Chapter 120: Golden Combat Power

At the same time.

Inside the Lord's Mansion.

Gaza looked at the financial report in his hand, his brows knitted tightly:

"Although we have the aid funds provided by Mr. Gao Wen, the places in the port that require spending have also increased greatly."

"Especially the arena capable of holding tens of thousands of people."

"This single item alone accounts for more than sixty percent of the funds in Raven Port, let alone the need to expand the entire port, add a new commercial street, and renovate the original slum district..."

"The key is that the sponsorship fees from other kingdoms will take at least another month to arrive, but my capital chain is about to break right now!"

"Money! Money! Money! All money!"

For a moment, Gaza felt an immense headache, even missing the days when he only needed to manage a single port.

After all, the problems facing him back then were not this big.

"However."

"These matters, no matter how difficult, must be done."

"Otherwise, not only I myself, but the common people in the port will go hungry, and Captain Gao Wen's plans will also be affected."

Saying this.

Gaza took a deep breath and prepared to withdraw all the scarce funds in the port, even counting his own small treasury, to fill the shortage of port funds.

But when she consolidated all of these together, she discovered that at most, they could only support the port's consumption for a few days.

Thinking of this.

Gaza felt a throbbing pain in his brain, but at this very moment...

Bang!

The office door was pushed open directly.

Gaza turned his head and saw Jasmine walk in with an excited expression:

"Young Lady, Mr. Gao Wen has returned!"

"Is that so?! Then he must have bought the prize he needed, right?"

A smile curled at the corner of Gaza's mouth; hearing the news of Gao Wen's return, even though the funding problem still caused a headache, his heart was naturally calmed greatly.

After all, with Gao Wen's power, as long as he was within Raven Port, no pirate would dare to make a move here.

Even the East Sea Navy would have to weigh whether their combat strength was sufficient before making a move.

Jasmine, however, shook her head and said:

"That is not the point; the point is that Mr. Gao Wen also brought a small boat back!"

"A boat?!"

Jasmine nodded repeatedly:

"A boat loaded with so, so much treasure!"

"How much?!"

Gaza's eyes lit up:

"Countless!"

The words fell to the ground.

Before Jasmine could react, Gaza grabbed her hand and hurriedly rushed toward the port.

Quickly.

A small boat fully loaded with gold, jewels, and antiques appeared before Gaza.

Countless people surrounded the small boat, looking at those treasures, their eyes revealing a greed that seemed almost tangible.

For on the small boat, countless gold and gems were emitting a dazzling light, dazzling people so they could not open their eyes, could not move their gaze, and even less wanted to move their gaze!

For a moment, even Gaza was stunned; unlike Jasmine, who only knew how to shout about treasure, she could see the value of those treasures at a glance.

"Even with a rough estimate, the value of these treasures exceeds one billion!"

"One billion?!"

Jasmine was stunned and asked:

"How much is that?!"

"More than four Mr. Gao Wens!"

Gaza looked at the treasures on the boat, then looked at Gao Wen with confusion:

"Mr. Gao Wen, weren't you attending an auction? Why do you have more money after going out and coming back?"

Gao Wen was too lazy to explain and said indifferently:

"I met some good people; they took off their belt straps to sponsor the Martial Arts Tournament, and I couldn't stop them even if I tried."

Gaza immediately realized what was going on, and the corner of his mouth twitched:

"Then they are truly... good people."

However.

Regarding Gao Wen's style, Gaza trusted him one hundred percent and did not believe this man would do anything deeply guilty.

The key is that with some treasure, for the Martial Arts Tournament, the shipyard, and even the subsequent port renovation, he no longer had to worry about funding!

"With this money, the progress of the projects can be even faster!"

"We can even try to promote the Martial Arts Tournament to the Four Seas and even the Grand Line!"

Gaza instantly opened his mind, overturned the original plan, and began to envision a grander blueprint.

Regarding these matters, Gao Wen did not pay attention; he handed these treasures over to Gaza to cash out and then invest as funds into the research for the Martial Arts Tournament.

After instructing Gaza a few more times, Gao Wen took the wooden box containing the Bon Bon Fruit and left; he had more important things to do now.

And with the influx of massive funds, Raven Port, which had previously stagnated, became active once more; busy workers moved through it, smiles rising again on their faces.

Even Gaza felt a wave of relief.

After joining Gao Wen's pirate crew, she had an increasingly clear feeling: as long as this man was present, nothing was impossible!

From single-handedly crushing Krick's fleet at the very beginning, to later slaying pirates on the Grand Line!

One feat after another.

One deed after another.

Things that seemed impossible to her became as light as feathers when they fell into this man's hands.

"When will I ever possess such ability?!"

Gazing at the financial reports piled like mountains beside her, Gaza let out a sigh, yet the answer was already in her heart:

"Only an unmatched, overwhelming strength can forge the absolute conviction to suppress everything and conquer everything!"

"Born from that is what I see in Mr. Gao..."

"This sense of composure!"

As she spoke.

Gaza suddenly tightened her grip on the long blade at her waist.

Only then did she remember.

Since the last incident ended, she had thrown herself into the Martial Arts Tournament matters and had slackened for quite some time.

"Only strength is the foundation!"

"The cultivation I set aside before must be picked up again!"

"After all."

"I also want to see how far I can go at the Martial Arts Tournament!"

"Can I even seize the laurel?!"

