In the large auction hall, only one person sat alone.
"Damn Germa 66! If it weren't for them, how could I have ended up in such a sorry state?!"
Sanders gulped down liquor between drags of his cigar, surrounded by empty bottles and ash.
"Oh? Why is Director Sanders so angry?"
A towering figure, three meters tall, slowly walked into the hall and stood in front of Sanders.
The familiar voice, the familiar figure, Sanders instantly recognized who it was.
"So it's the esteemed Lord Anvil. Apologies for letting you see me ."
Yes, it was the Hammer who came.
The closed borders of the Stanford Kingdom meant nothing to Hammer, he used Geppo and Soru to enter the city from above.
"Seems the trouble Germa 66 brought to the Hydra Society isn't small."
"Otherwise, Director Sanders wouldn't be drowning his sorrows in alcohol."
Sanders gave a bitter smile and took another swig.
'Headache? That's putting it mildly.'
"What brings Lord Anvil here this time?"
"Would causing trouble for Germa 66 count?"
Sanders' hand trembled violently, clutching the bottle, and in the next second, he shot to his feet.
A vicious glint appeared on his flushed face.
"I just don't like them. If everything I sell gets stolen, how am I supposed to do business? Don't you agree, Director Sanders?"
Sanders stared hard into Hammer's eyes, trying to see through him.
But unfortunately, he saw nothing.
Lowering his head in frustration, he looked at the wine bottle in his hand, lost in thought.
"Germa 66 is always drifting, you can't track them down."
"That's why I need the Hydra Society's help."
"To spread a message through the underworld."
"Say the maker of the Invisibility Hat has appeared in Notice."
Sanders suddenly looked up, he seemed to understand.
Since Germa 66 was interested enough to steal the hat, they'd surely be curious about its maker. If news of the creator spread…
"Aren't you afraid those Germa bastards will kill you?"
Hammer smiled freely, his confident voice echoing in the hall.
"If they're capable of it."
Then he turned and left.
Leaving Sanders completely stunned.
His mind was shaken by that one sentence, this was the mental shockwave of the Hammering of the soul, Hammer's newly awakened ability.
He had restrained the force, though. Otherwise, in Sanders' half-drunk state, one full-strength Hammering of the soul could've sent him straight to the afterlife.
"Invite the enemy into the trap, huh…"
With a flash of hatred in his eyes, Sanders smashed the wine bottle.
That very day, a message began spreading through the underworld:
"The creator of the Invisibility Hat has appeared in Notice."
"Hammer, what did you do in the Stanford Kingdom?"
"Nothing much. Just revisiting an old place."
"...Like I'd believe that."
Seeing that Hammer refused to explain further, Lance stopped asking.
Under Lance's command, the warship headed toward Notice.
In his mind, they were going there to track Germa 66.
Back in the resting room, Hammer began testing his new ability.
"Hammering of the soul…"
"All things breathe. Even iron, else how could swordsmen reach the realm of cutting iron?"
Hammer had a revelation; this was a truth he had just realized.
He had always believed forging required hammering iron down one strike at a time.
It's not wrong, after all, that's what all blacksmiths do.
But after eating the Hammer-Hammer Fruit and awakening Hammering of the soul, he realized it didn't have to be that way.
'If my hammer can shake souls, why not metal's essence?'
Like a swordsman capable of cutting anything… or cutting nothing at all.
Elevating his level was the greatest aid to his skill.
So now, Hammer would try using Hammering of the Soul to forge.
If it worked, his forging efficiency would skyrocket.
Even without awakening his fruit, he'd be able to continue blacksmithing.
"All things breathe…"
Closing his eyes, he pulsed his power outward.
A hammering sound rang out, with invisible soundwaves rippling outward.
Through the echo, Hammer began to perceive everything around him,
Tables, chairs, guns...
Another strike, his perception deepened.
Suddenly, Hammer's eyes snapped open. He shouted, "Hammering of the soul!"
A force locked the flintlock pistol on his workbench.
The resonant waves and unseen vibrations wrapped around the gun.
A crisp hammering sound rang out.
But this time, the sound didn't come from Hammer striking the gun
It came from the gun itself, vibrating from the inside out.
A look of excitement spread across Hammer's face, only for disaster to strike the next moment.
The flintlock suddenly began to fall apart from the inside, shattering into pieces.
Hammer was stunned. He muttered:
"The force, the quality of the item, and control...needs refinement."
"But the direction is right."
With that in mind, Hammer immediately began testing again
This time, using iron ingots instead of flintlocks.
After all, guns were limited, and they had left the North Sea's 217th Branch. Replenishing firearms would be a major hassle.
Luckily, he had brought a pile of iron ingots with him, perfect for practice.
"Hammering of the soul, full power."
This time, Hammer hit five iron ingots at once.
The sounds of hammering rang out one after another, their harmonic tremors filling the room.
Notice, a peaceful and prosperous harbor town.
Surrounded by patrols and neighbored by the Marine Base 169th branch.
It was one of the few truly peaceful spots in the North Sea.
"What a peaceful place. Look at the villagers, everyone's got such kind smiles."
Hammer observed the town.
His knowledge of Notice was vague, but he remembered it being the birthplace of Bellamy and his crew.
He hadn't expected it to be so prosperous.
Happiness and sunshine were its best representatives.
He couldn't understand why Bellamy would ever leave here to become a pirate, absurd.
"Did you hide the warship?"
"Yeah, found a cliff and docked it there."
"Good. Now we just need to sit and wait."
Lance stared at Hammer in confusion, wondering what kind of plan he had in mind.
Hammer, however, wore an expression of complete confidence, driving Lance nuts with curiosity.