A few minutes later, Stomm came down from the Admiral's office on the top floor to the Navy's Finance Department.

His purpose was simple and clear—collect his salary!

That's how the Navy works.

Pirates can make money just by committing crimes, burning, killing, and plundering while stirring up trouble on the seas.

But the Navy has to patiently wait for the World Government to distribute their military pay.

The Navy operates on an "annual salary system."

A rookie sailor who just enlisted can earn—

two million berries a year!

This does not even include other allowances, such as for uniforms, meals, and so on.

From this perspective, the Navy's benefits are quite decent.

Before long, Stomm received his salary from the Finance Department—

a full two hundred brand new ten-thousand berry bills!

Stomm casually stuffed the two million berries into his pocket.

He turned and left the Finance Department, then headed to the Logistics Equipment Department.

Getting paid is just an excuse to spend the salary, right?

With the salary in hand, it was time to gear up.

In the Logistics Equipment Department, a muscular, scruffy middle-aged Navy man was responsible for attending to Stomm.

He glanced at Stomm's Navy uniform, then his gaze swept over the latter's bulging pockets.

"A rookie? How rare! What kind of weapons do you want?"

"I want to customize two weapons: a long knife and a baton."

With berries in his pockets, Stomm spoke confidently.

"However, I have an additional request for the baton’s material.

"I'd like to customize a Sea-Prism Stone baton."

Stomm has not yet awakened his Haki.

He specifically came to customize a "Sea-Prism Stone weapon" as a precaution.

A Sea-Prism Stone baton is particularly effective against Devil Fruit users.

It definitely delivers real damage and critical hits.

As for the long knife,

Stomm is just an ordinary human.

He doesn't have BIG MOM's innate, monstrous "steel balloon" talent.

Stomm can throw punches.

But he also uses a knife!

Stomm's original goal was to purchase a good knife that meets his needs at the Equipment Department.

It would be even better if he could get a famous blade like the "Good Quick Knife."

Generally speaking,

the market price for a Good Quick Knife is around one million berries.

This price is still affordable for Stomm.

However, Good Quick Knives are often more valuable than available.

There are more people using knives at sea than those who play with fire.

There are countless swordsmen and even sword masters within the Navy.

True famous blades rarely circulate in the market.

"Sea-Prism Stone? You've got some knowledge!"

The middle-aged Navy man gave a thumbs up in praise.

"I remember the last one who came to the Equipment Department to customize a Sea-Prism Stone weapon was that Smoker kid.

"The Sea-Prism Stone Equipment Department has inventory, but the 'Sea-Prism Stone baton' you mentioned isn't readily available right now.

"If you want to customize such a weapon, you might need to wait a day or two."

"That's fine."

Stomm nodded; a day or two is something he can wait for.

"What about the long knife?"

"A blade...?"

The middle-aged Navy man rubbed his stubble and secretly glanced at the rookie's pocket.

"Speaking of which, the Equipment Department just received a batch of alcohol iron ore.

"This is a very rare special ore that can be ignited like alcohol.

"Weapons made from alcohol iron ore can 'burn'!"

A burning sword?

A flame sword?

Stomm instinctively associated it with the Flame-Flame Fruit.

Now even swords can play with fire?

"Alcohol iron ore weapons can be ignited manually and can also ignite through friction."

The middle-aged Navy man continued to promote the "alcohol iron ore."

"This kind of weapon is quite popular in the New World."

Although such "flame weapons" might not be very powerful,

they're cooler! Flashier! More impressive!

The key point is that their crafting costs are more expensive than regular swords!

A smirk of a shrewd merchant appeared on the middle-aged Navy man's face.

"That does sound interesting."

Stomm asked the crucial question.

"How much would the alcohol iron ore military knife and the Sea-Prism Stone baton cost in total?"

"The Sea-Prism Stone baton has a low processing difficulty, so I'll just charge you the cost! Two hundred thousand berries!"

The middle-aged Navy man's smile immediately became more apparent.

"But the alcohol iron ore military knife costs eight hundred thousand berries! Although it's not a famous blade, this price is absolutely worth it!

"In total, it's one million berries! Are you paying in cash or by check?"

"I..."

Stomm was about to reach for his money when he suddenly caught sight of his Navy uniform.

He paused and changed his tone.

"I'm a rookie!"

"? "

A sense of foreboding suddenly surged in the middle-aged Navy man's heart.

This kid wouldn't dare say, "I'm a rookie, give it to me for free," would he?

No way! Absolutely not!

Even if you're a rookie, it still wouldn't work!

"Sir!"

Stomm beamed a bright smile.

"I'm a rookie! Just give me a slash!"

All I want now is to take you down with one strike!

The middle-aged Navy man instantly clenched his fists.

...

