My Strength Relies Entirely on Effort, [Big Trophy], and Stat Points!

The assembled Marine bigwigs immediately caught on.

The so-called "Whitebeard attacking Marine Headquarters" was just a false alarm.

But among these clear-headed individuals, one "big brain" had a reaction that was refreshingly unique.

"Whitebeard the Third?!"

Garp's eyes bulged in shock, his jaw nearly hitting the ground.

"That Newgate guy actually has a grandson too?

"Zephyr! You went and killed Newgate's grandson!"

At those words.

Sengoku covered his face, Aokiji pressed his forehead, Kizaru smirked.

Even the steady Tsuru couldn't help but let out a sigh.

Storm quietly glanced at Zephyr beside him.

A moment ago, Zephyr's face had been as dark as "Armament Haki."

Now it looked more like "Conqueror's Haki"—black tinged with red, red shot through with purple.

Before Zephyr could respond.

Sengoku went straight for a "Man Lock Man."

The Fleet Admiral's arm hooked around the Vice Admiral's neck, his brawny bicep pressing tight against the latter's throat, manually "muting" him.

"Sengoku—stop me—grandson—"

Sengoku dragged Garp away, and the other Marine bigwigs filed out one by one.

Marine Headquarters was swamped with business.

If it weren't for the earth-shattering news of "Whitebeard appearing at Marine Headquarters,"

so many Marine bigwigs would never have gathered at once on the headquarters training grounds.

Now that the matter was cleared up, everyone naturally went "back to their own homes, back to their own gossip."

The only headquarters bigwig still lingering on the training grounds was Zephyr, currently holding a sinecure.

"Can't tell right from wrong! Disguising as a pirate! Stirring up trouble! Shaking morale!"

Zephyr's face was stern, his reprimands firing off like a chain of cannonballs.

"How could you pretend to be Whitebeard in front of so many Marine comrades?!

"Storm, you're absolutely lawless!"

Seeing Zephyr so furious, Peacock, who had just tattled, couldn't help but stick out her tongue.

"Instructor, teacher, um, actually Storm and I were just messing around..."

"Messing around?"

Zephyr let out a cold laugh, his sharp gaze locking onto Peacock.

"The sea isn't a game, a playhouse!

"You like messing around? Then I'll play with you now!

"Rest on the spot for half an hour! Then let me see what progress you two have made lately!"

After dropping that line, Zephyr left Storm and Peacock behind and began pacing across the wide training grounds.

"Your forehand is sloppy!"

"Your backhand is weak!"

"Your footwork is loose!"

"Your reactions are slow!"

"None of you lot are even remotely decent!"

Zephyr kept moving across the training grounds.

Every time he passed a Marine, he couldn't help but lecture them a few times, then follow up with some hands-on corrections.

Storm and Peacock watched Zephyr from a distance as he entered his "teaching mode," exchanging a glance.

"Does Zephyr-sensei mean he's going to 'fight' us later?"

"Fight? You're overestimating yourself, Peacock. And overestimating me a little too."

Storm shook his head. Without waiting for Peacock's reply, he sat cross-legged and began to rest his mind.

Seeing this, Peacock rubbed her still-aching stomach and sat cross-legged as well.

A "fight" with Zephyr was no joke!

Storm sank his mind into the [Big Trophy], silently summoning the Silver Trophy he had just obtained.

An ordinary Star Trophy could be used to make a wish or to add points—one choice between the two.

Silver Trophy, Three-Star Trophy.

This meant Storm could use this trophy to raise any one of his attributes or abilities to the Three-Star level.

If he wanted to "make a wish,"

Storm could also use this Silver Trophy to obtain a Three-Star ability or item.

This was his first official trophy, and with the upcoming "battle,"

Storm thought for a moment and decided to use this Silver Trophy to enhance his own ability.

Aside from the two basic attributes of [Physique] and [Haki], Storm had several other abilities with star ratings—

[Shave: ★★★]

[Tekkai: ★★☆]

[Kami-e: ★★☆]

[Geppo: ★★]

[Rankyaku: ★★]

[Shigan: ★☆]

[Swordsmanship: ★☆]

[Marksmanship: ★]

Firearms, swordsmanship, and the Rokushiki.

These were all skills Storm had learned at the Naval Academy and the Rookie Training Camp.

In addition, there was the newly acquired—[Clay Fruit: ☆].

Storm rubbed the [Demon Ring] on his thumb.

He had already decided which ability to upgrade.

'My strength comes from hard work, and the [Big Trophy] adds the points!'

Storm slammed the Silver Trophy directly onto [Clay Fruit]!

Under his gaze, the star behind [Clay Fruit] fluctuated.

[Clay Fruit: ★★★]

'Is that it?'

Storm closed his eyes and focused.

But he didn't feel any "surge of knowledge" or "sudden enlightenment" at all.

'Uh...'

Storm opened his eyes in disbelief, raised his right hand, and released his ability.

