Kapitel 46: Chapter 44: A Cold Blade
The next morning, Shirakawa knocked on Rayleigh's door.
"What is it? It's too early to be disturbing people's sleep," a groggy and irritated voice answered from inside.
The door opened, revealing a disheveled Rayleigh. "What do you want?" he asked, his tone still sharp.
"I'd like you to resume my training," Shirakawa said, bowing respectfully. He had set a new goal for himself: to reach the level of an Yonko. It was a lofty ambition, but Shirakawa was determined. He planned to lie low until he was strong enough, then make his mark on the world.
"No time," Rayleigh said bluntly, shutting the door in Shirakawa's face.
"I'm sick of this," Rayleigh muttered, returning to his bed. His abrupt awakening had left him feeling unwell.
'What's going on?' Shirakawa stood outside the closed door, confused and disappointed. He hadn't expected his sincere request to be rejected.
"You don't have to rely on Rayleigh, you know," a voice said from behind him.
Shirakawa turned to see Captain Roger leaning against the wall, a playful smirk on his face.
"We have other experts on board besides Rayleigh."
"Captain, would you be willing to train me?" Shirakawa asked hopefully.
Roger's smile vanished, and he walked away without a word.
"No time," he echoed Rayleigh's words.
"Looks like I'll have to find someone else," Shirakawa sighed.
His next target was Scopper Gaban. They had a good rapport, and Gaban's strength was comparable to Rayleigh's. But Gaban wasn't on the ship at the moment, so Shirakawa would have to wait.
For now, he decided to go back to his room and sleep. He hadn't slept all night, his mind filled with turbulent thoughts.
Just as he was about to drift off, someone knocked on his door.
"Who is it? It's too early to be waking people up!" he grumbled, forgetting his own actions earlier that morning.
"It's me," Catherine's voice replied.
"What?" Shirakawa opened the door, annoyed.
"I'm here to give you a gift," Catherine said brightly.
"What gift?" Shirakawa had already seen the white cloth-wrapped object on her back. He recognized its shape, but he played along.
"It's a sword. I saw that yours was broken, so I wanted to give you a new one." She presented the sword to him.
Shirakawa took it, unwrapped the cloth, and gasped. It was a magnificent blade, ornately decorated.
"It's not just for show, is it?" He had initially thought it was a decorative piece, not suitable for actual combat.
"Of course not! The keeper of the royal armory said it's a fine blade."
"A Meito, perhaps?" Shirakawa's eyes widened. He quickly drew the sword from its sheath and examined it closely.
"It is a Meito! Much better than my old one!" His previous sword had been a cheap, mass-produced one.
"What's its name?"
"I think it's called the Ice Blade."
"Ice Blade... It suits it." Shirakawa could feel a faint chill emanating from the blade. It was likely made of a special material that would enhance its cutting power.
"Thank you, Catherine. I love it."
"You're welcome. It's the least I could do, since your sword was broken because of me," Catherine said with a sweet smile. It warmed her heart to hear Shirakawa thank her.
"Okay, you can go now. I'm going back to sleep."
"What?" Catherine was taken aback. She had given him such a wonderful gift. Shouldn't he at least invite her in?
"I said you can go. I need to sleep." Shirakawa closed the door, leaving Catherine standing there, speechless.
Once alone, Shirakawa's sleepiness vanished. He admired the Ice Blade, its beauty captivating him.
'I can only keep this sword for a while,' he thought. 'As the Silver King, I deserve a Supreme Grade sword. The Ice Blade will have to do for now.'
"Ice Blade, you'll be fighting alongside me from now on."
The sword didn't respond. It seemed it wasn't sentient.
Satisfied with his new weapon, Shirakawa put it down and went back to sleep. This time, he slept undisturbed until the afternoon.
He woke up feeling refreshed but also a bit hungry.
"Awake already?"
Shirakawa walked into the palace courtyard and saw Captain Roger sipping tea. It was an odd sight; tea didn't seem to fit Roger's personality.
"It's good to get some rest. You've all been working hard for over a month. Buggy and Shanks are still asleep."
"Really?"
"Let them sleep. They deserve it after everything they went through with you."
"It's because I'm not strong enough."
"That's a nice sword you have there," Roger commented, noticing the new blade at Shirakawa's waist.
"It's a Meito, the Ice Blade. But it's still not as good as yours, Captain. I've always admired your sword." Shirakawa didn't know the name of Roger's sword, but he knew it had to be exceptional.
"Hmph. You can admire it, but you can't touch it," Roger said playfully.
"Stingy."
Although Roger wasn't a dedicated swordsman, his sword was like an extension of himself. It had been with him for years, and their bond was undeniable.
"Captain, when are we leaving?" Shirakawa asked.
"Eager to get back to the sea?"
"Yeah. I want to experience more battles."
"We'll leave once Gaban and Crocus return. And we're heading back to the Grand Line, by the way."
"I know. The First Mate told me."
"Rayleigh's quite the chatterbox, isn't he?"
"You're not planning on continuing the journey with me, are you?" Roger asked after a moment of silence.
"No. I'm going to start my own journey."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein