OPTC Chapter 281: Tom, Don't Shoot! He's One of Us!
"98, 99, 100! Whew…" Wendy completed the last sit-up and lay back on the mat, exhaling in relief.
"Are you okay, Wendy?" Carla asked with concern.
Wendy sat up and shook her head. "I'm fine. This is only the beginning. You shouldn't push yourself too hard either, Carla."
"I'm not pushing myself. I promised to train with you," Carla replied, finishing her own set. Maybe because of how cats are built, she actually finished before Wendy did.
A little white cat doing sit-ups—Zhang Da Ye almost had a nosebleed from the sheer cuteness.
Tom had also intended to join Carla in training, but he started showing off right away, doing sit-ups so fast his movements blurred.
When that wasn't enough, he grabbed a pair of dumbbells, flexed in front of Carla, then pulled out a guitar and phonograph to pretend he was singing a romantic ballad.
In the end, Zhang Da Ye kicked Tom out of the dojo for "disrupting training." He didn't mind Tom chasing love—just the part where he got too carried away.
Tom lay outside the door, resting his chin on his paw, deep in thought. If the one guarding the door had been a dog, he'd have found a way to distract it or knock it out. But since it was his master… that was trickier. Maybe getting some food first would help.
"Five-minute break. Next is push-ups—one hundred," Zhang Da Ye said once the troublemaker cat was gone. He continued setting Wendy's workout plan, based on Saitama's routine. Today's goal was to test her limits.
Most kids couldn't handle this much, but Wendy wasn't an ordinary child.
In Fairy Tail's world, magic power was tied closely to stamina and vitality. When a mage's magic was depleted, they could barely stand. But with magic, they could keep fighting even after taking a beating.
So, training one's body naturally increased magic power. More magic usually meant more strength.
"Yes, sir!" Wendy and Carla answered in unison.
"Why do I have to train too?" Perona complained after barely doing twenty or thirty reps before collapsing.
Zhang Da Ye replied, "I just made a few adjustments to your daily PE class. Didn't you say you hate doing radio calisthenics?"
"This is way harder than that! I'm done!" Perona groaned, rolling around on the mat.
What is she, Umaru-chan? Zhang Da Ye wondered if he should bribe her with cola and chips.
Wendy hesitantly said, "Brother Da Ye, if Perona doesn't want to, maybe don't force her?"
"You're the best, Wendy!" Perona instantly stopped rolling and hugged her, rubbing her cheek against Wendy's.
Zhang Da Ye sighed. "Alright, fine. Do one set of calisthenics, then you can go play with Tom."
Thinking it over, he realized Perona was different from the others. She didn't lack food, safety, or comfort. Traveling with them was fun, and she had little desire to become stronger. Once he understood that, he stopped pushing her.
"Yay!" Perona cheered and half-heartedly began her calisthenics to a happy tune.
Meanwhile, Wendy and Carla started their push-ups with Zhang Da Ye's guidance.
"Steady now. Focus on your breathing. Keep it up…" he coached, passing on everything he'd learned from six months of his own training.
Wendy followed his instructions earnestly. Carla also tried hard, though her short limbs and big head made push-ups a real challenge.
When Perona finally finished her lazy set, she looked over to say goodbye—but seeing Wendy and Carla working so diligently, she couldn't bring herself to leave.
Wendy's arms trembled as she pressed up, sweat glistening on her forehead. Her blue hair, tied in a ponytail for convenience, hung down her back, her bangs swaying with each motion.
Her arms ached, but she bit her lip and kept going, determination written all over her face.
"Wendy, if you're reaching your limit, don't overdo it," Zhang Da Ye warned gently.
"I'm… fine… I don't want to be weak anymore," she said between breaths, voice shaky but firm.
He wasn't sure if she was pushing too hard, so he started thinking about how to apply a cold compress if she pulled a muscle.
This fragile-looking girl was so strong inside it made his chest ache.
Perona, halfway to the door, stopped. "Ugh, why do I suddenly feel like a deserter…?"
Her hand froze on the doorknob. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a drop of sweat fall from Wendy's bangs to the mat. The sound echoed in her ears—*drip.* She couldn't push the handle down.
Zhang Da Ye blinked when he saw her lie back down and start sit-ups again. "Perona? Weren't you going to play with Tom? He's probably sneaking food right now—you might even get some hot cocoa if you hurry."
Trying to cheer her up, he added with a grin.
But Perona just muttered, forehead resting on her knees, "Elementary School Rule No. 3—Keep your body healthy, and always join outdoor activities."
"Uh… yeah, but that's just saying you should stay active, not push yourself so hard," he said, feeling a little guilty.
She looked so pitiful, sitting like that, almost like she was doing a stress squat.
"Shut up. Can't I train with Wendy if I want to?" she snapped.
He wasn't scared—just completely baffled. Kids' moods could change faster than weather.
As she did more sit-ups, she kept glancing up at him between reps.
Seeing his worried face, Perona mumbled, "I just… got a new dream, that's all."
"A dream?" he asked curiously.
"Wendy works hard because she dreams of being a great Dragon Slayer, right?" she said. "Well, I want to work hard too—for my own dream."
"What kind of dream?"
"Hmph. Why should I tell you?"
"Fine," he teased. "Probably something silly, like stealing cute pets. Or maybe beating Wendy and taking Carla."
Wendy, who had just finished her last push-up, gasped. "Is that true?"
"It's not!" Perona shouted, puffing up. "Fine, since you're all curious—I'll tell you!"
