— — — — — — —
Victory? Defeat?
That was what everyone cared about.
But...that was the last thing on Joey's mind.
Smack!
Under the setting sun, Joey and Zuccotto walked side by side on their way back.
Their footsteps were light.
As if...neither wanted to disturb the other.
Looking at Zuccotto, Joey asked gently, "How do you feel, kid?"
"Hehehe…"
Zuccotto scratched his head awkwardly. "Big bro! It feels kinda weird… something about this is just off!"
At this moment, Zuccotto no longer carried the sharp edge he had in battle, nor the composure of a seasoned fighter.
Instead, he looked just like any other young boy, scratching his head in embarrassment.
Joey smiled. "Don't overthink it. We won, didn't we?"
Did they win?
Kinda…
Zuccotto had claimed victory but…it was because Enbedo had surrendered.
The Third Elder Enbedo had admitted defeat.
Zuccotto felt an overwhelming sense of unreality. A strange confusion clouded his mind, making him uncertain about what had just happened.
He exhaled deeply, releasing a long, heavy breath.
Zuccotto stood still, staring into the distance, lost in thought.
He had no idea what he was supposed to do next.
They had arrived at the ship.
Joey smiled and said, "Zuccotto, if you're feeling lost, think about why you started this in the first place. Was it really just for a fight? Ask yourself: what do I truly seek?"
Whoosh!
Joey leapt onto the ship with ease.
Zuccotto remained where he stood, silent, deep in contemplation for a long time…
Then suddenly, a smile spread across his lips. He muttered, "Yeah… what am I even worried about? Victory? Defeat? That was never what I truly pursued. From the very beginning, I was chasing something else—the will to fight!"
His fists clenched tightly.
"My will… is finally taking shape!"
Zuccotto climbed aboard and headed straight for his room.
Meanwhile, Joey lounged on a sofa on the deck.
He watched the steam rising from his tea and murmured, "Heh… this brat sees things more clearly than the others. He's got a better grasp on reality than most."
He shook his head in amusement.
"If only Oven had Zuccotto's determination…"
He blew on his tea, lost in thought.
"For now, all we have to do is wait. Zuccotto… you'll succeed. I can feel it. Your will… your spirit… it's reaching its peak."
Clang!
One by one, Great Silver swords materialized—forty-seven in total in a place unseen by anyone.
Not even Joey himself, their master.
Something was changing. The Silver Greatsword…It was evolving.
In the faintest shadows…Figures began to emerge.
What did this mean?
No one knew.
In truth…The Silver Greatsword was a unique Stand, an extraordinary ability.
Its awakening… was just as unique.
Beyond that...One of the Stands behind Joey had a sharp glint flash through its eyes for a brief moment.
It was a deep, dark purple glow.
Filled with...The aura of death.
— — —
One day…
Two days…
On the morning of the third day…
As usual, Joey, ever disciplined, stepped out onto the deck.
Zuccotto was already there.
Crackle!
At that moment…
He hadn't even moved yet, but the air around him seemed to crack apart.
Invisible forces clashed at rapid speeds, ripping through the air.
To the untrained eye, it looked like nothing was happening—just an illusion.
But…Joey saw it.
A tall, slender figure stood roughly two meters high—thin, lean, and glowing in shifting shades of dark orange. Despite its wiry build, it exuded power, clad in medieval-style armor. Not the heavy, impenetrable kind of a warlord, but lightweight protection covering only vital areas—no extra defense, just raw offense.
Its fists were wrapped in thick gauntlets.
And in a mere instant…It unleashed an endless flurry of attacks.
A thousand techniques. A million variations.
Joey recognized countless moves from this world.
Seeing this, Joey couldn't help but grow interested.
He paused and simply watched.
Thirty minutes passed.
Huff…
Zuccotto let out a long breath, and the figure faded away.
"Hehehe…"
Zuccotto, now looking like an overjoyed chubby kid, turned to Joey with a grin as wide as an 800-pound man's belly.
With an excited thumbs-up, he shouted, "Big bro! I did it! I really did it!"
Joey's smile was warm, reassuring.
He didn't say anything. Just nodded.
And that was enough.
A silent trust between them.
To Joey…this was only natural.
As a member of the Charlotte family, when you set your mind to something…Reaching this level was only expected.
Joey sat down on the couch, and Zuccotto took a seat across from him.
Joey then asked, "Zuccotto, how do you feel?"
Zuccotto grinned. "Big bro! I finally understand. I never cared about winning or losing. I just wanted to see how far martial arts could go."
"What I truly want is to fight strong martial artists. This desire has crystallized my will, and from that, my Stand was born. It feels so simple."
"Heh—" Joey chuckled. "Yeah, it's not that hard. Or rather, as long as your mind is firm enough, that's the core of Stand abilities." He waved his hand. "Alright! Enough about that. Tell me, what exactly is your Stand's ability?"
Zuccotto immediately responded, "Big bro! My Stand is called 'Martial Arts Master.'"
