Chapter 27: A Month of Progress

"Kid, for Shakky's sake, I won't pursue this matter today. In a month, the Rocks Pirates will hold their recruitment event. If you want to join, come by then!" Golden Lion Shiki said to Li Yuan. "I'll see at the recruitment what gives you the confidence to refuse my invitation!"

"A month, huh? I'll be there!" Li Yuan sheathed his sword and replied earnestly. "By then, I might be a cadre of the Rocks Pirates myself!"

With that, Shiki sailed away. Li Yuan escorted Shakky near Hive Island but did not proceed further. As he was not yet a member of the Rocks Pirates, getting too close to Hive Island could cause unnecessary trouble, even with Shakky's presence.

"I'll be waiting for you on Hive Island!" Shakky said as she disembarked, giving Li Yuan a deep look. She was quite satisfied with him—strong, ambitious, and kind to her, though a bit too flirtatious. So soon after being with her, he already had another companion. But she didn't mind, as in this world, strength ruled, and a powerful man having multiple women was not a bad thing.

"Don't worry, I'll come for you," Li Yuan said, setting sail immediately, not fond of clingy farewells.

"Senior Brother, where are we going next?" Kano asked, aware that they were near Hive Island, surrounded by Rocks Pirates members or islands under their control.

"Let's find an island to settle down and train seriously. I want to participate in the Rocks Pirates' recruitment event in a month," Li Yuan replied after some thought. "You all don't need to participate; you're not yet ready for that level of battle."

Li Yuan was in a period of rapid improvement, and a month could make him much stronger. By then, he was confident he could make a name for himself.

"Yes, Senior Brother!" Kano said, clenching his fists. They knew there was a significant gap between their strength and Li Yuan's. Not just physically, but none of them had reached the level of cutting iron in swordsmanship, leaving them feeling powerless and frustrated.

"Train hard, and you too can become strong, but it requires long-term perseverance," Li Yuan encouraged his junior brothers. They were ordinary, without extraordinary talent. Even the most gifted among them, Kano and Karu, were only average sword talents compared to monsters like Li Yuan.

However, being ordinary or having average talent didn't mean they couldn't become strong. It just required more time and slower growth. With their talent, without a Devil Fruit, relying solely on swordsmanship, physical training, and Haki, they could at most reach a rear admiral level. With a suitable Devil Fruit, they might reach a vice admiral level.

"Senior Brother, we understand. We may not have great talent, but by choosing to sail with you, we're not afraid of hardship or challenges. I believe that one day I will become strong enough to help and not hold you back," Karu said firmly, aware of his own limitations but resolute in his determination.

"Keep it up!" Li Yuan said, knowing that words were just words. To become strong, one must rely on personal effort and perseverance.

"In this month, I aim to become as strong as possible!" Li Yuan then devised a schedule to maximize his growth in the shortest time. For a month, apart from basic necessities, he spent almost all his time training.

In the mornings, he used his junior brothers' external forces to train the fourth layer of the Sword God Body Refinement Technique. In the afternoons, he practiced swordsmanship with weighted armor in the sea, and in the evenings, he continued training the fourth layer of the Sword God Body Refinement Technique. His daily training time reached 18 hours, an extreme.

This relentless training led to daily improvements in Li Yuan's strength, motivating him to endure the inhuman regime.

"Boss, the Rocks Pirates' recruitment event is tomorrow!" Kano announced excitedly, holding a newspaper.

"Is it? Has a month passed already?" Li Yuan looked at the newspaper detailing the recruitment event, snapping him back from his intense training.

"Notify everyone to prepare; tomorrow we're heading to Hive Island!" With the event tomorrow, Li Yuan took the day to relax and recuperate, ensuring he was in peak condition for the event.

"Don't worry, Senior Brother, we're all ready," Kano said excitedly, as if he were the one participating. Joining the Rocks Pirates was a goal for many pirates, given their dominance over the New World and the Navy's inability to challenge them.

He knew Li Yuan aimed for a cadre position within the Rocks Pirates, a group of notorious sea pirates. The thought of his senior brother achieving such a position filled him with excitement.

"A month of intense training has rapidly advanced my strength, but this rapid growth is slowing. Future progress won't be as fast," Li Yuan reflected. His initial Armament Haki awakening had enhanced his body significantly, but after a month of relentless training, his body had adapted to his current Haki level.

His body's familiarity and resistance to Haki meant the effectiveness of Haki-infused training had diminished. Unless he could elevate his Haki quality, future progress would be steady rather than explosive. 

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