Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>2092863
They are as strong as they are stupid which is very. Their speed and toughness is also surprising given their large size but cursed with tiny heads. Too small to easily control their large body and frankly dimwitted. They may not have the Ghouls regeneration or the Shade's speed, but in a fight. The brute is capable of pummeling them into the ground until they surrender. For they are just that freakishly strong and tough. With powerful burst speed.

Their only weaknesses are their clumsiness and dimwit status.

Which you have so far taken advantage of. Dodging its attacks and making it even lose one of its weapons. Not to mention very angry.

Unfortunately your attacks haven't really done much damage and your frankly in deep shit. Your tired and you really haven't hurt it that much.

The greatest problem your dealing with is you can't get it without being defeated and your tired.

Not to mention the brute is so tough your attacks haven't been doing enough damage to make him really feel it.

Overall right 'now' your winning but in the long run, your going to lose to the brute unless you can figure something out. You're just not doing enough damage to take him out before your too exhausted to dodge properly. All its going to take to lose is a single hit.

Even the Ghouls with their freakish regenerating do their best to avoid getting hit by a brute because they hit just that hard. Which is saying something because they can regenerate entire limbs with ease and not even they wanna get hit by one.

So rightly your in deep shit.

What do?
>Try to trip him with a vine
>Attempt to disarm
>Dodge the brute and counterattack as per usual
>surrender
>Unleash a tree slam
>Other?

>>2092889
>>Attempt to disarm
Oooh yeah, Trey's adventures are back!

>>2092889
>>Unleash a tree slam

>>2092889
>>Attempt to disarm

>>2092889
>use a vine to tap him on the shoulder from behind, as a distraction for disarming.

>>2093733
support

>>2092924
>>2093733
>>2093057
Gonna need some 1d100s.

Rolled 91 (1d100)

>>2094379

Rolled 87 (1d100)

>>2094379

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>2094379

>>2094397
>>2094512
Nice!

Rolled 92 (1d100)

>>2094397
You stretched out a vane in plain sight. Honestly, you thought the even a brute would have noticed the long vine stretching back around him that rose up to tap him on the shoulders.

Even as the brute came charging at you and swingingly madly. At first, he didn't seem to notice until you suddenly saw a confused expression appear on his face as he turned around slowly. To look.

Giving you time to swing your other tree limb arm to smash the weapon out of his confused hands. It was difficult given his grip but his confusion and not paying attention allowing you to completely disarm the brute.

Who after realizing he got tricked ripped off your vine. Making you shriek in pain at the loss of a 'finger'. As the brute once more came charging at you with his large fists.

Forcing you to dodge once more as he quickly closed in. Damn those brutes can move with surprising speed. Good thing they are clumsy oafs but it can still catch you by surprise even now.

What do?
>Trip him
>Counterattack
>Surrender
>Bait him into slamming into a wall
>Tree slam
>Other?

>>2096241
>>Trip him

>>2096241
>Bait him into slamming into a wall
Followed by a
>Tree slam

>>2096241
>>Trip him

>>2096424
>>2096241
Changing to
>Trip him
Followed by a
>Tree Slam

>>2096241
>Spread ass cheeks, offering my stinky pink boy hole to the Brute

>>2096480
This!

>>2096480
>>2096424
>>2097007
Gonna need some rolls. 1d100s as per usual.

Rolled 59 (1d100)

>>2097147
Trip-to-Slam! It will knock you out!

Rolled 99 (1d100)

>>2097147

>>2097155
Good one, dude!

Rolled 91 (1d100)

>>2097147
>>2097155
NICE!

Rolled 89 (1d100)

>>2097155
Brutes are clumsy right how hard could they be to trip? One broken vine/finger later you used an entire arm to vines and wrapped them together like rope to make em tougher. After that you through them out to entangle to brute's legs with them. You transformed your other arm into a mighty tree branch and all the while you dodged the brutes fists. After one solid tug(and a poorly timed kick from the brute). You made the big bastard trip and swung your wood arm down.

Right on top of is tiny head and back.

SLAM!

Brute hit the floor~

BAM!

One wooden arm turned club on right top of his tiny head and the brute went still. Not getting up.

"HERE COMES THE COUNTDOWN!" Roars the announcer. "ONE!"

"TWO!" The pirates watching the show were stunned silent.

"THREE!" The smarter ones begin to realize what just happened.

"FOUR!" The smart ones start to countdown along with the announcer.

"FIVE!"A medic hops into the arena and approaches.

"SIX!" The slower ones start to count with the smarter ones.

