Time spent training always passes quickly. In the blink of an eye, the first half-year of the Marine Training Camp, which focused on basic training, had passed. Now, only half of the original Marines remained in the camp.
But after six months of tempering, those who remained all had resolute faces and serious expressions. Their formations no longer showed the laziness they had when they first arrived.
Zephyr said, "Basic training has been going on for half a year. I believe everyone has made great progress, but that alone is not enough."
He then looked around and continued, "I am now giving you another choice. The upcoming training will only become more arduous. It won't just be physical training like these past six months; there will be even more brutal sparring. Looking at past years, countless recruits have died in the training camp. Therefore, those who feel they can't handle it can withdraw now."
Zephyr looked at the unmoving ranks and felt a touch of reluctance. He continued, "What I want to tell you is that choosing to withdraw does not make you a coward. Even if you can't enter Marineford, those who withdraw now and return to a Marine Branch will be top performers there, and you will be awarded your corresponding branch ranks."
To Zephyr, the Marines who died in the training camp were not some boastful capital, but a sorrowful tragedy. Yet, Zephyr had no choice but to do this; otherwise, the pirates on the battlefield would not show any mercy.
Hearing Zephyr's words, some Marines who had struggled during the first six months of training bowed to him. When they looked up, their faces were covered in tears as they left the Marine Training Camp. No one mocked their choice; for Marines with insufficient talent, this was already their limit.
The Marines who stayed were either very confident in their own strength or wanted to push themselves further and cross their limits. Zephyr saw this, tucked his reluctance for those leaving and the pity in his eyes into his heart, and continued:
"Before sunset today, you all have the option to choose. After today, if anyone can't hold on and wants to leave, there will be no military rank."
After saying that, Zephyr walked out, leaving time for the students to think.
Soon, more students chose to leave. The other students who stayed also left the area; those who needed to go to the cafeteria went to the cafeteria, and those who needed to return to the dormitory went to the dormitory.
The next day, Zephyr looked at the ranks, which were even sparser than yesterday, and said, "Starting today, in addition to basic training, I will teach you new techniques: the Six Powers."
"As the name suggests, the Six Powers consist of six techniques, forming a comprehensive set of moves that integrate attack, defense, and movement. By training in the Six Powers, it can also help you awaken Haki."
As he spoke, Zephyr activated his Armament Haki. His arm was instantly covered in black Haki: "I am known as Black Arm Zephyr precisely because my Armament Haki cultivation is extremely powerful."
"The Six Powers include: Shave, Iron Body, Kami-e, Moonwalk, Tempest Kick, and Shigan. Among them, Shave and Moonwalk are movement methods, Kami-e and Iron Body are defensive methods, and Tempest Kick and Shigan are both offensive methods."
Zephyr then demonstrated while explaining, "Shave is about bursting forth with extreme speed by rapidly kicking the ground." With a loud bang, Zephyr appeared at the other end of the platform, leaving a large crater where he had stood before.
Next, Zephyr stepped on the air and walked through the sky, introducing it: "This is Moonwalk. You can kick the air to fly into the sky and attack from the enemy's blind spots."
Then, Zephyr gestured to another instructor nearby and said, "Next, he will attack me with Tempest Kick and Shigan, while I will defend with Iron Body and Kami-e. Watch closely."
The instructor then performed a Tempest Kick. With a lightning-fast kick, a slicing wave shot toward Zephyr. Zephyr accelerated his blood flow to harden himself, blocking the strike with Iron Body before beginning his explanation.
"Tempest Kick uses ultra-high-speed, powerful kicking techniques to create a vacuum slice to attack the opponent, easily splitting a target in half. Iron Body involves pumping strength into a well-trained body to give it the hardness of iron. However, note that you cannot move while using Iron Body, so it must be used with caution."
Next, the instructor concentrated his strength into his fingertip and poked at Zephyr. Zephyr completely relaxed his body, and suddenly his body became as thin and light as paper, dodging the strike. He explained:
"Shigan concentrates the strength of the entire body into a finger, releasing a strike like a lightning bolt with a hardened finger. The fingertip has the piercing power of a bullet and can easily penetrate a human body. Kami-e involves shedding all strength to sense the airflow changes caused by the opponent's movements, allowing the body to become as thin as paper and move freely. After using Kami-e, one can dodge any incoming attacks in time."
After the demonstration, Zephyr let the students think for a while before saying, "Now, divide into six groups. You can choose what you want to learn first. You can start with the technique you feel is easiest to master. These are your instructors."
Six instructors then appeared. They were brought in by Zephyr, and each was a master of one of the techniques, more than capable of teaching these members the basics.
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