It was time for free training. Leiyin and Ain saw a male trainee walk up to a female trainee on the training field, kneel on one knee, and hold a bouquet of roses between his teeth:
"From the very first moment I saw you, I was deeply captivated by your beauty. So, Hina, please accept my love."
The female trainee being confessed to was Hina, while the male trainee confessing was Fumbidi.
[Iron Fist] Fumbidi was currently a sergeant trainee at the Training Camp. He had earned the nickname "Iron Fist" because he wore iron rings on his hands. He later became a Navy Headquarters captain, but after Sanji severely disciplined him at the sea restaurant in the East Blue for wasting food and bringing shame upon the Navy, he was demoted to Private Third Class and placed under Hina's command.
I can't believe this guy already started liking Hina so early, Leiyin thought.
In response to Fumbidi's confession, Hina merely glared coldly. She snatched the roses from his hand and broke them without mercy. "Please don't play these boring tricks anymore. Hina's meaning should already be perfectly clear. Don't tell me you can't understand human speech?"
With that, Hina turned and walked away.
The trainees watching burst into laughter.
"You're still not giving up, huh?"
"Can't blame him. She's a Cage-Cage Fruit user and is already a lieutenant trainee. After graduating, she'll at least become a field-grade officer. She's beautiful, too, and has limitless prospects. But you're only a sergeant. Give it up."
"Exactly, exactly."
Yet Fumbidi remained completely unfazed by everyone's sarcasm. He stood up and brushed the dust from his knees. "What do you know? Hmph, I'm far stronger than cowards like you who clearly like someone but don't dare say it. And no matter what anyone says, I'll never give up pursuing Hina!"
Then he, too, swaggered away.
Watching this scene, Leiyin thought, This guy really has thicker skin than most.
Afterward, Leiyin looked up at the blue sky and white clouds, feeling extremely relaxed. Here, I can quietly improve my strength while enjoying the most wonderful days of youth.
Seeing Fumbidi's retreating back, Ain, who was sitting beside Leiyin, covered her mouth and giggled.
"Hm?"
Ain said, "Fumbidi is really interesting. He's been rejected forty-six times, yet he still refuses to give up."
Leiyin replied, "Yeah. Come to think of it, he is quite persistent."
"By the way, you're a Devil Fruit user too, right?" Leiyin asked.
"Hm? How did you know?" Ain asked in confusion.
Leiyin scratched his head. "Oh, that? I was just guessing."
Ain smiled sweetly and extended her right hand. A mass of peach-colored flames resembling ghost fire appeared in her palm. She then aimed at a small sapling.
"Rewind Shot!"
Ain gave a coquettish shout. The peach-colored flames shot out and struck the sapling. In an instant, the small tree vanished completely.
"Oh, what is this?!" Leiyin's face filled with surprise.
Ain withdrew the flames in her hand. "This is my ability, the Return-Return Fruit. Anything it hits is sent twelve years back in time. That sapling's lifespan was less than twelve years, so it disappeared completely when it was struck."
"That's an incredible ability. If this were a Ranking Assessment, I definitely wouldn't be your opponent," Leiyin said humbly.
Ain's pretty face flushed. "Not at all. But if anything happens, I'll protect you."
Huh?
Was that really something a girl should say to a boy?
But Ain couldn't really be blamed. Leiyin looked somewhat thin and frail, the sort who appeared unable to fight his way out of a paper bag. More importantly, he held the unprecedented rank of Private Second Class, naturally making people see him as a completely powerless member of society.
Hearing this, Leiyin's head filled with black lines. I'm really being underestimated to the absolute limit.
Before they knew it, the afternoon training session had ended. Thus, as agreed, Leiyin and Beligood went to the open ground beside Training Field Six for their duel.
Both arrived as promised.
Beligood said, "I didn't expect you to be so eager to die. You actually dared to come."
Leiyin smiled disdainfully. "That's what I should be saying to you."
"Hmph, you reckless fool. I already warned you this morning, yet I saw you clinging all over Ain and acting so intimate with her. It really pissed me off! Today, I'll beat you so badly that even your Mama won't recognize you!"
"Tch, we'll see whether you have what it takes."
"Hmph, arrogant and reckless fool!"
As he spoke, Beligood charged forward without the slightest hesitation. "Six Powers—Tempest Kick!"
Using his momentum, Beligood raised one leg and sent out a blue slash. Leiyin simply stamped his foot against the ground and easily dodged it.
Beligood was not only a Devil Fruit user but also highly skilled in the Six Powers.
But so what?
A vortex of energy gathered in Leiyin's hand as a ninja technique was about to emerge silently.
"Stop fighting!"
A girl's figure came running from the distance. When the two looked over, they saw that it was Ain.
When the two stopped, Ain ran between them and asked, "Leiyin, what are you doing?"
Leiyin said nothing, but Beligood spoke up. "Little sister Ain, don't interfere. Neither of us is willing to submit to the other, so we came here to settle things once and for all!"
Ain shouted at Leiyin, "Leiyin, you've only just arrived, and you're merely a Private Second Class. Are you really going to provoke a Devil Fruit user?"
What Ain meant was: You're only a Private Second Class. You're no match for Beligood, so stop fighting.
Beligood, however, ignored her completely. He walked around Ain and attacked Leiyin again.
"Bean Bean Punch!"
The next moment, Beligood's fist detached from his arm and shot straight toward Leiyin.
This was the ability of his Paramecia Bean Bean Fruit. His entire body could transform into spherical particles, allowing him to launch attacks or evade them.
However, this ability was somewhat similar to the Clown Buggy's Chop-Chop Fruit.
Just as the spherical fist was about to hit him, Ain suddenly stepped forward and grabbed it.
"Hm?"
"Ain, you..."
Ain turned her head toward Leiyin. "I told you, I'll protect you."
Huh?
I know you mean well, but there should be a limit to how much you can underestimate someone, Leiyin thought.
If I can't even defeat him, how am I supposed to make a name for myself on the sea in the future?
Flying Thunder God Slash—Lion Dance!
Leiyin vanished at a speed neither of them could perceive. When he reappeared in front of Beligood, his knee had already slammed into Beligood's stomach, launching him into the air. He then struck him back down onto the ground.
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