Chapter 17: Coastal Base
People continued emerging from the forest, though some never appeared. This wasn't because they were dead—rather, the island's densely forested terrain made it easy for some to become trapped or lost.
Fortunately, surveillance cameras were deployed throughout the island, and thanks to the Revolutionary Army's search efforts, everyone was quickly located and gathered.
Remarkably, no deaths had occurred, though one new trainee had lost a hand. Judging by his determined spirit, he didn't seem ready to quit, resolved to persevere despite his injury. Fish-man Hack praised him highly.
This embodied the true spirit of the Revolutionary Army: perseverance, unwavering resolve, undaunted by any adversity.
Then everyone boarded the ship and departed the island.
The initial anxiety and restlessness had faded, and as they watched the island slowly receding into the distance, Rez and the others couldn't help but feel emotional.
"Man, we almost got into serious trouble so many times."
"Tell me about it. I nearly got shredded by a mountain cat once. Fortunately, I managed to think fast."
The new trainees whispered among themselves, still shaken by their experiences.
"Rez, how many beasts did you take down?" someone asked curiously.
"Not that many, really—maybe ten or so."
Rez shook his head slightly, somewhat dissatisfied. As the strongest among the new trainees, he'd always held himself to very high standards, but he hadn't expected his performance in actual combat to be so mediocre.
"That's pretty impressive! I heard the previous batch of trainees achieved similar results," someone said enviously.
People were simply different. Some were naturally gifted with the talent for strength, but that gap would only continue to widen.
"I wonder how Rhodes did..." someone whispered.
"No idea."
Rez shook his head. "He's a swordsman, so he should be more efficient at taking down beasts than I am, but probably only a dozen or so at most."
"After all, he's too slow and physically weak. If he encountered a moderately powerful beast, he'd probably have to run."
The other new trainees nodded in agreement.
Rhodes' physical weakness was obvious to everyone—no one knew it better than they did.
Just then, Nia walked by. Overhearing their conversation, she couldn't help but chuckle. She tossed a piece of paper toward them and said:
"Check this out! The top ten performers for this field mission."
"Huh?"
Rez quickly grabbed the paper, glanced at the names, and froze completely.
The other newly promoted trainees, curious about his reaction, crowded around. Suddenly, they all froze in place, their eyes wide and pupils trembling violently, as if they'd witnessed something truly unbelievable.
The name at the very top of the list was none other than Rhodes—their classmate!
"While you guys were just surviving, he was dominating."
Seeing their collective bewildered expressions, Nia smiled and walked away.
Rhodes' performance—slaying that giant serpent with a single sword strike—was so incredible that anything less than first place would have been unthinkable.
The results caused an uproar on deck, with everyone expressing disbelief. Historically, the top ten spots had always been claimed by squad captains, with very few exceptions.
"Seems like this new guy Rhodes is quite the powerhouse."
"I heard he was a swordsman, but I didn't expect him to be this strong."
"Looks like Shanuo has some real competition now!"
People chattered excitedly, all curious and intrigued.
They weren't opposed to the emergence of a super rookie—having such a capable ally greatly increased their chances of survival during missions.
Even Shanuo, who had been standing alone at the bow with her eyes closed, was startled awake by the commotion.
"A young swordsman?"
she muttered softly. Shanuo smiled faintly, then dismissed the notion. The gap between swordsmen could be quite substantial, and she didn't believe young Rhodes possessed the strength to challenge me.
Half a day later, the ship returned to Baltigo.
As Rhodes emerged from the cabin, he could clearly sense a significant change in how people looked at him. Rez and the others regarded him with awe, while other trainees were filled mostly with curiosity and competitive spirit.
"Have the results been announced?"
Rhodes' eyes flickered as he instantly realized that his bonus from slaying the giant serpent had probably catapulted him to the top.
Of course, he didn't mind at all.
He put on his coat and rejoined the group, beginning another desert journey.
Fish-man Hack didn't seem to intend returning directly to headquarters. He led Rhodes and the others along the coastline, soon arriving at a fortified area.
Rhodes could clearly sense numerous sentries hidden in the shadows, even catching glimpses of dark cannon muzzles from various concealed positions.
"This is the coastal base, responsible for monitoring Baltigo's shoreline and preventing pirates from accidentally landing on the island or wandering into headquarters territory."
Hack briefly explained before leading the trainees into the base's main lobby.
Hack didn't elaborate on how they dealt with such pirates, but it was clear those intruders wouldn't fare well.
As a high-ranking officer in the Revolutionary Army, Hack commanded considerable authority and respect. Revolutionary Army soldiers snapped to attention and saluted respectfully as he passed.
"Rez, you stay behind. The rest of you, go get some rest."
Fish-man Hack gave the order as they reached a large training hall.
"Yes, sir!" Nia and the others quickly dispersed, leaving only Rhodes and the newly recruited trainees.
A moment of silence fell over the group.
After a long pause, Hack spoke: "I trust that after this practical combat experience, you've all gained a deeper understanding of your own capabilities."
"In real combat, physical fitness is only one component. Swordsmanship, martial arts techniques, and situational awareness are all crucial—sometimes even more important!"
"Without these skills, you're just a reckless brute with nothing but raw strength..."
Reflecting on their recent experiences, Rez and the others nodded instinctively, expressions of deep contemplation crossing their faces.
Before this mission, they had simply focused on physical training, believing that with enough strength, they could overpower anything.
While that concept had merit, they couldn't reach the level of overwhelming everything immediately. During this transitional period, swordsmanship and combat techniques that properly leveraged physical strength became absolutely crucial.
As for situational awareness, that could only be developed through repeated battles and accumulated experience—there was no rushing that process.
"Previously, I taught you how to modify your breathing patterns—that's fundamental to building a strong physique."
Fish-man Hack stood with his hands clasped behind his back. "Today, I'll teach you six advanced combat techniques."
"These six techniques include Soru—explosive instantaneous movement—and Geppo, which allows you to walk on air..."
After a brief introduction, he began slowly demonstrating each of the six techniques, explaining their difficulties and key principles.
"Rokushiki?"
Rhodes blinked, unsurprised. With the Revolutionary Army's extensive infiltration throughout the world, mastering such practical, advanced combat techniques was inevitable.
Nia had used Soru before.
For Rhodes, the six techniques were definitely worth learning, though not all of them were essential.
The slashing attack Rankyaku was simply laughable to a swordsman, and Shigan was useless—he didn't need to learn some bizarre finger technique when his swordsmanship was perfectly adequate.
As for Tekkai and Kami-e, these two abilities seemed to be foundational skills for developing Haki. With the rate at which Rhodes was strengthening his physique, he believed he would soon meet the requirements for practicing Haki, making extensive study of these techniques unnecessary.
"The explosive movement of Soru and the aerial mobility of Geppo are the most valuable to me."
Rhodes mused internally, his eyes remaining fixed on Hack's demonstration.
With his enhanced intelligence, it was natural for him to memorize the relevant techniques easily, but to truly master them would require extensive personal practice.
(End of Chapter)
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