Zephyr's final words struck deep, and the recruits fell silent, each one sinking into thought.
They were the elites—handpicked from every corner of the sea, the best among thousands. They might not yet be monsters like Sakazuki, but their talent ranked among the highest on the Grand Line.
So it didn't take long for them to grasp what Zephyr truly ant.
Put simply: Rokushiki was never intended as a combat style.
It was a full-body training system—a thod to develop the human form beyond its limits.
Darren's eyes glinted.
Zephyr's explanation confird the theory he'd long suspected.
Each technique within Rokushiki had clear flaws in actual combat.
Soru left you open for a heartbeat. Tekkai bred overconfidence. Shigan lacked true kill power. Rankyaku couldn't match a swordsman's slash. Kami-e could make you sluggish. Geppo had hard limits in the air.
Used in real battle, they felt more like liabilities than assets.
But —
As a system for unlocking physical potential?
Unmatched.
Darren even suspected his own brutal endurance training back in the North Blue was, in essence, a form of Tekkai training.
He had just... overdone it a little.
At its core, Rokushiki wasn't a fighting style. It was a ans of cultivation.
Like a boxer doing pushups to strengthen his arms—but if you used pushups in the ring? You'd be an idiot.
From Zephyr's tone, Darren could also tell: the old man didn't have a very high opinion of CP agents.
"So listen up! Don't rely too much on Rokushiki alone. In a real fight, adaptability is key."
Zephyr chuckled, then continued:
"One more thing. Training in Rokushiki is directly tied to your ability to awaken Haki in the future."
"By pushing your body past its limits, by mastering every inch of your strength—Haki becos a natural next step."
He turned toward Darren with a knowing smile.
"Darren here is a perfect example. His body's been honed past human standards. Even without using Tekkai, his defense is already at that level. It's no surprise he awakened Armant Haki."
Murmurs of realization rippled through the crowd.
Zephyr's clear, logical breakdown shattered their misconceptions.
Most of them had assud you had to already be superhuman to learn Rokushiki.
But it was the other way around.
By practicing Rokushiki, step by step, you beca superhuman.
Cause and effect. Simple.
"Now then," Zephyr said, sweeping his gaze across the recruits, "let demonstrate the Rokushiki."
His eyes landed on Tokikake, who was peeking out nervously from the crowd.
"Tokikake. Co up and help."
"?"
Tokikake pointed to himself, hesitant.
"Yes. Hit . Full force."
Zephyr grinned.
Tokikake winced.
"Uh, Zephyr-sensei... I don't think that's a good idea."
Zephyr glared, his mustache twitching.
"What? You think I can't take your punch?!"
"N-no, of course not, it's just... you're not gonna bla , right?"
Everyone: "..."
Zephyr: "..."
"GET OUT OF HERE!"
Zephyr roared, then scanned the crowd again.
"Darren. Your turn."
Darren frowned slightly.
"Are you sure, Zephyr-sensei?"
Still annoyed from Tokikake's antics, Zephyr waved a hand.
"I may be retired, but I'm still a forr admiral. I can take one punch."
"For the sake of the demonstration, I won't use Haki. And neither will you. Just pure strength."
"Alright then."
Darren stepped forward.
Excitent flared in the crowd.
They had seen what Darren could do—one punch had leveled an entire abandoned fortress.
Zephyr addressed the recruits.
"Watch closely. Tekkai—is the art of hardening your muscles to the point of being steel-tough. Blades, bullets, fists—they bounce right off."
He took a deep breath. His muscles swelled like molten steel, stretching the seams of his uniform.
"Co, Darren."
Darren nodded.
He inhaled, focused. Every muscle in his body coiled like a spring.
Back in the duels, he hadn't gotten a proper fight—not with Dalmatian, not with Yamakaji, not even Kuzan.
This ti, he wanted to see what he could really do.
Cracks split the ground beneath his feet.
The air trembled.
BOOM!
It was like a mine went off under Darren's feet. The ground exploded, hurling him forward like a cannonball.
That burst of speed—
Sothing's wrong.
Zephyr's pupils shrank.
His instincts scread. His body almost reflexively activated Haki...
But then he saw the hopeful eyes of the students watching him.
He grimaced.
And in that split second—
WHAM!
Darren's fist crashed into his gut like a teor.
Shockwaves rippled through Zephyr's back. He slid ters across the ground before coming to a stop, boots carving trenches in the dirt.
Dust billowed.
The crowd held its breath.
Zephyr exhaled slowly, then looked up and smiled calmly.
"Yes. Very good. Solid power. Just like in my youth."
Darren stepped back, exhaling. A bit disappointed. That was his full force, and it didn't even dent him.
"Amazing!"
"Zephyr-sensei's Tekkai is insane!"
"As expected from a forr admiral!"
"So cool! So strong!"
Cheers erupted.
Zephyr smiled... turned... and calmly walked to the edge of the field.
Paused.
Then bent over.
BLEAUGH!!
Everyone: "..."
A flood of vomit hit the dirt.
Seconds later, Zephyr wiped his mouth and turned back around, perfectly composed.
"Too much breakfast."
Deadpan.
"Now then. Let explain how to begin your Rokushiki training, including technique and body chanics."
"Need my help again, Sensei?" Darren asked.
Zephyr waved him off.
"No. The next part's a bit... dangerous. I wouldn't want you getting hurt."
"Oh."
---
To be continued...
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