The furnace of the new recruits' training camp, hammered day after day, finally ushered in the moment of quenching.
The phase assessment, like a sword hanging overhead, tightened the air of the entire camp to its limit.
On the training grounds, the shouts had lessened. Instead, in the dormitories at night came the sound of suppressed breathing, the heavy thuds of equipment during extra training, and a silent weight, like the low air pressure before a storm.
The assessment covered many areas: physical endurance, swordsmanship, basic Rokushiki (Six Styles) applications, tactical response, and even wilderness survival.
Each was like a sieve, ruthlessly filtering out the unqualified.
Koby struggled in near despair. His physical ability barely passed, his swordsmanship was atrocious, and for the Rokushiki, he hadn't even touched the threshold. Only in tactical exercises, relying on rote memorization and a flicker of instinct, did he barely scrape by.
Helmeppo, on the other hand, passed only by relying on his decent physique, the identity of being Captain Morgan's son, and "help" he bought in team projects. But his face, twisted with jealousy and his injured leg, was dark enough to drip venom.
Luffy's name was like a silent exclamation mark, cutting across the top of every assessment list.
In the physical test, he shattered the camp's five-year-old record. In sword duels, using only a cheap training sword, with basic moves and phantom-like Soru (Shave), he toppled every challenger—including assistant instructors—never letting a single opponent within three meters, his strikes stopping just at the blade's back.
In the Rokushiki test, the prototype of the "Gekkō Rankyaku" (Crescent Moon Tempest Kick), infused with eerie black light, left every instructor speechless, until finally Shuzo himself drew a special "Beyond Standard" mark on the evaluation form.
When the notice of the final simulation battle assessment was posted, the recruits' last hopes were crushed. The rules were brutally simple: Battle Royale! Unlimited combat! The sole objective—be the last one standing!
The massive circular arena, welded from heavy special steel, spanned over fifty meters in diameter, its edges fenced with half-man-high alloy railings.
The surface bore anti-slip grooves and dried dark-red stains, wordlessly telling of past brutality.
Around it, stepped stands were filled with instructors, some headquarters officers, and even several stern figures in "Justice" cloaks—Marine generals—faintly visible at the highest seats. The atmosphere was grim, like a Roman coliseum.
The draw results were posted. When Helmeppo saw he was grouped with Luffy and Koby, his gloomy face twisted with a flicker of both glee and malice.
Limping quickly, he leaned toward the burliest recruits he had bribed before, whispering orders with rapid speech, his snake-like eyes darting toward Luffy and Koby.
Though hesitant at first, under Helmeppo's threats and promises, those recruits finally nodded.
Koby, standing beside Luffy, trembled slightly, his frail body shaking with nerves.
He too had seen Helmeppo's plotting, and his face went pale. Behind his thick glasses, his eyes filled with fear and helplessness.
He instinctively moved closer to Luffy, his voice trembling with a sob:
"Lu… Luffy-san… Helmeppo, they… they're planning to… to go after us…"
He nearly fainted from fear. But when he looked at Luffy's calm, almost indifferent profile, an inexplicable courage surged within him. He clenched his fists tightly, nails digging into his palms, and with all his might stammered:
"I… I'll help you! Luffy-san! I… I'll protect you!"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a desperate resolve, echoing beneath the grim arena.
Luffy glanced sideways at him.
That small face, twisted by fear, now showed a stubborn, unyielding determination. Luffy didn't offer encouragement—he merely nodded slightly, eyes returning to the arena. Protect him? Not needed. But this resolve… he remembered it.
"Enter!" The referee's cold voice rang out.
Dozens of recruits, like sheep driven to slaughter, stepped uneasily onto the steel arena. Helmeppo hobbled at the back with his hired thugs, his snake's eyes fixed on Luffy and Koby.
"Begin!"
The command fell!
"Go! Kill that bespectacled weakling! Surround that bumpkin!"
Helmeppo's shrill cry was like a war horn! His three bribed enforcers, like enraged bulls, charged with wooden swords raised, targeting the terrified, frozen Koby!
Meanwhile, Helmeppo and two others moved to flank Luffy, grinning viciously. Their intent was clear: cripple Koby, then overwhelm Luffy.
The arena plunged into chaos! Recruits fought wildly, wooden swords clashing, cries of pain rising.
Koby, staring at the three charging brutes, went blank. His body locked up, forgetting even basic defense, frozen as a wooden blade whistled toward his head.
Despair seized him.
But at the last instant—
A slim figure appeared like a phantom in front of him!
Luffy moved!
No dramatic stance, no roar. Just one step forward. But that step was so fast, it exceeded the eye's ability to follow! Soru! Adjusted with spiritual pressure! A faint afterimage lingered behind him!
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Three dull cracks rang almost simultaneously!
The three attackers, their wrists struck with hammer-like force, dropped their wooden swords instantly! Then, in chest, abdomen, and neck, came crushing blows! Like being hit by a runaway carriage! They collapsed instantly, unconscious before they could scream.
All in the blink of an eye. Luffy hadn't even drawn his blade.
With only the back of his training sword, he had swatted them down like flies, pinpointing their joints and pressure points. His moves were precise, efficient, merciless—like he had drilled them countless times.
Koby stared, slack-jawed, at the figure shielding him, at the three hulks lying motionless. His mind went blank, his mouth wide open.
At that moment, Helmeppo and his other two thugs arrived!
They had seen their comrades fall instantly, fear flashing in their eyes. But with no way back, Helmeppo shrieked:
"Don't be afraid! Together! Cut him down!!"
The three surrounded Luffy, their wooden blades sweeping in unison, sealing his upper, middle, and lower paths with surprising coordination!
(End of Chapter)
[50 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter]
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