Following Zephyr's order, over a hundred elite Marine recruits lunged forward.
For Justice!
The collective shout shook the air, filled with the energy and passion of youth.
The sound of heavy, synchronized footsteps made the ground vibrate.
Three exceptional figures led the group.
Sakazuki held the lead position. Even with an iron weight as large as a small hill on his back, his stride remained as steady and unyielding as a mountain.
Borsalino followed with his hands in his pockets. He looked like he was moving slowly, yet he maintained a strange, effortless pace right next to Sakazuki. His face carried a mocking, irritating expression.
Kuzan trailed just behind them in silence, his eyes fixed forward and his breathing perfectly controlled.
About fifty meters behind the leaders, Kane was grinding his teeth.
Damn it. These guys are complete monsters.
His improved physique allowed Kane to stay within sight of the top three, but the one thousand kilogram load was rapidly eating away at his energy. The muscles in his legs were starting to seize up.
He could feel Zephyr's sharp gaze tracking him from the platform.
Zephyr was watching him closely, judging him, and likely waiting for the moment he would collapse.
There is no way I am going down here.
Kane bit down on his tongue until he tasted blood. The sharp pain acted as a shock to his system, waking up his failing nerves.
I am the man who will become the King of the Marines.
He kept his eyes locked on Sakazuki's broad back and forced his body to keep moving.
They completed one lap, then two. By the time they started the fourth lap, Kane's pace began to drop. He started falling back into the crowd as other recruits began to pass him.
His legs felt heavy and his vision started to blur. Every step felt like he was a second away from falling to his knees.
I am reaching my limit. Is this high-stakes plan going to fail before I even start?
Just as he felt he could not go any further, he heard a heavy thud nearby.
One of the other recruits had collapsed. His eyes were rolled back and he was foaming at the mouth, pinned down by his heavy equipment.
The recruits nearby glanced at him but did not stop. They gritted their teeth and kept running.
Do not mind him. This is the selection process for the Elite Camp.
If you stop, you are eliminated.
Marine training was heartless; only the strong were meant to survive.
On the platform, Zephyr watched the scene with cold indifference.
This was the reality of the Marines and the Grand Line. This environment was designed to weed out those who were not ready.
If a recruit could not handle a simple run, they would never survive the New World.
Then, one person suddenly braked, kicking up a cloud of dust.
It was Kane.
He looked at the fallen recruit and felt a spark of opportunity.
While everyone watched, he stopped next to the unconscious man and knelt down. He quickly unfastened the man's weighted vest and began to wake him up.
Hey! Wake up! Get a hold of yourself!
Kane's voice was loud and full of forced urgency.
Think about your family. Think about the oath you took when you joined the Marines. Are you really going to quit like a coward?
His shout echoed across the field. Many of the other recruits slowed down to look back at him with confused expressions.
In the front, Sakazuki's pace faltered for a fraction of a second. He looked back over his shoulder and scowled.
Idiot.
Borsalino adjusted his glasses, his smile widening. Oh my. This is quite an interesting rookie.
Kuzan looked on with a mix of conflict and pity, but he tightened his grip and kept running.
Zephyr's face turned dark with rage.
KANE!
He gripped the railing and roared. What do you think you are doing? Who told you to stop? Do you want to be kicked out along with him?
Kane acted as if he could not hear the Admiral.
Once the recruit started to wake up, Kane pressed his own water bottle into the man's hands.
Drink this and get back on your feet!
The recruit was confused, but seeing the intense, sincere look in Kane's eyes gave him a sudden burst of motivation.
He drank the water, struggled to his feet with a hoarse shout, and prepared to run again.
At that exact moment, the system notified Kane.
[Ding! Host rule-breaking behavior detected!]
[Openly defying training camp rules and disrupting the test. Base points: 120.]
[Calculating multipliers...]
[Witness Coefficient triggered!]
[Witness: Zephyr (Marine Admiral level). Points multiplied by 5!]
