Half an hour later, Zephyr had finished explaining the power generation techniques and introductory training of the Marine Rokushiki.
After answering each student's question, he wiped the sweat from his face and smiled.
"Alright, the rest of the time is yours for self-practice. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
The Marines all nodded and quickly spread out across the training grounds. They began carefully reviewing Zephyr's instructions, attempting to train in the Rokushiki techniques.
Although all six styles were designed to push the human body beyond its limits, each person had different training priorities. Most chose one or two techniques to focus on at the start.
For example, Dalmatian, a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user, focused on Soru and Shigan. His goal was to maximize his Inu Inu no Mi's speed and claw penetration through sudden charges and explosive strikes.
Officers like Doberman and Yamakaji, who specialized in swordsmanship, leaned toward Tekkai, Rankyaku, and Soru.
Tekkai enhanced physical defense and resistance to impact, increasing close-combat durability.
Rankyaku, on the other hand, resembled the flying slash techniques of swordmasters, making it more intuitive for them to learn.
Unsurprisingly, Soru—being the most practical and versatile of the six forms—was a universal focus for every Marine present.
As for Rogers Daren, whose body had long since surpassed human limits and reached a "superhuman" level, he practiced all six forms simultaneously.
Daren walked to a vacant space nearby and faced a humanoid stone target. He gradually entered a meditative state, closing his eyes.
He began replaying Zephyr's instructions in his mind, sharpening his perception and gaining precise control over his muscles.
Shigan required gathering the body's full strength into a single point. The source of that power was the legs. As his muscles contracted, Daren's boots twisted slightly, gripping the ground like driven spikes.
He carefully attuned himself to the movement of each muscle and bone.
Power channeled from the feet to the pelvis. The pelvis and spine had to remain stable. Then came the shoulders, arms…
A dry breeze drifted by. The scorching sun beat down on the land.
But Daren's heart was perfectly still.
Then—
He suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of sharp light flickering deep within.
With a sharp breath—
All the strength stored in his body surged into his index finger and shot forward in one clean motion.
Shigan!
Bang!!
The stone target burst open, a hole blown through it as fragments of chalk flew everywhere.
Hoo...
Daren exhaled slowly, a smile appearing on his face.
Mastering the Rokushiki... was easier than I expected.
But then he reconsidered. His strength, explosiveness, stamina, and bone density had already surpassed the thresholds of the Rokushiki. It made sense he could grasp it so quickly.
He looked up—
And found himself facing a sea of stunned faces.
"What's with those looks?"
Daren asked, puzzled by the frozen expressions around him.
"Daren..."
"You…"
"You... You just mastered Shigan in one go!?"
"This…"
Doberman and the others stared blankly between Daren and the gaping hole in the target, utterly in disbelief.
"It's not that hard. You just gather all your strength into one point—that's all it takes."
Daren replied with a smile.
Yeah, right... Their expressions said otherwise.
Only a freak like you would think that's easy.
"Hahahaha! Let me give it a shot!"
Kuzan's eyes lit up as he stepped forward.
"I'm not going to lose to you, Daren!"
With high spirits, he walked up to another stone target, took a deep breath, and focused his energy.
Everyone watched with wide eyes.
"Shigan!"
Kuzan shouted, thrusting his index finger like a cannon.
Pfft!
The chalk exploded, and a finger-sized hole appeared cleanly in the center of the stone target.
"Hahahaha! I did it! Daren, did you see that?"
Kuzan beamed as he turned to Daren, his face lit up with excitement.
It really worked!?
Everyone else was screaming internally, completely stunned.
The Marine Rokushiki techniques were anything but easy to master. Even some high-ranking Officers at Marine Headquarters had only managed to learn one or two styles, using them to break through limits in specific areas of their training.
They'd heard rumors before—tales of monstrous prodigies on the seas who could pick up the Rokushiki after seeing it once or twice.
But now that it had happened right in front of them, they still found it hard to believe. It was utterly mind-blowing.
That Daren could learn the techniques so quickly was shocking, but at least somewhat understandable. His strength and physique spoke for themselves.
But Kuzan!?
What kind of terrifying talent was that...?
Daren's heart stirred at the sight of Kuzan's performance. His pupils narrowed.
From a distance, Zephyr sat on a beach chair, puffing on a cigar. His eyes brightened.
No wonder they called him a monster… Kuzan's speed in grasping the Rokushiki rivaled that of Sakazuki and Borsalino back in the day.
...
"I want to try too!"
A voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone turned toward the source and saw Tokikake striding out from the crowd with his hands on his hips.
Watching all the attention focus on Daren and Kuzan left him feeling bitter and overshadowed.
The group watched as Tokikake approached the stone target, exchanging uncertain glances.
Could it be that Tokikake had also learned Shigan in such a short time?
As he felt all eyes on him—especially Gion's—Tokikake started to feel a little full of himself.
It's just Shigan.
How hard can it be?
Striking a pose he thought was cool, he took a deep breath under the crowd's watchful gaze.
Then, just like Daren and Kuzan, he suddenly thrust his index finger at the center of the stone target!
Crack—
A loud snapping sound rang out.
"Ssshhh!!"
Everyone in the crowd gasped in unison.
They stared at the perfectly intact target… and at Tokikake's finger, now bent a full ninety degrees in the wrong direction.
Their expressions twitched. Several people instinctively pulled their hands back in sympathy.
Tokikake's face went pale for a split second, but he quickly recovered his composure.
He took a deep breath, then calmly clasped his hands behind his back to hide the damage and said with a straight face:
"Hm. I haven't exercised in a while. Just loosening up the finger joints."
Everyone: "..."
Zephyr silently covered his face with one hand.
...
(70 Chapters Ahead)
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