"SEVEN!" Still no movement from the fallen brute.

"EIGHT!" Medic makes sure the brute isn't dead.

"NINE!" The pirates start to cheer.

"TEN! AND WE HAVE A WINNER! THE THREE EYED KID FIRST EVER MATCH AND AGAINST A BRUTE OF ALL THINGS...IS VICTORIOUS! OOH WHAT ARE EVEN THE ODDS?" Screams the announcer.

Pirates were cheering wildly while the gamblers and bookies who made the obvious choice were cursing bitterly. While those who took a long shot bet were cheering the hardest of them all since they just made an absolute killing.

You meanwhile walked out of the arena tired but happy over knocking the Brute out cold. Guess their tiny heads are their weakness in more ways than one. As you tried to walk out a pirate suddenly throws a large sack full of money at you before telling you it was your 'cut of the winnings'. Apparently, the winners make a cut of whatever the gamblers put down for their victory.

Meanwhile in an officer full of machinery bits and blueprints. "Oi boss your gonna wanna see this," says a pirate poking his inside and holding a tape.

"Better be good," mutters the Pirate Commodore as he tinkers with a miniature marine ship while looking at some blueprints.

"It is the three eyed brat just went into the arena for the first time ever and beat a Brute!"

"Oh...impressive," nods the Commodore leaning back into his seat. "Play the feed."

After watching the tape the Commodore was scratching his hairy chin before speaking. "Not a bad way to win and looks like he's gotten a better hold of his powers ever since the drunken Doctor Sicko experimented on him. Maybe he should keep some of those diseases after all. Nor did he rely upon those poisons of his. Have the gunsmith make something good for him as something extra."

"What exactly?"

"Rifle. Since he already has a pistol and needs something with greater range. Got his powers for close combat, has poison for crowd control, and will need guns for long range for now."

Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>2097284
"Also tell the Drillmaster to lay off him and make him fight more in the arena since his training is going so well," orders the Pirate Commodore.

"Same thing as Snake Kid? I thought we were doing separate training regimens for those two?"

"We are but since the three eyed brat has shown some potential why throw it away for more training when he needs some real action? Not to mention he'll profit from it all the same. How's is studies doing again?"

"He's a smart brat. Not particularly fast, cute, strong, or tough but he's got brains."

"Guess that explains why he got a handle on his devil fruit powers so quickly along with Doc," mutters the Commodore. "Best thing I'm at is being persuasive and looking handsome, Doc is the smart one. He also had an easier time getting to grips with his devil fruit power."

"Then why the suit if he's so good?"

"You ever noticed how devil fruit owners their clothing morphs with them? Well that was the problem with Doc. His powers are a bit too nasty and as insurance, the suit was made to help contain it. Especially when he goes all out. The guy could make an entire army drop dead with ease. That suit helps contain his powers. Of everyone in my crew is obviously the most dangerous and truthfully if he was willing to fight his bounty would be a hell of a lot higher for obvious reasons, but his pacifist ways have kept the WG from pumping up his bounty since they can't stick him with any serious crimes ever since his debut. Smart of him really."

"So he's the strongest then," asks the Pirate.

"Not strongest but certainly the most dangerous. If you're looking at sheer strength the giants and the Brutes are obviously the winners. So when are we in position?"

"Tomorrow. Sure its such a good idea to plan a jailbreak?"

"Of course, this particular batch as a certain mad navigator we need to recruit. Can't go back to the Grand Line till I get that some good navigators. Still stuck in the recruiting basic talents which are taking forever due to the whole 'cursed fleet made up of haunted ships'. Not many people willing to join up for something like that."

The next day you, snake kid, and Doctor Sicko found yourself stranded on a rowboat in the middle of the sea. Ever since the Commodore stated you needed to see something and stuck you with Doc in order to do so. Why you weren't sure then the marine ships appeared. Seeing them Doc started to create a fog after opening up his gauntlets and gas mask. Spewing out foggy substance that stood in the Marine ships way.

The Marine ships barreled right through it or they tried anyway. As soon as they entered the fog they never got out or noticed when you three clambered aboard. Looking around you saw why. Every single marine on board was knocked out. With your gas masks on the signal was fired into the air a flare.

After that the other ships arrived and boarded. The cells were emptied of their prisoners and the Marines were thrown inside.

Rolled 33 (1d100)

>>2097321
When they started to wake up some of the prisoners screamed when they saw some of the scary looking crew whom they found themselves surrounded by before the Captain spoke up to his new guests.

