Mario was sitting cross-legged on the deck again, eyes closed, focusing on his breath and trying to tap into that strange pulse he'd felt earlier. The faint energy within him still stirred, just beneath the surface. He was deep in thought, trying to understand it when Zorro's voice broke through his concentration.
"I have seen you meditating. That's good. It focuses your mind and builds you from the inside," Zorro said, his voice a mix of approval and the grumble of someone who clearly thought meditation was "for the weak" but grudgingly acknowledged its benefits.
Mario blinked, opening one eye to glance at Zorro, who was lounging against the mast with his arms folded across his chest. Zorro was always observing. It was one of the things that made him so dangerous.
That's not so different from the CP-0 manual, Mario thought. The CP-0 training was all about strengthening the body, the mind, and your will. But Zorro? His training is more brutal, chaotic, and… without control. Mario had seen enough of Zorro's fights to know that his battle-hardened character was built through pure experience, through pain, and through survival. Zorro didn't train like a methodical warrior; he trained like a man who had a constant fight for his life.
But that's what made him so strong.
I need something like that, Mario thought. He needed something more intense. Something that would push him to his limits.
And then it hit him.
He remembered the technique from the manual: Tekkai. The ability to harden your body to become nearly indestructible. It was one of the Rokushiki techniques, and it seemed perfect for defense. But Mario didn't have years to master it. He needed a shortcut. A way to condition his body to take hits and keep going.
That's when his eyes landed on Usopp, who was busy tinkering with his "10T Hammer" — a dubious-looking contraption that Mario had seen him throw together the past day.
"Usopp," Mario called, standing up and wiping the sweat from his brow. "I could use some help with training."
Usopp froze, turning slowly toward him with a look of dread on his face. "Oh no. No, no, no. You are NOT getting me on your back for push-ups again!"
Mario held his hands up in surrender. "No, no. Nothing like that."
A bead of sweat dripped down Mario's forehead. God, he didn't want to do this, but... he needed it. "I've seen you messing with your 10T Hammer. I think it could be useful for what I need."
Usopp's eyes lit up, and he puffed out his chest in pride. "Ahhh yes, my prized invention! The 10T Hammer! Capable of giving even the strongest men the fright of their lives! It's revolutionary!" Usopp gestured dramatically to the hammer, which, Mario had learned, was actually just a hollowed-out hammer with two clay pots attached to each side. But he wasn't about to burst Usopp's bubble.
"I need you to strike me with it," Mario said, making sure to sound as casual as possible while his brain was screaming in terror.
Usopp blinked. "What?"
"While I meditate," Mario continued, bracing himself. "I'll be focusing on my meditation while you strike me with that hammer of yours. We'll see if it helps condition my body."
Zorro, who had been eavesdropping while pretending to rest, raised an eyebrow. "Huh. Actually not a bad idea. It'll harden your muscles for defense and focus."
Mario turned to him, looking at Zorro in a way that clearly said, I am not asking for your help.
Zorro, reading the look, shrugged and said, "Fine, fine. You're on your own for this one."
Usopp, still confused and more than a little reluctant, glanced between Mario and the hammer. "But—are you sure about this? I mean, I could test it on a rock first. Or a tree. You know, something less human-shaped."
"I'm not a rock!" Mario said, gritting his teeth. "Look, it's either that, or I try to punch rocks for the next month to get tougher. Your hammer's faster."
Usopp hesitated for a second, but the promise of helping Mario (and maybe getting some unintended glory in the process) was too much to resist. "Alright! You better be ready for this, Mario! This hammer is going to make your bones rattle!"
Mario took a deep breath, slowly sitting down cross-legged again, closing his eyes to focus. He couldn't let fear take over. He had to control his mind, control his body, just like the manual said.
The first strike came quickly.
WHAM!
The hammer slammed into Mario's side with enough force to rattle his bones. The impact sent shockwaves through his body, but Mario barely flinched, digging deep to focus on the flow of energy through his core.
He had no choice but to keep his body relaxed. If he tensed up, he wouldn't last. He needed to keep his breathing steady, to lock into his focus, and to activate the technique. He could feel the energy that had been pulsing in his chest earlier. It was like it was waiting for him to call upon it.
Another strike.
WHAM!
This time, the hammer hit his shoulder, sending a shockwave down his arm. His body stung. His muscles burned, but Mario didn't let it stop him. He was holding the meditation, breathing deeply through the pain, trying to block out the discomfort.
"Yeah!" Usopp cheered, "That's it! Feel the burn! Ha!"
WHAM!
The next strike hit him square in the chest. Mario felt like he was going to be knocked over, but his body absorbed the hit. The muscles in his chest and abdomen were tightening as he willed them to resist the force. The Tekkai technique was working — it had to be. He could feel his muscles reacting, hardening, becoming more resistant with each blow.
