On the training ground, the dust gradually settled.
Griffin lay flat on his back, his newly changed Marine uniform already in tatters again, his body covered in bruises and dark purple wounds.
His chest heaved violently, sweat soaking his hair.
...
Tenma crouched down: "Just discharged from the hospital and going back again?"
Griffin grinned and shook his head: "Superficial injuries like these will heal after one meal. I'm not that fragile."
He turned to look at Zephyr: "I've learned a lot, Chief Instructor Zephyr."
...
His purpose in coming to the Officer Training Camp was to get beaten up, and Zephyr had naturally seen through his intention, letting him personally experience Armament Haki.
It could be said he got exactly what he asked for.
When it came to Armament Haki, Zephyr was undoubtedly one of the absolute top masters on these seas, with purity at its peak.
...
Zephyr remained stern, brushing the dust off his chest: "Did you mistake me for some mortal enemy? You fought like it was a life-or-death battle."
Griffin chuckled: "If it weren't to this extent, how could I understand Armament Haki so quickly!"
"And no matter how arrogant I am, I don't think I can hurt you right now."
...
"Hmph, you smooth-talking brat!"
"You're still far from it—you haven't even taken the first step to forming a shell."
Zephyr turned to face all the trainees and declared loudly: "As you've seen, what we call Armament Haki isn't just an invisible armor."
"More importantly, it's an internal power."
"It must flow within your body like blood, gathering instantly where it's needed when the time comes!"
...
At that moment, a burly man raised his hand to speak.
"Instructor Zephyr! Does getting beaten up by you quickly teach Armament Haki?"
"I want to try it too!"
Zephyr looked at the speaker and revealed a cruel grin.
"Should I call you foolish or clever…"
"Indeed, getting beaten is the fastest way to learn Armament Haki."
"But do you think just anyone can attempt this method?!"
Zephyr's voice suddenly rose as he shouted: "Fools should know their place! If the attacks I just used landed on you, you'd already be dead!!"
As he spoke, he coated his fist in Armament Haki and slammed it into the ground!
Boom, boom, boom!!
Amid the explosive sounds, the ground caved into a pit several meters deep, with cracks spiderwebbing from the edges!
"This is the force I used earlier. How many punches do you think you could take?!"
Under Zephyr's intense glare, the man turned pale and trembled.
"Go practice Finger Pistol! If you can't pierce through steel plate number four with Finger Pistol today, don't even think about eating!"
"Understood?!"
"Y-yes…"
"Louder!!"
"Understood!"
"Then get out of here!"
...
Zephyr scanned the crowd and said calmly: "You're all elites from branches across the four seas. Even if you haven't encountered them, you've at least heard of famous powerhouses."
"When you were still playing in the mud, Charlotte Linlin could already kill adult giants! Kaido became the strongest soldier in a country at just ten years old!"
"The monsters you'll have to face are exactly like them!"
...
"That innate power cannot be replicated. We must understand our own advantages."
Zephyr crossed his arms, glancing at Griffin who had sat up, and continued: "Even this arrogant brat who doesn't know his place came obediently to learn Armament Haki from me after mastering the Six Styles."
"You lot who haven't even fully learned the Navy Six Styles shouldn't get ahead of yourselves!"
"Shave, Moonwalk, Iron Body, Paper Drawing, Finger Pistol, Storm Leg - your seniors have already broken down the steps to acquiring power."
"When you master these Six Styles to perfection, your speed, strength, defense, and perception will all undergo qualitative leaps."
"Once your body remembers this extreme state, Armament Haki and Observation Haki become natural outcomes."
"Trying to learn Haki directly without mastering the Six Styles is like trying to run before you can walk - you'll only end up bruised and battered!"
...
...
Of course, Griffin wasn't going to learn Armament Haki just from taking a few beatings. As Zephyr said, he possessed the foundation for learning Armament Haki.
Namely, the Navy Six Styles.
Working backwards, it was easy to see the connection between the Six Styles and Two-Colored Haki.