A mass of white clay burst forth from his palm.

In that instant, Storm felt divinely inspired, with endless creativity exploding in his mind.

Under his control, the white clay rapidly transformed, as if it had suddenly "come to life."

A majestic dragon head, neatly arranged dragon scales, imposing dragon wings, a flexible dragon tail...

A lifelike, vivid miniature Blue-Eyes White Dragon stood proudly in Storm's palm.

If the earlier "Whitebeard the Third" was just a crude clay doll from a workshop, Then this "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" was a finely crafted clay figurine designed by International Illusion Society.

Storm's inspiration was full—overflowing, even!

And yet...

"And this is supposed to be Whitebeard?"

Zephyr swung his left fist, easily smashing a giant Whitebeard the Third clay doll.

"And this is supposed to be Whitebeard the Third?"

The mechanical arm "Crusher" swept across, and another Whitebeard the Third clay doll was completely blown apart.

"Edward Teach?"

Zephyr slammed the Crusher on his right arm into the ground, and the clay-covered earth cracked inch by inch.

Several Whitebeard the Third clay dolls surrounding him were sent flying into the air.

Zephyr swung his left fist toward the sky, and invisible Armament Haki burst forth, forming a fierce storm.

The clay dolls spinning in the storm were as fragile as ragdolls, utterly destroyed.

"Storm!"

Zephyr's feet slammed heavily into the earth as he closed in on Storm like a blur.

"You rely too much on your Devil Fruit ability!"

Bam!

Zephyr swung his massive, heavy Mechanical Arm "Crusher," obliterating the "Storm" before him into dust.

The clay-covered ground rippled.

On a patch of open ground not far away.

White clay coalesced into a human form, and a battered Storm emerged.

"Huff... huff..."

Storm braced his hands on his knees, his chest heaving violently.

At his feet lay Peacock, long since drained of strength and unconscious.

The gap between Storm and Zephyr was like a chasm.

This was something the Three-Star [Clay Fruit] could never bridge.

Even with Storm using the [Demon Ring] to push the [Clay Fruit]'s "output firepower" to its maximum.

It was utterly useless against Zephyr.

On the contrary.

Storm could only keep fleeing from Zephyr's attacks.

The only reason he'd lasted this long was the [Clay Fruit]'s ability to turn his body into clay!

Even so.

"Fighting" until now.

Storm was covered in wounds.

While Zephyr remained completely unscathed.

'Sorry, Zephyr teacher, I couldn't make you go all out...'

Storm panted for a long while, but Zephyr's next attack never came.

His eyes were locked on Zephyr, but the man just stood there.

"Zephyr teacher?"

"Let's end today's fight here."

Zephyr looked toward the horizon, where the dusk was golden. His lesson had lasted nearly an entire day.

"Storm, you have real talent in developing your Devil Fruit.

"At the level you just showed, there probably aren't many pirates in the Paradise stage who could beat you."

Storm's performance just now made Zephyr instinctively think of one person.

The Charlotte Family's greatest masterpiece—Charlotte Katakuri.

Storm's [Clay Fruit] was a "Special Paramecia."

And Katakuri's [Mochi-Mochi Fruit] was also a "Special Paramecia."

Zephyr hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he didn't use Charlotte Katakuri as an example to motivate Storm.

Even if, in his eyes, that pirate Charlotte Katakuri was decent among a pile of scum...

"Storm, don't waste your talent."

Zephyr pushed aside his stray thoughts and spoke gravely.

"But don't forget one thing.

"On this sea, only Physique is the foundation!"

Storm straightened his back and answered loudly.

"Yes, Zephyr teacher!"

A flicker of relief passed over Zephyr's face.

He finished his last lesson, turned around, and waved a hand.

"Vongola Storm, next time we meet, don't expect me to hold back... cough."

Storm saw Zephyr's figure sway.

But the man still walked steadfastly toward the sunset.

Storm lowered his head, looking at Peacock at his feet.

"A blade in the darkness, huh..."

On the first day of obtaining the [Clay Fruit].

Storm fought Zephyr for nearly an entire day, bringing his practical skill with the [Clay Fruit] up to par with the Three-Star data.

On the second day after obtaining the Clay Fruit.

Storm trained on his own, molding flowers, grass, and trees; molding wolves, insects, tigers, and leopards; molding rare birds and exotic beasts; molding pirates and Marines.

On the third day after obtaining the Clay Fruit.

Storm wanted to mold a great thunderclap.

Unfortunately.

A Transfer Order from headquarters suddenly arrived.

Storm could only abandon his exploration of the origin of life.

He headed to the headquarters building, retrieved the Transfer Order, and collected his custom-made weapon.

Immediately after.

Storm rushed to the headquarters dock, stepped aboard the Prison Ship, rode the Triangle Current, and entered the World Government's exclusive route.

The final stop: the Calm Belt.

Impel Down.

Today I contacted my editor; the contract status should be updated.

The contract is about to be signed!

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