The deep sword marks on Nox were all left by Golden Lion in a short period.
While Nox was struggling to resist Golden Lion's attacks, he was feeling Golden Lion's Sword Intent, and at the same time, he was constantly trying to comprehend his own Sword Intent to become a Grand Swordmaster.
Golden Lion's sword is a very simple killing sword; its speed is fast, ruthless, and pursues ultimate slaughter. It comes in whatever way is convenient for killing.
It can be said that many Swordsmen on the Sea walk this path.
As he continuously fought with Golden Lion, Nox increasingly felt the inadequacy of his sword techniques.
After fighting with Golden Lion for three days and three nights, they finally stopped.
"Gahahahaha, how about it, Nox, how is my sword?"
Golden Lion laughed heartily as he looked at Nox, who was covered in blood and severely injured.
"Your sword technique is very powerful. We will fight again next time!"
Nox ignored Golden Lion's smug look and dragged his heavily injured body back to his residence.
For the next three months, Nox continuously grew under Golden Lion's pressure.
Every time he returned from a great battle with Golden Lion, he gained a lot.
Then, when he wasn't fighting with Golden Lion, he desperately cultivated on Beehive Island, seemingly returning to the days of frantic Training when he first arrived at Beehive Island.
Three months passed in a flash, and now Nox's strength had greatly increased again.
It is a pity that he is still a Sword Master, only half a step away from being a Grand Swordmaster, but it is precisely this half-step that he cannot cross, or perhaps the time is not yet right.
The biggest progress in this battle with Golden Lion Shiki was not the progress in sword techniques, nor the achievement of cultivating the fourth layer of the [Sword God Body Tempering Art] to perfection.
Instead, his Kenbunshoku Haki reached advanced level, and he awakened a new Kenbunshoku Haki talent, Mind Reading.
Just like Red Count, Redfield's extremely overbearing Kenbunshoku Haki, the Kenbunshoku Haki that can read people's minds and memories is equivalent to a weakened version of the Memory-Memory Fruit.
Relying on Mind Reading, when fighting with Golden Lion Shiki, Nox could know Golden Lion Shiki's various sword styles, attack targets, and even Golden Lion's thoughts in a short period.
It was also because of the breakthrough in Kenbunshoku Haki that he gradually found his rhythm from being beaten, and although he still couldn't compare with Shiki, he could at least occasionally counterattack.
It can be said that his first major advantage is the [Sword God Body Tempering Art], which has unlimited potential.
His second major advantage is his far superior soul strength, which brings him extremely strong Kenbunshoku Haki talent and sword road talent.
"Next is to quickly break through to Grand Swordmaster, and also to carry out the fifth layer of the [Sword God Body Tempering Art] to temper the muscles."
Nox thought.
The breakthrough to Grand Swordmaster requires an opportunity, while the fourth layer of the [Sword God Body Tempering Art] for tempering the skin is the simplest and easiest.
Afterward, as the layers increase, the difficulty of tempering becomes higher and higher, and the time required also becomes more and more, but the benefits obtained are also stronger and stronger.
Tempering muscles can greatly increase one's defense, attack, stamina, physical recovery, etc.
All can be greatly increased, unlike tempering the skin, which only increases some skin defense.
"Boss, the new welcome party is about to begin."
Marley ran over to remind Nox.
The Rocks Pirates welcome party, which is also a recruitment meeting, is held every six months, welcoming all Pirates who want to join the Rocks Pirates.
And he had heard that as Rocks' ambition exploded, it had been changed from every six months to every three months, and even in the future, it might become once a month.
"Let's go!!"
Originally, Nox didn't plan to go, but the Rocks Pirates had a rule that when the welcome party started, all Executive Officers on Beehive Island or nearby had to attend.
For this reason, Nox also had to attend.
"It's really lively. This welcome party is much more lively than the last time I attended."
Nox arrived at the welcome party, and after standing next to the many Executive Officers, he looked at the dense figures below.
Their number was much larger than when he attended, with at least 30,000 Pirates!
"This year, our Rocks Pirates' reputation has soared and resounded throughout the World. Many Pirates have come from the Four Seas to the New World just to join the Rocks Pirates. This number will only increase in the future."
Golden Lion said with a grin while holding a cigarette, and Nox could clearly see the excitement on Golden Lion's face and the ambition in his eyes.
"Ah ha ha ha ha, is this the strongest man in the World?"
"It's really terrifying. Just standing there makes me feel suffocated."
"The Executive Officers of the Rocks Pirates have also appeared. There are so many Executive Officers, and I heard that each of them is comparable to a Marine Admiral. I wonder if it's true?"
"..."
Those Pirates who wanted to join the Rocks Pirates started to boil with excitement when they saw Rocks leading the arrival of many Executive Officers.
As Rocks appeared, his incredibly terrifying Haoshoku Haki soared into the sky.
A terrifying aura like the end of the World and the collapse of the World surged forth, intimidating the newcomers who wanted to join the Rocks Pirates.
At the same time, the Haoshoku Haki on Nox and other Executive Officers also bloomed.
Layers of terrifying Haoshoku Haki were superimposed, and instantly the sky was covered with dark clouds, lightning and thunder, as if a storm was about to break.
In this terrifying entrance scene, Rocks and many Rocks Pirates Executive Officers stood together, forming a historic picture of all members being villains.
This is the era that belongs exclusively to the Rocks Pirates!
Those Pirates who were just lively were all frightened by Rocks and the Executive Officers, swallowing their saliva and staring blankly at this scene.
"Wahahaha, you scum, do you want to join the Rocks Pirates? Do you want fame, treasure, and power?"
"If you want them, then let's fight! Only the 20,000 who survive in the end can join the Rocks Pirates."
As soon as Rocks said this, the scene immediately became silent.