn't wanted to bring it back to Shimotsuki Village. Yet, he was reluctant to simply throw it away. So, he had given it to Kaze, who seemed interested in it.
Kuina said, "He's a swordsmith; that was his choice."
Kaze had suggested Leno take photos of Dragon Gold, showing he was familiar with its nature. If he had used it to forge a sword, he must have been fully aware of the risks.
Kuina glanced at Leno's sword and asked curiously, "What kind of sword is yours?"
Leno had spent over half a year with Koushirou, starting from the procurement of materials, and had finally forged his own sword. However, apart from the two of them, no one had seen its appearance. They only knew that Leno had named it Dragonfinch.
Judging by the scabbard, it resembled a greatsword, and the entire blade was about 160 cm long. Where the hilt met the scabbard, a dragon-and-sparrow-shaped motif intertwined with sharks and scrolls adorned the blade, giving it an unassuming look.
Leno picked up the sword, squinted slightly, and smiled at Kuina. "When the time comes for it to be unsheathed, it will be."
Kuina pouted.
"How's your progress with Observation Haki?" Leno asked.
Kuina shook her head.
"Don't rush it; take your time. Observation Haki requires a calm mind, free from distractions. The more you rush, the harder it is to achieve."
"Okay!" Kuina nodded.
Last year, Kuina had celebrated her 12th birthday and officially entered her growth period. Her body was growing rapidly, almost every month. She was now 162 cm tall, 12 cm taller than last year. With her regular exercise, she was tall and slender.
Zoro resented this. He was still a small carrot. Not originally as tall as Kuina, Zoro had to look up to her as she continued to grow. To get taller, Zoro had tried everything, from food to stretching exercises. Leno, being a big eater, had made the dojo self-sufficient, buying food, vegetables, and fish from outside. If Leno hadn't earned a lot of money, the dojo would have gone bankrupt.
For a while, Zoro would gaze at the sky every day, trying to stretch himself. Fortunately, Leno reassured him, explaining that everyone's growth period was different and that many people had a sudden growth spurt at some point. Boys generally developed later than girls.
Zoro often sought special training from Leno, trusting his words and eagerly awaiting the day he would grow taller.
Kuina, on the other hand, realized the advantages of growing up first. Her physical fitness improved daily, allowing her to surpass Zoro in strength, speed, and reaction time. Her mindset and swordsmanship were also maturing, and she was in what Leno called the "golden period of rising potential."
Leno believed that just relying on training would cause her to miss her best form, so he needed to temper her in battle. With Koushirou's permission, they set out together, and Leno began teaching her Observation Haki. As for Armament Haki, that required "body" training. Since Kuina was still in her developmental period, excessive training could be harmful, so she only needed to maintain normal practice.
Leno wasn't the only one growing stronger. He looked at his status panel.
[Host Name: Leno]
[Real Age: 18 Years Old]
[Existing Talents: King of Gluttony (S-level), Conqueror's Haki (S-level), Observation Haki (A-level), Armament Haki (B-level), Sword Heart (S-level), Wind's Blessing (SS-level), Gambling (D-level), Photographic Memory (B-level), Craftsman Soul (S-level)]
[Strength Evaluation: Admiral Level. You are the chosen one. You have the appearance of a Demon King, the heart of swordsmanship, the unity of the three elements, unlimited potential, and an outstanding memory. However, true strength is forged in the crucible of blood and fire. Evolve, young warrior. Wind's Blessing is upon you; the future is yours.]
Leno's talent levels had largely remained unchanged, except for Armament Haki, which had reached B-level. However, his overall strength evaluation had officially entered the rank of Admiral, indicating that Leno was gradually turning his talent into real combat power.
Moreover, talents could evolve through practice and training, such as Armament Haki. When he reached the strength limit, pushing beyond it would immediately evolve his talent. This also meant that Leno's other talents hadn't been fully developed yet.
This understanding allowed Leno to have a deeper grasp of his talents. However, breaking through the talent limit was still challenging, and many people couldn't even reach their full potential. Fortunately, Leno had a better option: merging and evolving his talents first, and then pushing them to their limits through practice.
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