His focus was the only thing keeping him going. The hammer strikes kept coming, but the more Usopp hit him, the more Mario could feel the transformation in his body. The pain was still there, but it was no longer a weakness — it was a challenge. A sign that his body was adapting.
"One more hit!" Usopp yelled, clearly enjoying this way too much.
Mario braced himself. He would make this last strike count. He could do this.
WHAM!
This time, the strike came with a resounding force that sent Mario rocking back on his heels, but he held firm. His body was aching, but he didn't feel like he was breaking. He felt… stronger.
Mario opened his eyes, exhaling deeply, sweat dripping down his face.
„ Done." Mario muttered, standing up and giving Usopp a tired nod. "Alright. Let's call it there."
He was bruised, sore, and felt like his body had been through an entire battle. His chest was still stinging from the last hit, and his legs felt like jelly, but he was... satisfied. The Tekkai technique wasn't fully mastered, not by a long shot, but Mario could already feel his body becoming more resilient, more resistant. Every hit Usopp had thrown at him had helped condition his muscles and mind.
But then—
WHAM!
A solid blow cracked into the top of Mario's head with the kind of force that made everything spin. His vision blurred for a moment as stars danced in front of his eyes.
"Ups." Usopp's voice came out in a panicked squeak. "Sorry! I got carried away!"
Mario staggered back, rubbing his head, trying to regain his balance as the world spun around him like a tilt-a-whirl. "That hurt!" he groaned, feeling his brain rattle around like a maraca.
Usopp, looking guilty but also way too entertained, hurried over. "S-sorry, Mario! Won't happen again. Promise!"
Liar, Mario thought, squinting at him. He knew Usopp was just having too much fun with the whole thing. The guy had a reputation for being a little, well... chaotic with his inventions. The hammer was no exception. As much as he wanted to complain, Mario knew it would be pointless. Usopp wasn't going to change.
Mario rubbed his head, trying to shake off the dizziness. "Let me adjust and stretch, and we can continue. We have the whole day."
Usopp blinked, raising an eyebrow. "Uh, you sure? I think I... I think I got carried away there, dude. I mean, look at your head!"
Mario ignored him, stretching out his sore arms and legs. The pain was almost comforting now — proof that his body was actually getting stronger. He had to focus on the progress, not the bumps and bruises along the way.
A few hours later, though, the situation started to change. Usopp had long since exhausted his energy, the sweat dripping down his face as he staggered to the side of the ship, panting like a dog after a long run. Johnny, who had been watching from the sidelines with quiet amusement, was now getting involved in the fun, too.
"You're sure this is good for you?" Johnny asked, sounding more than a little concerned. But then again, Johnny was always the cautious one.
"I'm gonna hit harder!"
Mario, despite his aching body, gave him a confident grin. "I've got this. You just gotta push through the pain. It's like... mental fortitude, right?"
Usopp wiped his brow and weakly held up the hammer again. "Oh, I've got fortitude, alright. My 10T Hammer has proven that it can... uhhh... do a lot of damage!"
Johnny winced. "More like accidentally do damage. You did almost knock Mario out earlier, right?"
But Mario, to his credit, was determined. If I can survive this, he thought, I'll be ready for anything.
The hours dragged on, with Mario absorbing hit after hit, trying to stay in a state of constant focus and meditation. It wasn't easy. His body ached, his muscles screamed for relief, and Usopp — to Mario's great frustration — seemed to find new and creative ways to hit him. Johnny, for some reason, had found a weird sense of joy in the whole thing, cheering Usopp on.
"Yes! This is the power of science!" Usopp shouted as he swung the hammer again, though Mario could tell by the look in his eyes that he was already tiring out. It had been hours, after all. And Johnny was barely able to stand straight after a while.
"Okay, okay!" Johnny finally collapsed onto the deck with a dramatic sigh. "I'm done! This is way too much for me! You guys are insane!"
"What? You're giving up already?" Usopp sounded genuinely surprised, but there was a definite note of exhaustion in his voice.
Usopp, panting and drenched in sweat, looked down at Mario. "You still standing?"
Mario, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tried to steady his breath, gave a thumbs-up. "Yeah. Barely. But yeah."
Usopp grinned, the tiredness not stopping him from being proud of his work. "Well, you're tougher than I thought. Still... you should really take it easy. You're a lot more resilient than I thought, though. That...what ever you are doing...stuff's working!"
Mario smiled weakly but didn't answer. He was too exhausted to speak, his body screaming for rest. He collapsed onto the deck next to Johnny, who was still groaning, and closed his eyes.