Chapter 24: A Ruckus at the Training Ground
FWOOSH!
On the elite boot camp training field, the sun beat down, sending heat shimmering off the ground.
The air seemed to twist, and three figures appeared out of thin air.
Zephyr, who had his back to them, was in the middle of chewing out a few slacking recruits. He felt the shift in the air and spun around.
He saw Roy standing in the center of the field with two others, the after-effects of the warp still rippling at their feet.
Zephyr took off his sunglasses, his brow raised, and barked, "Brat! Where the hell have you been the last two days?!"
Roy gave a bitter laugh and scratched the back of his neck. "Couldn't be helped, Instructor. Garp dumped two kids on me and then took off. I'm practically running a daycare over here!"
Zephyr stared, then let out a booming laugh that made every recruit on the field snap to attention and look over.
When his laughter died down, his gaze shifted to the impressive figure standing behind Roy: a woman in a Marine ensign's uniform, her pink hair short, her gaze firm, and her stance perfect.
"And this is?"
Roy turned. "Instructor, this is Belle-mère, from the East Blue. She's brand new to the concept of Haki, but she's already showing signs of awakening it on her first try."
"Hoh?"
Zephyr's interest was piqued. His sharp eyes scanned Belle-mère from head to toe. "From the East Blue? Never trained in Haki, but you're already grasping it?"
Belle-mère snapped to attention, her voice crisp and strong. "Head Instructor Zephyr, sir!"
Her eyes met his without flinching, burning with a fiery will.
Zephyr studied her for a moment, a flash of approval in his eyes, then waved his hand. "From today on, you train with the rookies! The Marines need more people with your kind of spirit!"
"Sir!"
Just then, a small but stubborn voice cut in. "Mr. Zephyr, me too!"
Ace popped out from behind Roy, his eyes sparkling, his fists clenched. "I'm gonna train, too!"
Zephyr looked down at the six-year-old brat, his eye twitching. "Kid, this isn't a game."
Ace stuck his chin out, his eyes blazing. "I'm not scared! Roy said I'm a natural!"
Zephyr glanced at Roy, who just gave a helpless shrug. "He is a fast learner."
"Hmph. Tough words, brat."
Zephyr snorted, then suddenly slammed his large hand down on top of Ace's head.
"VMMM—!"
An invisible wave of pressure, like a physical weight, slammed down on him!
Ace's whole body locked up, his legs trembling as if they were filled with lead. Sweat poured down his face, but he bit his lip so hard it nearly bled, fighting with all his might to keep his knees from buckling.
"Wh-what is this..."
Zephyr raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised, then let out a sharp laugh as he released the pressure. "Not bad, brat. You actually withstood it."
Ace was panting, his face beet-red, but he glared up at Zephyr. "I... I told you I could do it!"
Zephyr looked at those stubborn eyes and suddenly roared with laughter. "Fine! You can train with them. But the second you can't take it, you're out. Got it?"
Ace gritted his teeth and broke into a huge grin. "I'll never quit!"
The elite recruits were already standing in formation, all of them staring at the two newcomers.
"That woman's from the East Blue? Can she really hang?"
"And whose kid is that? He can't be older than six. Why is he here?"
"All of you, SHUT UP!"
Zephyr's roar was like a thunderclap, and the recruits instantly went silent.
"Today's lesson—Armament Hardening!"
He raised his fist, which was instantly coated in a flawless, obsidian-black layer of Haki. The next second, he punched the solid steel training post next to him.
"BOOM!"
He punched straight through it. The steel post exploded in a shower of metal fragments, and the ground itself trembled.
Belle-mère's pupils shrank. "So this... this is 'Black Arm'..."
Zephyr shook his fist. "The essence of Armament Haki is 'flow.' Hardening is just the first step."
His gaze locked onto Belle-mère. "You. Step up. Try it."
Belle-mère took a deep breath, met his gaze, and walked up to a fresh steel post. She centered herself, drew back her fist, and her arm shimmered with a faint, ghostly-grey shadow—her unformed Haki.
"Hah—!"
She slammed her fist into the post!
"THUD!"
The post rang with a dull thud, leaving a shallow, disappointing dent.
The recruits on the sideline started to whisper. This was a long way from the "Haki" they were expecting.
Belle-mère frowned, her jaw tight. She wasn't discouraged—she was furious.
Zephyr walked over, his expression unreadable. He placed his hand on her arm, his voice rough. "You're trying to force it."
"Haki isn't armor you wear." His hand slid from her wrist to her elbow. "It's a power that flows. Feel it. Don't brace for an impact. Let it flow from your will, through your blood, and into your fist."
Belle-mère closed her eyes, letting his words sink in. She tried to relax. To stop forcing it. To let that murky, roaring feeling inside her finally... flow.
After a moment, she opened her eyes. Her arm still wasn't black, but the faint aura was stable.
"HAAAA—!"
BAM!
The post vibrated, and this time, the shockwave moved the dust at its base.
She shook her hand, her forehead beaded with sweat, but she grinned. "Still not enough... but I'm starting to get it."
Zephyr didn't reply, but his gaze was sharp. He turned to the rest of the class. "That unyielding spirit... not bad."
A smile from Zephyr was basically the highest praise a recruit could get. Belle-mère clenched her fist, her eyes on fire.
Meanwhile, Ace was standing in front of the smallest training post, pouting. "You're underestimating me!"
"Don't be cocky, brat. Learn to control your power first," Zephyr grunted, tossing him a pair of training gloves. "Don't break your hands."
Ace put them on, mimicking Belle-mère, and punched the post as hard as he could.
"BAM!"
"YOW!"
The post was unmoved. Ace's hand, however, was already swelling.
Roy sighed, crouching beside him. "It's not about brute force, Ace. Feel my arm."
He coated his own arm in Haki and held it out. "Feel that? It's not just hard. It's about density and flow."
Ace stared, touching the arm that felt like steel, yet was somehow... alive. His eyes lit up. "I... I get it!"
He turned back and punched the post again. This time, a faint black ripple flickered over his fist.
TING!
The post hummed.
Zephyr glanced over, a small smile playing on his lips. "...So the brat really is talented."
The other recruits' jaws dropped. "That little kid... he's already using Haki?!"
"Are you kidding me?!"
Just as the training was getting serious, a familiar laugh rang out.
"Waaah! Ace! I wanna play, too!"
Luffy, who had snuck onto the field, was now using one of the solid steel training posts as a swing set, laughing his head off.
Roy's face went dark. "How did that little menace get in here...?"
A vein pulsed on Zephyr's forehead. "Garp's genes are a menace to society!"
He spun around, his eyes blazing. "Alright, recruits, new drill! We're 'catching the monkey'!"
"First one to catch that kid is excused from ten laps!"
"SIR, YES, SIR!!!"
The entire rookie class charged.
Luffy shrieked, scrambling between the steel posts. "HEEELLP ME, ACE!!!"
Ace just covered his face. "Idiot..."
Belle-mère watched the chaos erupt, a wide grin on her face. "This boot camp... is certainly lively."
Roy couldn't help but smile. A Navy like this... he thought, it really isn't so bad.
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