Inside the training hall, the air was filled with the steady rhythm of punches, grunts, and the distant clatter of weights. Liam Ross had just stepped through the doorway when a petite girl with pink shoulder-length hair hurried toward him. It was Hina.
"Do you need something?" Liam asked, puzzled by her urgency.
"I followed the training method you told me about, but after all this time, nothing has changed. Why isn't it working?"
Hina looked genuinely confused.
Ah…
He could hardly tell her the truth: Saitama's workout routine was something he made up on the spot. It had nothing to do with awakening Observation Haki, and practicing it too long might even make her go bald.
Unless Liam had a death wish, there was no way he would ever admit that.
He almost told the truth for a moment, but the next second he imagined Hina beating him to a pulp. For his own safety, Liam quickly fabricated an explanation.
"Well… have you noticed any unusual reactions lately?" he asked.
"Unusual?"
Hina tilted her head, thinking carefully. "My hair has been falling out a bit more than usual. Does that count?"
"Anything else?" Liam asked, trying not to stare at her pink hair as he swallowed nervously.
"My chest feels tight sometimes. And it gets sore too. Ugh, it just feels uncomfortable."
Liam's eyes flicked downward for a brief second before he immediately looked away, thinking silently to himself: With daily pushups and being sixteen or seventeen, of course she felt sore.
But he could never say that out loud.
After thinking it through, he put on a serious face. "That reaction is completely normal. It's exactly what I went through. It means you are one step closer to awakening your Observation Haki."
"Really?" Hina brightened instantly.
"Absolutely. Just keep at it, but remember to rest properly. If you push too hard, it might backfire."
While they were talking, Smoker walked into the training hall. He was fully dressed this time, but when he spotted Liam, his eyes tightened and a strange expression flashed across his face.
After a moment of internal struggle, Smoker walked over and said, a little awkwardly, "Liam, I need to talk to you."
"Liam, is he bullying you again?" Hina asked before Liam could answer.
"No. I just need a small favor from him," Smoker said quickly, shaking his head.
"Really?"
Hina looked doubtful.
Seeing her suspicious gaze, Liam pressed his lips together to keep from laughing and turned to Smoker. "What favor?"
Smoker glanced at Hina, clearly uncomfortable. He hesitated and muttered, "About what happened this morning… would you…"
"I get it. I understand completely," Liam said, winking at him as if reassuring a partner in crime.
"Hey, what are you two whispering about?"
Hina frowned, her curiosity growing. Liam making faces and Smoker looking embarrassed made it seem like the two boys were hiding some great secret.
"Are you going to tell me or not? Liam, what happened this morning?" she demanded, refusing to let it go.
Smoker stiffened immediately, his tension skyrocketing as he glared at Liam, terrified that he would spill everything.
Liam shot him a mischievous glance. Smoker nearly jumped out of his skin. Then Liam turned to Hina with a teasing tone.
"This is a secret between men. Why are you asking? If you've got time, you should work harder on your training and aim for that early Haki awakening."
"Hmph. It's not like I actually want to know. Do whatever you want," Hina said, flipping her hair before storming off.
"Thanks," Smoker said quietly the moment she was gone.
"No problem. Just a small favor. By the way, I'm curious. How did you end up tied naked to a tree?" Liam kept a straight face, but inside he was laughing wickedly. Of course he would take this chance to poke at Smoker's trauma.
Smoker's face darkened. "I honestly don't know. I vaguely remember seeing a strange mask, and when I woke up, I was already in the woods."
"So someone was messing with you on purpose," Liam said, letting the suggestion hang.
Smoker frowned in thought.
"Did you offend anyone recently?"
"No."
"In the past?"
"Well… that was a long time ago. I don't remember clearly."
"Never mind. Don't overthink it. Maybe it was just a prank. If you're worried, you could tell Instructor Tom."
"No way!" Smoker said quickly. The last thing he wanted was the entire academy finding out. It wasn't exactly a proud moment.
Liam hid another laugh. After something like this, Smoker probably wouldn't have the heart to bully him for a while.
Who knew that the next moment, Smoker would say, "Liam, meet me in the woods tonight."
Liam's face fell instantly.
So he hadn't taught the guy enough of a lesson yet.
…
That night, Smoker arrived at the woods first. Seeing Liam wasn't there yet, he leaned against a tree, replaying the strange incident in his mind. Someone who could knock him out instantly had to be at least as strong as Instructor Tom. And to appear freely inside a Marine academy guarded by former Admiral Zephyr, the culprit had to be someone from inside the academy.
But who could it be?
Just as he pondered, a soft swoosh sounded above him.
Liam appeared dangling upside down from a branch, wearing the same eerie mask.
"Evening," he said in a low, distorted voice.
Smoker jumped in shock, but once he saw that mask, his fear morphed into fury. "You again. Who the hell "
Bang.
A heavy blow landed on his head before he could finish. His vision went black, and he collapsed.
Liam dropped from the tree with a grin, a thick wooden stick in hand. The end was wrapped with Seastone cuffs. Smoker was a Logia user after all, so Liam made sure to prepare accordingly.
He looked down at the unconscious teen and chuckled. "Kid, the world is dark and dangerous. I'm just helping you learn how complicated society can be. No need to thank me."
After talking to himself, Liam once again stripped Smoker completely. Holding the boy by the waistband of his undergarment, he activated Armament Haki across his arm.
He took a few steps back, ran forward, and hurled Smoker with a perfectly executed throw.
Smoker arced through the night sky like a human cannonball and vanished beyond the academy walls.
"Job done," Liam said, brushing his hands clean before slipping into the shadows.
Right at that moment, Zephyr was returning from his usual nighttime fishing trip. Carrying two large fish and humming a tune from his hometown, he walked leisurely toward the academy gates.
A shadow dropped from the sky.
Boom.
A body crashed at his feet, sending dust flying everywhere.
"Smoker?"
Zephyr stared at the naked boy on the ground, stunned.