As the broadcast began, Gion, standing beside Xayuki, immediately stepped forward and started marching in place, following the instructions from the broadcast.
At first, the six participants didn't pay much attention. But when Gion began demonstrating the stretching exercises, chest expansions, and other moves from the broadcast, their expressions gradually began to twist.
The first to lose composure was, unsurprisingly, Dracule Mihawk, the usually aloof and composed World's Greatest Swordsman. By the time Gion reached the fifth segment, the torso-twisting exercise, Mihawk felt as though the sky was collapsing.
He was the World's Greatest Swordsman, after all! And now he was being made to participate in these ridiculous movements?
The Eighth Set of Broadcast Gymnastics?
So there were seven other sets before this?
For a brief moment, Mihawk regretted ever agreeing to join this so-called Ideological Remolding Program.
Next to falter was Gunshi from the Holy Knights.
To be precise, her composure broke even earlier than Mihawk's. When Gion reached the third segment, the leg-kicking exercise, Gunshi's eyes widened in shock, and she instinctively tugged at her cloak.
She wasn't even one of the Seven Warlords, so why had Xayuki summoned her here?
The worst part? If she had known they'd be doing such exercises, she would've dressed differently.
Just the thought of herself performing leg-kicking exercises in her ultra-short shorts made her want to crawl into a hole and disappear.
Jinbe, on the other hand, simply stared blankly into space, his expression screaming, "Who am I? Where am I?"
Moria's concerns were a bit different. He wasn't particularly bothered by the idea of doing broadcast gymnastics. After all, the moment he submitted to Xayuki, he had resolved to offer his full loyalty. Whatever Xayuki asked of him, he would comply.
The only issue was his own body. With his large, cumbersome frame, even these seemingly simple exercises would prove to be a challenge.
Doflamingo, meanwhile, didn't show much of a reaction, though the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
The most focused participant was Boa Hancock. Seeing broadcast gymnastics for the first time, she watched with rapt attention and practiced with utmost seriousness.
Soon, Gion finished demonstrating all eight segments of the Eighth Set of Broadcast Gymnastics.
Observing the reactions of the six participants, Xayuki suppressed a chuckle and maintained his usual serious demeanor. "You are all renowned figures of the Grand Line, so I trust you've memorized the moves. But don't underestimate this set of gymnastics. While the movements are simple, executing them with precision is far from easy!"
"What you need to do now is abandon your previous identities and so-called titles and start anew—reverse your lives from zero!"
With that, Xayuki clapped his hands, and the broadcast voice resumed, much to the participants' despair.
Despite their reluctance, the six reluctantly followed Gion's lead and began marching in place.
Meanwhile.
Having completed his punishment laps, Crocodile followed the officer toward the training field.
From a distance, he spotted Mihawk and the others standing in formation, performing some bizarre movements. At first, Crocodile didn't think much of it. But as he drew closer and saw the lifeless expressions on their faces, a sense of foreboding washed over him.
Cough—
Crocodile abruptly stopped in his tracks, letting out a deliberate cough to halt the officer leading him. With a serious expression, he asked, "I just finished running one hundred laps, right?"
The officer blinked in confusion. "I believe so?"
"No, I didn't," Crocodile replied firmly, his tone grave. "You must have miscounted. I think I ran ten laps too few."
Before the officer could respond, Crocodile continued, "You wouldn't want to be punished for failing to supervise properly, would you? I'll go back and run twenty more laps—no, I'll start over from the beginning!"
"I didn't miscount!" the officer insisted, shaking his head. "Rules are rules. One hundred laps means one hundred laps. Now hurry up and join them for the Eighth Set of Broadcast Gymnastics. It's an exercise Fleet Admiral Xayuki invented back when he was a captain. Almost everyone at Headquarters knows it. It's much easier than running laps with weights!"
Hearing this, Crocodile's mouth twitched slightly.
Was he worried about not being able to learn it?
Was he concerned about whether it was easy or not?
No! The problem was that the routine was far too childish!
He was the former president of Baroque Works, the man who once dared to challenge Whitebeard, the world's strongest man! Asking him to perform this broadcast gymnastics routine was more humiliating than making him carry a thousand pounds and run from dawn till dusk!
Though he thought this inwardly, Crocodile knew there was no escaping this ordeal. Resigned, he followed the officer toward the training field.
As Crocodile entered the training field, Xayuki's Den Den Mushi suddenly rang.
"Fleet Admiral Xayuki, this is Akainu."
From the Den Den Mushi came Sakazuki's deep voice. "The members of the Donquixote Family have all been recruited."
Xayuki nodded. "Good. Immediately dispatch a warship to bring them to Headquarters. Keeping them in the Kingdom of Dressrosa might cause trouble!"
After giving Sakazuki a few additional instructions, Xayuki ended the call.
He then turned his gaze toward Doflamingo, who was hunched over, performing the seventh segment, the jumping exercise. Unable to hold back a grin, Xayuki teased, "Doflamingo, can't you straighten your back?"
Doflamingo didn't respond verbally, continuing to jump with an air of defiance, as if to say, "What are you gonna do about it?"
It wasn't that he didn't want to stand up straight—it was that his hunched back simply wouldn't allow it.
Still, perhaps fearing that Xayuki might single him out as an example, Doflamingo made an effort to straighten his posture slightly.
Seeing this, Xayuki waved the Den Den Mushi in his hand. "Good news from Dressrosa: the members of the Donquixote Family were very cooperative with Sakazuki's efforts. You can rest assured and focus on your remolding here!"
Before Doflamingo could react, Xayuki clapped his hands and joined the broadcast's voice, shouting, "Eighth segment, cool-down exercises! One-two-three-four, two-two-three-four—gogogo!"
As the cool-down exercises ended, the Den Den Mushi rang again.
"Fleet Admiral, this is Momonga. All members of Baroque Works have been brought aboard the warship. We'll set sail for Headquarters immediately!"
Shortly after ending the call with Momonga, Xayuki received another report from Strawberry, who had successfully brought Moria's subordinates aboard and was already en route back to Headquarters.
And so, the morning passed quietly amid the repetitive broadcast gymnastics and Xayuki's occasional phone calls.
When Xayuki finally announced, "That's it for today. Dismissed," Mihawk, Crocodile, and Doflamingo vanished almost instantly. Jinbe, Moria, and Gunshi, meanwhile, remained rooted in place, visibly relieved.
Boa Hancock, on the other hand, seemed far from satisfied. She quickly approached Xayuki, her hands cupping her cheeks as she asked excitedly, "Xayuki, did I do well just now? If you like this broadcast gymnastics, I can keep doing it for you!"
Hearing this, Jinbe and Moria exchanged glances before disappearing in a flash.
Gunshi, too, rolled her eyes at Hancock, muttering something about "hopelessly lovesick" before making her exit.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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