"Greetings my fellow criminal scum who were bound to hell. I just broke you all out and are free to go."

Some of the prisoners look confused or like they didn't quite believe it before one of them spoke up.

"Really?"

"Yup," nods the Commodore.

"...Why?" They ask and the Commodore merely shrugged.

"To create goodwill between us of course and to make an offer to join my crew. Even if you refuse I won't hold it against you."

"...What's the catch?"

"Preferably you would keep your mouths shut about what happened but I know that is unlikely since some of you are bound to speak up eventually," explains the Commodore. "Anyway, we'll be visiting a nearby island soon where I'll drop you off while we go resupply ourselves."

True to the Captain's word he let those who weren't interested in joining up go to a nearby island while supplies were purchased. After loading back up and sailing away the Captain made another announcement over the snails.

"Alright lad's so here's how its gonna be. We are gonna go on a crime spree. All you need to know is I know where to wait in seemingly the middle of nowhere and that you all need to keep your masks on. The job is as such. We gas em and then we loot them. Fight any who somehow didn't get affected. Understood?"

"Yeah...but what about the marines we sorta...locked up?" Asks one of the crew.

"Depends on if they are the nice kind or not. If they are we dropped them off albeit covered in masks and in chains. If they aren't we leave them to Doctor Sicko for research. Other prisoners will be ransomed accordingly. Now let's get to work!"

So past the next few weeks waylaying trading ships with bombardment and gas attacks robbing them, capturing their ships, and ransoming the crew. Avoiding Marine patrols, hitting supply runs, and prisoner transfers seemingly at random. The marines started wising up the fastest and kept gas masks handy. Which was when the fighting finally started for real. Or so they thought until Doc hit them with a modified gas that went through the skin...so the fighting didn't really get intense.

While the Marines became increasingly pissed as the Infamous Ghost Fleet arose as you all became notorious as.

Ghost Fleet. They called you for your ability to slip away and sneakily attack without them even realizing it until they awoke inside their own brig. Only to face the monstrous looking crew who looked inhuman as they were ransomed off.

Naturally, the Marines suffered a huge headache over the sudden appearance of this 'ghost' fleet in the North Blue. Ships were vanishing left and right. The few times their patrols ran into them they didn't last long until they got hit with some kind of gas to weaken them and overwhelmed by the crew.

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>2097388
The worst part is whenever they tried to change up their plans and adapted. Those plans STILL somehow ended up getting leaked regardless. The Marines were about to go insane over this problem. Only to realize they couldn't rely upon the Marine Bases and Ships there from getting their info leaked. As somehow someway the Ghost Fleet would take them out and steal the plans.

This damned Ghost Fleet was making them look a fool and the merchants were becoming paranoid whenever they sailed through North Blue for one running into the wretched Ghost Fleet was to encounter certain doom. They were getting robbed left and right.

Finally, the Marines decided to do something about it and made the necessary arrangements. They sent in some powerful people...only for the Ghost Fleet just like their name entails to abruptly vanish.

Leaving the Marines to look even more foolish with dick in hand and suffered complete utter defeat to Ghost Fleet.

...Meanwhile at the Ghost Fleet.

"Alright lads so here's the plan," finally explains the Commodore. "Right now the heat is insane in North Blue but very few people have seen what some of our ships look like...and most importantly our crew. No doubt you been wondering why I haven't converted some of those ships into haunted ships right and wondering how we were gonna get out of this mess yes?"

"Say hello Nightmare Company!" Reveals the Captain swapping the flags out. "We have hereby the hired protection to a trading company. So please change into your uniforms and prepare to put on some makeup," says the Captain as you look down at your new...company uniforms as a weird expressions overtake the entire crew.

"Is this really going to work," asks one of the crew. "Of course!" Explains the Captain. "We just repaint the ships and keep them with some normal ships as 'escorts'. All the paperwork has been filed correctly for the Company which exists now in more than just name. It isn't a shell company! After all who would expect a bunch of filthy pirates to settle down and get honest jobs to make an honest living!"

"...He's got a point actually," mutters one of the crew.

"Exactly! Best of all its just a disguise that ISN'T a disguise hence the PERFECT DISGUISE! Also, we are going bounty hunting too so don't expect to grow bored!"

At this point, the entire crew stumbles at the sheer ridiculousness yet the brilliance of the entire plan.

"This...this is too much," finally shakes a zombie with tears spilling from his eyes before he erupts with laughter. Soon the entire crew and Commodore included were laughing their asses off.

"HARHARHAHRHRHAHRARHAHRAHRHRA!"