The most obvious was Iron Body.
The effect of Iron Body hardening the body was highly similar to Armament Haki, though the former was mostly useless.
Griffin had long suspected that Iron Body wasn't actually a technique meant for actual combat, but rather a prerequisite for training Armament Haki. Zephyr's words essentially confirmed his suspicion.
...
Click, click...
After realigning his broken fingers, Griffin was about to use some torn cloth strips as makeshift bandages.
"Here."
A pale hand offered white bandages.
Griffin looked up and was slightly taken aback when he saw who it was.
"What are you doing here? Weren't you assigned as Base Commander?"
The one offering the bandages was none other than Lieutenant Commander Doll.
Doll rolled her eyes: "I've been standing in the training ground for ages. Didn't you see me at all?"
Taking the bandages and wrapping them around his fingers, Griffin smiled: "Sorry, but you just don't have much presence."
...
...
Suppressing her anger, Doll crouched down and pointed her thumb at herself with a hint of pride: "Brat, I passed the Officer Training Camp assessment on my own merit!" I arrived two months earlier than you."
"Be smart and call me senior!"
...
"Has being suppressed for too long made you lose your senses, Lieutenant Commander Doll?"
Griffin took out his commodore rank insignia from his pocket: "Do you recognize what this is?"
Doll's expression froze as she stared at it blankly for a long moment...
"Com...Commodore rank!"
She reacted suddenly, exclaiming urgently: "Then what are you doing here! This is a training ground for officers!"
The other trainees looked over, clearly equally unable to understand.
...
"You know, I can even communicate simply with dogs, but I'm truly helpless when it comes to understanding your words."
Griffin looked toward Zephyr: "To even ask about such matters..."
"Right, Head Instructor Zephyr?"
...
Zephyr grinned: "Recruit, you should call me Instructor Zephyr!"
—
—
—
Grand Line.
Three specialized Marine warships sailed into the Calm Belt.
They stopped about three nautical miles from Amazon Lily.
This was the agreed boundary line between the World Government and Boa Hancock, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Marine warships could not cross it unless her Warlord status was revoked.
The Amazon Lily side had long detected the Marine warships' movements and had dispatched a large ship well in advance.
...
On the warship's deck, Vice Admiral Tsuru stood leaning against the ship's railing, her gaze calm as she watched the elderly woman on the opposing vessel.
The old woman had silvery-white wavy hair adorned with a pink-red flower in her bun. She was short in stature, her face covered with wrinkles.
"So it's you who came this time, Tsuru." From her address and expression, it was clear this elderly woman recognized Vice Admiral Tsuru and was quite familiar with her.
...
"Long time no see, it's Gloriosa, isn't it... I truly never expected..."
Vice Admiral Tsuru deduced the visitor's identity through certain characteristics and her own perception, feeling somewhat surprised.
This person was none other than the former captain of the Kuja Pirates, the queen who ruled three generations before the current one - Gloriosa!
Now known as Elder Nyon, the fortune teller of Amazon Lily.
Elder Nyon let out a bitter laugh: "This is what happens when lovesickness remains unresolved. Quite ugly, isn't it?"
Tsuru shook her head and smiled faintly: "At our age, who still cares about beauty or ugliness?"
"Such detachment from one who has been treated kindly by time - how annoying!"
Elder Nyon's expression darkened considerably. In their youth, her beauty had far surpassed Tsuru's by several streets, but now in old age...
If not absolutely necessary, Elder Nyon would never want to meet old acquaintances.
...
"We can catch up later. The trouble you've stirred up this time is no small matter." Vice Admiral Tsuru crossed her arms and spoke slowly.
"I hope the Snake Princess will cooperate with our investigation properly. Otherwise..."
The ship cannons gleamed with a cold, hard light under the sun.
"I'll have to invite her to headquarters for a visit!"
--Enjoying the story? Want more chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance chapters.
Just search for "LegendaryTL" on Patreon!"
Thanks!