The next morning, just as dawn broke, Kyle was lifted from his hammock by Rayleigh and unceremoniously dropped onto the deck. The cold sea breeze instantly cleared most of his sleepiness.
Roger and Rayleigh stood before him, one on each side, like two guardian deities.
Roger had his arms crossed, a mischievous smirk on his face as if watching a good show; Rayleigh, on the other hand, pushed up his glasses, his expression serious.
"Before you begin to learn how to more effectively use your Devil Fruit ability, there's one thing you must understand," Rayleigh's voice was calm but brooked no argument. "The Devil Fruit grants you 'power', but what carries that power is your own body. Physique is the foundation of everything."
He pointed at Roger: "This fellow has no Devil Fruit ability, but do you think the outcome would be any different if you fought him again?"
Kyle glanced at Roger, who was grinning so wide his gums showed, and decisively shook his head. The shadow of yesterday's punch still lingered in his mind.
"Therefore, your first training will be in martial arts," Rayleigh continued. "This includes strengthening your physical qualities, as well as weapon usage. What weapon do you intend to use?"
Kyle had actually been pondering this question for a while. His Boba Fruit, in some ways, bore striking similarities to the Tremor-Tremor Fruit of the 'World's Strongest Man', the 'Family Man who adopts sons from across the sea'—Whitebeard—from his memories.
Theoretically, some effects achievable with the Tremor-Tremor Fruit could be fully replicated by him.
"I want to use a Guan Dao," Kyle replied seriously, then, considering there was no concept of a Guan Dao in this world, added, "It's that kind of long-handled greatsword."
"Oh?" Roger's interest was piqued. "Why choose that?"
"My ability allows me to control 'waves', which are vibrations," Kyle explained. "If I use a long-handled weapon, I can transmit the vibrations through the hilt to the blade, releasing them at the moment of impact to create an effect similar to a shockwave. This allows me to maintain distance while increasing the destructive power of my attacks."
In his mind, he pictured Whitebeard wielding Murakumogiri, his supreme heroic posture shaking the very atmosphere with a single strike. Although he was still light-years away from that realm, this was undoubtedly a direction worth striving for.
"I see, a naginata," Roger nodded in understanding. "That's a good idea, little Kyle! Using a weapon to amplify Devil Fruit abilities, kuhahaha!"
A hint of approval flickered in Rayleigh's eyes behind his lenses. This young man not only possessed talent but also clear thinking, which was far more valuable than mere brute force.
"Since you've decided, this is your training plan," Rayleigh pulled out a piece of paper from who-knows-where and handed it to Kyle.
Kyle took it and his eye twitched uncontrollably.
"Kyle's Exclusive Physical Enhancement Menu"
1. Morning Exercise: Run 100 laps around the ship with weights (speed determined by Captain's mood).
2. Morning: Seawater Resistance Training, connect waist to ship with a rope and swim against the current behind the ship until exhaustion (during which the Captain will randomly throw obstacles like fish and barrels).
3. Afternoon: Weapon Fundamentals and Combat Practice. Instructors: Rayleigh (fundamentals), Roger (combat).
4. Evening: Extreme Evasion Training. Stand in the center of the deck and dodge 'loving throws' from the Captain and First Mate. Get hit once, dinner is halved.
5. Night: Meditation and Fine Control Practice of Devil Fruit Ability.
"This..." Kyle looked at the lines about "ship speed determined by Captain's mood" and "randomly throw obstacles," as well as the inhumane "loving throws," and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Sweating profusely, my brother.
This training plan, no matter how you look at it, reeked of unreliability and disregard for human life. Is that you, incompetent master Rayleigh?
"What? Scared?" Roger leaned over, bumping him with his shoulder, his laugh exceedingly malicious.
"No!" Kyle gritted his teeth, clutching the paper tightly in his hand, a raging fire burning in his eyes. "I accept!"
Thus, Kyle's tragic (crossed out) fulfilling life began.
On the first day, he ran less than thirty laps around the ship when Roger, on a whim, made the ship take a sharp turn, sending Kyle flying. He skidded seven or eight meters across the deck, face first.
On the second day, he gurgled... gurgle... gurgle! (Which Devil Fruit user can swim in seawater from the start!? You don't train resistance like this!)
On the afternoon of the third day, Rayleigh had just finished teaching him the most basic grips and techniques of the naginata—chopping, sweeping, lifting, and thrusting—when Roger rushed up with his sword, "Come on, little Kyle, it's time to test your learning!"
