The outskirts, deep in the forest.
Hundreds of energetic recruits clashed in chaotic free-for-all combat—
a training exercise where the last one standing was hailed as the true victor.
There were indeed some strong individuals among them,
such as Lonos, ranked fourth overall…
but unlike Longinus or Gion, he wasn't a dominating force.
Being too conspicuous, he became the first to be targeted and promptly eliminated.
As the melee intensified,
Dorag nodded in quiet satisfaction.
This is exactly why I wanted Longinus and the other two removed early.
With monsters of that level present, a battle royale loses all meaning.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Suddenly, distant explosions rolled through the forest.
Dorag frowned slightly.
His powerful Observation Haki spread outward like a radar pulse.
A normal user couldn't sense far.
But Dorag—one of the "monsters" of his generation—
could easily perceive most of the entire island.
It didn't take long for him to "see" the source.
"…Zephyr-sensei's presence?"
A rare hint of amusement flickered in Dorag's cold eyes.
"So he's personally teaching them Rokushiki?
It seems Sensei truly values those kids…
or rather—him."
Meanwhile, the forest battle was nearing its end.
"Hahahaha! In the end, the one who laughs last laughs best!"
The final victor was… unexpected.
It was Gregory—
the man who had hidden the entire time.
Dorag wasn't overly surprised.
"Well… not entirely luck.
His actual strength is top-twenty.
Combined with nonstop hiding and the alliances he formed earlier…
it's not unreasonable."
"But this goes against the spirit of a battle royale.
Next time, I must revise the rules."
Still, he did not invalidate Gregory's win.
If the rules allowed loopholes,
it was the rules that were flawed—
not the ones who exploited them.
"Form up!"
"…Is Dorag-instructor feeling merciful today?! Ending early?!"
They were confused, but none dared complain.
They rushed back into formation.
"You've started to look a bit like Marines," Dorag said with a nod.
"Next—take a short break.
You'll follow me to observe how others fight."
A break?
To these exhausted recruits, that alone was a blessing from the heavens.
Of course, Gregory was the first to ask what everyone else was thinking:
"Dorag-instructor, don't tell me…
we're going to watch a Vice Admiral or an Admiral fight?"
"Zephyr-Admiral is instructing Longinus and the other two."
Dorag's answer was simple and direct.
"WHAT?! Zephyr-Admiral!?"
Gregory cried in envy.
"Gion and Kake are way too lucky!"
"Yeah! Getting—wait.
Aren't there three people? Why'd you only list two?"
Someone blinked in confusion.
"Idiot," Gregory said with a pitying stare.
"Being valued is normal for our boss.
You don't call that luck."
"(o'ω'o)???"
But their envy soon turned into pure terror—and relief.
From the distant viewing platform,
they couldn't hear the dialogue,
but they could see the battlefield.
Gion and Kake were both in bad shape—
one arm twisted and dangling uselessly.
But Longinus—
Longinus was covered in blood.
His entire body was a tapestry of injuries.
Some sharp-eyed recruits even noticed
he had coughed out pieces of his own organs earlier.
He looked like a warrior fighting to the death, not training.
"Wh-What the hell…
THIS is Zephyr-sensei's 'instruction'…?"
"I heard we'll learn Rokushiki next year…
don't tell me—"
"No way…
Sensei won't have time to personally tutor us, right?"
"…You sure about that?
For someone like Zephyr,
whether it's one of us or a hundred of us makes no difference."
Their fear outweighed their envy.
Seeing the "privilege" of personalized training…
they suddenly felt blessed to remain nameless background characters.
"Tsk, tsk…
Zephyr you old devil, still as ruthless as ever.
Even toward your own students, you don't hold back."
The sudden voice made the recruits stiffen.
They turned—
and instantly went pale.
"K-Karp… Vice Admiral Garp!?"
"It's the Hero of the Marines—Vice Admiral Garp!"
The man who smashed an era,
who cornered Pirate King Roger countless times,
was a living legend among them—
even more revered than the Fleet Admiral.
Dorag ignored him, as usual.
Garp clicked his tongue, displeased, then continued anyway:
"That little brat is smart.
Rokushiki was created on the battlefield—
only by fighting someone who masters it can you truly learn.
Those other two kids are still too intimidated by Zephyr being an Admiral.
If they hesitate, they're the ones who'll suffer."
Dorag said simply:
"Not everyone has Longinus's fearlessness."
"True enough!"
Garp puffed out his chest proudly.
"That kid really does have a bit of my old vigor!"
Then he sighed dramatically.
"Sadly, he only inherited my courage to stand tall against authority—
but not my carefree disregard for rules.
Serious and rigid every day—how boring."
Dorag twitched violently.
"That's called being undisciplined.
What he has is self-discipline.
And when did he ever learn anything from you?"
Garp exploded.
"Is that how you talk to your father!?
Hmph! If not for your students being present,
I'd remind you what a Fist of Love feels like!"
The surrounding recruits held in their laughter—
even Dorag's aide failed to suppress a snort.
Dorag's jaw nearly cracked from resisting the urge to react.
Only when satisfied did Garp continue:
"I'm the Marine Hero, after all!
And that kid back in G-2 already had the title 'Hero'.
It proves he admires me deeply—
so much that he unconsciously imitates me!"
"…Right…"
"Such a promising kid who idolizes me—
I absolutely can't let Zephyr's stiff, uptight teaching ruin him!"
PS : I've been consistently releasing chapters and If you want to support my work and read the complete fic (all chapters - soon more chapters will be uploaded ), you can check
out my P@treon ->patreon.com/Chakraflow789
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Chakraflow789