When the pirates scum in the North Blue abruptly found themselves besieged by an entire Bounty Hunter Company and a new merchant company with their terrifying 'security' force came to be.

All the while the Marines were gnashing their teeth at having been made a complete fool of and strongly suspecting the Ghost Fleet had smartly fled to Grand Line.

Rolled 6 (1d100)

>>2097437
You soon found that things changed yet again. After things had cooled down the Commodore allowed robbing of merchant ships and attacking of Marine forces was once more allowed. Suddenly barely a month since this whole fiasco began you were given some options finally.

As a strange normalcy overtook the crew as everyone finally realized how it was all connected together and got used to the strangeness of the situation. When jobs were finally handed out the crew giving you some options of what to do finally.

As for what new plans the Commodore was concocting? Everyone would love to know...about what kind of freaky ingenious crazy plans he's cooking up next.

What do?
>Act as security escort
>Hunt some pirates
>Be a proper pirate
>Visit an island
>Other?

Quick questions to anons what do you think of the Crew and Commodore? What do you think is his next plan gonna be?

>>2097450
>Visit an island
See if we can find some more books and plants

The crew and Commodore seem great to me, although I don't have the slightest idea about what his next plan will be, but I like that.

Also, Did we found the navigator that we we're looking for in the jailbreak?

>>2097450
>>Visit an island

Can I get the archives for this Quest

>>2097476
You did find the navigator. Now from what you understand the Commodore is looking for more of them.

>>2097450
>>Visit an island

>>2097540
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Starter%20Quest

Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>2097476
>>2097528
>>2097962
You are sick and tired of being a ship. You want to see some land. Take some plant samples and such. So you make a request and get put on a boat headed to an island known for their swordsmiths and dojos apparently. So you changed ships and sailed out.

Finally a vacation! There isn't Jenkins to beat the shit out of you or an arena to fight in. No Doctor Sicko to experiment on you or force you to study! In other words your FREE! First time as a pirate your finally FREE!

Fucking hell, talk about finally.

As you enjoyed the boat ride of freedom eventually the island came into sight. You stopped at the docks and wearing your bandana 'disguise' you got of the ship. As one of the crew talks with the merchant as a warehouse is opened and crates start being moved onto the ship. You meanwhile ran off to enjoy being on land once more!

What do?
>Collect some plant samples
>Visit some dojos
>Buy some melee weapons
>Just mess around
>Other?

>>2099481
>>Collect some plant samples

>>2099481
>>Visit some dojos

>>2099481
>Collect some plant samples

>>2099481
>>Collect some plant samples

Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>2099524
>>2100355
>>2100400
Gonna need some rolls to see what you find.

Rolled 64 (1d100)

>>2100411

Rolled 56 (1d100)

>>2100411
Plant finding powers activate!

Rolled 59 (1d100)

>>2100411

>>2100421
>>2100425
>>2100426
>>2100426
Oh come on, we had been doing it so well...

Rolled 12 (1d100)

>>2100443
Just one more try! Probably won’t count but I just want to see what happens!

Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>2100425
>>2100421
For the first time ever your journey to collect plants when...awry. As in not near as good as all those other times. Sure you found plants but only the common ones! At best you found only a few uncommon plants...in other words, things sucked.

Everything was a massive failure. So you sat there on a cliff overlooking the sea in a bad mood. Wondering where it went all wrong. Where you went all wrong. Trying to ignore your pitiful pile of freshly collected plants. You didn't even find a single rare plant in the entire time and you have only so much time before the ship departs.

What do?
>Visit the dojos
>Find more plants
>Buy some weapons
>Seek assistance
>Other?

>>2101330
>>Seek assistance

>>2101330
>>Seek assistance
The got help last time. Maybe we need an expert to find awesome plants!

>>2101330
>Seek assistance
a plant dont need to be rare to be good focus on the use and not the rarity

>>2101330
>>Visit the dojos

>>2104125
>>2101668
>>2101368
Gonna need some rolls as per usual.

Rolled 23 (1d100)

>>2105764
Rolling for a homie!

>>2105772
Darn!

Rolled 2 (1d100)

>>2105764
>>2105764

>>2105821
Double darn!

>>2105821
I am just going to avoid rolling for the rest of the night.

>>2105839
>>2105854
You still got 1 more roll.

>>2105855
so now we wait for another person to roll.

Rolled 56 (1d100)

>>2105764

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>2105897
Hm if you were to wanna find someone who knew plants...herbalists. There has gotta be some around here, right? If not you could always browbeat some of the crew into helping.

