Aside from having different graduation rules and the addition of real combat missions, the Elite Camp was far more relaxed than the regular camp. There was not even any centralized training. Zephyr would only test the progress of the Elite Camp members at intervals.
"All right, that's a brief overview of the Elite Camp's rules. Next, go familiarize yourselves with the environment here. In a while, I'll call you up one by one. Anyone whose name I call should come over—I'll give each of you targeted guidance in turn."
"At the same time, you may also proactively ask me any questions related to training."
After giving a simple introduction to the Elite Camp, Zephyr left the plaza directly and entered a room on the inner side of the square, leaving only Roya and the others standing there.
Almost the moment Zephyr had just left, as Roya and the others were about to get acquainted with their new surroundings, a voice suddenly rang out.
"Hey! You newcomers!"
Looking in the direction of the voice, they saw an Elite Camp veteran, Very Good, approaching with a condescending air until he stopped in front of Roya and the others.
"There seems to be someone among you named Drake. Which one is it?!"
Hearing this, Drake frowned slightly but still replied calmly, "That's me. What do you want?"
Very Good turned to Drake, sized him up twice, then suddenly chuckled, revealing a provocative smile. "So you're the strongest of this batch? Very well—how about a spar?!"
Very Good had just made a bet with someone else that none of the new recruits this year would be a match for him. Although coming over so abruptly to provoke them seemed a bit arrogant, he had already said the words—there was no taking them back.
Moreover, in his view, these newcomers who had just entered the Elite Camp had yet to receive Zephyr's targeted instruction. There was no way they could be a match for a veteran like him.
Hmm?!
Hearing such a blatantly provocative statement, Drake's expression darkened slightly. However, instead of accepting, he replied coldly, "Sorry, I'm not the strongest."
Drake had been injured by Roya's Getsuga Tenshō. Although Zephyr had intervened instantly and the injury was not severe, a bandage was still wrapped around his body.
At this moment, Very Good also noticed the bandage on Drake and raised an eyebrow. "You're not the strongest? Then who is?!"
Compared to his previous words, this was an even harsher provocation—almost as if he were saying: if you're not the strongest, step aside; I'm looking for the real one.
Even with Drake's composure, his face could not help but turn cold. But since this was his very first day here, he did not want to clash with a veteran immediately. Thus, he merely snorted and did not respond.
However, this remark did not only provoke Drake—it was practically an insult to everyone present. As a result, one of the new recruits beside Drake darkened his expression and said coldly:
"Are you looking down on us?"
"Heh, don't misunderstand. I just want to spar with the strongest among you, nothing more. If you're not it, then please step aside. I'm not interested in you."
Very Good chuckled softly, a trace of disdain already evident in his eyes.
As a veteran of the Elite Camp—having trained under Zephyr and experienced multiple genuine combat missions, personally killing pirates—Very Good naturally harbored a sense of contempt toward newcomers like Roya and the others.
"You bastard… aren't you being a bit too arrogant?!"
Those words nearly made the new recruit beside Drake explode with anger. Although he was inferior to Drake and Roya, he was still ranked fourth overall and one of the strongest recruits from the regular camp. He naturally had his own pride—how could he tolerate such provocation?
In a fit of rage, the new recruit threw a punch straight at Very Good.
Bang!!
To everyone's astonishment, Very Good merely waved his hand casually and caught the punch steadily with his palm.
"A punch this weak—did you grow up drinking milk?!"
Very Good sneered, then threw a punch of his own at the new recruit.
Even within the Elite Camp, he ranked around the middle. For someone to think he could not defeat these newcomers was laughable. Whether they could even make him get serious was another matter entirely.
Boom!!
This punch produced a completely different result. Even though the new recruit, shocked, immediately withdrew his fist and crossed his arms in front of his chest to block, he was still sent flying backward by the impact.
The gap in strength was actually this great!
This scene instantly caused the new recruits beside Drake to reveal expressions of shock. With such power, among them, probably only Drake and Roya could withstand it.
Could any random person in the Elite Camp really be this strong?!
"I know you were all top figures in the regular camp, even called monsters. But don't forget—everyone here… is a monster!"
"And we've long since undergone Instructor Zephyr's special training and experienced multiple bloody, real life-and-death battles. We're not something you rookies can compare to."
Very Good let out a cold laugh as he spoke. At the same time, quite a few other Elite Camp veterans gathered around.
"Yo, Very Good, picking on the newcomers already?"
"Don't go too far, or Instructor Zephyr will get angry."
The veterans who came over were all grinning, clearly just here to watch the show.
Very Good's display of strength shocked the newly arrived recruits, and Drake's gaze likewise sharpened.
This level of power was already not much weaker than his own before he used his Devil Fruit ability.
"Hmph, Shu, you bastard. This time I'm going to beat your face swollen. You actually said these little rookies could beat me—what a joke!"
Very Good curled his lip at one of the veterans, then turned back toward Roya and the others. "Hey, which one of you is the strongest, exactly?"
Originally, the new recruits were all furious at Very Good's provocative attitude. But upon hearing this question again, they unconsciously turned their heads together, looking toward the rather unremarkable-looking Roya standing in the crowd.
Very Good did not recognize Roya, but seeing everyone look in his direction, he raised an eyebrow. "So you're the strongest? Fine then. If you don't dare fight me, just admit defeat directly. I won't make things difficult for you."