The clash between the two raged on for the entire afternoon.
By the time dusk fell, a battered Don and Koushirou finally returned to the boat.
Onboard, Kuina and Zoro were frozen stiff, completely stupefied.
What they had just witnessed—the battle between Don and Koushirou—had far surpassed anything their imaginations could conjure.
The small island they left behind looked as though it had been plowed over, crisscrossed with deep sword scars.
Don appeared more ragged, but Koushirou didn't look much better himself—even one of his glasses' lenses had been shattered.
As he steered the boat back toward the village, Koushirou cast a glance at Don, who was leaning against the deck to rest. At that moment, he couldn't help but regret his decision.
Earlier, he had thought Don's rapid progress was remarkable, but with so little time spent training, actual combat guidance shouldn't have been too demanding.
But a monster was still a monster.
He realized now he had underestimated Don once again.
If this continued, he could already imagine what "future sparring sessions" would look like.
Should he decline?
Yet this was only the first day.
And Don—like some unfathomable creature—had finished the fight without even a scratch.
Yes, he looked drained, but despite Koushirou clearly seeing sword-qi graze Don's body, not a single wound marred his skin.
This boy clearly had many secrets.
"Zoro," Don's voice suddenly broke the silence, "after we eat back at the village, I'll accept your challenge."
Zoro, still stone-stiff from shock, snapped back to reality. After grasping Don's words, he swallowed hard, then glanced toward the scarred island they had just left behind.
Every instinct in him screamed to refuse.
He was reckless, yes—but not stupid.
The fight he had just witnessed made the gap between himself and Don painfully obvious.
If Don got serious, it wouldn't even be a fight.
One strike—that would be the end.
But with Kuina right there, Zoro gritted his teeth and nodded.
As Koushirou guided the boat, his eyes lingered on Don again.
His clothes were shredded in many places, but his body? Not a single wound—not even a scratch.
Terrifying defense.
It seemed almost like he was born with that kind of physique. Could it be, like those flames of his, another innate ability?
Koushirou's heart stirred with suspicion.
And now, he couldn't help but think—was it a mistake that Dragon hadn't pressed harder to recruit this boy?
He had gravely underestimated Don's potential.
Don, of course, had no idea Koushirou mistook his "datafied" body for a unique constitution.
But in truth, the effect did look like something monstrous—like a steel balloon.
[As long as his HP didn't hit zero, Don wouldn't take real damage.]
That passive effect was still running strong.
When they returned to Shimotsuki Village, Don stuffed himself with food, rapidly restoring his HP to full. Yet he noticed something new
The amount of food required to recover had grown.
Before, his dual Haki maintenance caused only minor blood loss, easily offset by his normal meals.
But this time, after being left at critical HP, the drain was unmistakable.
Not only Don noticed it—Koushirou, Kuina, and Zoro were all wide-eyed, jaws practically on the floor.
Koushirou thought back to the nine million Beli Don had paid him. If this boy stayed in Shimotsuki Village much longer, he might actually end up owing Don instead.
As for Kuina and Zoro, they could only stare in disbelief as Don devoured more food than his own body weight.
"Let's go," Don said at last, setting down the last bone and rising to his feet. He looked straight at Zoro.
Zoro, snapping out of his daze, instantly understood what Don meant. He glanced once at Koushirou and Kuina, then grabbed his three swords and followed Don outside.
The crushing defeat Zoro had imagined never came.
Instead, Don treated the spar as a light exercise to digest his meal, using only one sword against Zoro's three.
To Zoro's amazement, they exchanged blows back and forth. Occasionally, Don even tested out some techniques he'd just picked up fighting Koushirou earlier that day.
Of course, he never used real force.
If he did, Zoro wouldn't withstand even a single strike.
Their duel dragged on into the night.
Since Don didn't call for an end, Zoro's stubborn nature wouldn't allow him to stop either.
Eventually, Zoro collapsed, utterly exhausted, forcing Don to carry him back to the dojo.
And so the days fell into rhythm.
Morning practice with the other students.
Afternoon duels with Koushirou.
Evenings spent putting Zoro through his paces.
Day after day, a full, relentless cycle.
Of course, a few interruptions came along.
"Finally, it begins."
Don's voice carried a note of sentiment as he looked down at the newspaper in his hands.
Curious, Kuina peeked over. Having been saved by Don, she had grown closer to him—just simple, natural closeness.
Koushirou, too, knew Don made regular trips to the village to fetch a paper, and now looked over with interest.
"The Marines have officially appointed their three Admirals," Don said softly, eyes on the World Economic News' coverage. "The former Admiral Sengoku has been promoted to Fleet Admiral. Looks like the Marines are preparing for something big."
"The Marines…" Koushirou muttered, a trace of unease flashing in his eyes.
"Are they really that strong?" Kuina asked, gazing at the photos.
"Of course. They're some of the greatest powers on the seas," Don answered evenly. "But it doesn't concern the East Blue much. The Admirals' focus will be the Grand Line."
Koushirou nodded. "The Four Seas have long been under Marine control, and without any high-bounty pirates, they won't invest much here."
For the Revolutionary Army, their battles lay elsewhere. Facing the Marines directly wasn't yet a concern.
"Let's go, Master Koushirou," Don said with a grin. "We still haven't finished today's sparring."
Koushirou froze, then wore a bitter smile.
This boy really had endless energy.
Still, he didn't refuse.
Kuina and Zoro, already used to the routine, stayed behind this time.
Later that night, drained to the bone, Koushirou did not rest. Instead, he pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
Before long, a deep voice came from the other end—Dragon.
"Koushirou? Something urgent?"
"You've heard the news about the Marines, haven't you, Dragon?"
"That matter? Yes, I've been following it closely." Dragon paused for a moment, his tone heavy with consideration.
"You don't think it's aimed at the Revolutionaries, do you?"
"No. Not for now. Our enemy remains the World Government. The Marines' attention is still fixed on the pirates."
At that, Koushirou let out a quiet breath of relief. "That's best… Yes, you're right. They don't have the manpower to spare."
"Then—is there something else?" Dragon's voice carried a hint of impatience.
"Yes… there is one more matter. It's about Don."