Does the Elite Camp Count Too?

Thanks to reader ~Wind Passes Without a Trace℃~ for the 100 reward! Thanks to reader ~Unfinished Fate~ for the 100 reward! Thank you both!

Do you know why I didn't post my recommendation thanks yesterday? It wasn't because this old flop author was being disdainful, nor was it because of readers' opinions, much less because the mobile assistant was hard to check.

I got up at six yesterday, then after finishing the list of recommendation thanks, I was shocked to find—damn! It had already passed 1,000 words! Your recommendations are so awesome that this tree is truly ashamed.

Once this week's busy stretch was over, a massive update spree was guaranteed!

Also, please keep the bookmarks and recommendations coming. It seemed like I got a recommendation slot this week too? I remembered drinking a little too much Friday night and actually forgot about it. Can you believe that!!!

"I guarantee I won't beat you to death!"

Loa radiated killing intent as he smiled with wild, wicked charm. No mistake there.

Faced with that blatantly obvious threat, quite a few recruits swallowed hard and instinctively backed away.

You had to be kidding! Couldn't you just stand there and let us beat you up properly? How many good nights of sleep had we gotten this month? You woke us all up! Didn't your conscience hurt at all?

Just as the crowd churned with unease, a tall figure stepped forward.

"Hahaha, this is interesting. Then come and see whether you can beat me to death, Loa!"

The voice was so familiar that Loa's eyes widened as he stared blankly at the newcomer.

"Arudo!!! Why are you here?"

That figure was none other than an Elite Camp member, the master of Iron Body—Arudo.

Arudo was dressed differently today from how Loa usually saw him. Not only was he neatly outfitted, but he also wore two solid iron gauntlets. Two arm-thick iron chains extended from the backs of the gauntlets, coiling around his body.

Like Loa, Arudo trusted his fists and was not skilled with weapons. So he had gone to logistics and had two gauntlets made.

Loa knew about this, because when they were completed, he and Arudo had gone to logistics together to pick them up.

But! Why was Arudo here?

You were from the Elite Camp, damn it!

At that moment, two more figures stepped forward and spoke in perfect unison.

"And us too, Loa!"*

Aside from where they stood, the two were exactly alike in every respect—their movements, clothing, expressions, and tone of voice.

"The Jerome Brothers?"

Loa looked at them in surprise, then abruptly turned back, his gaze unfriendly as he stared at the instructor on the platform.

"Why are Elite Camp members here? Isn't this an assessment for our Recruit Camp?"

There was no need to guess. Other than Zephyr, no one else could have called Elite Camp members here. So while he appeared to be questioning the major general instructor, he was actually questioning Zephyr behind him.

Hearing that, Zephyr lifted his eyelids and pretended to have no idea what Loa was talking about.

Under Loa's hostile stare, the major general instructor explained stiffly, "This assessment is open to everyone in the Recruit Camp. The Elite Camp is also an organization under the Recruit Camp, so naturally it has the right to participate."

Sss—

What a shameless argument!

Loa stared at Zephyr in shock. Though the Elite Camp was indeed nominally a branch under the Recruit Camp, its funding and facilities had been independent from the Recruit Camp for many years. Zephyr directly controlled its management, and even Fleet Admiral Sengoku could not interfere.

Other than academies that charged tuition, no one—not even Zephyr—would be willing to spend such enormous effort recruiting students far and wide. The Elite Camp's elite-focused teaching model suited his tastes far better.

However, because the Navy had never found another sufficiently influential person to take over the Recruit Camp—not even a vice admiral—Zephyr had continued managing the Elite Camp through his position as chief instructor of the Recruit Camp. In truth, the Navy had long tacitly regarded them as separate institutions.

In recruit combat training, Elite Camp members also counted as recruits, right? None of them held any rank in the Navy, so why had they never participated before?

And now Zephyr was playing a word game with him. Since you were taking the Recruit Camp assessment, of course that included the Elite Camp! Still, I left you some face and didn't send them all at once.

After hearing the major general instructor's explanation, Loa once again gained a deeper understanding of how thick-skinned these old foxes were. But then, he immediately revealed an enigmatic smile.

