"Ah!!" Koby let out a sharp cry as the sudden weight of dozens of kilograms slammed onto him, staggering him so hard his glasses almost flew off. His knees buckled, and he nearly collapsed on the spot!
The straps instantly dug into his frail shoulders, as though they were going to crush his fragile ribcage!
"Damn it! Careful! My new shirt!"
Helmeppo screamed as well. He tried to block with his arm, but the heavy pack still slammed solidly into the back of his freshly buttoned, fine shirt, the fabric tearing with a dull rip!
The stench of sweat mixed with stone dust choked him, making him cough violently. He glared furiously at the instructor, only to be silenced by a single sharp glare. Grumbling, he clutched the tightening straps.
Luffy, too, had a heavy load crash against his back!
But his body only dipped slightly, his knees bending like toughened springs before straightening again!
The pack was heavy, its coarse canvas biting into his neck and shoulders with sharp pressure. Yet compared to the inhuman training that lunatic Garp had put him through since childhood—or even the night he had nearly torn his soul apart wielding Zangetsu—this was nothing.
Almost instantly, the monstrous instincts and resilience within Luffy's body adapted to the load.
"Run!" The assistant instructor's roar cracked like a whip.
The crowd surged forward like a flood, stumbling across the gravel-strewn ground!
Chaos broke out in an instant!
Koby was nearly swallowed by the throng, jostled and pushed like helpless driftwood.
The heavy pack bent his waist, every step like dragging two anchors. His breath came in ragged gasps, like a broken bellows. Less than a hundred meters in, his face flushed purple, sweat pouring off him like a waterfall. Each breath burned his lungs as though carved by knives!
Helmeppo fared a little better. Taller and heavier than Luffy, he managed to hang onto the rear of the first group, though his pampered face was twisted in agony.
Sweat streamed down, his carefully groomed green hair plastered to his forehead. His fine shirt was torn at the back, smeared with dust and sweat, leaving him in a pitiful state.
Every step sent sharp gravel digging into the soles of his custom boots, making him wince with pain.
Panting heavily, he glared at Luffy, who ran a few meters ahead without breaking stride, muttering curses between gasps: "Damn country bumpkin… scrawny-looking… tough bastard…"
And at the head of the "weakling group," faintly leading the pack—was Luffy.
His form was simple, no tricks, just steady strides.
Each footfall landed firmly, upper body upright, completely unaffected by the heavy load. His arms swung in a smooth, resilient rhythm.
Sweat traced his youthful face, but his breathing never faltered—deep, steady inhalations, long, controlled exhalations. His chest rose and fell like bellows with immense lung capacity.
Five kilometers.
Halfway through, the training grounds were already littered with groans. Koby had long since dropped out, retching against the wall, on the verge of collapse.
Helmeppo staggered in the rear, every step agony, lungs burning, no strength left even to curse Luffy.
But Luffy maintained his steady pace, breathing even, running at the front without breaking stride!
The heavy pack seemed nonexistent on him, not slowing him at all. By the fourth kilometer, he casually adjusted the straps, as though on a leisurely outing.
Even the strongest recruits stared in disbelief at the small boy running with inhuman steadiness.
From the observation platform, Instructor Xiu Zuo's sharp gaze locked onto the boy. He held a clipboard, checking boxes.
When Luffy crossed the finish line with only slightly quickened breath and a thin layer of sweat, Xiu Zuo marked the "Long-Distance Load Run" category with one word: Excellent.
He wrote "A+" in "Speed," "Endurance," "Rhythm," and "Strength Control." His eyes lingered at "Physical Foundation."
Monster-class… he thought silently.
…
The recruits dragged their leaden legs to the next trial:
A towering, seventy-degree climbing wall.
Thirty meters high, stacked with jagged boulders, slick with moss and rain. No holds, no ropes. Pure brute strength, balance, and survival instincts.
"Bare hands! Ten minutes! Reach the top, or fail!" barked the scar-faced lieutenant.
The crowd groaned in despair.
Koby collapsed instantly at the sight, clutching a pillar, face pale as death.
Helmeppo hesitated, then spat blood and sweat. "Tch! What's so hard? Watch me show you!" He glared at Luffy, dragging himself forward.
He leapt, clawed, kicked upward awkwardly.
The first few meters went well, but at seven meters a smooth gap stopped him. Struggling, he scrambled upward—but slipped!
"AHHH!" Helmeppo screamed, tumbling ten meters!
BAM!
He crashed into the padding, his leg smashing against bare rock. Flesh tore, blood gushed, and he rolled, howling: "My leg! My leg! Damn rock! Damn instructors! Take me to the infirmary!"
The scar-faced lieutenant didn't flinch, arms crossed coldly. "Next."
Silence fell. Fear deepened.
"3A210, Monkey D. Luffy!" the lieutenant barked.
Luffy glanced at the crying Helmeppo, then at the towering wall. His face showed no fear. He flexed his wrists, tugged up his sleeve to reveal taut muscle, and stepped forward.
No shouting. No hesitation. His body launched upward like a hunting cat—
Thud! His foot slammed into a ledge, sending chips flying. His hand hooked a crevice, core muscles tightening like steel cables. He swung upward, his foot landing precisely!
Perfect balance! No pause! He sprang again, hands latching onto cracks, body swinging fluidly like a spider scaling a wall!
Every rock, every crack, every mossy groove—his sharp eyes saw them all, using them as footholds.
He climbed with explosive leaps and terrifying stability.
The recruits below stared in silence. Even Helmeppo forgot his pain, teeth grinding in rage.
Xiu Zuo leaned forward, eyes glinting—not with scrutiny, but with the greedy gleam of a hunter spotting rare prey.
Less than three minutes later—
Luffy's hand gripped the top ledge. With one last pull, he rose, kneeling firmly on the summit.
The wind whipped his sweat-damp hair as he stood tall, his silhouette sharp against the sun.
Monster.
The word carved itself into every recruit's heart.
On the platform, Xiu Zuo picked up his red wax pencil and wrote under "Extreme Climb": Monster-Class.
In the margins, he noted:
"Preliminary observation: abnormal bone, tendon, and nerve conduction rate. Core stability and explosive strength extremely high. Overall capacity not below CP Organization seed candidates. Pending further evaluation."
Finally, he turned to the confidential file on Monkey D. Luffy and added one abbreviation, one only high-level officers could access—
CP9.
(End of Chapter)
[50 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter]
[Thanks for your support!]