As it turns out the entire island prefers modern medicine over the old school. Making find herbalists difficult and the crew weren't exactly in the mood to help. Until you threatened them with your Devil User authority.

In the end you banged on the door of an herbalist with backup and...persuaded them to help you collect some plants. Of course it had nothing to do with the company you brought with. Your just a kid so why would the herbalist listen to you?

After that you went plant hunting once more...

roll a 1d100 This is your last chance do or die moment anons. Best roll well.

Rolled 87 (1d100)

>>2105923
We can do it guys!

Rolled 66 (1d100)

>>2105923
Let's do this

Rolled 9 (1d100)

>>2105923

Rolled 94 (1d100)

>>2105923
Just for fun!

Rolled 96 (1d100)

>>2105951
Using sheer weight of numbers and some coarced herbalists. You soon dug up a fine new collection of plants to add to your garden. At this rate your gonna need your own ship to stick them all in...gonna need to talk to the Commodore about that. Though if you stole your own ship would that count?

You moved throughout the island combing through it with muscle and guides to collect the plants you saught. At the end when you let the herbalists go one couldn't help but ask you, "Who the fuck are you people," you were right about to reply with 'pirate' but then you remembered that...this current trip you might not be disguised as pirates so you turned to the crew for a response.

The zombie then turned towards another one and after some fierce whispering they finally spoke up in reply, "security agents."

The herbalists clearly didn't believe you as they departed and you turned to the crew. "So what's the mission here besides arms dealing," you ask now that you finished your own personal business.

"Recruit from the dojos and acquire some proper weaponsmiths, because apparently arming the brutes is an even bigger bitch then the zombies accidentally breaking their swords thanks to retarded zombie strength," replies a Shade.

"Ah so this mission is actually rather important," you mutter.

"Aye why do you think they let one of the Devil Humans to join us?" Responds a hungry looking ghoul.

"Hm good point," you note realizing the reason why you sent on this particular mission.

What do?
>Go visit some dojos
>Buy yourself a proper melee weapon
>Recruit some weaponsmiths
>Head back to the ship to tend to your plants
>Other?

>>2107599
Quick question to anons trying to find some lost threads for /qst/ any idea where to look? I am not finding shit.

>>2107626
Do you mean the last 4 threads for this quest or something else? I know the last 4 threads were archived on suptg, I youre asking.

>>2107599
>Recruit Weaponsmiths

>>2107632
Previous 4 threads
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Starter+quest

>>2107599
>>Recruit some weaponsmiths

Rolled 57 (1d100)

>>2107632
Ah it was something else.

>>2107599
>>Buy yourself a proper melee weapon

>>2107599
>Recruit Weaponsmiths

>>2107599
>Recruit Weaponsmiths

Oh man, I didn't know this quest was back up. You need a Twitter Ghost, it'll be useful for telling people when new threads are up if the last one is dead.

Rolled 85 (1d100)

>>2110542
My health is shit and so I can't run on a regular schedule because its day by day, also I've had trouble with Twitter in the past.

>>2107697
Apologies I had a really long day today staying up all night along with visiting doctors/long as traveling trips and the past few days I was stuck trying to figure out where the plot should be heading. Tomorrow or the day after I should hopefully be able to run.

There was a question about what the Commodore might be planning, what I think would be sensible for him to do would be to use the opportunity that having both an sick sick fruit user and a corpse corpse fruit user on the same ship would give, if the corpse fruit lets the user have some power over the dead and doctor sicko can make the dead even more monstrous then those two might make some amazing monsters, what the commodore should be doing is to maybe find more devil fruit users or experts (like the genius surgeon from the triller park saga) that will increase the power of their monster units. The ghost fleet is also outgrowing north blue so he needs to either get to the grand line or get better at not generating so much heat. Bit hard to hide and lay low if you are one of the biggest threats in north blue.

Getting another docktor would maybe be wise in case doctor sicko gets taken out, without a docktor it all would go to shit, but a non sick sick fruit doctor who has the right virus samples might keep the monster fleet going in case docktor sicko gets captured or knocked out for a long while.

>>2119025
Doctor Sicko teaches you a lot despite not being a botanist. Mostly in terms of poisons/medicines also because he's the sole other Smarts specialist and most importantly devil fruit user whose power is very intelligence based just like yours.

You know the reason why the Corpse Corpse Eater survived was that Doctor Sicko infected him with something that brought him more time that allowed him to 'pass' the Corpse Corpse Fruit Challenge which kills you.

