"Now, begin practicing!"
Shuzo's shout snapped Rain out of his thoughts. The training hall instantly filled with dull thuds, strained grunts, and stifled cries of pain.
The recruits had started punching themselves over and over, trying to grasp the feeling of making their muscles harden.
The gap in talent showed itself mercilessly.
Most people were just beating themselves black and blue, baring their teeth in pain with no progress at all.
Someone like T. Bone, a pure physical specialist, relied on his insane willpower and precise control over his body. After only half an hour, with a low shout, he managed to harden his forearm enough to bounce off a testing baton, drawing gasps all around.
Smoker, with the strong physique granted by his Logia Fruit, quickly picked up the basics too. He was still rough, but could already harden part of his body for brief moments.
Hina showcased that uniquely precise control women tend to have. Rather than trying to harden everything at once, she quickly figured out how to selectively and rapidly harden her lower legs or forearms—effortless and efficient.
Rosinante was still clumsy—but no one tried harder.
Instead of just punching himself, he repeatedly tried to mobilize his whole body, either straining so hard his muscles cramped or messing up his breathing and ending up rolling on the ground red-faced.
But his refusal to quit—bordering on obsessive—turned the heads of quite a few recruits who had been laughing at him earlier.
Rain, meanwhile, played the part of a "mediocre but hardworking" recruit perfectly.
It wasn't until the class was almost over that he finally managed to harden himself… for a single instant.
…
At lunch, Rain noticed something odd in the cafeteria.
The amount of leftovers had increased at least threefold.
Recruits stared gloomily at the "protein feed" on their plates. Many forced down a few bites, then walked away with nearly untouched trays.
Obviously, after they'd tasted Rain's "god-tier cooking" on the island, their palates had been ruined. They were even more resistant to the cafeteria's crude, unseasoned sludge.
"It's true then—'Easy to go from frugal to lavish, hard to go back,' works in any world," Rain thought as he calmly shoveled his portion down, heart completely unmoved.
…
Afternoon, swordsmanship training field.
The moment the swordsmanship instructor appeared at the entrance, the entire hall blew up.
A stunning woman in a fitted black kendo uniform walked in slowly.
The tight outfit traced every curve of her near-perfect figure. Her silky black hair was tied into a high ponytail, swaying lightly behind her with each step.
Her fair face, enhanced with just a touch of makeup, was even more alluring. Most dangerous of all were her subtly lazy eyes—when her gaze swept across the room, every recruit who made eye contact instinctively held their breath, their hearts pounding.
Her presence instantly captured every male recruit's attention.
"Holy… an instructor this gorgeous?!"
"I think I just fell in love…"
Shuzo stepped forward and introduced her loudly.
"From today on, this will be your special swordsmanship instructor—Headquarters Rear Admiral, Gion-sama!"
Gion.
From the back of the formation, Rain's heart sank the moment he heard the name.
Gion… you've got to be kidding me. His mind flashed back to the pirates talking about a "swordswoman Marine" as they died.
What is this timing? I clean up the mess, and the original problem just walks in as my instructor?
He immediately adjusted his expression, making himself look just like every other starstruck idiot in the room.
Gion walked slowly to the front, gave a simple self-introduction, then launched straight into the basics—how to stand and hold a sword.
"Swordsmanship begins with your feet. Your stance is the root of your strength."
She demonstrated the standard chūdan stance: both hands on the sword, tip pointing forward, her presence snapping sharp like a drawn blade.
"Now, everyone—hold this position. Feel your feet dig into the ground like roots. Your sword is an extension of your arms."
The recruits immediately mimicked her stance.
Half an hour later, Gion began walking the line.
As she moved, she tapped each trembling blade with the scabbard of her sword, Kinpira.
"Keep your grip steady. Don't force it."
"Sink your weight. Are your legs made of noodles?"
Each tap sent a clear clang through the recruit's sword, their bodies wobbling and exposing flaws in their posture.
Soon, she reached Rain at the back.
Rain, like everyone else, kept his head slightly bowed, wearing the perfect mix of nervousness and awe on his face. His arms "shook" just enough to look strained. He blended flawlessly into the crowd.
As before, Gion casually tapped his sword with the scabbard.
At the moment of impact—
Clang.
Rain let his wrist give just the tiniest, calculated wobble—exactly what you'd expect from a "talented recruit" holding stance under strain.
Not too little, not too much. Flawless.
But Gion's steps faltered—so slightly almost no one saw it.
She withdrew the scabbard and let her gaze rest on Rain's face a fraction longer.
Hmm? she thought, a faint ripple in her chest that had nothing to do with swordsmanship. This recruit… is actually pretty handsome.
Rain felt it immediately—that lingering gaze staying just a hair longer than it had on everyone else.
Shit. Panic pricked at him. Was I found out? Did I slip somewhere? Was it my stance? Did she see through my 101 Doriki act? Or… has she already linked me to what happened on the island?! This woman's sixth sense is terrifying…
Still, his face didn't move a muscle. He remained the very picture of a rookie—awed, tense, and utterly ordinary.
Gion pulled her eyes away, her expression unchanged, and continued down the line as if nothing at all had happened.
~~~
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