The still-soundly-sleeping Hammer was abruptly yanked back from dreamland by Zephyr's loud shout.
He scrambled up from the ground, rubbing his bleary eyes.
As soon as he got up, Zephyr and the others immediately noticed the standard longsword clutched in his hand.
At that moment, even Zephyr and the others began to suspect
Could this fool Hammer actually be a swordmaster?
Why else would he even sleep holding a sword?
The hot-tempered Zephyr immediately roared out:
"Hammer, you little brat! Were you hiding your true strength? Are you secretly a swordmaster?!"
Still half-asleep, Hammer was completely confused.
"Instructor Zephyr, why would you think that?"
But the moment those words left his mouth, all four pairs of eyes shifted to his right hand holding the sword.
"If you're not a swordmaster, why are you sleeping with a sword?"
Only then did Hammer realize he was still holding the sword.
He quickly set the longsword aside, looking as clumsy and awkward as ever.
Seeing this, Vice Admiral Lisk quickly stepped up beside him, wanting to pat his shoulder comfortingly, only to realize he wasn't as tall as Hammer, so he gave an embarrassed grin.
"Hammer, it's okay. Just tell the truth. Headquarters won't let a talent like you slip away. Be bold and speak up."
That statement instantly darkened the faces of Sengoku and Zephyr, while Vice Admiral Tsuru covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Ah, this Lisk… he really speaks without thinking.
"Hammer, tell me honestly, are you or are you not a swordmaster?"
Sengoku calmed himself, then asked Hammer seriously.
Hammer shook his head at once.
"I swear! I'm just a blacksmith! I don't know any sword techniques."
Sengoku frowned at his answer, about to speak again, but Lisk couldn't hold back.
"No way! I saw it with my own eyes, you swung that longsword and unleashed a flying slash! How could you not be a swordmaster with skills like that? I'm not blind!"
Only then did Hammer realize what this was all about.
That damn Critical Crafting skill had caused me trouble yet again.
Once he understood the cause, Hammer quickly picked up the longsword again and shoved it into Vice Admiral Lisk's hands.
"Vice Admiral, if you're talking about the flying slash, just swing this sword, and you'll understand."
Lisk looked at Hammer, then at the longsword in his hands, utterly bewildered.
No matter how fast his mind worked, he just couldn't figure out what Hammer was up to.
But Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru seemed to have caught on.
The two exchanged a glance, each seeing a flash of understanding in the other's eyes.
"Lisk, just do as Hammer says, swing the longsword," Sengoku ordered.
Lisk was thoroughly speechless.
He might be a Vice admiral, but he knew nothing about swordsmanship.
"Admiral Sengoku, are you really… huh? Whoa! What the hell?!"
As he began to explain, Lisk casually swung the longsword, and an astonishing scene unfolded.
A pale-white slash instantly tore through the air, flying in the direction the sword pointed, splitting every stone in its path cleanly in two.
A sharp gleam flickered once more in Sengoku's eyes. He secretly thought: Just as I suspected.
He then turned his gaze to Hammer and asked calmly, "Hammer, tell me honestly, did you use your ability to forge this longsword?"
Zephyr immediately caught on, turning his gaze toward Hammer as well.
"Sengoku, you're saying this sword is like the test device from before, he used his ability to imbue it with some special property?"
Sengoku nodded. The strategist's sharp mind was fully on display.
Hammer scratched his head awkwardly and nodded.
"Admiral Sengoku, you're right. This longsword was indeed forged using my ability. It's imbued with an ability called 'sword aura.' When you swing the sword, it automatically releases an attack similar to a flying slash. As for its power… well, hard to say."
The four faces in the room immediately showed a variety of reactions.
First was Lisk, whose mouth gaped wide enough to fit a whole roast pig, stunned beyond words.
Sengoku and Tsuru's eyes lit up, the kind of look reserved for finding an absolute treasure.
Zephyr, on the other hand, felt a profound sense of helplessness; he suspected Hammer was sent from the heavens just to torment him.
"All right, let's leave it at that. Hammer, the punishment that was assigned to you is now over. You can go rest."
"Lisk, give me the sword. Then escort him back to the barracks where the trainees are staying."
"Zephyr, Tsuru, let's go pay Fleet Admiral Kong a visit."
After wrapping things up, Sengoku called Zephyr and Tsuru, and the three of them headed toward the Fleet Admiral's office.
Lisk, looking conflicted, and Hammer, breathing a deep sigh of relief.
"Come on, Hammer, I'll take you to the barracks
"Old man Kong, this brat is part of my training camp! Don't you dare try to steal him away before graduation!"
"Zephyr, you bastard! With talent like his, do you really need to keep training him? Wouldn't it be better to let him shine where he excels?!"
"With talent and ability like his, the Marine could change in ways we've never imagined. What if something goes wrong with your training?"
The Fleet Admiral's office had turned into a battlefield.
Zephyr stood alone against the two, arguing fiercely with Fleet Admiral Kong and Admiral Sengoku.
The battle's main issue? How to arrange Hammer's future.
Zephyr insisted that Hammer complete the Marines' elite training program first.
Sengoku, on the other hand, believed Hammer's forging talent was one of a kind and could massively boost the Navy's combat power, so he wanted to set up a personal forge just Hammer.
At first, Fleet Admiral Kong was on Zephyr's side.
But after Sengoku handed Kong the longsword Hammer had forged, Kong swung it once.
And that was the end of his neutrality.
Who could have guessed that after a lifetime of punching enemies with his fists, the thrill Kong felt when he unleashed a sword slash would make him so giddy?
He practically wanted to enshrine that longsword on an altar.
Vice Admiral Tsuru stood to the side, watching the three muscleheads argue back and forth, utterly exasperated.
Finally, she spoke up with a suggestion everyone could agree on.
"He's only eighteen with monstrous physical potential and high combat power.
"It would be a shame for him to solely focus on blacksmithing and waste his massive potential."
"Have him continue daily training while allowing him to forge during rest periods. The headquarters get first claim on his creations."
"We'll provide materials and proper compensation - the boy shouldn't work for free."
"As for that longsword, Zephyr, later on, have Hammer make more. And give him proper high-quality materials this time."
And just like that, the matter of how to arrange Hammer's duties was settled.
Zephyr was still fuming, but there was nothing more he could do.
After all, Hammer's forging talent was just too valuable to ignore.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and with a look of alarm, Zephyr quickly added:
"Kong, Sengoku - whatever you do, don't tell Garp about this. I'm afraid that idiot will just kidnap Hammer straight onto his ship."
Hearing that, both Sengoku and Kong nodded in all seriousness.
They knew that if Garp got wind of this, he really would come to snatch the kid away.