Zephyr Takes a Disciple: One Month Later

Chapter 22

The training room is located in the deepest part of the New Recruit building, in a hidden space ten meters underground.

At this location, even if it were to collapse, it wouldn't affect the ground in the slightest. It's the preferred spot for many new recruits trying out new moves, open to all recruits... as long as they don't foolishly bury themselves, there's no problem.

When Zephyr arrived at Ron's training room, he saw a dazzling humanoid ball of lightning.

As a Lightning Person, Ron's resistance to lightning grew stronger as he became more powerful. No matter how much he actively controlled it, the priority of Logia-type Elementalization would negate most of the damage, with only a small amount of current stimulating his muscles. This forced him to increase the electrical current to achieve training effects.

Zephyr, who considered himself knowledgeable, was amazed by this miraculous application.

However, he quickly remembered his purpose and spoke.

"Pause for a moment, Ron. I need to talk to you about something!"

"Huh?"

Zzzt...

The lightning retracted into his body. Ron stood up as he saw Zephyr enter the room. "Instructor General Zephyr, why are you here?"

Although Zephyr spent most of his days guarding the New Recruit Camp, he rarely appeared before the recruits. Most people only saw him during the year-end evaluations. The highest-ranking officer they could interact with at other times was Brigadier General Shuzuo.

"I heard you have a technique that uses lightning to stimulate muscles for 강화 training, so I came to see..."

Zephyr pulled over a small stool, sat down, and lit a cigar. "That was the move you just used, right? Tell me your thought process."

"Really?! Okay!"

Zephyr's intention was clear: he wanted to mentor him!

Ron was overjoyed at the prospect of guidance from Zephyr, a former Marine Admiral and one of the world's top figures. He agreed and immediately began to explain.

Regardless of why Zephyr was doing this or what his reasons were, Ron was the one who would benefit, so he saw no reason to refuse. After explaining the principles, Ron scratched the back of his head and said, "That's about the gist of it. As for the specifics... I'll demonstrate it again."

Zephyr didn't speak, just nodded while biting his cigar.

Boom!

With Zephyr's consent, thunder roared. Lightning bolts wrapped around his body, emitting a blinding blue light. Zephyr took a puff of his cigar, unleashed his Observation Haki, and sensed Ron's current state. His expression suddenly froze. "This... aside from a few minor flaws, it's actually this perfect?!"

He had initially thought Ron had haphazardly developed this skill by relying on his own special self-healing ability. Regarding Ron's physical peculiarities, Ron didn't mention them, and they wouldn't bring it up either. It was an unspoken understanding.

What true powerhouse didn't have a few trump cards up their sleeve?

So, Zephyr had come with the intention of guiding and correcting Ron, to make him understand his mistakes and help him correct them, thereby establishing his authority as a teacher... but what he hadn't expected was how perfectly this skill suited the Lightning Person's physique!

The powerful current, capable of incinerating ordinary people into charcoal, was weakened countless times due to the Lightning Person's physique, forming a perfect ratio with his body's strength! It wasn't dangerous at all and instead complemented it!

Moreover, an enhanced physique would lead to a stronger current, and the strengthened current could be repeatedly used in training to further enhance the physique... Aside from the pain, this was a training method with no upper limit!

A training method exclusive to Rumble-Rumble Fruit users!

Even without Ron's extraordinary self-healing abilities, this technique could still be used for training!

Ron had pioneered a new way to utilize the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, one worthy of being recorded in history!

"He's truly a... monster!"

Zephyr was momentarily stunned. Thinking back over the decades, Ron wasn't the strongest recruit he had ever seen, but he was certainly the most talented. The Rumble-Rumble Fruit user who disappeared hundreds of years ago had only developed the destructive power of lightning to its extreme, but they couldn't compare to Ron's imaginative brilliance.

Combined with the fact that it had opened Ron's "Ren and Du meridians," activating his body's potential ahead of time, with this ability and consistent training, in time... Zephyr couldn't imagine what achievements Ron would reach!

Thinking of this, Zephyr's eyes burned with a hint of fervor...

Perhaps, not only could he fill the gap in Marine Admirals... but he could even aim for the pinnacle!

"No, I can't rush. Ron still has a long way to go! And... there are strong and weak Admirals, like myself now."

He chuckled self-deprecatingly and called out, "Come here, Ron. I've found some issues."

"Yes, Instructor General Zephyr!"

"Call me Teacher Zephyr..."

Swish!

Ron's steps froze momentarily, then he became ecstatic and bowed deeply. "Understood! Teacher Zephyr!"

Late Marineford Era 1514, Marine Headquarters, New Recruit Camp.

Sunlight shone from the far east, adding a touch of warmth to the slightly cool sea breeze. The silent Marine Headquarters, called by the morning sun, became bustling once more, as always, unchanging.

"As long as it's effective, the rest is up to me. I'll have Ron cooperate... You..."

Bang!!

Just then, a dull explosion echoed through the tall building, causing the Den Den Mushi to tremble involuntarily...

Click... The call ended.

In his office, Zephyr's lips twitched. He put down the receiver, utterly speechless.

"That little brat, what is he developing now?!"

Deep beneath the New Recruit building, in a special training ground, muffled thunderclaps continued to erupt. Even with the best soundproofing materials, the dull explosions could still be heard in the hallway. The deafening blasts caused the ceiling to shed ash continuously, and passing soldiers, covered in dust, quickened their pace.

"That monster is getting more and more terrifying!"

"The power of a Logia Devil Fruit... what do you think?!"

"Shh, keep it down! Don't let him hear us..."

"Right, right, let's go quickly!"

A patrol of soldiers quickly left.

Inside the training room, dazzling lightning flickered erratically, leaving trails of light in the air. The surrounding walls were pockmarked with craters deep enough to make someone with trypophobia pass out, from which flying discs were launched at speeds not much slower than bullets. But the lightning danced continuously, hitting each flying disc with extreme precision, missing no more than one percent.

After a long while, the training room lights turned red, and a pleasant female voice announced the end.

"...Training complete, hit rate 98.5%..."

A 98.5% hit rate was, since Vegapunk invented this testing apparatus, second only to the data of those old monsters. Among the recruits of these past few batches, it was truly unique!

Zzzzt!

The lightning that had been erupting continuously stopped in the center of the field. Ron stood there, bare-chested, panting heavily.

"Still missed a few, huh?"

A data point that others wouldn't dare to imagine, Ron himself was not satisfied.

He was a Rumble-Rumble Fruit user, with a huge innate advantage. Both his speed and destructive power were beyond comparison to ordinary people. With such a massive advantage, yet unable to achieve a perfect score, Ron knew he still had a long way to go...

Boom!

Clenching his fist, a lightning pillar formed naturally, emitting a deafening explosion. Currents wrapped around Ron's body, and cloud-like light spots appeared around him, flickering through his skin. His eyes were a deep blue, emitting a strong light, making him look like an ethereal being from mythology, rather than a real person.

"Finally, perfect control. This form..."

Looking at his hands, feeling the vast, ocean-like power surging within him, Ron grinned, revealing a satisfied smile.

Thanks to the book friend ~From the Abyss, Invitation~ for the 500 reward!

Abyss?

No thanks!!

The Abyss ruins a lifetime, strengthening impoverishes three generations. If you're not strong, you're not in the Abyss, and you'll definitely become rich and handsome!