Hansa opened his eyes, feeling the weight of everyone's stares. A fierce fighting spirit welled up inside him, but he quickly suppressed it. He glanced at Loya, who was waiting expectantly with his head tilted. After a moment, Hansa gave a quiet nod.
"Go ahead," he said simply.
The veterans collectively held their breath. Could it be that even Hansa wasn't confident about defeating this newcomer? In the past, given Hansa's ruthless and combative nature, he'd never have given up his position so easily.
In the elite squad, the strength rankings weren't just some numbers on paper. It was all about the order in which Zephyr conducted individual training. That was the unspoken rule in elite squads across generations.
Hansa's "Go ahead" meant he was handing over leadership of the elite battalion. From today on, Loya would be the new chief!
Loya was taken aback by Hansa's straightforwardness. He could sense a bloodthirsty aura emanating from the man - clearly not someone to be trifled with. But while Loya wasn't arrogant, he was brimming with confidence. He gave Hansa a grateful nod before turning to enter the attic.
Inside, Zephyr went straight for the bookshelf. He grabbed the middle partition and pulled it apart, revealing a hidden bright room behind it.
"Come in," Zephyr ordered. "And don't forget to close the door."
"It's like some villain's secret base," Loya muttered in amazement as he followed Zephyr inside.
But before he could take a proper look around, a powerful blow struck him on the head.
WHAM!
Zephyr's sneak attack was his signature move - something Loya should've been prepared for. Unable to dodge in time, Loya's fist slammed into the wall as he tried to steady himself.
"You bastard!" Loya roared, clutching his throbbing head. "Why'd you hit me?! Teacher or not, you can't just do that!"
"Hah? You dare talk back to me?" Zephyr's face darkened as he cracked his knuckles, his prosthetic limbs whirring ominously.
In the blink of an eye, Zephyr unleashed a flurry of punches, his fists raining down on Loya from left and right.
"You jerk!" Zephyr shouted.
"What gives?!" Loya shot back.
"Why did I hit you? You think I'm stupid? You really believe Tony's weak-ass water tricks could've hurt Minnie and Keelung? It was obviously you who drove those punks away!"
Realizing he'd been caught, Loya's anger faded. He blinked and gave an embarrassed smile. "Alright, you got me. I'll be more careful next time."
"Next time..." Zephyr's fist lowered, his voice trailing off. He suddenly looked dejected, probably thinking about how easily his other students had been beaten by this wild newcomer.
Shaking off his momentary funk, Zephyr waved his hand dismissively and pulled out a cigar. Before he could light it, Loya snatched a lighter from his pocket. With a fancy flourish he'd learned dreaming of impressing girls at bars, Loya lit the cigar for Zephyr.
Zephyr was stunned for a moment before erupting again. "You idiot! Use that time to train instead! What good is playing with a lighter gonna do you in a fight?"
...
The small training room was made of high-quality iron. Apart from the door disguised as a bookshelf, there was only an emergency exit on the opposite wall.
Zephyr stood in the center, demonstrating techniques while Loya watched intently, occasionally wiping blood from his nose.
"What I've explained so far is just the basics," Zephyr continued. "The Six Powers are techniques that push beyond normal human limits. With your physique, mastering them shouldn't be a problem. The three most important are Iron Body, Shave, and Kami-e."
"Iron Body and Kami-e are the easiest and hardest, respectively. Learning them will help you master control over your body, but you'll need to figure those out yourself. For Shave, I'll slow it down - pay close attention."
With that, Zephyr kicked off and instantly moved nearly ten meters away.
"Ohhh, so that's how it works!" Loya exclaimed, clapping his hands in understanding.
As someone from another world, Loya knew the basic principle of Shave. But no matter how he'd tried, he could never manage the superhuman feat of kicking the ground ten times in a fraction of a second to achieve that explosive movement.
Now he realized it wasn't just about raw power - the key was in the precise coordination of the entire body. When Zephyr used Shave, Loya could see it wasn't just brute force. It was the rhythmic, almost beautiful trembling of his leg muscles that created the effect.
Loya realized it was like playing a piano - gentle and graceful. His previous attempts of trying to smash the ground were completely off. Zephyr had given him the keys; now he just needed to hit the gas.
Zephyr stepped back, crossing his arms. "Kuzan told me your physique is different because of your Devil Fruit. It's both a blessing and a curse."
"The good news is you don't have to struggle to break your body's limits like we do. Just develop your fruit powers step by step. But that's also the downside. Because strength comes so easily to you, you lack awareness and control over it."
Loya nodded. It was true - even his master was shocked by the dragon body's power increase. Loya could only superficially control this sudden surge of strength.
Zephyr continued, "The Six Powers aren't just moves. They're a system created to perfect body control. After you're familiar with Shave, Moonwalk, Kami-e, and Finger Pistol, don't neglect Iron Body and Tempest Kick."
He added, "Your ice cube trick is impressive, but don't think Moonwalk is useless to you. Refined Moonwalk combined with your unique movement will make you even faster."
Zephyr then addressed Loya's training issues. His guidance cut straight to the core, instantly clearing bottlenecks that had long troubled Loya.
While Kuzan had taught Loya before, he couldn't compare to Zephyr. Kuzan would set big goals but struggle with the details. Zephyr's comprehensive approach turned Loya's past experiences into fuel for growth.
After Zephyr finished, Loya sheepishly asked, "Teacher Zephyr... could you teach me about Haki too?"
Zephyr shook his head, but not in rejection. "You! I knew you'd ask that."
From Zephyr's perspective, Loya already had the foundation for Haki. Kuzan had just been too cautious to teach him.
Zephyr finished explaining the basics of Haki training to Loya, then paused to let it sink in. After a moment, he continued in a serious tone:
"Look, I know you're talented. You'll probably pick up the Rokushiki and Haki techniques quickly. But remember this - there's no finish line in training. It's not like a battle where you can just push yourself to the limit and break through. You need to pace yourself. There's a time to push and a time to rest. Don't rush it."
Loya nodded, thinking to himself, "Well, at least that gives me another excuse to sleep in sometimes."
As Loya left the training room, he noticed Hansa, the former chief of the elite squad, sitting cross-legged by the attic door. Hansa's eyes snapped open as Loya approached. His face was eerily calm, pale as death, with lifeless eyes. But Loya's heightened senses could feel the intense fighting spirit radiating off him.
Hansa stood up, sword at his side, and walked past Loya into the training room. As he passed, he muttered, "Training grounds. One month."
Loya kept walking, acting as if he hadn't heard. But in that split second, he discreetly used his ice powers to freeze Hansa's fingers to the hilt of his sword.