Come On, You Furious Little Bull!

Momonga and Hoshigaki had originally been ready to step in and help Ortolan carry the electrocuted Onigumo and Dalmatian away. The reason they had not fought alongside Ortolan earlier was because he had refused their help. In fact, Momonga and the others had been prepared to intervene from the very start of the conflict.

After all, aside from being close to Ortolan, they did not get along with Onigumo and the others either. If there was trouble, of course they would fight!

But before Momonga could enter the fray, Gion hurried over and called out, "Commodore Momonga!"

The moment he heard his goddess's voice, Momonga paused. He turned around with what he considered his most dashing smile and said to Gion, "Oh, Commodore Gion, what is it? Has Kajiki been harassing you again? Don't worry, Ortolan and I will beat him up later!"

Kajiki was standing right behind Momonga, chatting with Hoshigaki. Hearing that, he said with displeasure, "Bastard, we're desk mates, aren't we? Is that how you treat me? And why don't you come pick a fight with me yourself!?"

With a half-smoked cigar clenched between his teeth, Hoshigaki chuckled. "Obviously because he can't beat you alone."

Kajiki deliberately put on an enlightened expression and nodded seriously. "That's true."

The Officer Training Camp had been in session for half a month, and Momonga had been Kajiki's desk mate for that entire time. Though they were rivals in love, Gion paid neither of them any attention, so they instead shared the mutual sympathy of two fellow sufferers.

Besides, although Kajiki looked somewhat sleazy, he was actually straightforward and easy to get along with. As for his background outside Marine Headquarters, everyone had overlooked it due to the strength he had displayed. By now, the class generally acknowledged Kajiki. That was how the Marines did things—they looked at your strength first, not your background.

In short, at the moment, Ortolan, Momonga, and Hoshigaki were fairly close friends with Kajiki, so there was no problem with a few harmless jokes.

Gion ignored their banter and said seriously, "Teacher Zephyr has ordered all of us to attack Ortolan and test the limits of his strength!"

"Huh?" Momonga froze. He looked at Onigumo and Dalmatian, charred black in the distance, then at Doberman, who was being treated by the medical Marines. "I don't think that's necessary, is it?"

Kajiki, however, narrowed his eyes slightly before opening them wider. "On my own, I really wouldn't dare claim I'm Ortolan's match. But if everyone attacks together, I'm very interested!"

One hand resting on the sword at his waist, Hoshigaki patted Momonga on the shoulder with the other. "If you're scared, hide behind me later."

With Gion standing right there, how could Momonga admit he was afraid? He straightened his back and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? I mean, with so many experts here, I'm worried Ortolan won't be able to handle it!"

On the other side, following the principle of being gentle, Ortolan set Onigumo and Dalmatian down before the medical Marines at the edge of the field. Somewhat awkwardly, he said, "I'll leave them to you."

Before the medical Marines could respond, Ortolan suddenly sensed danger on instinct. His body reacted faster than his mind. Lightning flashed across him, sparks bursting through the air as his figure vanished from where he stood!

Looking again, Kajiki stood there in wooden sandals and a commodore's Justice Cloak, one hand coated in Armament Haki and curled into a claw. His strike had missed the spot where Ortolan had just been.

"Was that the Goro Goro no Mi reacting so quickly, or are your reflexes really that good?" Kajiki asked regretfully after missing.

This had been a sneak attack, and he had specifically chosen the moment when Ortolan was most relaxed!

Ortolan had already reappeared in the training ground. Frowning deeply, he looked at Kajiki. "Bastard, what are you trying to do? I'm not in a very good mood right now, Kajiki!"

Although the violence from earlier had vented much of Ortolan's agitation, there was still every chance he could become vicious again.

Kajiki deliberately struck a provocative pose. "Then show me how vicious you can be, Ortolan. I've always thought you exaggerated too much, saying you get all violent when your temper flares up. Where is it? Why haven't I seen that fury? If you think you're so vicious, stop talking nonsense and come fight me!"

