In the world of pirates, training beyond a certain level was mostly solitary or done through sparring, with growth achieved through combat.
Masters generally only served to introduce the basics, laying the foundation for their students and occasionally answering questions.
Thus, after becoming a recruit, one had near-complete freedom—there were no mandatory group training sessions, and each day's schedule was self-determined.
Of course, this didn't mean slacking off was an option.
Aside from the year-end evaluation, even the occasional combat missions served as motivation for recruits to train diligently and push themselves.
In a world that revered strength like the pirate world, those with any ambition rarely wasted time. Besides, Baltigo had little in the way of entertainment—it was mind-numbingly boring.
Revolutionary Army Headquarters, Second Floor—A Private Training Room
Compared to training in the open hall under everyone's gaze, Rhode much preferred practicing alone.
"One thousand nine hundred ninety-five… one thousand nine hundred ninety-six…"
Inside the room, Rhode, bare-chested, was doing push-ups to strengthen his arms, core, and abdominal muscles.
Sweat had soaked the floor beneath him. Even as he gasped heavily from exertion, he maintained the special breathing technique without fail.
Clearly, over the past few days of training, he had fully integrated this breathing method into his instincts—even during near-limit physical exertion, he could sustain it flawlessly."One thousand nine hundred ninety-eight, one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine, two thousand!"
After completing a full two thousand push-ups, Rhode showed no intention of stopping to rest, pushing his limits to the maximum.
Finally.
"Two thousand two hundred thirty-two... two thousand three hundred thirty-three..."
At last.
Attempting to push himself up once more, he collapsed halfway, unable to rise again, left only to gasp for breath.
"Is my limit two thousand three hundred thirty-three?"
His body was exhausted to the extreme, lying motionless like a salted fish, yet Rhode's eyes shone with an unusual brightness. The sensation of his strength growing day by day intoxicated him beyond measure.
Second Tier: Book of Knowledge
Attributes: Intelligence +2, Perception +1
Talents:
Swordsmanship Specialization – Man and Sword as One, greatly enhanced comprehension of swordsmanship!
Thunder Control – Thunder God Descends, freely manipulate Thunder Power!
Energy: 3/1000
Glancing at the status panel and seeing the additional point of energy, Rhode closed his eyes contentedly for a brief rest.
...
Meanwhile.
In the reserve training hall.
Rez was engaged in weighted training. After mastering a special breathing technique, his physique had been steadily improving.
He was now confident that if he were to test his Power Level again, it would surely exceed four hundred, perhaps even more.
"Rez, did Rhode skip training again today?" A tall, short-haired woman asked Rez.
"Captain Nia, Rhode probably prefers to train alone," Rez replied respectfully. "He seems to be practicing in the training room, leaving early and returning late. We rarely see him."
The headquarters had over a hundred reserves divided into ten squads.
Both Rhode and Rez were under Nia's command, usually without authority, only following her lead during actual combat missions.
That a woman could become a squad captain spoke volumes about Nia's strength—she could easily overpower Rez without breaking a sweat.
Hence, Rez's respect was well-placed.
"Hmph, what a loner," Nia snorted, turning away in dissatisfaction. She wasn't fond of this uncooperative new recruit.
"Uh..."
After silently mourning for Rhode for three seconds, Rez immediately threw himself back into training.
...
A month passed quickly.
For Rhode, this month had been incredibly fulfilling, with every minute and second packed to the brim.
At night, he used electric currents to strengthen his body, replacing sleep.
In the morning, he ate enough to replenish his energy—thankfully, the reserves provided ample food, sparing him the expense.
Mornings were dedicated to physical training, mastering his rapidly increasing strength and speed.
Afternoons were spent practicing swordsmanship and developing his thunder abilities.
Day after day, Rhode could feel his physique growing and his power advancing.
This steady progression was anything but monotonous to him; he was deeply immersed in it.
By the end of the month, Rhode's physique had changed significantly. Though not as heavily muscled as Rez, his once slightly frail body had transformed into a more perfect, streamlined form.
This was a state Rhode found extremely satisfying.
Of course.
These were merely external changes. The true enhancement of his physique far surpassed what was visible.
He couldn't even estimate how formidable his body had become, only knowing that if he were to test his Power Level now, the results would likely be off the charts.
One afternoon.Rhode had just devoured a lunch the size of a small mountain and immediately returned to the training room to begin today's sword practice and thunder development.
"Zzzzzzz..."
Bathed in dazzling blue light, Rhode looked like the Thunder God from mythical times, exuding immense majesty.
"The intensity of the thunder has increased again."
"As expected, as the energy of the Book of Knowledge accumulates, the power of the thunder continues to grow!"
Within the blue radiance, Rhode opened his eyes, shining as brightly as stars.
After a month of cultivation, his energy had surged to sixty-six points.
The strength of his thunder had improved significantly, a change Rhode could clearly feel.
Initially, the Thunder Power Rhode could control was only enough to cause slight numbness and could only cling to his body's surface, unable to be projected outward.
But now, Rhode could make ordinary people lose control of their bodies just by discharging electricity, and his projected thunder could reach about five or six meters away.
Closing his eyes, he guided the thunder to spread along the blade in his hand until the entire sword took on a faint blue hue.
And Rhode didn't stop there.
He continued to increase the output of thunder, and slowly, a "bilibili" sound began to echo in the training room.
By this point, the sword was completely enveloped in blue light, dazzlingly brilliant.
Holding the hilt, Rhode lightly swept the sword across the test stone in front of him. Almost without any resistance, a corner of the stone was cleanly severed and slid to the ground.
Seeing this, Rhode smiled faintly, somewhat satisfied.
For now, the intensity of his thunder wasn't enough to unleash flashy moves like projecting tens of millions of volts, but with his already well-honed swordsmanship, he could still unleash considerable power.
The most formidable characteristic of thunder was its penetrative ability. If this penetrative power was applied to a direct thrust with the blade, Rhode could easily pierce through steel plates.
But even when channeled along the sword, it could significantly enhance the weapon's sharpness.
This longsword was just an ordinary steel blade, yet under the amplification of Thunder Power, it nearly matched the sharpness of a famed sword! "With such a boost in strength, I'm itching for a fight."
Feeling the surging power within him, Rhode chuckled darkly.