Back at the docks, Hammer stared at the damaged Warhammer and felt a pang of pain in his heart.
He quickly began organizing manpower for repairs.
"Hey, Lance. I already reported everything to the logistics department. Just grab the materials from the warehouse and get the Warhammer fixed ASAP."
"Especially that huge hole, make sure it's patched up properly."
"By the way, where are Shirley and Hina?"
Lance accepted the requisition slip Hammer handed him, with this, he could access the supply depot.
"Shirley took Hina to get her identification processed. She told me to tell you: Hina will be staying at your place for a while."
Hammer nodded. He trusted Shirley. With her looking after Hina, there was nothing to worry about.
"Alright then, I'm counting on you to handle repairs here. If Shirley or Hina comes looking for me, tell them I'm at the armory. I've got forging to do."
Yes, it was time for Hammer to get back to forging.
He had tons of ideas swirling in his mind and needed to return to his forge, his true domain.
The Next Day, Marine Armory
"Hina, use your ability to make some iron rods. As for the shape? Surprise me."
"Okay! I'll give it a try!"
Because of her unique powers, Hina was brought into the marine armory, becoming the first person ever allowed inside Hammer's personal workshop.
Her Paramecia-type Cage-Cage Fruit could generate iron constructs from her body with a hardness superior to steel.
As she activated her powers, black material flowed out and instantly transformed into a giant hammer, stunning Hammer.
"Wait… Hina, why did you make a hammer??"
Hina giggled and casually spun the hammer she had just created.
"This is a custom version I designed! I used to make rods or spears, but I found hammers are just way more useful!"
She even gave it a few swings, and the sight made Hammer instantly think of Poppy, the yordle from a certain game.
A small girl wielding a massive hammer… yep, pretty accurate.
"Alright, fine, a hammer works too. Make another one and let me give it a couple of swings."
Hina created another hammer. Hammer took it and started pounding away.
As he worked, he called up the system panel he hadn't checked in a while:
Devil Fruit: Paramecia-type Hammer-Hammer Fruit
Development Level: 95%, Near Awakening (keep working!)
Fruit Abilities Unlocked:
Omnidirectional Hammer
Hammering of the Soul
Chest-Breaking Hammer
Armament Haki (Activated): 40% — Decent hardening
Observation Haki (Activated): 25% — Prediction + Sensory (weak)
Conqueror's Haki: Not your destiny. You're a strong salted fish, but forget this one.
Rokushiki Variant Techniques (Learned)
Special Ability: Critical Crafting (Specialized Attribution, Ability Extensions, note: ability extensions are uncontrollable)
His fruit's development had progressed again, nearly at awakening. Good.
The ability had also changed due to his progression. The old random attribute boosts were gone, replaced with Special Attribution and Ability Extension, though he still didn't fully understand them.
But looking back, it had already been four years since he crossed into this world…
Nowadays, he doesn't even need a furnace to heat metal. Thanks to his Flame Hammer ability, he could directly channel flame into his strikes, heating steel blanks just by pounding them, forging speed doubled.
Soon, a long black blade was forged, glowing red-hot.
Just then, the a familiar sound chimed in:
[Ding! Detected unique steel composition, generated by Cage-Cage Fruit. Ability Extension triggered: +100% Hardness & Durability, -200% Sharpness. These attributes are permanently applied to all future creations using this fruit's products.]
'What the hell??? I forged a sword and you NERFED the sharpness??'
'And permanent effect?? That means anything made from Hina's fruit will always have these traits??'
So even if he made a razor-sharp longsword out of it… It still wouldn't cut butter?
He completed the quenching process anyway, and the all-black warblade was done.
To test whether it really wasn't sharp, Hammer grabbed a chunk of wood and struck down hard.
Hina looked on curiously.
The blade came down, not like a slash, but a sledgehammer smash.
'Why… why did a sword sound like someone hammering an anvil??'
They looked at the wood, and it hadn't been cut. Instead, it was smashed, as if a heavy hammer had crushed it. Jagged, shattered splinters flew everywhere.
"It can't cut like a sword, but it can smash like a hammer?"
Hina's worldview was completely shattered.
Even Hammer, who understood what was happening, was briefly speechless.
"Hina… I think your ability just isn't suited for blades. No swords. No spears.
Blunt weapons are your calling."
"Look at this, what a fine hammer this sword turned out to be! Unique design. Great results."
"Hmm… I should take this to Sengoku. Might short-circuit his brain."
Suddenly struck with inspiration, Hammer decided he was going to prank Sengoku to get back at him.
But just to be sure, he decided to run more tests.
"Hina, make a few more hammers for me, let me try something."
Hina produced several long black hammers. Hammer forged each of them into blades again.
They looked like swords, but acted like hammers.
No slicing, just crushing force.
He sighed. This was a bit of a headache. Sure, the extra hardness and durability were great, but what use was a blade that couldn't cut?
Looks like from now on, he could only use Cage-Cage materials to make hammers.
Even morning stars were out; no sharpness meant the spikes were useless.
Still… the newability had potential. His mind raced with possibilities.
He reached for a container filled with magma, eyes full of anticipation.
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu