Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece.

The future world's greatest swordsman truly lived up to his reputation. Of course, this was just a contest of swordsmanship, and both sides had too many trump cards they couldn't use.

"You're very strong. No wonder Shanks invited you to join his crew."

Mihawk sheathed his sword and his gaze fell on Bai Yu.

"You are stronger than most swordsmen I have ever met. Your style of swordsmanship... is very interesting."

"Your swordsmanship is superior."

Bai Yu turned to look at the three dumbfounded people not far away, and smiled helplessly: "Looks like the barbecue will be a bit late tonight. How about we have a drink together?"

"it is good!"

Soon, the salty, damp scent of the sea breeze, mixed with the acrid aroma of burning firewood, filled the air.

Connor had already hopped and skipped to the grill, while Robin used her Devil Fruit powers to deftly tidy up the campsite that had been messed up by the sword energy, gathering the scattered firewood back together. Rangiku also relaxed her tense nerves and squatted down to help skewer the freshly prepared Sea King meat chunks.

This is the big guy that Connor blasted up with his Thunder Cannon during a break in their sparring session. It has firm flesh and a faint fishy smell.

Uchiha Hakuba sheathed the Kusanagi sword, turned around and carried several jars of strong liquor off the ship. The liquor was mellow and had a strong aftereffect.

Mihawk stood to the side, watching him skillfully open the seal on the wine jar. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his usually cold and hard features softened a bit.

"Try this."

Bai Yu handed over a jar of wine: "The strong liquor from the West Blue is no worse than that from the Grand Line. No, you may have tasted it at Shanks' place."

Mihawk took the wine jar, touched the rough earthenware wall, and tilted his head back to take a big gulp.

The spicy liquor rolled down his throat, burning his chest. He narrowed his eyes slightly, and the smile on his lips deepened: "Not bad."

Everyone sat on the ground, with a flickering campfire beside them. The sea monster meat on the grill sizzled, and the oil dripped down, sending up tiny sparks.

Connor, with a golden-brown skewer of meat dangling from his mouth, leaned closer to the two and mumbled indistinctly, "Bai Yu, Bai Yu, make more puppets, we don't have enough to eat."

Bai Yu chuckled and lightly tapped the air with his fingertip.

The Devil Fruit's power spread out like threads of chakra, landing on several pieces of dead wood beside the camp.

The scattered pieces of wood seemed to come alive, quickly piecing themselves together. Under Eagle Eye's slightly surprised gaze, these seemingly useless dead woods transformed into three simple yet agile puppets.

Chapter 66 Hawkeye departs, preparing to set sail

They marched in unison to the grill, one person flipping the grill, another brushing on the sauce, and yet another adding firewood. Their movements were incredibly precise, and they even controlled the heat perfectly.

This is the power of a Devil Fruit that Uchiha Hakuba modified using chakra. Generally speaking, Paramecia-type powers require touching objects with one's hands to imbue the Devil Fruit with its power, but through the transmission of chakra, Uchiha Hakuba can now use this ability remotely.

Mihawk paused, his hand holding the wine jar still. His gaze fell on the puppets, a hint of surprise flashing in his hawk-like eyes: "Is this your ability? I thought you were just a simple swordsman."

"Ah."

Bai Yu took a swig of wine, the liquid sliding down his lips. He raised his hand to wipe it away: "I obtained the power of a Devil Fruit quite by chance. Besides saving my life, this power can also control these things, saving me a lot of effort most of the time."

"It is indeed convenient."

Mihawk gave a two-word evaluation, his tone carrying a hint of genuine approval.

"If possible, having these puppets would be very convenient in every aspect."

Uchiha Hakuba knew that Mihawk's praise was genuine, because this guy was a homebody who could stay on an island for a long time.

Connor clapped and cheered, then pounced on the meat skewers the puppet offered, his mouth greasy with food.

Robin sat by the campfire, flipping through the ancient book in his hands. Occasionally, he would glance up at the two people chatting happily, a faint smile appearing in his eyes.

As for Rangiku, she leaned against the tree trunk, shaking the sake jar, listening to the conversation between the two, occasionally interjecting to ask about cultivation methods, the atmosphere was incredibly lively.

After a few rounds of drinks, the two men started talking non-stop.

Mihawk placed the wine jar on the ground, looked at the churning sea in the distance, and said with a touch of remoteness in his voice: "When you reach the level of what people call a great swordsman, the progress of your swordsmanship, in the end, is mostly about constantly competing with yourself."

“When I was a child, I always practiced swordsmanship and kept getting stronger, but my peers could not keep up with me.”

Hawkeye's voice was deep, carrying a hint of reminiscence.

"Until I met Shanks for the first time, that guy was the first person I truly respected, his swordsmanship was that level... so I came back to him..."

Bai Yu listened quietly, his grip on the wine jar tightening slightly.

He thought of the Uchiha clan's swordsmanship, and the blood-soaked sword techniques of the clan...

"Swordsmen on the Grand Line are as numerous as carp crossing a river."

Mihawk tilted his head back and took another gulp of wine, his tone carrying a hint of disdainful arrogance: "But there are very few who can be called strong."

"Vista has agile swordsmanship, but his Haki is not strong enough. Shanks, on the other hand, is not really strong in swordsmanship."

Hawkeye chuckled. "And, I mean, there are those guys hiding in the shadows, like those who belong to the World Government. They're not pure swordsmen, but they're all very well hidden."

"Their swords each have their own merits."

Mihawk's gaze fell on Bai Yu: "But your swordsmanship is very special. You said it's a family style? ... It has a kind of resolute ruthlessness, a pure killing technique. It seems your family is not a benevolent one either."