Thanks to it being a success Doctor Sicko is currently trying to figure out how to reanimate corpses and the Corpse Corpse Eater is his number 1 test subject to create it. The biggest problem being apparently the Corpse Corpse power is limited to single person/user. The user can't pass on the 'gift' to others, but Doctor Sicko thinks if he somehow figures out a way to fuse the two together and tinker with it. He can potentially create the means to animate other corpses, but Doctor Sicko is having a hell of a time figuring it out.

The Corpse Corpse Eater himself though is terrifyingly powerful and 'awakened human' to the point that Commodore compares him to having eaten a Human Zoan type devil fruit. He can take an utterly insane amount of damage and he hits like a train. You know he and Snake Boy have been getting along together because both of them are testing the limits to their devil fruit power and trying to figure out ways to use it. Kind of like you and Doctor Sicko.

You personally don't know him very well besides the Commodore going out of his way to disguise him and his ship. He is arguably the most powerful Captain under the Commodore and known as Captain Deadman with a 10 million beri bounty.

Rolled 93 (1d100)

>>2107642
>>2108510
>>2108546
>>2107632
Gonna need some rolls to see what you find.

Rolled 75 (1d100)

>>2120434
Alrighty

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>2120434
For recruitment!

Rolled 93 (1d100)

>>2120431

>>2120795
A place full of weapon forging due to the plentiful mines and forests. You need to find a reject like the Zane the cursed gunsmith who would be willing to work for a crew full of freaks and monsters. Reject...reject.

Where to find a weaponsmith whose...that was when it hit you when you saw a sign advertising all their 'prized swordsmiths'.

"THAT'S IT!" You suddenly shout as you grab the crew who were right about to sneak away from you. "We need to find the smiths who aren't specialized in swords!" You tell the now confused crew.

"You want us to find...the unpopular smiths who don't specialize in swords?" Asks a zombie pirate.

"Exactly! This island specializes in forging melee weapons but the most popular melee weapons are swords! In other words, the poor bastards who prefer axes and hammers are unpopular! Meaning they would be the most willing to join our crew!"

"...Why not recruit the swordsmiths whose businesses are struggl-oh I get it," mutters a Shade who was confusedly scratching his head but now stopped. "You sure the Commodore won't mind though?"

"The Commodore is interested in something will forge unusual weapons thanks to the unusual crew requirements normal weapons don't exactly work that well. The ones who best fit that profile isn't going to likely be the mainstream swordsmiths. So also look into those other weaponsmiths," you explain.

"Ah I see fine, we'll also look into the nonswordsmiths with special care," says the Shade as he disappears leaving behind only a cloud of dust.

You also looked into them. You remember encountering the unusual Zane with his curse and collector hobby. Which is why when you were visiting the shops you abruptly stopped when you saw someone carrying large box FULL of swords and had smithing equipment dangling from it. Who stared at the strange figure as he trudged forward and stopped at every shop to carefully study the weapons. Only ever to buy the cheap and damaged goods with the occasional normal looking sword. The smiths for their part stared at the man before grumbling as they took his money and laughed at him teasing him about his 'sword storm style' which is impossible for a normal human to use. The man merely laughed it off as he trudged off. Seemingly not feeling the heavy weight strapped to his back and the bulging box of weapons along with heavy smithing equipment.

You couldn't stop yourself as you approached him and asked him a question.

"At first I thought you were a collector...but I ain't ever heard of a collector who collects such ordinary much less damaged goods, and its not like you were trying to actively sell them either. So what's with you?"

The man looked down at you before replying. "Everyone only ever pays attention to the famous weapons, the expensive looking, and the best quality. Nobody considers the normal, cheap, or damaged unless they have to. So why do I collect them? It's for a very simple reason."

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>>2121044
He pulls out a rusted sword and very plain perfectly average one. "I will confess I used to be just like them. I only considered them because I had no choice, I am a practitioner of the largely forgotten Sword Storm Style. As a result I burn through a great many weapons during my training and practice. Meaning the expensive and quality weapons were not a concern to me. I couldn't afford it you see. In fact even the reason why I became a swordsmith was due to my need to repair the swords I use and I thought it would be nice to forge my own."

"It was only after I became a swordsmith I noticed something very important. A fact that everyone missed. Even I didn't notice it at first but after awhile I noticed something very important."

"Tell me what do you think is more valuable an experience to a swordsmith studying a high-quality sword or one of these two I have in my hand?"

