One Piece: Who made him the Pirate King!

A few minutes later. 

Storm left the admiral's office on the top floor and headed to the Navy's finance department below. 

His purpose was simple and clear—collecting his paycheck! 

That's how it worked in the Navy. 

Pirates could earn money by wreaking havoc, pillaging, and causing chaos on the seas. 

But the Navy had to rely on the World Government to distribute their salaries. 

The Navy operated on an annual salary system. 

A newly enlisted recruit could earn— 

Two million Berries per year! 

This amount didn't include additional benefits like uniforms, meals, or other allowances. 

In this regard, the Navy's benefits were decent. 

It wasn't long before Storm collected his salary— 

Two hundred crisp 10,000 Berry bills! 

Storm casually stuffed the two million Berries into his pocket. 

Leaving the finance department, he headed toward the logistics and equipment division. 

Getting paid was all about spending money, wasn't it? 

With money in hand, it was time to upgrade his gear. 

---

Logistics and Equipment Division. 

A burly, middle-aged Navy officer with a scruffy beard greeted Storm. 

The officer glanced at Storm's recruit uniform and then at his bulging pockets. 

"A new recruit? That's rare! What kind of weapons or equipment are you looking for?" 

"I want to customize two weapons: a longsword and a baton," Storm said confidently, the weight of his wallet giving him assurance. 

"For the baton, though, I have a specific request." 

Storm leaned in slightly. "I want it made of Seastone." 

Storm hadn't awakened his Haki yet. 

Commissioning a Seastone weapon was his way of preparing for unforeseen circumstances. 

A Seastone baton was perfect for countering Devil Fruit users. 

Every strike would deal true damage, and every swing could be critical. 

As for the longsword— 

Storm wasn't invincible, nor did he possess Big Mom's natural "steel balloon" defenses. 

He knew how to fight with his fists, but he also wielded a blade with skill. 

Storm's goal was to purchase a quality sword that matched his needs. 

If he could get a sword at the level of a Ryo Wazamono (Grade Sword), all the better. 

Generally, a Ryo Wazamono was valued at around one million Berries. 

With his current finances, Storm could afford it. 

However, such swords were often in high demand but short supply. 

Countless swordsmen and samurai roamed the seas, and even within the Navy, skilled swordsmen and sword masters abounded. 

True legendary swords rarely made it to market. 

"Seastone? Impressive!" 

The middle-aged Navy officer gave Storm a thumbs-up. 

"The last person to specifically request Seastone weapons here was Smoker, that brat." 

"We have Seastone stock in the equipment division, but we don't currently have any Seastone batons. 

"If you want one customized, it'll take a day or two." 

"That's fine," Storm nodded. A wait of one or two days was manageable. 

"What about the longsword?" 

"A sword, huh…" 

The officer rubbed his stubbled chin and shot another glance at Storm's pocket. 

"Speaking of which, we recently received a shipment of *Liquor Iron Ore*." 

"This is a rare, unique mineral—it's flammable, like alcohol. 

"Weapons forged from Liquor Iron Ore can literally 'burn'!" 

"A burning sword? A flaming blade?" 

Storm immediately thought of the *Flare-Flare Fruit*. 

Now even swords could play with fire? 

"Weapons made from Liquor Iron Ore can be manually ignited or triggered by friction," the officer continued, pitching the material enthusiastically. 

"These weapons are all the rage in the New World." 

While such "flame weapons" weren't exceptionally powerful, they were undeniably stylish and cool. 

And, of course, more expensive to forge than regular weapons. 

The officer's expression took on a sly, merchant-like grin. 

"It does sound interesting," Storm admitted. 

Then came the most critical question: 

"How much for a Liquor Iron Ore sword and a Seastone baton?" 

"The Seastone baton isn't too hard to make—just the manufacturing cost. Let's say 200,000 Berries." 

The officer's smile widened. 

"But the Liquor Iron Ore sword is 800,000 Berries! While it's not a Grade Sword, it's absolutely worth the price!" 

"So, altogether, it's one million Berries! Will you be paying cash or by check?" 

"I…" 

Storm reached into his pocket to grab the money but stopped when he glanced at his recruit uniform. 

He paused, then shifted gears. 

"I'm a new recruit!" 

"...?" 

A sense of foreboding washed over the officer. 