Bai Yu smiled but didn't say anything.

There are no easy people in the Uchiha clan...

“Shanks has always had a good eye,” Mihawk suddenly said, his tone certain. “There’s a reason he invited you on board. Your aura and your personalities are very much to his liking.”

Bai Yu raised an eyebrow and took a swig of wine: "I still prefer to be in control."

"I know."

Mihawk nodded, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "True swordsmen all like to walk their own path, even Miss Rangiku is no exception."

The more they talked, the more they clicked, discussing everything from swordsmanship techniques to the wonders of the Grand Line, from storms at sea to hidden treasures deep within islands.

One wine jar after another emptied, and the campfire burned brighter and brighter, making the two men's cheeks flush red.

Mihawk was always aloof and rarely opened up to anyone like this, so Bai Yu also unusually lowered his guard...

At some point, Mihawk raised his hand and patted Bai Yu's shoulder, the gesture carrying a rare air of familiarity.

His hands were large and strong, calloused from years of wielding swords. When he patted my shoulder, there was a warm feeling of mutual understanding.

"Next time we meet, let's have another match."

Mihawk's voice was tinged with alcohol, yet remained resolute.

"This time, I'm going to find Shanks. I've been thinking about it, and he might have gone to other seas. He's a man with too many ideas, and sometimes I can't figure out what he's thinking."

Bai Yu threw his head back and laughed, then reached out and hooked his arm around Mihawk's neck, handing him the remaining half-jar of wine: "Let's go together. Our training has come to an end, and we're ready to head to the Grand Line."

"Absolutely, you're strong enough! But I prefer traveling alone, so let's talk about it next time, when we meet on the Grand Line!"

The two men put their arms around each other's shoulders, tilted their heads back, and drank the last sip of wine. The wine slid down their throats, burning their chests.

The puppets by the campfire were still tirelessly roasting meat, while Connor, already fast asleep, was drooling and clutching a meat skewer taller than herself, embedded in the sand. Robin gently covered her with a blanket and then held her in his arms.

A night breeze blew by, carrying the warmth of the campfire. Mihawk gazed at the distant sea and suddenly spoke: "The truth of the world lies at the end of the Grand Line. I think you're interested in that."

Hawkeye glanced at Nico Robin and continued, "If you want to know the truth, you need to be strong enough."

Bai Yu glanced at the eyebrows and eyes beneath the brim of his hat, which flickered in the firelight, then nodded, his voice low and strong: "Mm..."

That night, the campfire burned for a long time, and the ground was littered with empty wine jars.

As dawn broke, Mihawk stood up, dusted himself off, picked up his black sword Night, and walked toward the simple little boat.

"Until we meet again."

He waved his hand with his back to Bai Yu.

Until we meet again!

Bai Yu also stood on the beach, responding.

The small boat slowly sailed away from the shore, leaving a faint trail on the sea before disappearing into the morning mist.

Bai Yu watched the departing ship, a smile lingering on his lips.

Behind her, the puppet walked over carrying golden-brown skewers of meat, and Robin's gentle voice rang out: "It's time for breakfast."

"What a sumptuous breakfast! Is Connor awake yet? She stayed up with us all night, she must still be asleep."

"Yes, this child is truly adorable. So, shall we set sail?"

Robin watched Hawkeye leave and asked a question.

"Yes, we'll set sail in a couple of days. Let's prepare in the next couple of days, get all the delicacies we can, and then head to our last stop before heading to the Grand Line... Europa Town..."

Chapter 67 Setting Sail

Until the sun was high in the sky.

"Connor, wake up! If you keep sleeping, you'll be swept away by the waves."

Bai Yu walked over to Robin and bent down to poke the little girl's chubby cheeks.

Connor smacked her lips a few times, turned over, and was still tightly clutching the blanket that had been added to her body yesterday.

Although Connor's body didn't really need any of this, Bai Yu had a habit he carried over from his previous life: he always had to cover his stomach with something.

However, Connor's sleeping posture, or rather her sleeping habits, were clearly not good; her drool had soaked the blanket that Bai Yu had covered her with last night.

Robin smiled helplessly and reached out to tuck Connor's messy hair behind his ear: "This kid, he was so sleepy last night that he could barely keep his eyes open, but he still insisted on staying awake to watch you guys drink."

Bai Yu chuckled softly, bent down, and picked up Connor.

"Then let's send him back to the cabin to sleep. After all, he is a three-thousand-year-old young dragon and needs to sleep."

Hearing Bai Yu's words, Robin couldn't help but roll her eyes: "I really envy Connor. In their world, a three-thousand-year-old dragon is still just a child..."

The little girl was as light as a ball of cotton, and she smelled of roasted meat. Bai Yu carefully carried her into the bedroom of the cabin, placed her on the soft bed, and tucked her in.

Outside the cabin, the puppets were busily working in an orderly fashion. These wooden puppets, made by Bai Yu using his Devil Fruit powers, moved with precision and agility. They carried heavy wooden crates, their steps steady as they stepped onto the deck. The crates were filled with meat prepared by Robin, as well as compressed rations and fresh water that Bai Yu had specially stocked up on.

Several other puppets were squatting by the ship's side, carefully inspecting the anchor and ropes. These guys' fingers were as nimble as real people's, not missing even the slightest scratch.

As its strength increases, the puppet can do more and more things.

Robin stood with his arms crossed at the ship's side, his gaze fixed on the maps marked with red crosses.

This is a dangerous area on the Grand Line that I marked yesterday, based on the scattered clues I heard from Mihawk and the intelligence I've gathered over the years.