You were about to say the best quality would offer you the most to learn from but...you stopped yourself. There had to be a catch...you were smart enough to realize this. So you thought about it a long while. As the sword collector kept on shopping through the weapon stories buying the swords with his unusual sense of priority. Having given you the two swords he had in hand for you to study and think on.

After awhile you finally figured it out. People learn the most when they fail. As only then is most obvious to them then, but...is it not also possible to learn from your successes other successes? Why of course. So what if it were low quality or even perfectly 'average' in quality? What sort of secrets and lessons are contained within?

This had you stumped but you could sense there was something very important there. There would be some things to learn obviously but...why go out of the way to collect and study them?

What are you missing?

Then it finally hit you.

Too often experts will find they get stuck more and more. That they are seemingly incapable of breaching past a certain wall or truly climb to the peak. They to the day they die of old age are incapable of being a true master. They obviously noticed the same things you did...but they still got stuck so how could it be they never reached the peak like those masters?

but here's the thing how often is it that they sit down and study the mediocre or the downright bad? What if...what if there was some kind of enlightenment within them? Something word hoarding and studying so intently?

So you spoke your answer.

"It's because they contain enlightenment and lessons that do not exist in masterworks or complete failures. Something that is oh so very easy to miss precisely due to their mediocrity which perfectly conceals them turning them into such easy to miss secrets."

The sword collector suddenly stopped what he was doing as you looked back at you surprise clear in his eyes. "Not bad kid. You are actually pretty good, but there is one more reason that you missed."

>>2121077
"Not that I blame you given how only someone who studied Sword Storm Style would understand what it is," he says shrugging. "It was due to commonness. A storm of swords cannot be high quality for it if were high quality why would it need to rely on quantity? The vast majority of those who studied Sword Storm Style believed it to be impossible unless you had the right devil fruit power, to the point that those who learned it without possessing a devil fruit power became so rare as to be thought impossible. When I was younger I was a stubborn little brat. Who refused to learn those 'proper' sword styles. I was the genius I believed I was so great that I should do something 'worthy' of such a genius and an actual challenge! So I chose one of the great 'impossible' sword styles. I chose Storm of Swords believed to be impossible for someone who doesn't possess the right devil fruit power to learn. At that moment I went from a great genius to arrogant fool. I forever lost my title and halo of 'genius'."

"But I persisted even has people either scorned me or begged me to change my mind. I went broke and was almost entirely abandoned. The only one who supported me was an old devil fruit user who also knew the style who was intrigued by a normal kid trying to clearly learn a devil fruit style. I struggled and failed so...so many times. I was so broke and ashamed I refused to practice any other sword styles seriously. Eventually, due to my love of swords, I decided to become a swordsmith and then I finally noticed it."

"Sword Storm is quantity nothing is more plentiful then average and cheap low-quality goods. Its need for quantity seemingly makes it impossible for a 'normal' person to successfully use the style. I, however, found a way and as it turned out," this time he was even smiling. "I was an even better swordsmith then a sword master."

"So does that answer your question kid?"

"..." You think about your own devil fruit. Exploding into a bunch of leaves and vines, countless branches and twigs...you don't have any idea where to find such a complex martial art that takes that into consideration. More importantly, you can't imagine how someone 'normal' would even be capable of using such a martial art! A doubting expression emerged but it was also mixed with a strange hope.

This clearly confused the man as you struggled to speak.

"Yeah I suppose so but...how?"

"For the similar reason that a normal person can use a shotgun with its many pellets or a machine gun with its many bullets. Its reliance on quantity doesn't make it impossible to use now, does it? As for how good a swordsmith I am down the street in a market is regular competition among swordsmiths about who can make the best sword. My swords are always one of the main contenders despite its plainness." With that, the man continues on shopping as you head to where he pointed.

There you saw a sword show was going on and there were swords marked with the which place they got.

>>2121100
On stage meanwhile you could see a group of judges were fiercely arguing with each other with red faces as they kept on pointing a couple swords on display. Which strangely enough weren't marked with what place they got yet. Among those swords they were all amazing look and of such great quality. Even for someone like you to notice it but...then there was the exception. An otherwise plain simple sword that looked like an everyday sword that nobody would notice or miss that can be bought just about anywhere. Something that can be found everywhere. Yet here it was with the top contenders and the judges kept on pointing at it while arguing. This made you and many others take a closer look at the plain. Puzzled over its top ranking position. Finally, the judges seem to come to a consensus when they made a strange announcement.

