Sailing to Water 7

En route to the capital of Water 7, a small warship sliced through the waves at high speed.

Upon closer inspection, three figures could be observed on the deck, engaged in relentless training. They were Bai Yu, Koby, and Helmeppo.

Under Bai Yu's strict supervision, Koby and Helmeppo were undergoing rigorous physical training. They understood that mastering the basic six styles of Rokushiki required passing the physical fitness test first.

Bai Yu, known as White Feather, swung his sword with precision and consistency. This swordsmanship was solidifying his name as the White Feather even more.

"1997...1998...1999..."

"2000!"

He tirelessly wielded the heavy Dragon Flame Greatsword, and soon, the count of swings reached 2000.

[Ding! Host successfully completed 1000 sword swings, reward: Azure Dragon Sword Aura proficiency increases by 5%, Haki proficiency by 1%, Gathering Stream proficiency increases by 5%]

[Ding! Host successfully completed 2000 sword swings, reward: Azure Dragon Sword Aura proficiency increases by 5%, Haki proficiency by 1%, Gathering Stream proficiency increases by 5%]

While the proficiencies of Azure Dragon Sword Aura and Gathering Stream technique both surged by 5%, the progress in three-colored Haki was comparatively slower. However, Bai Yu was patient, knowing well that in the early days of One Piece, few had mastered the art of Haki.

"Commander Bai Yu!" Koby and Helmeppo approached Bai Yu after he paused to accept his reward.

"Why do you only practice sword swings, Commander? Don't you train in anything else, like swordsmanship? Does this really make you stronger?" Helmeppo asked with curiosity brimming in his eyes.

"Perfection in the simplest of actions leads to invincibility," Bai Yu responded, feigning profundity, though internally he retorted, 'Do you think I enjoy this monotonous task? It's all for the system rewards!'

"And don't underestimate the act of swinging a sword. At your current level, you wouldn't last ten swings against me," Bai Yu added earnestly.

"Nonsense, we can definitely manage ten strikes," Koby interjected, not ready to back down.

"You're underestimating us, Commander," Helmeppo seconded.

"How about this: Try to lift my sword, if you succeed, I'll halve your training for today. If not, it doubles," Bai Yu challenged them with a sly smile.

Suspecting a trick but unable to resist the wager, they agreed. Bai Yu then thrust the Dragon Flame Greatsword into the deck, creating a resounding boom as the heavy sword penetrated the wood. The force was so immense that had Bai Yu not controlled it, the deck might have split.

Shocked, they could only gulp in apprehension.

"I'll go first!" Koby stepped up, gripping the greatsword. Despite his best efforts, he failed to move it, let alone wield it. Helmeppo fared no better; even their combined strength was insufficient.

"Commander Bai Yu, did you defeat Crocodile with this bizarre sword?" Koby asked post their failed attempts.

Bai Yu nodded. "But the sword was lighter back then. Let's just say I modified it to be thicker. Now it's usable, at least."

Realizing the immense skill and strength of their Commander, they could only commend him, albeit begrudgingly.

"Don't forget, your training volume is doubled today," Bai Yu reminded, effortlessly lifting the greatsword and resuming his swings.

The two, now even more motivated, returned to their training.

...

Time passed, and by afternoon, they had reached Water 7, earlier than anticipated due to the warship's swift journey. The city, true to its name, was a maze of waterways, with structures seemingly floating on water. The locals used a creature called 'Blu' for transportation, a species well-adapted to the city's unique environment.

As Bai Yu, Koby, and Helmeppo disembarked, their presence caught the attention of the onlookers. Questions about their identity and purpose buzzed around since they were clearly not from the local naval force.

Suddenly, a gust of wind announced the arrival of a figure from the sky. The individual, gracefully descending, landed perfectly in front of the newcomers.

"Mr. Marine, welcome to Water 7," the figure greeted with a courteous smile. "Does your ship need repairs? We offer a discount for naval vessels."

A figure approached, dressed in orange and blue overalls, a white peaked cap adorning his head.

The most notable feature was his square nose, strikingly similar to Usopp's.

"Kaku!" Bai Yu recognized him immediately.

This man was none other than a member of CP9, undercover at the Carrera Shipbuilding Company in Water 7, the capital.

Possessor of the Ox-Ox Fruit powers, this was Kaku!

Seeing Kaku, Bai Yu instinctively knew he should avoid unnecessary interaction.

CP9 had been undercover for years, seeking the blueprints for Pluton, coincidentally, Bai Yu's objective was the same.

If possible, Bai Yu preferred to avoid unnecessary contact.

After all, the Pluton blueprints were a dangerous commodity, and the more people involved, the riskier it got.

"No need, our Marine base has its shipwrights," Bai Yu responded, maintaining a facade of calm, pretending not to know Kaku at all.

"That's a pity. I had hoped to observe a naval warship," Kaku replied, nodding courteously before leaping away swiftly.

Watching Kaku's retreating figure, Bai Yu couldn't help but shake his head.

They're tightening security. I hope they don't get in my way, he thought.

Bai Yu then led Koby and Helmeppo to purchase three blueprints nearby. After acquiring the pass, they hurried towards Water 7's central area.

Based on his knowledge from the original story, Bai Yu knew that the Pluton blueprints were currently with Franky, who was hidden away in the backstreets, running a ship dismantling company and had established the Franky Family.

Being new to Water 7, Bai Yu had to ask for directions to the central area.

Soon, they reached the center, but Bai Yu sensed they were being watched.

"Could it be remnants of Baroque Works?" Bai Yu speculated.

"Koby, Helmeppo, split up and gather information. There's a ship dismantling company in the backstreets; find out where exactly. Meet back here in thirty minutes," Bai Yu instructed.

Acknowledging, they departed in different directions, while Bai Yu continued forward.

Suddenly, he activated his Observation Haki, a burst of invisible energy emitting from him, revealing someone hidden nearby, tailing him.

Discovering he was the target, Bai Yu sped up, darting into an alley before halting abruptly.

"Come out. How long have you been following me?" he called out to the seemingly empty entrance.

Silence fell on him. Then, a stone thrown by Bai Yu hit the wall, revealing the stalker.

"Woah, it's a misunderstanding, let's talk..." the figure, round like a ball with green hair and a zippered mouth, emerged. It was Fukuro the owl from CP9, his identity not immediately revealed to Bai Yu.

"Humph," Bai Yu grunted, hand on his sword.

Without hesitation, he launched a powerful slash towards the owl man, who barely dodged, transforming his body using his powers.

"That was too close..."Fukuro joked, but then noticed Bai Yu had vanished.

Suddenly, a slicing wind sounded above. Fukuro looked up to see Bai Yu, sword raised, ready to strike.

"Tekkai!" Left with no choice, Fukuro used his technique to harden his defense against the impending attack.