To Become Strong, You Must Take a Beating

Standing alone on the training field, Ye Chen felt as though all the surrounding sounds had vanished. He found the atmosphere comforting, because it made him feel safe.

Bang!

With a thunderous crack, Ye Chen struck a lead block designed for target practice with his fist. It exploded with a boom, smoke and flames coiling outward as a Shockwave blasted the lead block away.

However, the power was still far too weak. The lead block remained completely undamaged, merely pushed back some distance.

Every night, Ye Chen trained like this, attacking without pause and continuously developing his explosions. His progress was slow, but compared to when he had first started, the difference was enormous.

When Ye Chen had first obtained the Bomb-Bomb Fruit, all it could do was emit a little smoke. If it was feeling generous, it might give off a few sparks, and that was it.

But now? With one punch, anything within three meters would instantly explode. That was the difference.

Ye Chen knew full well that the Bomb-Bomb Fruit was merely a key that had opened the door to power for him. If he wanted to gain strength, he still needed effort and sweat.

Therefore, Ye Chen never cut corners in his training.

Ye Chen had not put much thought into developing the Bomb-Bomb Fruit, since he had plenty of time in the future. Besides Inner Development and Outer Development, he had also considered expanding some abilities, such as the explosive force, flames, thick smoke, and countless other things produced by explosions.

Bang! Bang!

Explosions rang out continuously, followed by endless roars. Beneath the moonlight, a figure swung his fists, drenched in sweat.

Three hours later, Ye Chen stopped on time, because the appointed time had arrived.

In the darkness, Vergo, slightly taller than Ye Chen, emerged. His breathing had yet to settle, and it was clear that, like Ye Chen, Vergo had been using the nighttime rest period to train.

The two stood together, their shadows stretched long by the moonlight. Neither spoke. Almost simultaneously, they charged at each other and began grappling.

There were no techniques at all; they fought entirely on instinct. Perhaps in the eyes of the strong, Ye Chen and Vergo looked like children fighting, completely without form.

But they were children to begin with, so both sides were full of openings when they fought.

A punch landed on Ye Chen's face, turning his head slightly. Blood hung from the corner of his mouth, but his expression did not change. He directly kicked Vergo in the chest.

The two pulled apart, then rushed together once more. Still fighting without any technique, trading punches and kicks, they somehow fought with great momentum.

Half an hour later, the two lay on the ground, bruised and battered, gasping for breath.

As for why they met here on time to fight, it was because one day Vergo had discovered Ye Chen training. Since both wanted to become stronger, they had started doing this.

Before they knew it, they had forged a friendship through fighting.

Neither of them liked talking, and both were men of few words. It was as if all they pursued was strength. As things went on, they came here every night to fight; otherwise, they felt uncomfortable all over.

The reason they fought like this every night was a single sentence Zephyr had once said.

That was right. About half a month ago, while everyone had been running laps, Zephyr had said, "You new recruits can't even keep going after just running laps. How do you expect to become strong?

"The most basic thing for a strong person is taking a beating. Only by taking a beating can a strong person be tempered. From what I can see, you're still far from it. Add another ten laps today."

Many people had not taken those words seriously, but Ye Chen and Vergo had remembered them deeply. Zephyr was a genuine powerhouse, and every word he spoke was experience. Besides, Zephyr had no reason to lie to them.

"Here, you're the only one I respect."

Lying on the ground, the right side of Vergo's face was red and swollen, and his voice was somewhat hoarse.

"Likewise."

Ye Chen's left eye was bruised purple and swollen shut into a narrow slit. Looking up at the starry sky, he gave a sparing reply.

After that, neither spoke again. Once their ragged breathing had calmed somewhat, they supported each other and headed back toward the dormitories.

It had to be said that the Navy was truly wealthy—or perhaps it was only natural for the strongest force on the seas. The student dormitories had one room per person. Though the rooms were not large, it was enough to show the Navy's status.

However, as the two supported each other away, they did not know that two figures had been watching everything from the darkness.

"Tsuru, what do you think of those two youngsters?"

The voice was magnetic. If Ye Chen had been there, he would have immediately recognized it as Zephyr's.

A wise voice came from beside him. "Very good. They are promising material, only slightly inferior to those three monsters."

"Hmph, you mean Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan? I dare say that if nothing unexpected happens, those two will eventually stand shoulder to shoulder with them. The three of them may be Logia users, but their tenacity is not as strong as those two boys'. Vergo may be a little lacking, but I have high hopes for that Ye Chen fellow."

"You think that highly of him?" Tsuru was slightly startled.

"When that fellow gets ruthless, he's like a wild beast. And he's an ability user too. Unlike Sakazuki and the other two, who relaxed their physical training after gaining Logia powers, he's different. He seems to place great importance on physical training. He not only completes his daytime training but exceeds it by a great deal. At night, he develops his ability, then fights Vergo on schedule without using it."

"I hope so. But Logia users are not so easily surpassed." Tsuru did not refute him, merely smiling.

"Then it depends on him."

The next day, as usual, everyone gathered on the training field as soon as dawn broke.

"Again? What did you two do last night? Every time I see you, your old injuries haven't healed before you get new ones."

Smoker frowned as he looked at the battered Vergo and Ye Chen. He had the uncomfortable feeling that they were hiding something from him.

As for their other companions, such as Hina and Very Good, they were also looking at Ye Chen and Vergo.

By now, everyone on the team knew that Ye Chen and Vergo trained ruthlessly and were especially cold. They never took the initiative to speak or make friends. It was as though training was the only thing in their world. As a result, the two had become like rare animals within the group, completely marginalized.

"Training."

Vergo glanced at Smoker without expression, then coldly looked into the distance.

Smoker's expression stiffened. He had asked this question many times, but he received the same answer every time.

Walking over to Ye Chen, Smoker opened his mouth, but in the end, he said nothing. He merely turned his face away and left.

He knew that even if he spoke to Ye Chen, Ye Chen would not respond. This was not the first or second time he had hit a wall.

It was not just Smoker. Hina and Shu were the same. Perhaps only Vergo occasionally heard Ye Chen answer during their nighttime fights.

"Silence."

Zephyr suddenly appeared atop the platform. Seeing that Vergo and Ye Chen were still bruised and battered, he said, "You two can go to the infirmary for treatment after each training session. I've already informed them. I don't want it affecting your daytime training."

"Yes, sir."

Vergo and Ye Chen straightened and answered, then fell silent again.

After warning the two, Zephyr looked at everyone. "You're all carrying different weights, so you should be nearly used to them by now. Today, five hundred push-ups. Rest for ten minutes. Five laps of squat jumps. Rest for half an hour."

"Ah!"

A chorus of groans rose up, only to die down when Zephyr glared at them.

"Begin now."