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[Soru] is what I want to be second but...The Marjhan just isn't an ideal place for it. The length of the deck isn't quite enough, there's people constantly going about their duties, bights of rope make for tripping hazards and...all in all it's just a bad idea. With my [Skill] level as low as it is I just don't have precise enough control not to crash into things.

Which means the silver medal is going to have to go to [Kami-e]. It's been sitting at Lv. 10 for a while now and if I'm honest, that irks me. I've had this thing for just aboutthree months and it's only got a two-thirds chance of working? That's crap! I've barely had [Soru] a couple of days and I managed to grind it all the way to Lv. 9 before we left port again.

[Kami-e]'s major problem is that it just can't be trained when I'm alone. The [Game] refuses to grant me experience towards it unless someone is actively trying to hit me.

Which finally catches us up to my current predicament.

'[Kami-e]!' My body twisted to the right of Yukimura's blade and glided softly along the air for a moment. His hand rotated 90 degrees to lash out at my new location but I simply folded away from that strike as well.

The samurai plants his sword in the deck and uses the point to pivot his body through the air. A zori-sandaled foot aims for me center-mass and although there's time for me to dodge it the conventional way, doing so would defeat the point of today's training.

'[Kami-e]!'

[Skill] Failed!

The blow strikes me right between my stomach and solar plexus, sending me sliding backwards with a slight grimace.

-10 HP! I fix my stance, ready for more, but pause when I realize that the swordsman is calmly returning his katana to its sheath with a bored expression.

"What?" I ask.

"It's been an hour." The samurai replies as he lazily scratched his chest through his hakama. "You want more it's either going to be another 10 or I'm going back to my nap."

My eyebrows knit together in annoyance. "Our agreement was 10,000 for two."

His face develops a small lazy smirk. "Yeah, well I'm changing the agreement. This shit is boring with you only dodging. So choose. 10 per hour or you can go convince someone else to waste their day."

An irritated sigh flows through my nostrils."...fuckin'greedy ass bounty hunters.." I softly grumbled as I dug out 10,000 Beri from the [Inventory]. I do a double count to make sure I'm not overpaying him'More than I am already' and then toss the small stack the swordsman's way.

The man thumbs through it for a quick moment before smiling and tucking it safely away.

"Alright. One more hour then." Yukimura explodes into action with a quick draw technique that I have no doubt could decapitate a lesser man.

[Kami-e] lives up to its name as I fold underneath the strike and flutter past the follow-up like paper in the wind.

Skill Lv up! Rokushiki Technique #5 of 6. (Kami-e). Lv. (10/50) → (11/50)

-One of the vaunted 'Six Powers.' By handing control of their movements over to the subtle currents in the air, users of this technique can twist their body around attacks and briefly coast along the wind. Masters of this [Skill] can flatten their forms to be paper thin or even invent their own variations of this technique.

Note: Due to your low level with this [Skill] there is a 30% chance the [Skill] will fail on use.

As I said earlier. Goals are important in life.

And as each step of progress shows itself along the way, well... I can think of few things that are as quite as satisfying as that.

The days passed quickly onboard The Marjhan.

In a shocking twist the next big thing to happen on our ships adventure was...nothing.

Like...actually nothing.

There were no storms or sea monsters. No pirates or surprise encounters. It drizzled once, I think. And there was that day we sailed past a pod of 30 ft long white dolphins, which I have to admit was pretty cool, but really the days have been almost entirely empty.

And frankly...I'm fine with that.

It gives me plenty of time to work.

'168, 169, 170, 171'

I count off the hops slowly, taking a full second for each number. '173, 174, 175, 176.'

Iraak is crouched before me, studying the clouds I generate with unusual intensity. "How are you doing that? It just... doesn't make sense."

"Life doesn't make sense." I quickly reply.'181, 182, 183, 184' "Just think about Devil Fruits."'185, 186, 187, 188'"Those break the laws of physics everyday." '189, 190, 191, 192'

Iraak scratches at his head in frustration. "Yeah but...those are their own thing. Your Fruit powers have nothing to do with...with this!" He nearly shouts, gesturing to my feet.

'197, 198, 199, aaaand' "That's another 200. Three minute break. Look Iraak, I don't know what you want me to say. I can't explain to you the precise mechanics of jumping on air. I can do it because...I can."

Iraak groans and leans backward on his hands. "Ugh fiiiiiine. You are so unhelpful you know that?" His head cocks slightly to the left. "How many more sets are you going to do anyway? You've barely done anything else all day."

I mentally bring up the screen showing me my daily quest.

Quest: You're close to reaching a personal objective you've set for yourself. Perform the [Geppo] [Skill] an additional 10,457 times today in order to reach Lv. 17. Progress (9,200/10,457)

Reward: 250 Exp. "Not much more. Only another half dozen sets I think. I've got enough practice in to where I can get the power to work 19 out of 20 times."

"..Do you...do you think I could learn it someday?" Iraak asks quietly.

I considered the idea. "I don't see why not. You know it's possible, so that's the first step accomplished right there. You'd really need to up your physical conditioning though. Strength. Speed. Especially your speed."

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