"Huu-"
Eyes closed, concentrating, sensing the flow of air.
Eyes open.
The long sword 'gently' swept out horizontally, cleanly slicing through the steel pillar standing before it.
No harsh collision sound, no sparks from metal impact.
This scene made Chinjao click his tongue in amazement.
"If you hadn't said it yourself, I truly wouldn't believe it. Someone who can reach this level has only been practicing swordsmanship for less than a year? That's even shorter than the basic apprenticeship period."
The Kano Country naturally had dojos dedicated to teaching swordsmanship. Although the terminology might differ slightly, the fundamental concepts of swordsmanship were the same. Chinjao, though not using swords as weapons, had a good understanding of this. Precisely because he understood, he was amazed by Sasuke's progress.
Cutting steel is a very simple distinction. Perhaps some exceptionally gifted individuals on the sea could destroy steel just by wrist strength.
But that wasn't the same concept as 'cutting steel' in swordsmanship. A strong individual cannot have obvious shortcomings in the three aspects: [Heart], [Body], and [Technique]. Weapons were originally a concept born to compensate for innate physical deficiencies. And swordsmanship was the method of using swords to maximize their effectiveness.
Wildly slashing like an amateur could also cause destruction. But that consumed much stamina and caused significant blade wear. Moreover, its efficiency was inferior to those who mastered 'technique'. How to achieve nine-tenths of the effect with one-tenth of the effort… that was the direction various martial arts considered.
The long sword sheathed, and Sasuke finally had time to look at Chinjao with his admiring gaze and Sai, who was snorting through his nostrils.
"Hey! Sasuke, you! Fight me already!"
Like a certain thick-browed guy from Konoha, Sai also had a personality that loved challenging others. Especially after learning that Sasuke's 'back-and-forth' fight with him earlier was a deliberate act of holding back, he wanted to fight again even more.
However, facing Sai's provocation, both Sasuke and elder Chinjao chose to ignore him. This kid hadn't been the first time making such calls since leaving Sabaody Archipelago. They are already got used to it.
Ignoring the still-shouting Sai, Sasuke walked to Chinjao's side, then took out the white paper Mihawk gave him before leaving.
It was called a [Vivre Card]. At this moment, one corner of the Vivre Card was pinched in Sasuke's hand, while the other corner floated towards another direction.
"Truly a magical thing. Holding this, you can accurately find another person on the vast sea."
'Even in the Ninja World, there wasn't such a convenient directional tool. And not just direction… the Vivre Card's state could also reflect its owner's current vital signs in real-time. If the owner was near death, this Vivre Card would automatically turn to ashes. What was the principle behind it?'
"Compared to the Vivre Card, I'm actually more surprised by your current amazed attitude."
Chinjao stroked his beard and smiled. For those sailing the seas, Vivre Cards weren't something rare. Even greenhorn pirates should come into contact with them after entering the Grand Line.
"Didn't that kid Naruto ever explain these things to you?"
Hearing this, Sasuke was momentarily stunned, then curled his lips in a smile.
"Ha, that guy is either on his way to a fight or being pestered by women. Where would he find time for other things?"
This statement… Chinjao didn't know if it was his imagination, but he felt a hint of inexplicable, slight resentment.
"Women…"
Chinjao touched his head, then also laughed.
"For the men of the sea, this is inevitable, right?"
After all, even the Pirate King Roger and others back in the day would fight over Shakky.
"Tsk, I won't be entangled by such things."
Regarding Chinjao's statement, Sasuke expressed extreme disdain. With no women in his heart, drawing the sword naturally becomes divine. Even without anyone teaching him, he had grasped this principle on his own.
"Don't speak so absolutely-"
The smile in Chinjao's eyes grew stronger. Not having his head flattened, he naturally wouldn't be cynical like in the original timeline.
With age, he passively awakened the older generation's exclusive skill: concern for the younger generation's marriages.
Perhaps due to Naruto's influence, in this timeline, Chinjao had long arranged Sai's wedding with the daughter of the Happo Navy's pillar. So now, Sai was a married man.
"The Dressrosa we're heading to is called [The Country of Love, Passion, and Toys]. The girls there are passionate and unrestrained, Sasuke. Perhaps your destined marriage is there."
Chinjao said this very happily. Perhaps this was the common ailment of the older generation.
"…Just talking nonsense."
Shaking his head, after spending time with Chinjao and the others, Sasuke had come to understand their personalities. He didn't get angry over such words.
The ship sailed swiftly through the New World's waters. If not for those unknown pirates who hadn't heard of the Happo Navy blocking the way from time to time, they could have been even faster.
There was no helping it… the Happo Navy's activities in recent years mainly focused on the West Blue. Although they had some personnel in the New World, it was small-scale and didn't create much momentum. And the reason there were more ignorant young pirates in the New World was also related to the Marine's movements.
After all, manpower was limited. Even at the Marine's peak, with an exaggerated force of over twenty million soldiers, under the current turbulent situation, they had to concentrate their strength.
First, those 'tentacles' stretched too far had to be withdrawn. The main forces of some Marine bases near the territories of the Four Emperors in the New World were transferred, and routine patrols naturally decreased.
Doing this wasn't Fleet Admiral Sengoku's whim. Compared to countries in the first half of the Grand Line, many affiliated nations in the New World would simultaneously cling to the World Government and the leg of the nearest Sea Emperor. Or they themselves possessed strong military power. Precisely because of this, even without Marine's escort, these countries could maintain stable situations.
But the cost was a significant increase in naval battles in the New World… though for Sengoku, who needed to maintain overall stability, this was worth it.
Dressrosa was originally a country ruled by the [Donquixote Family].
But nine hundred years ago, they chose to become one of the [Twenty Kings], letting their descendants become Celestial Dragons, so Dressrosa came under the rule of the later [Riku Family].
Ten years ago, King Riku suddenly displayed a series of 'irrational' behaviors, including but not limited to 'suddenly demanding citizens pay large sums of cash', 'causing arson incidents within the country', 'killing his own soldiers and citizens', etc.
Afterward, Donquixote Doflamingo suddenly appeared 'heroically', leading the citizens to overthrow King Riku, then logically regained rule over Dressrosa.
In the ten years he had been in power, Dressrosa gradually transformed from an ordinary kingdom into a 'major trade port'. It became a large transfer dock for goods. Thanks to this, the country's tourism developed quite rapidly, and its original 'colosseum culture' shone brightly in tourism.
Plus those 'toys' that could move on their own, transporting people or doing tasks… this country actually showed a trend of improvement under Doflamingo's rule.
-Of course, that was only 'on the surface'.