Before leaving, Pablo realized sothing important.
The Grand Line is not like the South Blue.
There, pirates with bounties exceeding hundreds of millions exist. There, he will encounter powerful Devil Fruit users. And many other things.
And there, he will be alone.
Therefore, before leaving, he decided to raise his personal strength to the maximum possible extent.
He sat in his room at night, with a small notebook and pen in front of him. He wrote. Drew. Calculated.
He thought about his fruit first.
The weather-controlling fruit. A very rare Paracia. His current ability allowed him to control rain, heat, and wind. Lightning was far from him. Whenever he tried to summon a lightning bolt, his body would tremble and he would feel extre fatigue, as if he were trying to lift a mountain.
The reason? His body wasn't strong enough.
A fruit of this type needs a strong vessel. His body was much stronger than it was a year ago, but it still wasn't ready for lightning. He set this idea aside. He would return to it later, when his body beca stronger.
But for now, he had other ideas.
He rembered the physics lessons he had read in his previous world. Clouds consist of very small water droplets or ice crystals. They are light because the water droplets are dispersed and spaced apart. But if he could increase the cloud's density... if he could raise the water content to its maximum... if he could make the water droplets stick together instead of separating...
Could the cloud beco solid enough to support him?
Not like solid ground, of course. But perhaps like a dense sponge-like material, or like compressed snow. Sothing he could stand on, sit on, use as a flying platform.
That was the idea.
He wrote in his notebook:
"Goal One: Flight via clouds."
"chanism: Control the cloud's density and water content. Make it sufficient to support my weight."
"Usage: A mobile flying platform. A tactical advantage in battle. Escape. Positioning."
Then he moved to the second idea. And here, he rembered a specific character from the ninja world.
Danzo Shimura.
When he was watching the ani, the wind abilities he used were very powerful and, at the sa ti, very simple.
Cutting wind. Wind bullets. Wind whip, and many other techniques.
Simple techniques in appearance, but deadly in execution. They didn't require significant control. Just a certain degree of wind control, and high concentration.
These were the techniques he needed.
He wrote in his notebook:
"Goal Two: Develop wind attacks inspired by Danzo Shimura."
He began listing:
· Wind Bullets: Compressing wind into very small points, about the size of a bullet. Launching them at high speed. They penetrate bodies and smash them. Can be fired singly or in multiples.
· Wind Whip: Gathering wind into a long, thin whip form. Can be used to attack from a distance, to grab opponents, or to cut things.
· Wind Spears: Multiple elongated wind bullets, resembling spears. They penetrate deeper and cause greater bleeding.
· Wind Armor: A dense layer of compressed wind covering his body. Deflects light projectiles and softens strong blows.
· Wind Burst: A sudden explosion of wind from his body in all directions. To push opponents away or to destroy projectiles surrounding him.
He closed his notebook. He was excited.
These techniques were practical. They could be applied.
---
The next morning, Pablo left the palace alone.
He walked through the streets of the capital, then through the fields, then entered the dense forest north of Sorbit. The place was far away. No one ca here. The trees were tall, the shadows thick, the silence complete.
He moved away from any path or trail. He went deep into the forest until he reached a natural clearing surrounded by trees on all sides. The place was almost circular, its ground covered with grass, and a few large rocks scattered here and there.
The sky was visible from above. No thick branches obstructed the view.
"Here," he said to himself.
He took off his pistol. Placed it under a large tree. Took off his shirt. The morning cold touched his skin. He stood in the middle of the clearing. Looked at the sky.
He began training.
---
First Idea: Flight via clouds.
Clouds began to gather above the clearing. Not thick clouds, just so light white clouds. They were far away. Very high.
He began using the wind.
Instead of trying to bring the clouds down with his power alone, as that would make the cloud dissipate, he used the wind as a tool. He made the wind wrap around the cloud, pull it, bring it closer to him.
Controlling the wind to move the cloud was harder than he expected.
But he continued.
Slowly, the cloud began to descend. It beca closer. More visible. He could see its details now. White, moist, moving slowly.
Finally, the cloud was above his head.
He raised his hand. Touched it.
It was cold. Wet. His fingers passed through it as if it were thick mist. Nothing solid. Just water vapor.
He wasn't surprised. He knew this would happen.
Now, he began the second phase.
He tried to change the cloud's density. To make the cloud on the verge of raining, but at the sa ti not rain, so that the rainwater would remain inside the cloud. To make it more cohesive.
It wasn't easy. Every ti he tried to compress it, the cloud would expand or dissipate. He felt like he was trying to compress air with his fist.
But he continued.
He tried again. Focused on a small part of the cloud. On an area about the size of his hand. Tried to compress the water droplets in that area only.
Sothing moved. He felt the cloud beco slightly denser. He put his hand again. This ti, his fingers didn't pass through easily. He felt slight resistance. Like touching a wet sponge, but it eventually passed through.
He smiled.
"This is progress," he said to himself.
But he knew the road was long. This wet sponge wouldn't hold him. It was too weak. It would tear under his weight.
He continued training. Tried to compress more. Tried to gradually increase the cloud's density. He felt fatigue beginning to take over his body. Controlling both the cloud and the wind required intense concentration.
After an hour, his head was aching. He sat on a rock. Breathed deeply.