"You think having Arudo and the Jerome Brothers attack together can threaten me? Maybe it could have a week ago, but now? You're too naive, Instructor Zephyr!"

"Well~ what's the big deal? You're not weak either. I hope you'll go easy on us later!" Arudo, completely unable to read the room, came over and teased Loa. He merely wanted to have a good fight with Loa. He neither wanted to nor could he understand the twists and turns behind this matter.

So Loa rewarded him with an ice spear.

"Everyone, get ready. The Combat Assessment begins now."

As soon as the countdown of three, two, one ended, Loa immediately retreated, dodging the gauntlet Arudo flung at him.

Still in midair, he immediately brought both hands down like hammers. Endless cold rapidly solidified in the air.

"Ice Make: Wolf Pack!"

There were simply too many people around. A move like Ice Bomb could easily take lives if he was not careful, so Loa could only use Ice Wolves that merely bit, clearing out the small fry first.

But even that was enough to give the recruits hell.

The wolf pack formed in the air, opened its jaws, and fiercely charged at the recruits.

"Quick! Cut them down!"

"Careful! They're tough!"

"Ow! My ass! Bastard, die!"

The recruits shouted and raised their weapons, slashing at the Ice Wolves. Fortunately, the assessment grounds were large enough. Otherwise, the hundreds of recruits would not even have room to run, much less counterattack.

"Where are you looking?"

Suddenly, a voice brimming with fighting spirit rang out behind Loa. Without even turning his head, the still-airborne Loa stirred the ice crystals on his body and shot toward the source of the voice.

Clang!

The sound of steel clashing rang out as slender ice crystals met a longsword, producing a piercing screech.

Tony Mill had intended to wound Loa with a surprise slash, but he had not expected the ice crystals on Loa's body to be so hard. Not only had they not been cut through, but the impact even left Tony's arm numb.

Using the recoil, Loa landed, kicked off the ground, leaped up, spun sixty degrees, and kicked upward, sending Tony flying.

"Take my seventy-degree roundhouse kick!"

You only spun sixty degrees, okay!!!

Caught off guard, Tony roared inwardly before plunging headfirst into the floor and smashing the sturdy stone slabs into pieces.

Loa seemed to know what Tony was thinking and explained to himself, "See? You spun another ten degrees, didn't you? That makes seventy degrees altogether."

"Limit Burst!"

Just as Loa was showing off, a sharp feminine cry came from above him. A heavy object whistled down, aimed directly at his head.

Rather than dodge, Loa made the Ice Armor on his hand even denser, then jabbed upward with one finger.

"I'll poke your Yongquan acupoint!"

Relying on the sturdy properties of the Ice Armor, Loa's finger pierced through Laurent Minnie's sea beast leather shoe and struck the sole of her foot. Her fierce attack instantly fell apart. With a scream, she flew backward, then hugged her foot and rolled around incessantly after landing.

Loa had experienced it himself. When he had been hospitalized with stomach trouble, an old Chinese doctor had given him a massage. When the old doctor pressed his knuckle into the Yongquan acupoint, the aching pain had made him feel like he was dying.

Used as an attack, Minnie's current miserable state was proof enough.

The crushing defeats of the Recruit Camp's first- and second-ranked trainees made the recruits who had gathered around hesitate and stop in their tracks.

Seeing this, Simon, dressed like a noble young gentleman, commanded, "It's too crowded! Everyone from the Elite Camp, help keep him occupied. Those of us in the top twenty will support from the flanks. Everyone else, immediately clear out those Ice Wolves and stay away from the battle zone! The moment Loa breaks away, tie him down at once and don't let him rest!"

As he spoke, Simon took out a handful of iron sand and scattered it at Loa.

"Magnetic Sand Arrow Rain!"

Countless grains of iron sand paused briefly in midair before shooting toward Loa like bullets.

Simon's Devil Fruit ability was called the Direction Fruit. It could guide inanimate objects he touched toward a target location, but it could not guide them to places beyond his line of sight.

Because of this power, even if he had not entered the Elite Camp this time, Zephyr would still give him special attention in the future.

Where else could one find such an outstanding sniper?

To avoid accidental injuries during this assessment, firearms were not allowed. So Simon grabbed a handful of iron sand to use as ammunition.