??? How is this different from "You've learned that one plus one equals two, now it's time to prove Goldbach's Conjecture!"?!
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
On the deck, Kyle wielded a makeshift naginata, crudely fashioned from a wooden stick and a greatsword, desperately blocking Roger's storm-like attacks.
Roger didn't even use any sword techniques, just the simplest slashes, yet the overwhelming power numbed Kyle's tiger's mouth, made his arms ache, and forced him to retreat step by step.
"Too slow! Too soft! There's no power in your blade!" Each of Roger's comments was like a heavy hammer, striking Kyle's heart.
The evening evasion training was even more intense.
"Little Kyle, take this Flying Fish Tail Whip!"
"Kyle, watch out for the barrel on your right."
Kyle leaped and dodged in the center of the deck, like a mouse being toyed with by two cats. Sometimes it was a slippery sea fish thrown by Roger, other times a wooden plank tossed by Rayleigh, both at tricky angles and incredibly fast.
He could only rely on the keen five senses he had developed on the deserted island to dodge.
"Thump!" He failed to dodge one, and a sea fish landed squarely on his backside.
"Kuhahaha! Hit! Dinner halved!" Roger's gloating laughter echoed across the sea.
Kyle clutched his backside, on the verge of tears.
Why did screams of a young child often emanate from the ship on the sea? Why was a six-year-old covered in bruises? Behind this, was it a distortion of human nature or a moral decay?
Welcome to the grand documentary "Kyle's Redemption."
Of course, the above content was purely the narration automatically generated in Kyle's mind when he was being trained into incoherence.
Days passed in this grueling training. Kyle was exhausted like a dead dog every day, his bones felt like they were coming apart, his body was covered in bruises, and new injuries were added before old ones healed.
Several times he felt like he was about to die, but whenever he neared his limit, Rayleigh would always produce ointment to treat his injuries, and Roger would bring a fragrant roasted giant sea beast for him to replenish his stamina.
They pushed his potential with the most rigorous methods, and also cared for him in the most direct way.
Gradually, Kyle began to change from being completely passive at first.
During weighted runs, he subconsciously started using faint shockwaves to offset some of the reactive force from his feet, making his steps lighter.
When sparring with Roger, he no longer simply resisted head-on. Instead, he learned to apply high-frequency vibrations to the blade of his naginata, detonating them at the moment of impact with Roger's sword to dissipate some of the immense force.
Although his handsome face still swelled into a pig's head from the beatings, he could at least last a few more moves.
Jealousy, it must be jealousy of my good looks!
And during the evening's "loving throws" time, he utilized the Light Illusion Mirage to its utmost. By distorting the light around his body at the moment various projectiles approached, he created a few tenths of a second of visual error, gaining precious time for his evasion.
As for seawater resistance training... it's better not to mention it.
Then I ask you, what can I do, what can a Devil Fruit user do when immersed in seawater?
Look in my eyes!
Roger, Rayleigh: Ah, we forgot you're a Devil Fruit user. (Completely unfazed)
One month later.
Under the setting sun, Kyle stood shirtless, his bronze skin covered in fine scars, but his muscle lines were much smoother and firmer than when he first arrived.
He held the makeshift naginata, his breathing steady, his gaze intently fixed on Roger in front of him.
"Are you ready, you bastard Captain?"
"Kuhahaha! Bring it on, little Kyle!"
Before his words fell, Kyle moved! He stomped his foot, not to charge, but to channel a shockwave into the deck!
"Sonic Step - Instant!"
The deck trembled slightly, and a reactive force propelled his body forward at high speed, several times faster than before!
The blade of the naginata cut a sharp arc through the air, and on the edge, a visible white aura hummed.
A hint of surprise flashed in Roger's eyes, but the smile on his face grew even wider.
He remained in his casual stance, holding his sword with one hand, meeting Kyle's attack, and slashing down without dodging!
"Clang—!"
Amidst the piercing clang of metal, a powerful air current exploded outwards from the two of them!
Kyle was shaken back repeatedly, leaving seven or eight deep footprints on the deck before steadying himself, his tiger's mouth bleeding, and his chest heaving.
And Roger, for the first time ever, took half a step back.
Although it was only half a step, the smile on Roger's face was happier than if he had discovered some peerless treasure.
"Kuhahahahahaha! Well done, Kyle!"
Kyle leaned on his naginata, gasping heavily, but a most unbridled smile appeared on his face, the most he had shown in over a month.
Rayleigh, leaning against the mast, a relieved smile played at the corner of his lips.