Year 1515, Marineford Back Hills Training Ground
Time passed quietly. The bell at the training ground had chimed for dusk countless times. Today's sunset was scattered by a sky full of golden light, and the heavens and the earth seemed to have transformed into a scorching white purgatory.
"Swish—swish—swish—!"
Hundreds of golden light swords rained down from the sky, each one containing the speed and power to cut steel and shatter rock, weaving into an impenetrable net of death. This was no ordinary move, but the "Light Sword Rain" personally set up by Marine Admiral Kizaru—an ultimate trial for a swordsman.
The sky full of golden light poured down like a torrential rain, each ray of light condensing into a sharp light sword, stabbing at the green-haired swordsman in the center of the field from an almost inescapable trajectory. And in the center of that storm, a tender yet firm figure stood motionless.
The 14-year-old green-haired boy stood with his eyes closed, his hands tightly gripping Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri. His body was crisscrossed with scars, but none of them could shake his will. For half a year, on this back hills training ground, he had faced the slashes of light day after day, climbing up from being heavily injured and unconscious time and time again, and stepping back into the storm of light swords.
"Two-Sword Style: Rashomon's Gate of Return!!" he suddenly attacked. The spinning sword light was like a roaring tornado, carrying the force of thunder as it formed a defensive circle around him, rapidly cutting down the falling light swords one by one. Sparks flew, and the shockwave swept out. The sound of clashing metal and exploding light particles was deafening. The stone slabs beneath his feet cracked inch by inch, but his figure was as steady as a stake.
The last light sword came stabbing down, as if to pierce his brow.
"CLANG—!!"
Zoro suddenly opened his eyes, and a blood-red fighting spirit exploded from his pupils. Sandai Kitetsu slashed out, its sword light like a startled swan, and forcefully cut the light sword in two. The light sword shattered, turning into countless golden particles that slowly drifted down, spinning and floating around him like stars.
Zoro stood on the spot, his clothes soaked with sweat, his breathing slightly rapid, but the sword in his hand did not tremble in the slightest. A wild smile slowly appeared on his lips.
"Well, well" a leisurely voice sounded in the golden light. Kizaru's figure, as if condensed from light particles, slowly walked out of the void, his hands in his pockets, a crooked smile on his lips, the eyes behind his sunglasses as lazy and playful as ever. "To be able to clear my 'Light Sword Rain' without a scratch in just half a year... not bad, kid"
Zoro sheathed his sword. His steps wavered slightly but he did not fall. He slowly looked up, his gaze as sharp as a blade. "Instructor Kizaru... I've finally completed your little test."
"Now, I am qualified to get my third sword."
Hearing this, Kizaru chuckled lightly and pushed up his sunglasses. "Kowai ne Are you in such a hurry? Be careful not to die"
Zoro snorted coldly and spat out the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes burning with a fiery fighting spirit. "If I die, it just means I'm not that strong."
"I am the man who will become the world's number one swordsman. How could I stop here?"
Kizaru looked at the boy's fiery back and sighed lazily, but a rare hint of appreciation appeared on his lips. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, a troublesome era is coming..."
Marineford Training Ground
"BOOM—!!!"
A pale blue, scorching pillar of fire suddenly shot into the sky, like the dragon's breath from a blazing sun, and crashed head-on into a golden thunderbolt that crossed the sky. Fire and thunder collided violently in the air. The scorching heat and the roar tore the air apart, the shockwave shattering the surrounding rocks and cracking the ground.
In the center of the training ground, Ace's entire body was wrapped in raging flames, his crimson pupils reflecting the intertwined lightning. He pulled back his right fist to gather power, the flames frantically compressing and condensing. "Flame Emperor: Explosive Flame Fist!!" His voice was like a burning horn. His fist slammed out, and the compressed pillar of fire, carrying the impact of a meteor, smashed towards Enel.
Meeting it was Enel's sneeringly raised arm. Golden lightning condensed into a semi-transparent thunder shield, which trembled before him like the shield of a thunder god. "One Hundred Million Volts: Thunder Barrier!!"
The two terrifying natural forces crashed into each other, the explosive roar as if it had torn the sky apart.
Just as the aftershock of the explosion had not yet dissipated, a pink dragon shadow suddenly swept past from the left. "Dragon Bone: Cut!!" It was Luffy in his man-beast form—a scaled body, a pink dragon's face, his Armament-coated dragon claws like blades as he suddenly slashed at the side of Enel's neck.
"Tsk!"
A flash of lightning, and Enel instantly turned into his element, his figure becoming a blur of lightning as he dodged the slash and countered with an electric finger. "Divine Punishment: Modified!!"
"Smack—!"
Luffy crossed his two claws, and his Armament Haki instantly hardened into an obsidian-like defense, forcefully blocking the thunder finger. A grin appeared on his lips, as bright as a child's. "It's useless! We haven't been taking a beating for nothing these past six months."
