Chapter 15: Treatment Fit for a Crown Prince!
When the System's mechanical voice sounded, Ryuji wondered if the after-effects of the Blood Demon Art hadn't worn off yet and even reflexively dug a finger in his ear.
Three hundred military merit points? Personal instruction from Zephyr?
He must have misheard.
After a three-second daze, he saw the extra three-hundred military merit on the System panel and a golden card in his inventory that simply read "Zephyr."
He stood frozen for a full three seconds.
"Holy crap!"
Ryuji was so excited his mother tongue slipped out; his face flipped from calm to ecstasy in an instant.
The corners of his mouth shot up until they nearly touched his ears, his eyes bulged, blazing with fervent light.
Jackpot!
This was pure profit—obscene, bloody profit!
Three hundred military merit was a lot, sure, but it meant nothing next to the bonus reward—absolute peanuts!
Personal tutelage from Admiral Zephyr!
He hadn't read it wrong—per-son-al tu-te-lage!
Ryuji danced on the spot, blood rushing to his head, temples throbbing.
What the hell do you call a pleasant surprise? What the hell do you call a freaking pleasant surprise?
THIS is a pleasant surprise!
All he'd had at first was the Zephyr New-Recruit Training Manual; those basic, scientific methods alone had sent his physique skyrocketing.
Stone Breathing had improved too, and by melding simplified Six Powers with the Breathing Technique he'd even created a practical move: Stone Thrust.
Remember—that was just a manual!
The most basic introductory text Zephyr had written for every raw recruit!
The sort of universal textbook everyone got in junior school; results depended entirely on the student.
But now?
Now it was "personal instruction"!
What did that even mean?
It was like studying alone from a mass-market textbook, then being told the Nobel-laureate author would tutor you one-on-one!
What level of treatment was this?
Crown-prince level!
Ryuji was certain: one hour with Teacher Zephyr would beat a year of grinding alone.
The manual had only taught him to fish; Zephyr's personal guidance would teach him to harpoon whales!
"Hahaha!"
Unable to hold back, Ryuji burst into loud laughter.
The headache the battle had given him was now matched by the intensity of his joy.
Armament Haki lasting five seconds? No grasp on Observation Haki? Zero Six Powers? None of it mattered before the words "Zephyr's personal instruction."
He believed Zephyr's razor-sharp eye would spot every flaw and give the optimal fix.
Maybe he'd even open the gate to Observation Haki and peek into the secrets of the Six Powers.
At minimum he'd polish his sword fundamentals.
"I'm raking it in—raking it in this time!"
Already he pictured himself soaring under Zephyr's care, punching Doma and stomping Muzan.
Ryuji quickly left the Paradise Troupe; later he'd notify a nearby Shinobi Member to clean up—after reporting to the master about the Eternal Paradise Cult, the Saintess, and Doma.
But that was for later.
Right now, the only thing that mattered was finding Teacher Zephyr and learning!
"I'm back, Teacher Mochizuki."
He called toward the familiar wooden house; no one answered—probably out fishing.
Back in his room, Ryuji lay on the tatami and silently ordered the System: "Use the Zephyr Personal Instruction Card."
[Use successful.]
The instant the mechanical voice fell—
Bzz!
Ryuji felt his Soul yanked from his body; the world spun, his vision blacked out, every sense stripped away.
"Brat! Sleeping in my lecture? Private Ryuji—front and center!"
A thunderous roar slammed him out of the Chaos.
He pried his eyes open, vision still blurry, when a towering figure loomed, glaring.
Short, neat purple hair, muscles bulging, and hands already black as iron.
Ryuji jolted; the last drowsiness evaporated.
Glancing round, he saw only Marines in uniform—three especially conspicuous:
Kizaru in a yellow pin-stripe suit, legs crossed, gaze lost behind tinted glasses;
Kuzan with his outrageous afro, looking amused;
and Sakazuki in a dark-red suit, mouth set in utter severity.
The future three Admirals—alive and in person!
He knew at once: the instructor was Zephyr, the "No-Killing" Admiral, Black Arm Zephyr!
"Still gawking?!"
Zephyr's roar came again, followed by a whistling punch.
Ryuji's pupils shrank; battle instinct overrode thought as he inhaled sharply.
Stone Breathing, First Form: Stone Strike!
Bang!
"Oh? Soru? No—some simplified force trick based on that breathing style… interesting."
Zephyr withdrew his fist, strolled to the hole in the wall, glanced at Ryuji lying dazed in the crater, and curled his lip.
"Clever idea, decent reflexes—but your physique is miles behind."
He spun to the snickering recruits. "Since theory bores you, let's move! From now on, it's live combat—wake up!"
Staring at the blue sky from the crater, Ryuji was stunned.
Who wouldn't be after a greeting punch from Zephyr?
"Ryuji! How long will you lie there? Want me to carry you out?"
At Zephyr's shout he sprang up. "Sorry, Instructor!"
He understood: this was the personal lesson.
"Come here."
Zephyr rolled his neck. "Attack me—full power!"
A classmate tossed him Shigure: "Your sword."
Grip tightening on Shigure, Ryuji twitched; this wasn't the elite course he'd imagined.
Whatever.
He inhaled, eyes sharp, dashed forward, violet arc flashing.
Stone Breathing, Second Form: Horizontal Slash!
Zephyr simply sidestepped and tapped Shigure; the sword momentum vanished, the blade clanging to the floor.
Ryuji was startled—not that Zephyr neutralized it, but that he'd kept his own strength on par with Ryuji's—pure technique, leagues above.
"Force is scattered, timing of breath and slash misaligned—you'll snap your blade."
He drove a fist at Ryuji's face; Ryuji raised his left hand, Armament Haki wrapping it.
Fist met fist.
Man and sword flew backward.
Zephyr studied his knuckles, then the struggling Ryuji still gripping Shigure, and shook his head. "Good punch—you understand fist force, but the blade…"
He turned to the other Marines. "Class dismissed!"
Ryuji panicked—he still had questions.
"Teacher Zep—"
Before he could finish, the world spun again.