"Please, would any sword experts please stand in a line before the stage? You all will be allowed to handle and even test some swords. Surprised a bunch of swordman and women lined up neatly. As some workers pulled out some practice dummies and other materials. As the sword users were allowed on stage and handle the weapons. Before being allowed to test some of them. Afterward, they were questioned and tallies were made on a large board keeping track of the scores.

Finally the winner is selected under the plain title of 'simple sword' came out the winner. Just as it were about to be rewarded with number 1 placement. A scuffle abruptly emerged among the judges and shouting.

"This is fucking sword is an offense to swordmasters, swordsmiths, and even legendary swords everywhere! It DOES NOT DESERVE NUMBER 1 POSITION MUCH LESS MADE A CONTENDER FOR JOINING THE LISTS, who in their right fucking mind would make such a high quality but an utterly simple sword? It's an affront to us all and everything we stand for! This is BULLSHIT! This...this sword is an abomination! What sort of lunatic would disguise their masterpieces as such and make them so utterly indistinguishable?"

He did have a point you looked at the book which contained a list and pictures of the best swords in the world. Not one of them looked anything like that utterly plain sword. They were clearly made with love and beauty to showcase their masterpiece.

"Ahem I would the creator of it obviously," plainly points out the strange man with the large pack stuffed full of ordinary swords who suddenly appeared. "Now excuse me while I take my winnings and leave. Oh and I won't need the sword back."

"...Huh?" Even the judges who supported the sword from the beginning were confused as one of them and even the announcers sputters the question 'why'?

"Is it not one of your masterpieces? Why...why would you just leave it like a...a-"

"An utterly plain, easily forgotten, and plentiful sword? Why I do believe that was already quite clearly explained and noticeable," chuckles the eccentric sword collector.

>>2121118
Even you someone who wasn't a swordsmith felt pained at how such a masterpiece...was treated like common garbage plain as can be that was so easy to replace and forgotten.

"You...you can't be serious," says the stubborn judge who hated the sword as an abomination.

"What why not? Am I not agreeing with you or are you some kind of hypocrite?" Laughs the man as he grabs his bag of earnings. this shut up the judge right up as the poor announcer struggles to come up with a response.

"Then...then what do you want to be done with it?" Asks the clearly distraught announcer.

"I'll take it!" Suddenly yells out a sword user.

"Yeah me too!" Agrees another.

"I'll pay a million beri for such a sword right here and right now!" Yells out a rich one.

"Hm...well, in that case, there is a boy who practices with a worn out wooden sword on a hill with an old tree near a cliff that overlooks the sea. He's talented but broke give it to him," waves off the eccentric sword collector as he wanders away.

"Who...who the fuck even is that guy and why haven't I ever heard of him?" Suddenly asks a young swordsmith to some old ones nearby. Who all looked rather pained before replying.

"That...is the madman known as Crazy Stormer. A former proud genius of the sword who was too prideful to admit when he was wrong when he chose to learn an impossible sword style. As a result, he became a swordsmith instead as he was too arrogant to admit he was wrong but still wanted to handle swords."

"Huh I heard of that guy I thought he was a joke in the sword martial artist circles?"

"He still is," nods an old swordsmith "But that arrogant prick was such a genius with swords that not even changing professions were able to make a damned difference. The man's gift with swords is just that absurd."

Seeing the show ended up wandered off deep in thought as you searched for other weaponsmiths. From a drunkard to a depressed Hammersmith, and a depressed spearmaker and even a pick master who was washed out thanks to new technology making picks unnecessary. Especially with the lack of heavy armor which doesn't need puncturing. Even so, your thoughts couldn't help but keep going back to that strange swordsmith and practitioner of Sword Storm Style.

What do?
>Look into the talented boy who got the sword
>Try to track down Crazy Stormer
>Buckledown on finding weaponsmiths
>Head back to the ship
>Other?

>>2121137
>Try to track down Crazy Stormer
Track him down and ask him to join us, let's tell him that he'll be able to make his sword style grow with our crew

>>2121137
>>Look into the talented boy who got the sword

>>2121137

First go see if the talented boy needs help when countless bandits and assholes go to rob the expensive masterwork sword from him.

>>Look into the talented boy who got the sword

Then recruit Crazy stormer, he is exactly what we have been looking for. We really should also learn some about the sword storm style, even if we can't use it, it will probably make us better at thinking about how to use our devil fruit powers. We can learn the theory bit of it fast atleast so why not.

>Try to track down Crazy Stormer

We need this guy so bad, maybe doctor sicko can even make a special type of monster that are custom made to be able to use the sword storm style.

>>2124961
>>2121172
>>2121143
Support