Her thoughts boiling within, Gaza's grip on the sword tightened further. She turned and shouted to Jasmine beside her:

"Jasmine, after processing these treasures, prioritize paying off our outstanding cargo debts, then the workers' wages!"

"The remainder shall be recorded in the accounts, to be arranged by me later!"

"Yes, Young Lady."

Jasmine nodded, then noticed that Gaza, holding the long blade in her hand, had already walked slowly away.

Within that slender figure.

Many other things had already taken root.

"Young Lady..."

Time passed in a flash.

Night deepened.

On the hillside behind Raven Port, two graceful figures, gripping wooden swords in their hands, were sparring with each other.

Clack!

Clack!

Clack!

In the air.

For a moment, nothing but the sound of wooden swords colliding filled the space; the swinging bamboo swords stirred up fallen leaves around them, which danced wildly in midair before being sliced apart by even faster wooden blades.

The two constantly clashing blades belonged to Nami and Gaza.

Because her own strength lagged significantly behind the officers of Gao Wen's pirate crew, and because they were both women, the two naturally became the most suitable training partners.

For some time previously, they had trained together, but only recently had Gaza been busy with Raven Port affairs, causing them to separate.

Clack!

Seizing an opportunity, Gaza struck once, knocking the bamboo sword from Nami's hand, and顺势 pressed the tip of her blade against Nami's throat.

"Nami, this time I win!"

Looking down from above, a faint smile playing on her lips, Gaza saw a gleam of stubbornness flashing in Nami's eyes; she showed no sign of yielding:

"I cannot disappoint Mr. Gao!"

"Again!"

As she spoke, she snatched up a wooden sword from the ground and slashed toward Gaza before her.

Quickly.

Another continuous series of impacts, like raindrops, filled the air; no sparks flew, yet countless birds and wild beasts were startled away.

Having trained until now.

Both of their swordsmanship had basically reached the inner chamber; ordinary pirates were hardly a match for them anymore.

If Gaza used her ability, she would not be weaker than Zangao.

Yet they both knew clearly that such strength was still far too weak to keep pace with Gao Wen; it was so weak it held no value whatsoever, which is why they trained even harder!

"Hey, Nami, I want to try seeing how far we can go at the Martial Arts Tournament!"

Gaza voiced her thoughts. After a brief pause, Nami sheathed her bamboo sword:

"Then let's go try!"

"Good!"

Immediately, both gripped their swords, eyes determined, and charged at each other; once again, the sound of wooden swords colliding rang through the air.

Not until deep into the night did the two drag their exhausted bodies back to Raven Port.

At the same time.

Gao Wen sat in his room, waiting for the moment the system would settle the accounts.

Quickly.

The familiar system prompt sound rang out within Gao Wen's mind.

"Physique experience +741!"

"Swordsmanship experience +583!"

... (Omitted)

"Zoan-type Devil Fruit experience +60"

As another wave of experience was absorbed, a familiar panel appeared before Gao Wen:

【Host - Gao Wen】

【Age - 24】

【Identity - Captain of the Gao Wen Pirate Crew】

【Skills:

Swordsmanship - LV-11: 4558/20000 (Divine Speed, Extreme Blade)

Physique - LV-11: 9611/20000 (Balance, Harmony) (Human-Beast Form: LV-14 / Beast Form: LV-15)

Shuosi - LV-6: 351/4000 (Flash Step)

Observation Haki - LV-4: 1271/5000

Armament Haki - LV-1: 538/1000

Navigation - LV-5: 815/MAX

Crimson Dragon Fruit - LV2: 25/5000

Sniping - LV3: 1106/1600

】

【Badges:

Captain's Wrath - Subordinates' stamina recovery speed +20%

Rising Fame - View latent potential

Bounty Over 100 Million - Grace of the Great Sea (Used)

】

【Rating - Gold:

A powerful force in one region!

Even on a world scale, you can be called a strong warrior, but there remains an insurmountable chasm between you and those monsters standing at the peak!

】

"In half a month, both Swordsmanship and Physique have gained over ten thousand experience."

"Has combat power finally touched Gold?"

Looking at the prominent "Gold" characters in the rating column, the corner of Gao Wen's mouth couldn't help but curl into a smile.

Counting from the day he left Raven Port until now, it has been about half a month, and all statistics have seen a significant increase.

Among them, Swordsmanship, Physique, Shuosi, and the Crimson Dragon Fruit each advanced one level, Sniping advanced two levels, and Observation Haki has even reached LV-4.

Once Observation Haki advances further, it will be able to awaken a brand new exclusive trait, just like Physique and Swordsmanship.

This is the point Gao Wen looks forward to the most.

After all, the advanced abilities of Observation Haki shown in the original work are actually far rarer than those of Armament Haki.

Yet every single one possesses immense value; especially the ability to foresee the future demonstrated by Katakuri in the original work, which in battle is nothing short of a BUG-like existence.

Although patches were applied to it later by the Observation Kill of Red-Haired Shanks, its powerful practical combat value remains undeniable.

At the very least, for Gao Wen as he is now, it is an existence that adds wings to a tiger.

"Now, the daily yield of Observation Haki is roughly around 80 points."

"Although it fluctuates daily due to the different states of Xiang Keluo and Akin, the general data is about the same."

"Calculating thus, in about forty-plus days, my Observation Haki will be able to reach level five."

(End of Chapter)