Enel's figure re-formed from the lightning and floated in mid-air. He looked at the combined attack of the two boys on the ground, his mouth twitching, but he forced himself to maintain his "godly" demeanor. But the shock and approval that flashed quickly in his eyes could not be hidden.
—The speed of these brats' improvement was simply ridiculous.
In the past six months, under the "hellish ideological re-education" of "Zephyr + Roy" and "mixed doubles beatings," Enel's arrogance had been thoroughly trampled into the ground. Although he had not completely gotten rid of the arrogance in his bones and still had that foul mouth, at least he no longer sneered at ordinary people and called them "ants," and no longer held himself high and mighty as a "god."
And this was all thanks to Roy's sudden idea one day: "Since you insist on seeing everyone as ants, then just look at pirates that way."
"Pirates burn, kill, and plunder, doing whatever they want. Seeing them as ants is better than seeing ordinary people that way."
"...How about it? Use your arrogance to crush those real pieces of trash."
Enel thought for a moment and actually nodded in agreement.
From that day on, the entire Marine Headquarters had a new, most extreme "pirate suppression maniac"—Rear Admiral Enel (promoted due to his extremely high efficiency in killing pirates, his powerful strength, and Zephyr's guarantee), code-named "Thunder God." He would chase any pirate he saw, fight any pirate he heard of, and strike any pirate he met.
Admiral Akainu was so happy he actually smiled, and more than once proposed to transfer him to his direct command, but was rejected each time by Roy on the grounds of him being an "unstable factor."
Of course, before his arrogant attitude was corrected, the price he had to pay was not small—
"BANG!!!"
"You arrogant brat!! You dare to stand there and talk big in front of me?!"
"Great Eruption!!"
"Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!"
"Yasakani Sacred Jewel~"
Garp, Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru took turns, the strongest Admirals of Marine Headquarters "educating" him in rotation, almost pressing him to the ground and "reasoning" with him every day. But it was precisely because of this extreme "education" that Enel had forcefully awakened his own Armament Haki. He, who had once sneered at close combat, could now last over a dozen rounds against Zephyr with just his martial arts.
Marineford, Gion's Kendo Dojo
The sound of clashing blades echoed fiercely in the dojo. Kuina gripped Wado Ichimonji with both hands, the hair on her forehead soaked with sweat, but her gaze was as sharp as a blade. Each of her slashes was precise and fierce, carrying a determination that would not be denied.
Opposite her, Gion held her famous sword, Konpira, a smile on her lips as she blocked Kuina's attacks. "Kuina, your sword is faster than last month," Gion chuckled lightly, and with a flick of her wrist, the blade of her sword suddenly accelerated.
"CLANG—!"
Kuina was sent back two steps, the web of her hand numb, but she immediately stabilized her stance, her eyes shining. "That guy Zoro is trying so hard... I can't be surpassed by him." She suddenly stomped forward, her sword light like a flowing river as it poured out—
"Flash: Moonlight!"
The blade of her sword drew a silver-white arc, heading straight for Gion's throat.
A hint of admiration flashed in Gion's eyes. She blocked with Konpira, lightly deflecting the force, then countered with an upward slash. "A good resolve! But still a little lacking."
Kuina gritted her teeth and retreated rapidly, but a corner of her clothes was still cut off. She was panting, but there was not a trace of discouragement, but rather even more excitement. "Again!"
Gion sheathed her sword and shook her head with a smile. "That's enough for today. Your stamina is already at its limit."
Kuina gripped the hilt of her sword unwillingly, but finally took a deep breath and bowed solemnly. "Thank you for your guidance."
Gion patted her on the shoulder. "With your talent, in another two years, you might really be able to catch up to me."
Kuina looked up, her eyes burning with fighting spirit. "I don't need two years. Within one year, I will definitely beat you once."
Gion was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Alright! I'll be waiting."
Fleet Admiral's Office, Observation Deck
Sengoku stood by the window, holding an old pair of binoculars, silently observing the training ground. Seeing Enel's figure being sent flying by Luffy's dragon tail, turning into a streak of golden light, and then being followed up by Ace's "Rocket Kick," his mouth twitched slightly. "Zephyr, are you sure your 'iron-blooded education method' is really okay?"
Zephyr, while sipping his tea, answered unhurriedly, "A problem? What problem? Look at Enel now. He's no longer that high and mighty false god, but an excellent Marine who curses pirates eight hundred times a day." He paused, put down his teacup, a nostalgic smile on his lips. "Besides... that kid Roy was thrown into the New World to fight pirates by Garp when he was 12. Isn't he growing up just fine now?"
Garp was sitting on the sofa, picking his nose, and laughed upon hearing this. "That's right! My 'Fist of Love' has been tested in practice."
Sengoku let out a long sigh and looked at the group of young people who were rolling and fighting in the firelight and lightning outside the window. He couldn't help but rub his forehead and sigh. "...Are we, the Marines, really not raising a group of monsters?"
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