At 7 AM in Marineford, the sea mist had yet to disperse.
Tatsuki and Kuzan had been lying in bed for less than ten minutes.
Beep!!!
Zephyr's piercing assembly whistle blew, instantly shattering the silence of the dormitory building.
"Fall in, everyone! Those who are late will have their training increased tenfold!" Zephyr's roar echoed through the corridor.
"Ugh..."
Kuzan struggled to get up, instinctively reaching for the Marine vest at the head of his bed, his entire body radiating a decadent aura of someone ravaged by life.
On the other hand, Tatsuki was unhurriedly straightening his collar. Although his blonde hair looked a bit messy and his clothes were covered in sweat stains and dust from the previous night, his blue eyes were exceptionally excited.
How could he not be excited?
That was a physical enhancement exchanged for over ten thousand Violation points. Now, he felt terrifyingly strong.
"Ta... Tatsuki..."
Kuzan, sporting two massive dark circles under his eyes, looked at his energetic roommate in shock. "Aren't you tired? You carried me on your back for the final fifty laps."
"Tired?"
Tatsuki turned around and, facing the morning sun outside the window, flashed his trademark smile.
"Kuzan, the body might get tired, but as long as I think of the justice we shoulder, my spirit is filled with infinite strength."
[Ding! Detected host's words are extremely hypocritical, causing slight physical discomfort to Kuzan. Violation points +20!]
Hearing the wonderful system prompt, Tatsuki's smile became even more sincere.
Kuzan's movements paused, a surge of admiration and shame welling up in his heart.
'Is this the difference in resolve?'
Gritting his teeth, he forced his aching body up.
...
Five minutes later, at the training ground.
The students of the Elite Class stood in formation. Though they were called elites, most of them had dark circles under their eyes. Zephyr's roars last night had been so loud that the entire dormitory area hadn't slept well.
Zephyr stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses scanning the faces of the crowd before finally settling on Tatsuki.
To be honest, Zephyr hadn't slept at all last night. He had stood by his office window all night. He had personally watched how Tatsuki had shuffled through the final laps step by step, and how he had carried the unconscious Kuzan back to the dormitory.
Such perseverance, such a physique...
Zephyr was actually satisfied in his heart, one could even say he was amazed.
But this kid was truly asking for a beating.
"No physical training today."
Zephyr's gruff voice drowned out the sea breeze. "As elites, physical strength alone is not enough. Today, we will conduct actual combat sparring. There are no rule restrictions, until one side loses combat effectiveness or surrenders."
"Group up in pairs for free sparring! Begin!"
Just as the students were about to find familiar partners, a low, raspy voice rang out.
"Zephyr-sensei."
At the very front of the line, a man wearing a deep red shirt and a baseball cap stepped forward.
Sakazuki.
Even though he was young, the fierce aura about him had already begun to take shape.
He pulled down the brim of his cap, his sinister eyes looking past the crowd to fixate on Tatsuki.
"I request to conduct a sparring exercise with Tatsuki."
The entire field fell into a sudden silence.
Zephyr frowned slightly. "Sakazuki, Tatsuki was punished last night, and his physical energy has been greatly depleted."
"Is that an excuse?"
Sakazuki rudely interrupted Zephyr, the veins on his neck bulging as he spoke aggressively, "When pirates attack, will they spare you because you didn't sleep well last night? The execution of justice does not distinguish between time, place, or condition."
He turned around and pointed at Tatsuki's nose. "I do not acknowledge this kind of person."
"Leading comrades astray, treating military discipline like a joke, full of grand principles but actually just seeking attention."
"The Marines don't need such opportunistic people! If you can't even beat me, then get out of the Training Camp as soon as possible, and don't tarnish your father's reputation!"
These words were extremely harsh, practically tearing off Tatsuki's face and stomping on it.
Kuzan, standing nearby, grew anxious and was about to rush forward to argue. "Hey! Sakazuki, you're going too far..."
A hand steadily stopped Kuzan.
Tatsuki looked at the battle-hungry Sakazuki and muttered in his heart, 'System, evaluate Sakazuki."
[Scanning target...]
[Sakazuki (Youth)]
[Physique: 58]
[Rokushiki: Initial Mastery]
[Devil Fruit: None]
[Haki: Not Initiated]
Looking at the numbers on the light screen, Tatsuki's pupils contracted slightly. '58 points? Is this guy a monster?'
'At the opening ceremony a week ago, I increased my Physique points to 55 and outran everyone. At that time, although Sakazuki was close behind, he clearly hadn't reached the level of 55 yet.'
'In just one week, he actually trained his Physique up to 58? Such a terrifying growth rate—truly worthy of a future Fleet Admiral.'
'However...'
A playful arc curved at the corner of Tatsuki's lips.
'A 7-point difference in Physique is an insurmountable chasm in the early stages of the One Piece world.'
'Since you want to play, I'll play along with you.'
"Sakazuki is right." Tatsuki said in an extremely sincere tone while unhurriedly rolling up his sleeves:
"I do indeed have many shortcomings, and my behavior last night was indeed inappropriate. Since you are willing to personally guide me for the sake of the Marines' future and to correct my mistakes..."
He looked up, his gaze instantly becoming sharp, but the smile on his lips grew even more playful.
"I couldn't ask for more."
"Stop being so sarcastic!"
Sakazuki hated this attitude of his most. He let out a roar, his muscles tensing as a fierce aura instantly erupted.
He pushed off powerfully with both legs.
Bang!
A circle of dust exploded from the ground. His whole body was like a shell fired from a cannon, instantly crossing the distance of over ten meters.
His right fist was clenched tight—no fancy techniques, just pure power and killing intent, aimed straight for Tatsuki's face.
If this punch landed solidly, an ordinary person's head would burst open.
The surrounding trainees let out a chorus of gasps.
However, Tatsuki stood in place, without even moving his heels. Only when the fist, carrying a sharp wind, was about to touch the tip of his nose and ruffled the bangs on his forehead did he slightly tilt his head.
Swish!
The fist grazed past his ear.
"Too slow." Tatsuki said softly, a hint of regret in his voice.
After last night's frantic spending of ten thousand Violation points, his current dynamic vision and reaction speed were no longer at the level they were when he had first entered the camp.
Sakazuki's powerful straight punch was like a slow-motion replay in his eyes.
"Can you only dodge? Coward!"
Sakazuki changed his moves extremely quickly. Failing to land the first hit, he used the momentum to spin his body, his thick elbow like a battle-axe sweeping toward Tatsuki's temple.
Tatsuki didn't dodge this time. Instead, he raised his right arm and threw a punch.
Thud!
A dull sound of flesh colliding rang out.
Airwaves rolled, making the clothes of the surrounding students flutter loudly, and the stone slabs beneath their feet instantly cracked with fine lines.
But Tatsuki didn't retreat a single step, steadily blocking Sakazuki's determined strike.
[Ding! Assaulting a fellow student.]
[Violation points +50!]
"Hmm?"
Tatsuki's eyes lit up.
50 points for one punch?
'Sakazuki, if you don't beat me half to death today, or if I don't beat you half to death, neither of us is leaving.'
With that thought, Tatsuki deliberately feigned exhaustion, his body swaying slightly.