Chapter 28: Awakening the True Heart

The Lord's Manor.

Gao Wen took Guanshi Zhengzong from Jasha's hands.

Though it was his first time gripping the hilt, the sensation transmitted through the blade still thrilled him so much that his arm trembled uncontrollably.

It was a wondrous feeling of bloodline connection, profoundly mysterious, yet impossible to put into words.

Clang!

As Gao Wen exerted force with his hand, the silver-white blade slowly slid from its sheath.

The blade alone exceeded 1.2 meters in length; including the hilt, the overall length reached roughly 1.5 meters.

In form it more closely resembled an odachi—unwieldy for most people, but paired with Gao Wen's height of over two meters, it was a perfect fit.

Guanshi Zhengzong was clearly different in style from the famous blades of Wano Country as Gao Wen remembered them.

The blade bore no excessive ornate patterns; only the tsuba was carved with a chrysanthemum-like emblem. Yet the simpler the appearance, the more keenly one could sense the razor-sharp aura emanating from the edge.

"What a blade!"

Gao Wen uttered heartfelt praise. Beside him, Molly slightly lifted her chin, looking rather proud:

"Of course. This is a famed blade that my lord spent the better part of a year and countless Berries to obtain from the master of the Isshin Dojo."

"Even on the Grand Line, it would be an absolute masterpiece!"

"Hmph!"

Gao Wen smiled faintly.

Whether by fate or because famed blades possess spirits, at this moment he and the Guanshi Zhengzong in his hand truly seemed to share a sense of unspoken understanding.

"You crave it too, don't you?"

"To drink the blood of your enemies!"

Gao Wen spoke with firm resolve, raised his hand and swung the blade. Without exerting much force, he unleashed a silver flying slash that vanished into a small building in the distance.

Then, before the horrified gazes of the two women, the upper half of the building slid down slowly, revealing a cut as smooth as a mirror.

Boom!

Dust billowed; the blade hummed.

Gao Wen suppressed his excitement, looked at the two women, and said:

"Find somewhere to hide first. Leave the fighting to me."

With that, Gao Wen flashed and vanished from the Lord's Manor.

Seeing this, Jasha felt an inexplicable surge of confidence well up within her. Now she had pinned all her hopes on Gao Wen—she could only win, not lose.

After sending Molly into the cellar, Jasha gritted her teeth, locked the cellar door behind her, ignored Molly's anxious calls, and walked out of the City Lord's Manor with resolute eyes.

This was her territory; those within were her subjects.

Having enjoyed power and wealth, in times of peril she ought to shelter these subjects who had once respected her.

"Captain of the Guard, come with me out of the manor—organize the rescue!"

"Yes!"

……

……

……

After leaving the Lord's Manor, Gao Wen accelerated all the way, heading toward the port where the fighting was fiercest.

It was visible to the naked eye.

On the distant sea, an entire row of fully armed pirate ships was gradually closing in. With Gao Wen's eyesight, he could even make out Krieg's bizarrely shaped flag.

A skull flag with hourglasses on either side.

Gao Wen vaguely recalled that the flag's meaning was precisely: No matter where you go, I will find you!

A formidable enemy lay ahead.

Yet Gao Wen, gripping Guanshi Zhengzong, felt not the slightest fear in his heart—instead, a vague, inexplicable anxiety stirred within him.

Anxiety that there were too few opponents, that they would fall before he had even warmed up.

Anxiety that the enemies were too weak, that Guanshi Zhengzong had yet to taste blood, and that he would have to wait for some unknown next meal.

"You'd better hold out a little longer!"

A fierce grin curled at the corner of Gao Wen's mouth, but in the very next instant his stride halted abruptly, shattering the floor beneath his feet.

All because a familiar system notification sounded in Gao Wen's mind:

"Crew member Xiang Keluo has awakened his true heart!"

"Potential increased: Bronze —> Bai Yin!"

"Observation Haki awakened! Current level—LV-0!"

……

"This is!!!"

"A potential breakthrough? And he even awakened Observation Haki?"