Such ordinary taunting was incredibly stimulating to Ortolan right now. The bloodshot veins around his pupils, which had faded somewhat, began filling again. Dense red veins made his eyes terrifying, and together with his horns, he looked like a crazed bull!

Seeing Ortolan's aura grow increasingly violent, Kajiki swallowed slightly, but he still made a taunting gesture. "Come on, you furious little bull!"

As soon as those words left his mouth, Ortolan's entire attention fixed on Kajiki.

That was exactly the effect Kajiki wanted. Ortolan let out a roar, lightning surging over his body as he prepared to charge at Kajiki. At the same time, Momonga and Hoshigaki used Soru and instantly appeared behind Ortolan, one on each side!

"You take the top, I'll take the bottom!" Momonga called.

Momonga did not need to say any more. Hoshigaki and he were longtime partners who fought together often, and their coordination was superb!

Hoshigaki wrapped both hands in Haki, then grabbed Ortolan's horns from either side and yanked hard backward!

Momonga held a Seastone chain in his hand and immediately wrapped it around Ortolan's ankles!

For a devil fruit user, Seastone was extremely dangerous. This was Ortolan's first time touching Seastone since becoming a devil fruit user, and he immediately felt strength drain from his body. At the same time, the lightning that had coiled around him like silver snakes vanished in an instant, as though Ortolan had completely lost the power of the Goro Goro no Mi!

This was why Momonga and the others understood Ortolan better. They had come prepared, even bringing a Seastone chain. Unlike Onigumo's trio, who had blindly rushed in looking for trouble and gotten beaten down immediately!

That was called being prepared for your opponent!

According to Momonga and Hoshigaki's plan, once Momonga put the Seastone on Ortolan, Hoshigaki would exert force from behind and bring Ortolan down. As long as he was knocked over, he would be at everyone's mercy, with no more chances to fight back.

Hoshigaki had indeed intended to do just that. Pulling hard on Ortolan's horns, he thought that Ortolan would not be able to withstand the force due to the Seastone!

But what did it mean to possess inborn divine strength?

Normally, a devil fruit user would go limp and powerless upon touching Seastone. But with specialized training, they could develop some resistance. Their powers would still be lost, but their physical weakness could recover, leaving them no longer as helpless as a puddle of mud.

In the original story, Straw Hat and Kid had taken such a practical lesson in Teacher Kaido's training camp, successfully overcoming Seastone's weakening effect.

Ortolan had never taken that lesson, but his physical foundation far surpassed that of ordinary people. Even after being weakened by the Seastone, he still possessed immense strength!

He drove his feet into the ground as though rooted there. His head tilted backward under Hoshigaki's pull, but his waist continuously strained against it, forcibly holding off Hoshigaki's effort.

The movement looked simple, but it demanded extremely high physical ability and strength. Even Zephyr, who was watching the battle, had a look of surprise in his eyes!

At the same time, Ortolan swept his left hand down and seized Momonga by the back of the neck. His right hand reached over his head behind him and grabbed Hoshigaki's arm as well!

He had managed to grab them because neither Momonga nor Hoshigaki had expected that Ortolan would not be brought down. They had not even tried to dodge!

That single lapse immediately put panic on both their faces.

"Wait, I..." Momonga had only just begun to speak when tremendous force gripped the back of his neck, yanking him off the ground.

A quick glance from the corner of his eye showed Hoshigaki, who should have been behind Ortolan, being held by the arm and swung through the air. Then came a bang!

Ortolan held Momonga in his left hand and Hoshigaki in his right. The muscles in his arms bulged, his bloodshot eyes blazing red as he viciously slammed them into the ground in furious rage!

The ground shattered instantly, sending a huge cloud of dust into the air. When it settled, Momonga and Hoshigaki were planted headfirst in the ground like upside-down radishes, their legs hanging limply and completely motionless!