Come On, You Fiery Little Bull!

Momonga and Hoshigaki were already preparing to help Ortolan carry the electrocuted Onigumo and Dalmatian over. The reason they hadn't fought alongside Ortolan earlier was that he had refused their help. In fact, from the very start of the conflict, Momonga and the others had been ready to step in.

After all, aside from being close to Ortolan, they also had strained relations with Onigumo and his group. When trouble came, of course they'd throw down!

But before Momonga could make his move, Gion came rushing over, saying, "Momonga, Rear Admiral!"

Hearing his goddess's voice, Momonga's expression shifted. He stopped in his tracks, turned around, and put on what he thought was his most dashing and handsome smile, looking at Gion. "Oh, Gion, Rear Admiral. What's wrong? Has that Kajiki been bothering you again? Don't worry, I'll get Ortolan to help me beat him up later!"

Kajiki was standing right behind Momonga at the time, chatting with Hoshigaki. When he heard Momonga's words, he said with a dissatisfied look, "Bastard, we're desk mates, and this is how you treat me? And why don't you just come after me yourself!?"

Hoshigaki, a half-smoked cigar clamped between his teeth, chuckled and said, "That's because he knows he can't beat you alone."

Kajiki deliberately put on a look of 'sudden realization' and nodded seriously. "True enough!"

It had been half a month since the Officer Training Camp started, and Momonga had been desk mates with Kajiki for that long. Though they were 'love rivals,' since Gion ignored both of them, they instead developed a sense of camaraderie, like brothers in misfortune.

Besides, Kajiki, despite looking a bit sleazy, was actually a very straightforward and easygoing person. His background as an outsider from headquarters was overlooked because of his impressive strength. In the class, everyone acknowledged Kajiki based on his abilities first. That's how the Marines worked—they judged you by your strength, not your origins.

All in all, at this point, the trio of Ortolan, Momonga, and Hoshigaki were fairly close friends with Kajiki, so cracking these harmless jokes was no big deal.

Gion didn't pay any attention to their banter. She said seriously, "Teacher Zephyr's orders. We're all supposed to attack Ortolan and test his limits."

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

Kajiki, however, narrowed his eyes slightly at the news. "I wouldn't dare say I could take Ortolan one-on-one, but if we all jump in together, I'm very interested!"

Hoshigaki rested one hand on the sword at his waist and patted Momonga's shoulder with the other. "If you're scared, just hide behind me."

With Gion standing right there, there was no way Momonga would admit to being scared. He puffed out his chest. "What nonsense! I'm just saying, with so many of us, I'm worried Ortolan won't be able to handle it!"

On the other side, Ortolan, following the principle of handling things gently, set Onigumo and Dalmatian down in front of the medical Marines at the edge of the field. He said a bit awkwardly, "Sorry for the trouble."

Before the medical Marines could respond, Ortolan suddenly felt a flash of danger instinctually. His body reacted faster than his mind—a spark of lightning crackled in the air, and his figure vanished from where he stood!

Looking again, Kajiki, wearing wooden clogs and a Rear Admiral's Justice Cloak, had one hand coated in Armament Haki, shaped like a claw, striking the spot where Ortolan had just been.

"Is it the Goro Goro no Mi making you react that fast, or are you just that quick?" Kajiki said with some regret as his attack missed.

He had ambushed Ortolan, choosing the moment when he was most relaxed!

Ortolan's figure reappeared in the training ground. He frowned deeply at Kajiki. "Bastard, what do you think you're doing? I'm not in a good mood right now, Kajiki!"

Though the earlier campus violence had vented some of Ortolan's irritable mood, he was still very capable of turning vicious again.

Kajiki deliberately put on a provocative stance. "If you're so vicious, then show me, Ortolan. You're always going on about how you get irritable when your temper flares. Where is it? I don't see it. If you really think you're that fierce, don't waste time talking—come at me!"

This simple provocation hit Ortolan hard. His eyes, which had been recovering, began to redden again. Dense blood vessels made his gaze terrifying, and paired with his horns, he looked like a mad bull!

Seeing Ortolan's aura grow more violent, Kajiki swallowed nervously but still made a taunting gesture. "Come on, you irritable little bull!"

With those words, Ortolan's attention was completely fixed on Kajiki.

That was exactly what Kajiki wanted. Ortolan let out a furious roar, lightning flaring around him as he prepared to charge. At the same moment, Momonga and Hoshigaki both used Soru to appear instantly on Ortolan's left and right!

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

He didn't need to say more. Hoshigaki and Momonga had fought together many times and had excellent coordination!

Hoshigaki, his hands coated in Haki, grabbed Ortolan's horns—one in each hand—and yanked them backward with force!

Meanwhile, Momonga produced a Seastone chain and wrapped it around Ortolan's ankles in an instant!

For Devil Fruit users, Seastone is extremely dangerous. For Ortolan, this was his first time touching it since becoming a user. He immediately felt his body go weak, and the lightning that had coiled around him like silver serpents vanished in an instant, as if he had completely lost the power of the Goro Goro no Mi!

You could say Momonga and the others knew Ortolan well. They came prepared, even bringing Seastone chains, unlike Onigumo's group, who had charged in blindly and got taken down.

That's what you call a targeted approach!

According to Momonga and Hoshigaki's plan, once Momonga had the Seastone on Ortolan, Hoshigaki would use his leverage from behind to throw Ortolan to the ground. Once he was down, it would be a group stomping, with no chance for him to recover.

Hoshigaki intended to do just that. He pulled hard on Ortolan's horns, thinking that with the Seastone's effect, Ortolan wouldn't be able to resist his strength.

But what is innate monstrous strength?

Normal Devil Fruit users touching Seastone would go limp and powerless. However, with special training, one could develop a certain 'resistance'—the ability might be lost, but the physical weakness could be overcome, no longer leaving them like a pile of jelly.

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

Ortolan hadn't taken that lesson, but his physical baseline was far beyond normal. Even after Seastone weakened him, he was still incredibly strong!

He planted his feet firmly, like roots in the ground. His head was pulled back by Hoshigaki, but his core muscles strained against the pull, holding his ground.

It looked simple, but it demanded immense physical strength and conditioning. Even Zephyr, watching from the sidelines, had a flicker of surprise in his eyes!

At the same time, Ortolan reached down with his left hand and grabbed Momonga by the back of the neck. His right hand shot up behind his head and seized Hoshigaki's arm!

He managed to grab them because neither Momonga nor Hoshigaki had expected him to stay standing, so they hadn't dodged!

That moment of carelessness immediately turned their expressions to panic.

"Wait, I—" Momonga started to say something, but felt a tremendous force on the back of his neck as he was lifted off the ground.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hoshigaki, who should have been behind Ortolan, also caught by the arm and swung into the air. Then—BAM!

Ortolan, holding Momonga in his left hand and Hoshigaki in his right, his arm muscles bulging, his eyes bloodshot and wild, slammed them both into the ground with a furious, raging strike!

The ground shattered instantly, kicking up a massive cloud of dust. When it cleared, Momonga and Hoshigaki were stuck headfirst in the earth, their legs dangling limply, motionless!