"Heavenly Blade: Thunder Slash!"
On Raijin Island, one of the three initial islands of the New World, a shirtless, white-haired man stood with a sword at his hip, practicing iaido. His target was a 500-meter tall mountain in the distance.
A flash of blue-violet light accompanied the draw of his blade. A 25-meter wide arc of energy, crackling with electricity, shot towards the mountain 100 meters away.
It traced a graceful arc through the air, leaving a trail of blue-violet light in its wake. Its speed was comparable to lightning.
Clang—! Boom—!!
The energy wave sliced through the mountain, cleaving it cleanly in two at its midsection, leaving a smooth, polished surface.
The upper half of the mountain crumbled, crashing to the ground with a resounding thud, crushing trees and sending dust and debris billowing into the air.
Click—
"Well, that's something." The man sheathed his sword and took a swig of water to replenish his spent energy.
This was Zavia, honing his skills on Raijin Island.
"Not bad, overall. While you haven't fully mastered the power of lightning, you're making progress." Behind him, a handsome man in black and white clothing, holding a bottle of water, offered his assessment.
This was Raul Valona, the captain of the Demon God's first squadron, and the one responsible for Zavia's… misleading information.
Valona was here because Zavia had passed Rector's trial. As Zavia's primary overseer, he had been notified immediately.
He had arrived six months prior, having been delayed by an errand for the Demon God.
Upon Valona's arrival, Rector had departed, but not before spending those six months sharing his knowledge of the outside world with Zavia. Zavia was grateful. He wouldn't have to interrogate every outsider he encountered, which was fortunate, as they were few and far between in the One Piece world.
Besides Roman's group, who had established trade routes here, the only other outsiders who came to this world were seeking the Demon God's Cores.
Perhaps deterred by the Demon God's reputation, or that of his squadron captains, few dared to venture here. Zavia had only encountered the research team, and no one else.
Now, with a complete understanding of the power system, and guided by Rector and Valona, Zavia had finally broken through the Sky Stage and reached the Super Sky Stage.
According to Rector, Zavia's power level after absorbing the Lightning Core was Blazing Sky within the Divine Stage. After a year of training and guidance, he had ascended to Saint Sky within the Super Sky Stage.
The complete power level hierarchy, as explained by Rector, was as follows:
Spiritual Stage:Spirit Sky: First Degree – Ninth Degree (1st Tier)Sky Stage:Holy Spirit: Sky, Grand Sky, Authority Sky (2nd Tier)Victor: Force Sky, Might Sky, Master Sky (3rd Tier)Divine: Throne Sky, Wisdom Sky, Blazing Sky (4th Tier)Super Sky Stage:Saint Sky (5th Tier - Entry Level)God Sky (6th Tier - Awakening Level)Godly Stage:Lower Godly Being (7th Tier - First Level to Peak Third Level)Middle Godly Being (8th Tier - First Level to Peak Third Level)Upper Godly Being (9th Tier - First Level to Peak Third Level)
Having reached Saint Sky, Zavia was considered "Entry Level" within the Super Sky Stage.
When he had asked Rector about the meaning of "Entry Level," the dragon explained that the Super Sky Stage was a necessary stepping stone to the Godly Stage.
Above Saint Sky was God Sky, the Awakening Level. Individuals at this stage awakened a form of "divine power," granting them god-like abilities. The specific nature of these powers varied from person to person, though some shared similar abilities.
However, Rector had spoken of these "divine powers" with disdain, referring to those who possessed them as "pseudo-gods," implying that their power wasn't truly divine, but a mere imitation.
The source of these powers remained a mystery, and Zavia wasn't particularly interested.
After reaching the Awakening Level, the next step was to ascend to the Godly Stage. Godly Beings were divided into Lower, Middle, and Upper tiers, each tier further subdivided into three levels, culminating in a peak level.
Those who reached this stage were considered the strongest of the strong, true gods in their own right, capable of wielding genuine divine power. The specific nature of their abilities, however, still varied greatly.
Upon hearing this explanation, Zavia had immediately asked Rector about his own power level. The dragon had calmly replied, "Middle Godly Being, Second Level."
This revelation had stunned Zavia, explaining why his attacks had been ineffective. The difference between them wasn't just a single stage, but an entire realm of power. He had nearly cursed out loud.
He then asked about Valona's power level, but Rector refused to answer, stating that Zavia wasn't strong enough to know.
Instead of feeling disappointed, Zavia's desire for power intensified. He needed more!
The Spiritual Stage, which preceded the Sky Stage, was designed for ordinary individuals.
If an ordinary person wanted to reach the Sky Stage, they had to cultivate their power to Spirit Sky, progressing through nine degrees before breaking through to the next stage.
This stage was specifically for ordinary people because some individuals were born with the power of the Sky Stage, the Super Sky Stage, or even, in incredibly rare cases, the Godly Stage. This usually occurred within families of Godly Beings.
Incidentally, the researchers Zavia had encountered a year ago were at the Spiritual Stage. This explained their shock at learning he was at Force Sky level. Zavia, however, had simply perceived them as weak.
"It's been a year already. Time flies. I wonder if Arthur is still in this world. Or rather, if he resents me." Zavia donned his blue trench coat and adjusted his attire.
"Rest assured, the boy is still in this world. He's currently on Sabaody Archipelago with the World's Greatest Swordsman." Valona informed him.
"However, whether he resents you, I can't say."
"Is that so? That's good to hear. But how could he leave this world without spatial magic? Hmph hmph."
"True."
"Well then, my training is complete, and the main storyline is about to begin. The official plot hasn't started yet. Luffy has probably just set sail. It seems I'll need some time to reach Skypiea. I suppose I'll go see Arthur." Zavia held a newspaper, reading its contents with an impassive expression. It was a year-old newspaper, or rather, it had been published after he disappeared on Raijin Island.
The headline read: "Urizen, the 'Sword Demon,' Enters the Perilous Raijin Island and Vanishes Without a Trace. Is This a Scheme? Or Has He Perished?"
Zavia simply laughed. He didn't take it seriously. The media would write anything for attention, sensationalizing even the most mundane events.
"To reach Sabaody, I'll need to pass through Fishman Island. Valona, can you help me with something?"
"A small matter. Just a ship and some coating, right? With magic, anything is possible. Consider it a reward for passing your trial. Leave it to me." Valona snapped his fingers.
Several blue magic circles appeared around him, and the surrounding trees began to move, deconstructing and reforming themselves. Within two minutes, a small ship materialized on the nearby sea.
Another magic circle appeared, and the ship's hull was coated in the characteristic bubbles of Sabaody Archipelago.
"Done. Just board the ship, and it will automatically travel to Fishman Island. You don't need to steer it. As for the lightning, I'll handle it." With another snap of his fingers, Valona completed his task. While the lightning storms outside the island no longer posed a threat to Zavia, he decided to restore the island to its original state, the perpetual thunderstorm it once was.
While the Marines would likely notice, Valona didn't care. Let them think what they wanted. They couldn't trace it back to him.
"Thanks, Valona."
"Don't mention it. Now go."
Zavia smiled, stored the Yamato in his spatial bag, and walked towards the ship. Under Valona's watchful gaze, he descended into the ocean, heading for Fishman Island.
After Zavia left, Valona's expression returned to its usual coldness. He only showed warmth to his own people.
"Now, to take care of this." He glanced at the lightning storms surrounding Raijin Island and the thunder zone beyond, then several magic circles appeared around him.