[Witnesses: Sakazuki, Borsalino, Kuzan (Future Admiral potential). Additional multiplier of 3!]
[Witnesses: Multiple officers and elite recruits. Additional multiplier of 1.5!]
[Final Calculation: Congratulations! Host has received 2,700 violation points!]
I hit the jackpot.
Kane was thrilled, but he kept his face set in a look of heroic determination. He helped the recruit up and then turned toward the platform to give Zephyr a perfect military salute.
Reporting, Chief Instructor! I cannot simply watch a comrade fall behind!
We are Marines. There are millions of people behind us who count on our protection!
If we are willing to abandon our own brothers, how can we claim to protect the rest of the world?
This is what Justice means to me!
This dramatic speech changed the way the other recruits viewed Kane.
The initial mockery turned into shock and even a sense of respect.
Zephyr stood frozen on the platform, his chest heaving as he tried to process what he just heard.
Abandoning comrades was indeed against the Marine code.
But this was a test, you brat!
Zephyr clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white.
Meanwhile, Kane kept up his tragic act for justice while screaming at the system in his head.
System! Use the points! Put everything into Physique!
[Command confirmed. Enhancing Physique...]
[Used 100 points. Physique +1. Current: 50.]
[Used 200 points. Physique +1. Current: 51.]
Wait. Kane paused. Why did the price go up?
[The higher your attributes, the more energy is required to improve them. Costs increase exponentially.]
Kane understood. It was a fair restriction, otherwise he would be able to defeat Kaido by tomorrow afternoon.
Keep going. Use as many points as possible.
[Enhancing Physique...]
[Used 600 points. Physique +1. Current: 55.]
[Remaining violation points: 630.]
A massive surge of heat, far stronger than the first time, tore through his body.
If the first upgrade was a small stream, this was a flood.
He felt strong enough to kill a Sea King with his bare hands.
Kane turned and gave a bright, confident smile to the recruit he had helped.
Keep up. Do not fall behind.
Then, to the shock of everyone watching, Kane's legs pushed off the ground with incredible force.
There was a loud crash.
The stone ground beneath his feet cracked and shattered, leaving a hole two meters wide.
Kane became a golden blur, moving so fast he left an afterimage behind him.
The wind from his movement was so strong that nearby recruits nearly lost their balance.
What?
Zephyr's sunglasses almost fell off his face.
No recruit should have that kind of explosive power.
Has this kid been hiding his true strength this whole time?
The other recruits stopped to stare at the golden streak moving across the field.
He is too fast!
This is impossible. He was just about to collapse!
He is still carrying the thousand kilogram weights!
Kane continued to accelerate.
Under the shocked gaze of the crowd, he began passing the other recruits one by one.
In only half a lap, he reached the lead group.
Kuzan felt a massive gust of wind fly past him.
He turned his head just in time to see a flash of blonde hair as Kane left him ten meters behind in an instant.
This speed. Is that the Soru technique? No. This is just raw physical strength.
Borsalino's lazy expression disappeared. He looked genuinely serious for the first time.
That is impressive. That speed is already at the level of a Headquarters Officer.
At the very front, Sakazuki was so shocked that his cigar fell out of his mouth.
He watched the golden figure pull further and further away, leaving him in the dust.
The person he thought was an idiot was actually physically superior to him.
It did not make sense.
With the entire camp watching, Kane crossed the finish line.
He stopped in front of the platform and dropped his weighted vest.
The sound of the weights hitting the ground was deafening.
Kane's breathing was heavy and steam rose from his skin, but he stood perfectly straight.
He looked at Zephyr, whose face was a mask of confusion and anger. Kane straightened his messy collar and gave a perfect salute.
Then, he smiled brilliantly.
Reporting, Chief Instructor! Trainee Kane has completed the mission!
All for the sake of justice!
The training ground went silent.
Zephyr looked at the blonde youth standing in the sun with a face that practically demanded a compliment.
He had a feeling that this year's Elite Training Camp was going to be a disaster for his blood pressure.