'The officer in the Logistics Equipment Department is actually quite nice!'

Feeling joyful, Stomm exited the Equipment Department.

Just now, he spent one million berries to buy an alcohol iron ore military knife, a Sea-Prism Stone baton,

as well as a trans-oceanic snail and a permanent pointer from the Navy Headquarters.

The latter two were complimentary gifts from the hospitable Equipment Department.

Nothing worth mentioning.

Stomm walked briskly away from the Navy Headquarters building and then headed to the training ground.

"Two hundred times the effort" requires immense dedication and sweat to activate.

It's not something you can just say casually and expect to unlock.

Over the past year,

Stomm has been training hard in the rookie training camp and learned many skills during that time,

including the Six Styles, swordsmanship, marksmanship, and more.

However, upon arriving at the headquarters training ground today, Stomm did not intend to continue honing his physical skills.

In comparison,

Stomm was more interested in the recently acquired Clay-Clay Fruit.

"Hey!" "Roar!" "Ha!" "Yah!"—

Stomm moved closer to the training ground.

The sounds of muscles colliding, powerful roars, mixed with some strange moans,

became increasingly clear to him.

But just as Stomm stepped into the training ground,

an incredibly inappropriate remark drifted through the wind.

"I really want to be Miss Peacock's dog—"

Along with it came a rhythmic "crack," "crack crack" sound.

This sound was reminiscent of a whip cracking against flesh.

No!

Not "like," but "is!"

Stomm paused to look.

Not far from him, in an open area,

a tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed young girl was ruthlessly whipping a Navy sailor.

Stomm raised an eyebrow slightly.

He immediately recognized the identity of the blonde girl wielding the whip.

She was Peacock, the granddaughter of the Chief of Staff, Crane!

However, from Stomm's understanding,

Peacock previously used a weapon that was not a "whip," but a "long sword."

Stomm observed carefully for a moment.

Only then did he realize that the "whip" in Peacock's hand was not a "whip" at all.

To be precise,

it was a long sword that had been softened, resembling a whip!

Stomm immediately realized something.

'Has Peacock already eaten that Whip-Whip Fruit?'

At that moment, Peacock seemed to sense Stomm's gaze.

She paused whipping the sailor and turned to look in Stomm's direction, her green eyes instantly lighting up.

"Stomm?!"

Peacock raised the whip in her hand, her eager expression resembling a female beast about to catch its prey.

"Why aren't you coming over quickly?!"

Putting aside their past of stargazing and moon-gazing together,

Stomm and Peacock were among the best-performing sailors in last year's rookie training camp.

They frequently sparred together.

Stomm knew Peacock's strengths and weaknesses.

Peacock understood Stomm's capabilities.

Their relationship was well-established!

At this moment, Peacock actively initiated a combat invitation once again.

Having originally intended to test the specific effects of the Devil Ring,

Stomm certainly wouldn't refuse her enthusiastic invitation.

However,

just as Stomm took a step forward,

an impatient Peacock sprinted towards him with her long, snow-white legs,

her speed so fast that it was beyond ordinary people's reaction time—

the Six Styles: Soru!

"Stomm!"

Peacock raised the whip in her hand, her green eyes clearly reflecting the figure of the man ahead.

"Let me properly train you!"

Peacock's right arm swung forward heavily, and the whip shot through the air, aiming directly at Stomm.

Whoosh—

The whip-like soft sword howled through the air, producing a chilling scream that sent shivers through the surrounding onlookers.

Faced with this sudden attack,

Stomm appeared to be stunned, standing still, motionless.

Yet his skin color, unbeknownst to him, had turned a smooth, pale white like clay.

No evasion, no defense.

Peacock's whip accurately struck Stomm's body.

But it was as if it hit a puddle of soft mud.

A dull sound echoed around.

Thud—

"What?!"

Peacock's eyes suddenly narrowed.

From her close distance, she could clearly see that Stomm's left arm, struck by the whip, was nearly severed.

But strangely,

the "wound" where the whip hit did not spurt out crimson blood.

Instead, it expelled white clay!

A continuous stream of white clay gushed from Stomm's "wound," as if a fountain was flowing.

This fountain-like white clay surged over Stomm's body, and his figure began to heighten and expand wildly.

In just a few breaths,

Stomm's height exceeded six meters, as if he had transformed into a giant.

In the next moment,

Stomm's right hand swept across his chin, and a crescent-shaped white beard formed above.

Clay-Clay Fruit? ×!

Action Figure Fruit? √!

After the "transformation," Stomm let out a peculiar and deep laughter.

"Gulalala..."

Before Peacock could react,

the surrounding "elite members" burst into a cacophony of wails.

"Whitebeard!"

"The world's strongest man!"

"Whitebeard has invaded the Navy Headquarters!"