A month passed in the blink of an eye.
In the newly constructed teaching building of the training camp—Top floor, Kendo Club.
Bang!!
Two figures flashed past each other at incredible speed inside the training room, like blurs. Both had just used Soru, the high-speed movement technique from the Marine Rokushiki.
The tip of a wooden sword spun through the air before landing on the ground with a thud.
Yamakaji stared blankly at the broken wooden sword in his hand. A wry smile formed on his lips.
"I lost again, Commander Gion."
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned to the tall figure in the indigo kendo uniform. His expression was full of emotion.
"You really are the swordsmanship genius praised by both Admiral Sengoku and Zephyr-sensei..."
Gion lifted her hand to remove her faceguard and set down her wooden sword. Sweat clung to the strands of her hair as they fell across her cheek, her features radiant and composed.
"Captain Yamakaji, you're flattering me," she replied with a smile.
Then—
The two walked toward each other and bowed in unison.
"Thank you for the match."
Such is the etiquette of kendo.
Just as they were about to rest, a distant, muffled rumbling came from outside the window.
"It's starting again..."
Yamakaji gave a dry chuckle, walked over, and looked out.
Out on the far end of the training grounds, yellow sand swirled in the heat.
A massive figure, shirtless, revealed a body of bulging muscle and scar-covered flesh. He was dragging an enormous decommissioned warship, inch by inch, under the blazing sun. Huge black chains were clenched in both hands.
It was midday. The sun beat down like fire, turning the outside world into a boiling furnace.
His skin had tanned into a wild, bronzed hue. Beads of sweat streamed down the grooves of his chiseled physique.
What was truly frightening—every step he took caused the ground beneath him to visibly tremble. Dust and gravel jumped into the air with each impact.
That colossal warship, which would normally require hundreds of people to haul into the sea, was being pulled forward by one man. The searing earth was gouged into a deep, jagged trench in his wake.
From afar, his nearly three-meter-tall frame looked insignificant, like an ant, beneath the towering 20-meter-high warship.
"Commander Gion... was Daren like this during his training in the North Blue?"
Yamakaji's throat was dry as he spoke in a low voice.
He still remembered the first time he witnessed Daren training like this. Not just him—everyone at the camp had been stunned speechless.
Even the ever-composed Zephyr-sensei looked like he'd seen a ghost.
No matter how many times you saw it… that sight never stopped being overwhelming.
"No…"
Gion's gaze was just as complex as she watched the figure on the field radiating a wild, beast-like aura. She shook her head slowly.
"Really?" Yamakaji blinked, turning to her.
"Mhm. Back in the North Blue, the warship he was dragging was only half that size."
Yamakaji: "…"
He gulped hard.
"Don't dwell on it too much."
Gion caught the frustration and bitter resolve in Yamakaji's eyes and offered a quiet reassurance.
"That guy's a monster."
Yamakaji sighed and nodded.
Gion slipped off her indigo kendo uniform and turned to leave the training room, leaving Yamakaji alone at the window.
Silence lingered for a while.
Then Yamakaji chuckled.
"Commander Gion, you said not to take it too seriously... but you clearly care a lot."
He could hear the sound of weight training from downstairs.
It was Gion, putting herself through strength training after just finishing a grueling kendo bout.
Taking a deep breath, Yamakaji reached for a roll of bandages and began wrapping his hands—raw, blistered, and bleeding.
He grabbed a fresh wooden sword and returned to training.
Sweat poured down his body. Blood seeped through the bandages. But he paid it no mind.
He was completely immersed in the world of swordsmanship, forcing himself forward on the path to becoming stronger.
Meanwhile, in the combat training gym—
Kuzan, drenched in sweat, looked out the window toward the figure on the training grounds and muttered with a smile,
"Daren, you're seriously cool... If that's the case, I've got to work even harder too..."
He turned his head and glanced over at Tokikake, who was slumped on the floor nearby, face bruised and swollen, gasping for air. Kuzan's eyes burned with determination.
"Keep going!"
Tokikake immediately let out a miserable wail.
You can train all you want, but why drag me into it too!?
...
And it wasn't just them.
Across every corner of the training camp—the armament division, the endurance training hall, and beyond—the moment they heard the thunderous echoes from the drill field, every Marine in the camp clenched their teeth and pushed themselves harder.
That monster of a man was still subjecting himself to hellish training, day after day, never resting, not even in the fiercest storms...
If the top-ranked trainee, who was leagues ahead of the rest, hadn't slacked off for a second—then how could they afford to?
...
Chief Instructor's Office
"Did you hear that, Sengoku...?"
Zephyr looked at Sengoku across from him, pride creeping onto his face despite himself.
Sengoku, "listening" through his Observation Haki to the distant commotion, was just as moved.
Not only had Daren surpassed everyone in sheer strength, his spirit and determination were inspiring his fellow recruits, guiding them down the right path—one that made them all stronger.
Perhaps… that's what being the top of the class truly means.
"I really didn't expect Daren's presence to transform the training camp this much," Sengoku said with a sigh.
Zephyr's mouth twitched. Something clearly came to mind.
He still remembered the mess of that first training camp.
Sakazuki had cut his training period short, storming off early to go hunt pirates—dragging along a pack of like-minded followers.
And the rest? Well... with Borsalino as top of the class, the whole thing had felt more like playtime than training.
"Maybe… this batch will be the best the camp's ever had."
Zephyr smiled.
"By the way, Sengoku. What brings you to my side of the base this time?"
Sengoku waved his hand casually.
"Oh, nothing. Just wanted to check in on the current trainees..."
He paused for a moment, then asked, a little too casually,
"So, how's that kid Daren doing in his training lately?"
"Not bad. That kid trains like a man possessed. His willpower's almost scary..."
Zephyr responded without hesitation.
"You've seen how he trains—like some feral beast. His control over Armament Haki has gotten much better, and his Haki's strength has improved quite a bit too... Wait a second—what are you plotting!?"
Zephyr's eyes narrowed with suspicion. He locked onto Sengoku with a sharp stare.
"You never care about the training camp. What are you up to?"
Caught red-handed, Sengoku let out an awkward laugh and coughed twice.
"Ahem… actually, the truth is, I'm here because there's an urgent mission. I want to borrow someone."
"Who?" Zephyr had a bad feeling.
"Daren."
"Not a chance!"
"..."
...
(70 Chapters Ahead)
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