"As for its abilities, it's really simple—I have complete mastery over all martial arts techniques. In fact, as long as I understand the basics of a technique, Martial Arts Master can instantly refine and execute it perfectly."
"Hmm—" Joey nodded.
Zuccotto continued, "Of course, it can't compare to your 'Silver Greatsword' or Katakuri's 'Invincible Death!'"
Joey's face remained calm, but his expression stiffened slightly.
Zuccotto kept talking, unaware of his brother's reaction.
Joey suppressed the urge to complain and thought to himself, "This is supposed to be a normal ability? That's way too overpowered! If this were in some high-level world, where people use techniques capable of slaying gods in a single punch—since those are still considered techniques—does that mean he can learn those too?!"
At that moment, Joey felt like nothing more than a mascot.
Katakuri's 'Invincible Death' was basically a Stand version of the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.
Zuccotto's 'Martial Arts Master' was basically a heightened, combat-focused version of the Sharingan.
And Joey? He had zero talent in combat.
His management skills were decent, sure.
But his Stand? It was just... there.
Aside from having the qualities of a ruler, Joey felt like a complete joke.
He silently shook his head, deciding it was best not to dwell on it.
"Hoo—" He took a deep breath, regaining his composure.
At this moment, Zuccotto looked up.
"Big bro?"
Zuccotto tilted his head.
Joey smiled. "It's nothing! I was just thinking about something. Don't overthink it. 'Martial Arts Master' is an incredibly powerful ability. Now that you understand it, your next step should be learning as many martial arts as possible. Study everything, down to the smallest details. That's what truly matters."
Zuccotto immediately nodded. "Big bro! You're right. Once I get home, I'll go find Master Scáthach."
"Also! I plan to master all the techniques from the Mixed Martial Arts Club Alliance first."
"That way, Martial Arts Master can learn them immediately. After that, I'll seek out Master Scáthach again to learn martial arts from another world. That way, I can merge techniques from both worlds into one!"
"Hmm." Joey thought for a moment before Zuccotto continued.
"After that! I'll personally train to refine my techniques and enhance my strength while Martial Arts Master continues to evolve and elevate them!"
Joey stopped him. "Zuccotto, are you saying Martial Arts Master can actually improve and refine techniques further?"
Zuccotto nodded. "That's right, big bro! The refinement of techniques is endless. Over time, Martial Arts Master can continue learning. If my knowledge and strength are high enough, the process will be incredibly fast."
Joey smiled. "I see."
Then, he thought to himself, "System! Show me Martial Arts Master's status panel."
---
[Martial Arts Master]
Destructive Power: B
Speed: A
Precision: A
Growth Potential: A
Stamina: A
Range: C (2 meters)
---
"Beautiful!" Joey looked at the panel and shook his head in admiration.
Absolutely beautiful. 'Invincible Death' had a 4A rating panel, which made sense given its absolute nature.
But 'Martial Arts Master' was also a solid 4A Stand.
Now, looking at his own Stand?
Sure, it appeared to be a 5A-level Stand.
But the problem was…
It felt so fake.
"Sigh!" He let out a quiet sigh.
Joey decided not to overthink it.
As the family head, did he really need to worry about all this?
What a joke!
As the patriarch, all he needed to do was sit back and enjoy the victories.
No need to stress over the details.
Joey warmly said, "Zuccotto! Your journey to mastery has just begun. You must not let your guard down."
"Got it!" Zuccotto nodded firmly, his determination unwavering.
At this moment, Joey retrieved a Devil Fruit from the family emblem and said, "Zuccotto, this is the perfect Devil Fruit for you—Paramecia-type: Booze-Booze Fruit (Gabu Gabu no Mi)!"
"Big bro?" Zuccotto froze for a second before excitement took over.
Awakening a Stand was one thing.
But this?
This was on a completely different level!
Any Devil Fruit granted by big bro was a symbol of his acknowledgment. That made all the difference.
Seeing Zuccotto's excitement, Joey chuckled. "Alright, calm down. Here's something else for you—these combat gauntlets are also yours!" As he spoke, he handed over a pair of gauntlets.
This was Joey's gift to Zuccotto.
After everything that had happened, Zuccotto had more than proven himself.
Most importantly, the Longleg Tribe… If they got a new minister, chances were they wouldn't be as obedient.
Zuccotto had the ability to take charge.
So why not let him handle it?
Crunch!
Without hesitation, Zuccotto took a bite of the Devil Fruit and strapped on the gauntlets. He grinned. "Big bro! Don't worry! I won't let you down! I swear on the name of Charlotte!"
"Heh—" Joey laughed softly. "You little rascal! No need to be so tense. Take it slow, learn, and grow. From here on out, it's up to you."
"Understood!" Zuccotto's eyes gleamed with confidence.
The Minister of Liquor for Martial Arts Town.
That would be Zuccotto's future identity.
Slowly but surely, the family was taking shape.
And the strength of its members continued to rise.
This—this was exactly what Joey wanted to see.
The family's growth.
That was always the most important thing.
.
.
.