Gao Wen's face showed shock:

"What on earth did Xiang Keluo go through?"

The sudden change was no longer a surprise but a fright.

He still remembered that he had merely mentioned it to Xiang Keluo in passing, and had actually held no hope of him awakening Observation Haki.

But it's only been a few days?

And he's already awakened Observation Haki?

Awakening Observation Haki before entering the Grand Line was truly an unexpected delight.

Even though his rank was not high, with Gao Wen's system, for every bit of progress Xiang Keluo made, Gao Wen would gain ten times that; within a few months, he could reach a level sufficient for actual combat!

"The stronger my subordinates are, the stronger I become; when my subordinates awaken their abilities, I awaken along with them!"

"The system's capabilities are even more exaggerated than I imagined!"

Moreover, the awakening of Observation Haki was merely secondary; what mattered more was that comprehending one's true nature could enhance one's own potential?

Could it even complete the leap from Bronze to Bai Yin?

It must be known that within the system's classification, Bai Yin encompassed the ranks from Marine Headquarters Commodore to Admiral, as well as the tier between them and a small portion of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

Such combat power would be famous even in the New World.

It could be said that once Xiang Keluo fully realized his potential, he could be called a core fighting force in any faction.

Originally, in Gao Wen's speculation, enhancing potential amounted to nothing more than Devil Fruits or human modification, but now it seemed one must add a change in mindset to the list.

Only at this moment did Gao Wen realize it.

Haki, as the other path parallel to Devil Fruits in the pirate world, was essentially an extremely idealistic power.

The stronger the belief, the stronger the Haki; conversely, if belief collapsed, Haki would decline to a terrifying degree within a short time.

Crocodile was the most typical example.

In his youth, he advanced triumphantly all the way to the New World, his combat power rivaling Barrett's, yet he suffered a crushing defeat at Whitebeard's hands, his strength plummeting; the core issue was precisely the decline of his Haki.

It was still Crocodile.

Twenty years later, after walking out of Impel Down and regaining the belief to become the Pirate King, he could even exchange a few moves with top-tier experts like Mihawk.

"However, with such a leap in strength, that fellow probably won't be able to sit still."

A slight smile curled Gao Wen's lips.

His gaze was disdainful.

With a growth speed ten times yours, you'll have to grind until you vomit blood before you can call me Captain!

Shaking his head to dispel stray thoughts, Gao Wen tightened his grip on the Guanshi Zhengzong in his hand, accelerated his steps, and within a few dozen seconds, crossed a distance of nearly a thousand meters to arrive at the port.

The scene inside, however, made him pause slightly in surprise.

The setting sun slanted down, leaving only a sliver of rosy light that made the sky appear even more fiery red, yet it could not rival the blood covering the ground throughout the port.

Xiang Keluo stood in the port, covered in blood.

One arm was twisted like a twisted dough twist, one leg was completely deformed; clearly, he was nearing the exhaustion of his oil and extinguishing of his lamp, teetering on the brink of his limit.

Yet his spirit, his momentum, had risen to an unprecedented height at this moment, so much so that even Gao Wen frowned slightly upon looking at him.

Before Xiang Keluo.

Ah Jin had long since fallen in a pool of blood, his flesh torn and rolling, his body covered in wounds.

If not for his chest still rising and falling occasionally, Gao Wen would have almost thought he was dead.

"Gao Wen, you are too slow."

Xiang Keluo raised his trembling hand, instinctively trying to push up his glasses with his palm; he tried several times before finally succeeding.

The claw blades on his fingertips had also completely shattered due to countless collisions just now.

His fingers were entirely bruised purple and green.

Despite his heavy injuries, Xiang Keluo's tone was exceptionally calm:

"A comfortable life?"

"I don't want it anymore."

"Once my injuries heal, I'll take over as captain."

"I will seize the position of Warlord of the Sea; I will fulfill our agreement!"

Gao Wen wore an expression that said 'just as I expected':

"Fine, but you'll have to get past me first."

"I will!"

(End of Chapter)