The cloud remained in the sky. It didn't dissipate. But it still couldn't support him.
"I'll need more ti," he told himself. "But I won't stop."
He wrote in his notebook: "Flight via clouds: Still far. Used wind to move clouds. Succeeded in increasing density slightly. Needs more training."
He drank so water. Rested a bit. Then moved to the next training.
---
Second Idea: Wind Bullets.
He stood facing a large rock. Focused.
He compressed wind into a very small point. About the size of a bullet. It was invisible, but he felt it. Felt its pressure. Felt its power.
Then he fired it.
The bullet shot out at high speed. Hit the rock.
A faint cracking sound. Dust rose.
He approached the rock. Looked at it. There was a small hole. Not very deep, but it was there.
"Not strong enough yet," he said. "But it's accurate."
He tried again. This ti, he compressed a larger amount of wind into the sa point.
He fired.
The bullet was stronger. Hit the rock again. This ti, the bullet penetrated the rock's surface a little. Left a deeper hole.
He tried repeatedly. Each ti, he compressed a larger amount. Each ti, the bullet was stronger.
After an hour, he was able to make a hole as deep as his finger in the rock.
"This is good," he said. "I will continue developing it."
Then he tried firing multiple bullets at once.
This was harder. He had to divide his focus. To compress wind at several different points simultaneously.
He failed at first. The bullets would dissipate before reaching the target. Or they would lose their power. Or they would collide with each other.
But he continued. He tried again. Then again. Then again.
After many attempts, he managed to fire three consecutive bullets. They weren't very accurate, but they reached the rock.
He wrote in his notebook: "Wind Bullets: Successful. Single bullet reasonably strong. Multiple bullets need more training."
---
Third Idea: Wind Blades.
This technique was familiar. He had been using wind blades for months. But he wanted to make them sharper. More precise. More powerful.
He jumped high into the air. Then released a wind blade downwards.
The blade cut the ground. Made a deep gash in the dirt.
"Stronger than I expected," he said.
He tried again. This ti, he targeted a thick tree.
The blade spun through the air. Cut the tree in half as if it were a sharp knife.
The tree fell slowly. Hit the ground. The ground shook slightly.
He smiled.
"This is ready."
But he wanted more.
He jumped again. Released a stronger wind blade.
It cut a large rock in half.
He was excited. This technique would be his main weapon.
He wrote in his notebook: "Wind Blades: Very successful. Much stronger than before. Ready for use."
---
Fourth Idea: Wind Whip.
This was new. He hadn't tried it before.
He imagined a long, thin whip made of compressed wind. He could control it. Direct it. Use it to attack if surrounded by multiple enemies.
He raised his hand. Focused.
The wind ford in his hand as a long, invisible thread. He felt it. Felt its length. Felt its flexibility.
Then he struck with it.
He heard a loud cracking sound. Like a real whip. Dust rose.
He struck again. Targeted a distant tree.
The whip touched the tree. Cut its bark. Left a deep mark.
"Good," he said. "But it needs more precision."
He tried wrapping it around a rock. Tried to pull it towards him.
The rock moved slightly. Didn't lift. But it moved.
"It can also be used to grab opponents," he wrote in his notebook.
He tried different forms. A long whip for long-range attacks. A short whip for close-quarters combat.
"Needs additional training. But the foundation is there."
---
Sixth Idea: Wind Armor and Wind Burst.
He tried Wind Armor first.
A dense layer of compressed wind covering his body. He tried to make it spin quickly to deflect attacks.
It was difficult. Required constant focus. After a few minutes, he was exhausted. But he felt the armor was strong. When he threw a small stone at himself, the stone bounced off before touching him.
"It can withstand bullets," he said. "But cannons... I don't know."
Then he tried Wind Burst.
A sudden explosion of wind from his body in all directions.
This was easier. Didn't need much focus. Just a single burst of energy.
Nearby trees swayed. Dust rose. Small stones flew away.
"Useful for pushing opponents away. Or for destroying surrounding projectiles."
He wrote down his notes: "Wind Armor: Needs more training. Wind Burst: Ready."
---
He sat on the ground after hours of training. He was extrely exhausted. His whole body ached. His muscles trembled.
But he was satisfied.
He opened his notebook. Wrote a summary:
"Flight via clouds: Still far. Used wind to move clouds. Succeeded in increasing density slightly. Needs a lot of ti."
"Wind Bullets: Successful. Single bullet strong. Multiple bullets need training."
"Wind Blades: Very successful. Ready for use. Will be my main weapon."
"Wind Whip: Successful. Can be used for attack or grabbing opponents. Two whips possible at once. More needs training."
"Wind Armor: Under developnt. Needs more training."
"Wind Burst: Successful. Ready for use."
He closed the notebook. Looked at the sky.
The sky had darkened. The sun was about to set. He had trained for hours without realizing the ti.
He stood up. Gathered his things. Put on his shirt. Put back his sword and pistol.
He looked at the cloud still hanging in the sky. It had dissipated a little, but it was still there.
"Tomorrow, I will start again," he told himself.
He walked back towards the palace. His body was tired, but his mind was clear.
He knew this was just the beginning.
Because if he wanted to survive in the Grand Line, if he wanted to protect what he had built, if he wanted to achieve his goals... he had to be stronger.
There was no other option.
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