This kid wasn't going to try the "I'm a new recruit, so give me a freebie" line, was he? 

No way! Absolutely not! 

"I'm a recruit!" Storm said, flashing a sunny smile. 

"How about cutting me some slack?" 

The officer's fists clenched tightly. 

---

"The logistics officer is a decent guy!" 

In high spirits, Storm left the equipment division. 

He had spent a full million Berries, purchasing a Liquor Iron Ore sword and a Seastone baton. 

The officer had also thrown in two freebies: 

A cross-regional Den Den Mushi and a permanent pointer to Navy Headquarters. 

Those were just small gifts—not worth mentioning. 

Feeling light on his feet, Storm left the Navy headquarters building and headed to the training grounds. 

The "200x Effort" skill required immense blood, sweat, and dedication to activate—it wasn't something that could be casually achieved. 

Over the past year, Storm had relentlessly trained at the recruit camp, mastering various techniques, including the Six Powers, swordsmanship, and marksmanship. 

But today, Storm wasn't planning to refine his physical abilities. 

Instead, he was eager to test the powers of his newly acquired Clay Fruit. 

---

"Hey!" "Hah!" "Hup!" "Yah!" 

As Storm approached the training grounds, the sounds of grunts, shouts, and even some questionable moans became clearer. 

The cacophony intensified as he stepped onto the grounds. 

Then, a particularly jarring sentence carried over on the breeze: 

"I wish I could be Miss Peacock's dog!" 

The rhythmic sound of "smack," "smack-smack" followed—like a whip cracking against flesh. 

No! 

Not "like" a whip— 

It was a whip! 

Storm stopped to observe. 

Not far from him, in an open area, a tall, blonde-haired girl with green eyes was mercilessly whipping a Navy recruit. 

Storm raised an eyebrow, instantly recognizing the girl. 

She was Peacock, the granddaughter of Navy Vice Admiral Tsuru! 

From what Storm remembered, Peacock's weapon of choice had always been a sword, not a whip. 

After a closer look, Storm realized the "whip" in her hand wasn't a whip at all. 

It was a softened longsword, resembling a whip. 

Has Peacock eaten the Whip-Whip Fruit? Storm wondered. 

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

She stopped whipping the recruit and turned toward him, her green eyes lighting up. 

"Storm?!" 

Peacock raised her whip-like sword, her expression eager, almost predatory. 

"Well, don't just stand there—get over here!" 

Aside from stargazing and moonlit chats, Storm and Peacock had sparred frequently during recruit training. 

Both had been among the top-performing recruits last year. 

Storm knew Peacock's strengths, and she knew his. 

The two were well-acquainted with each other's limits. 

When Peacock extended another invitation to spar, Storm, eager to test his **Devil Ring**, didn't hesitate to accept. 

But before he could take a step forward, Peacock lunged toward him. 

Her snow-white legs moved with lightning speed, executing— 

Six Powers: Shave! 

"Storm!" 

Peacock swung her whip-like sword, her green eyes locked on her target. 

"Let me teach you a lesson!" 

She flicked her right arm, sending the whip hurtling through the air. 

**Whoosh!** 

The whip tore through the air with a piercing shriek, terrifying the spectators. 

Storm, seemingly frozen in place, made no move to dodge or block. 

But his skin—at some point—had turned a smooth, clay-like white. 

Without defense or evasion, Peacock's whip struck Storm squarely. 

Yet it hit like striking soft mud. 

A dull thud echoed across the training grounds. 

**Thwack!** 

"What?!" Peacock's eyes widened in shock. 

Up close, she saw that her whip had nearly severed Storm's left arm. 

But instead of blood pouring from the wound, white clay gushed out like a fountain. 

The clay bubbled and surged, causing Storm's body to grow taller and bulkier. 

In just a few breaths, Storm's height exceeded six meters, resembling a giant. 

Next, a crescent-shaped white mustache formed on his face. 

Clay Fruit? ✗ 

Figurine Fruit? ✓ 

In his transformed state, Storm let out a deep, peculiar laugh. 

"Gurararara…" 

Before Peacock could react, the surrounding Navy elites erupted in panic. 

"Whitebeard!" 

"The world's strongest man!" 

"Whitebeard's attacking Navy Headquarters!" 

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