Fourth day of the training camp.
Training grounds.
"System, check accumulated slacking time!"
[Training Camp Turmoil]: Total slacking time accumulated: 35 / 400 hours. Please keep it up, host!
The training camp schedule was brutal—training from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., a full twelve hours a day.
Meals and rest together barely added up to three hours.
And yet, the daily mission only required 8 hours of slacking.
Which meant that Karl—who'd skipped training for three straight days—had massively overcompleted his tasks.
At the moment, his system space contained six Chosen Attribute Enhancement Cards, plus piles of snacks and drinks. Truly lying flat and getting rich.
Unfortunately, as his body returned to its normal age and size, Karl's carefree days officially came to an end.
Dragging his feet, Karl returned to the training grounds and joined the main group for basic drills. Today's agenda, apparently, was to begin practicing the Marine Six Styles.
Instructor Zephyr stood at the front, face glowing with vitality. Compared to the first day, his condition was night and day.
Zephyr himself felt it most clearly.
After being treated by Karl's Holy Light, his decades-old asthma had actually completely disappeared. Over the past few days, his breathing had been smooth, and even running didn't leave him winded—like he'd never been sick at all.
Freed from asthma's shackles, his strength had steadily recovered. While he still couldn't match that old monster Garp, he was far stronger than his former self.
"Today," Zephyr announced loudly,
"I will personally teach you the training method and application of Iron Body, one of the Marine Six Styles."
"I don't care whether you've learned it before or not—listen carefully. If anyone dares to slack off, everyone will be punished!"
Iron Body?
Karl's expression turned slightly strange.
Among the Six Styles, the only techniques he'd ever truly mastered were Soru and Kami-e.
One for chasing—or running away.
One for survival—dodging bullets.
The rest?
Not that he didn't want to learn them—it was just that his physical condition back then was trash. Even if he knew the theory, his body couldn't execute it.
Now, though, this was a golden opportunity.
After all, training lasted twelve hours a day. Plenty of room to slack off and still meet daily requirements.
"Iron Body is the only purely defensive technique among the Six Styles," Zephyr continued.
"It works by accelerating blood flow, increasing muscle activity, and hardening the muscles until they're as tough as steel."
"The drawback is that while Iron Body is active, you cannot move freely."
"Therefore, timing is critical. Do not rely on Iron Body to block everything just because it's strong."
"Alright. Now I'll explain in detail how to train Iron Body…"
One hour later.
Ding.
[New combat technique detected: Marine Six Styles]
Technique recorded into system and added to the random reward pool.
During Training Camp Turmoil, draw rate increased by 50%.
Karl instantly relaxed.
You should've said so earlier!
He'd listened so attentively for a whole hour—what a waste of premium slacking time.
"Alright," Zephyr said, scanning the group.
"I've taught you everything about Iron Body's training method. Anyone still confused?"
The recruits all shook their heads in unison.
Iron Body wasn't difficult. As long as one's control over their body met the standard, it could be grasped without issue. And even if someone didn't fully understand, no one was stupid enough to speak up and become a target.
They could always ask someone else later. No need to die on the spot.
"Very good," Zephyr said coldly.
"Then start practicing now. You have three days. If anyone still can't master Iron Body by then—hmph."
The threat was clear.
And so, the training grounds quickly turned into something resembling a nationwide constipation competition—faces red, brows furrowed, expressions twisted like people desperately holding it in.
Karl was no exception.
Fortunately, as a ten-year veteran, Karl had already mastered Kami-e long ago. His control over his body far exceeded that of the other recruits.
After practicing according to Zephyr's instructions a few times, he smoothly grasped Iron Body.
Honestly, the moment Iron Body took effect, Karl's confidence skyrocketed.
With this steel-reinforced physique, who could touch him?
…Well, except for that area. Iron Body didn't seem to help much there. Probably needed Armament Haki to enchant it.
"Tch—this brat…"
Zephyr, who had been keeping a close eye on Karl, lit up when he saw the familiar sheen on his body.
That was definitely Iron Body.
After a brief moment of thought, he called Karl over.
"Karl, have you studied the Marine Six Styles before?"
"Yes, Instructor Zephyr. Commodore Charles taught me. But before today, I could only use Soru and Kami-e. I just learned Iron Body now."
"Charles, huh…"
A youthful face surfaced in Zephyr's mind—Charles in his early years.
Zephyr remembered him clearly because Charles had been part of his very first class of students.
Unfortunately, his talent had been mediocre. More than twenty years later, he'd only reached the rank of branch commodore. Fine for guarding a branch, at least.
"That's still impressive," Zephyr said.
"Your talent really is better than Charles's. Just don't get arrogant. Go back and keep practicing."
Karl nodded obediently.
Practice?
Yeah, right.
Slacking time was about to begin.
But before that… he needed a sacrificial lamb to test the effects of Weak as a Breeze.
Scanning the field, Karl's eyes locked onto a particularly odd-looking fellow.
Alright.
It's you.
Binz.
Don't let his thin arms and skinny legs fool you—he was a Green-Green Fruit user. During the Douriki test, he'd scored an impressive 451, securing second place.
All things considered, he was the strongest recruit aside from Karl himself.
Which really said a lot about how badly Marine talent had declined.
"You're Binz, right?" Karl asked cheerfully.
"Mind helping me test my Iron Body defense?"
Seeing Karl's grin, Binz frowned instinctively.
Among all the recruits, Karl was the one he disliked most.
Why?
Why didn't this guy have to train like the rest of them, yet still earned Zephyr's favor?
Just because he was some kind of Devil Fruit user?
Even if they hadn't seen clearly on the first day, most recruits could guess by now—no normal person shot out golden light.
They didn't know what Karl's ability was, and they couldn't even ask—he was never around.
Binz almost refused outright.
But then a thought struck him.
Testing Iron Body… meant hitting someone.
Which meant Karl was voluntarily offering himself up to get beaten?
What a deal.
"T–That's great! I mean, I'd be happy to help."
He corrected himself quickly, but Karl still caught the oddity in his tone.
Paired with the jealous looks from the others, Karl came to a clear conclusion:
His popularity was trash.
But he didn't really care.
Put himself in their shoes—he couldn't stand himself either.
All rookies, yet everyone else slogged away in brutal physical training while he lay at home enjoying life.
If anyone actually liked him, that would be strange.
Karl ripped open his shirt, revealing a solid upper body, and gestured casually.
"Come on. Attack whenever you're ready."
Then, silently in his mind:
System. Activate Weak as a Breeze.
[Weak as a Breeze activated]
Defense -100%
Injury chance +1000%
Severe injury immunity granted
Duration: 3 minutes
"Six Styles—Iron Body!"
Alright, Binz—
Come at me.
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