Wendy blinked. "Did I… say I was curious?"
"My dream," Perona declared dramatically, "is to become strong enough to beat you! Then I'll make you do all the homework—ten times, no, a hundred times each! Muhahaha! And I'll confiscate your snacks! No food from Tom either!"
Wendy hugged Carla tightly. She didn't fully understand what was happening, but Perona's words sounded terrifying.
"What a cruel dream. I might cry," Zhang Da Ye deadpanned. "Anyway, next is running. Let's head to the deck."
"You'll regret mocking me!" Perona huffed.
"Sure. But finish your homework first, and I'll be watching closely," he replied.
…
The Amber was only forty meters long, so the running track was tiny. Still, a hundred laps around the deck was roughly ten kilometers—good enough.
If it weren't so cold, swimming could've been a better substitute. Winter swimming, maybe? He was fit enough now to try it.
Wendy and Carla started jogging around the deck. Perona joined in later, exhausted but determined.
Shark Chili practiced Fishman Karate at the bow after listening to Brook's soothing songs. Rui Meng Meng trained swordsmanship at the stern, studying the Navy's Six Styles.
Ye Yan was probably napping, while Artoria was in the lookout tower, half watching the horizon, half glaring at her treasure map photo.
After checking the kitchen and confirming Tom was only snacking—not destroying anything—Zhang Da Ye grabbed his sword to practice his "cutting iron" technique. He refused to relive that embarrassing failure.
He also worked on "Soru," but without Tom's natural talent, he still couldn't get it right.
Just then, Ye Yan came out yawning. "What are you doing, tap dancing? I know a bit myself—want to compare?"
He demonstrated a ridiculous tap dance, still wearing his candy-apple costume.
Zhang Da Ye ignored the joke. "Do you seriously sleep in that thing? How do you even rest?"
"Don't underestimate my dedication to performance art! Besides, Tom's clothes are super comfy," Ye Yan said proudly. "Also, you're terrible at changing the subject."
"Fine. My 'Soru' looks like tap dancing, whatever. Still better than someone who can't even qualify for the Six Styles." Zhang Da Ye clapped him on the shoulder. "Good news, though—Wendy's progressing fast. Soon she might surpass you in stamina. Don't be sad, though—she is twelve."
Ye Yan: …
Feeling oddly conflicted, Ye Yan watched the blue-haired girl jogging. Come to think of it, her appetite had been bigger than his lately. That was… worrying.
Thinking that, he started taking his clothes off.
Zhang Da Ye jumped back, alarmed. "What are you doing?!"
"Why do you look like that?! I'm not a pervert!" Ye Yan roared.
"Hard to believe that coming from you," Zhang Da Ye replied flatly, mimicking Ye Yan's dead-fish eyes.
"Stop trying to imitate me—your eyelids are twitching! I'm just getting ready to train!"
With an exaggerated pose, Ye Yan declared, "It's time for winter swimming! A perfect way to build strength and willpower!"
"And what about your performance art?" Zhang Da Ye asked dryly.
"Oh, I'm still doing it! I commissioned a custom outfit in Water 7—perfect for this!" Ye Yan ran back inside.
A few minutes later, he emerged wearing a shark-fin swim cap, goggles, and a fish tail.
"This is the 'Gliding Shark Man'! Inspired by our talk at Tom's workshop!" he announced before leaping into the sea beside the ship.
The fin stuck out of the water, making him look exactly like a shark.
"Gotta admit—that's impressive," Zhang Da Ye said, watching for a bit to make sure Ye Yan was safe before returning to his sword training. He even considered joining later.
Would that count as new performance art? "A real man never looks back at the shark"?
No, no, enough performance art! One Tom was bad enough—he couldn't let Ye Yan infect him too!
Time passed. Wendy, Carla, and Perona finally finished their run and collapsed on the deck, drenched in sweat.
"Done… finally!" Wendy gasped, sitting on her knees, hair clinging to her forehead.
Besides exhaustion, running endless circles on a small ship made her dizzy.
"Good job, Wendy!" Carla said, equally drained but smiling proudly.
Perona lay flat on her back, not caring about her image. Her favorite princess hat had rolled away, but she didn't even try to grab it. "I'm dying… what was I thinking doing this?"
Wendy and Carla exchanged a look and said together, "You did great, Perona!"
"Eh? Don't praise me suddenly like that…" she mumbled shyly. "You two are the amazing ones."
The three of them smiled, tired but happy.
"After intense exercise, you should massage your legs and move a little to relax. And change into dry clothes so you don't catch a cold," Zhang Da Ye reminded them.
"Got it!" Wendy and Carla stood up obediently. Perona just rolled her eyes—way to ruin the moment, teacher.
Ding! A crisp sound rang out.
It was Tom, ringing a small triangle and carrying a large tray—afternoon tea time.
Of course, the first to arrive was Artoria. In a flash, she appeared from the lookout and sat properly at the little round table.
Zhang Da Ye chuckled. "Guess that's what they mean by 'if you're not excited for food, something's wrong.'"
"Ye Yan! Come up for tea!" he shouted toward the water.
Tom glanced toward the sea, curious—and froze when he saw the shark fin. Panicking, he tossed his empty tray like a weapon.
"Tom! Don't shoot! He's one of us!" Zhang Da Ye yelled.
Too late.
The tray smacked Ye Yan square in the forehead as he surfaced.
The "Gliding Shark Man" floated belly-up, foaming at the mouth.
Tom bit his paw anxiously. Oh no… he did it again, didn't he?
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