"Today, I, Lao G~! will be guiding your physical training!"
A peculiar man in a blue tracksuit and rabbit-eared hat struck a series of embarrassing poses, completely unfazed by the stares of others.
The training ground remained the same, but the "teacher" had switched from Diamante to Lao G.
This time, Abel and Law weren't the only ones learning; Baby-5 and Buffalo were also included. After all, physical combat skills were highly practical and had a low learning threshold. Mastering them, however, was exceedingly difficult, and becoming a true powerhouse solely through physical prowess was even more challenging!
Doflamingo likely didn't expect them to achieve any significant breakthroughs in physical combat. He likely saw it more as a foundational exercise.
Though Lao G belonged to Diamante's combat unit, he possessed a calm demeanor and meticulous work ethic.
He treated everyone equally, without resorting to Diamante's tactics of setting impossible training regimens to torment anyone. Instead, he taught with methodical precision.
Of course, there were still necessary punishments, but they were limited to "normal" penalties like extra laps or push-ups.
This made Abel incredibly comfortable. He could finally focus on building a solid foundation and working hard to get stronger!
To that end, he ate enough food for ten adults in the morning under everyone's watchful eyes, ensuring he could enter a state of "Fullness" at any time.
He also casually made up an excuse to strap the newly painted turtle shell to his back.
Starting with a 20-kilogram weight to get used to it, he felt an urgent need to grow stronger as quickly as possible!
"Are you okay?"
"N... no problem," Law replied, his face pale as he continued his punching drills.
The guy was pushing himself to the limit for revenge. Even though his arm had been so swollen yesterday that he couldn't lift it when he was unconscious.
After waking up, he managed to reduce the swelling using his own concocted medicine.
Doflamingo had originally planned to let him rest today, but the stubborn fellow insisted on coming.
In Abel's previous life, such reckless overexertion would have pushed his body to its breaking point.
But this was the One Piece World, a realm defying all logic, a place where even Newton would kneel in awe.
So Abel didn't bother trying to dissuade him; it was his own choice.
Compared to Law, Abel was undoubtedly the luckier one.
Without his Golden Finger, he would have been just as battered as Law, if not worse.
Now, however, he found himself becoming addicted.
The greater the intensity of his training, the more feedback he received from his body's cells.
The sheer joy of clearly sensing his own growth in strength was intoxicating!
After their first day of swordsmanship training and second day of martial arts practice, Abel and his companions were scheduled to learn gunnery on the third day.
This time, their instructor was a "Super Saiyan."
Well, Gladius's hairstyle wasn't nearly as outlandish as it would become in the future, but he was already in his "Super Saiyan One" state, the only difference being the color.
Gladius wore a round-lensed mask and a dark blue trench coat adorned with gears and other metallic embellishments.
At first glance, he looked more like a bassist for a heavy metal death rock band.
In reality, he was a member of the Donquixote Family's special forces unit, fiercely loyal to Doflamingo, and utterly intolerant of anyone who betrayed the family.
"Is everyone here? Where's Buffalo?" Gladius demanded, his temple veins bulging when he saw only three trainees present. He loathed those who deviated from plans or were late.
"I'm... I'm here!"
Before the words had even finished echoing, a chubby figure in pajamas came sprinting toward them, his face drenched in sweat—whether from exhaustion or panic, it was hard to tell.
Gladius pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at the time. Without a trace of mercy, he declared, "You're ten seconds late for the assembly. As punishment, your evasion training intensity will be doubled today."
Buffalo's chubby face instantly shrank into a lightning bolt of fear!
He immediately dropped into a dogeza, begging for mercy. "I know I messed up! Please forgive me this time. I promise I'll never be late again!"
"You think there'll be a next time? Ha!" Gladius sneered coldly, then ignored Buffalo and kicked open the crate in front of him, revealing... military-grade firearms!
"On the high seas, guns and cannons are the most common forms of ranged combat. Mastering them requires not only natural talent but also relentless practice."
"Starting today, I'll teach you how to use these weapons, how to fight with them, and how to defend against such attacks."
"First and foremost, the most crucial aspect of using firearms is understanding distance..."
For Abel, Gladius's lessons were both novel and utterly fascinating.
After all, how many men don't love guns?
In his past life, Abel never had the chance. Now, he finally had his opportunity.
Though the models and designs weren't particularly advanced, the sheer thrill of using them was more than enough.
Once Gladius finished explaining the theory, Abel and the others finally received the weapons they had been eagerly anticipating.
Next came the simplest part: target practice.
Abel and Law both studied diligently. Abel even activated his [Fullness] state, entering a tenfold accelerated learning mode.
His physical abilities had already been enhanced, and now with this additional boost, he learned at an astonishing pace. Within moments, his accuracy skyrocketed, catching Gladius's attention.
"Hmm, seems he has some natural talent."
In contrast, Law's performance was more typical for an average person.
Each bullet he fired showed gradual improvement, but nothing remarkable.
Gladius shook his head almost imperceptibly.
Yet even with his rapid progress, Abel wasn't the best performer.
That honor belonged to Baby-5.
The little girl simply raised one leg, her left foot instantly transforming into a pitch-black cannon muzzle.
With a thunderous boom, the distant target was instantly obliterated.
Baby-5 now radiated a wild, exhilarated energy.
"What was that?" Law asked, stunned.
"Baby-5 is a Devil Fruit user," Gladius explained. "She can transform any part of her body, or her entire body, into various weapons like guns, cannons, swords, and more."
Gladius then ordered Law to continue training and focus.
But Law suddenly became distracted.
He couldn't shake off the words Doflamingo had once spoken to him:
'Could there really be a Devil Fruit that can cure me... and Abel's illness?'
The surprises didn't end there. Not only was Baby-5 a Devil Fruit user, but even Buffalo, whom Law had always dismissed as a fool, had also consumed a Devil Fruit?!