A column of Marine recruits sprinted along the coast.
Their eyes were vacant, their expressions lifeless—
as if controlled by invisible strings, repeating the same action mechanically.
This was not jogging.
Nor speed-running.
It was maximum-output sprinting—
an extreme challenge where they had to run at full power from the very first step.
"I told you to perform ten minutes of limit running.
It's only been five minutes…
and you're already giving up?"
Dragon stood beside them, his face cold and stern as he barked:
"Engrave this feeling into your bodies.
Remember what the edge of your limit feels like.
A true strong man is someone who breaks through his own limits—again and again."
"I don't need you competing in speed.
All you must do is endure.
Overcome yourselves.
Even if you slow to a crawl—
as long as you continue,
you will surpass your limits and be reborn!"
The instructors around them felt strangely moved.
"For Vice Admiral Dragon to talk this much in one breath…
He must've rehearsed at home."
If normal running tested stamina,
then limit running tested willpower.
It had nothing to do with strength—only mental resilience.
Thus, even prodigies like Gion and Kake were drenched in sweat, eyes unfocused, their bodies moving on nothing but instinct.
"I… I can't… anymore!"
Finally, at the eighth minute, someone collapsed onto the sand—
gasping like a sun-dried salted fish revived by fresh morning air.
And the power of "example" was infinite.
Once the first gave up,
it was like pushing a row of dominoes—
dozens more immediately dropped out.
Dragon's face darkened,
but he said nothing.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Thunderous tremors echoed from afar—
the ground shook as though a prehistoric tyrannosaur was charging across the island.
Hearing the sound, Dragon's expression eased just a little.
All teachers loved excellent students—he was no exception.
The earth-trembling rumble was caused by Longinus—
running while carrying a small mountain above his head.
Pure speed alone no longer pushed him to his limits.
Only this degree of weight forced him to feel any pressure at all.
Seeing Longinus running at full tilt without a hint of exhaustion, Dragon asked the adjutant beside him:
"Any bigger mountains left?"
The adjutant grimaced.
"No, sir. After Vice Admiral Garp flattened eight mountains while 'training his fists,' causing massive property damage, Fleet Admiral Kong issued an order:
No large mountains are allowed within HQ grounds."
Dragon's face twitched.
He did remember the incident—eight years ago, when the great pirate Chinjao lost all will to continue on the Grand Line after being one-punched by Garp.
"Vice Admiral Dragon… should I add another small mountain on top of that one?"
the adjutant asked tentatively.
"No need.
He's broken his limits too many times—his body has stabilized at its strongest state.
Unless he's pushed to the brink of death,
it's difficult for him to feel the shackles of his limits anymore."
Ever since Dragon had accidentally encountered Longinus training at sea,
he knew the boy was another "self-torture fanatic" just like him.
This kind of limit running probably had no real effect on Longinus.
"And so…" Dragon murmured, "it may be time to speak with Admiral Zephyr and move Longinus to the next training phase early."
"W-Wait… Vice Admiral Dragon… Isn't that against regulations?"
"The second-year Rokushiki curriculum exists only because most can't meet the minimum requirements earlier.
Since Longinus has already met them, there's no point wasting his time."
"And aside from Longinus, Kake and Gion barely meet the requirement as well.
After sharpening here for a while, they may also be eligible to enter Admiral Zephyr's tutelage early."
"...Understood."
By now, the ten-minute limit had ended.
Recruits collapsed onto the sand in starfish position,
gasping desperately for fresh air.
Dragon scanned the field.
Out of four hundred recruits…
only a little over one hundred persisted to the end.
He said nothing aloud—
but in his heart, he marked those hundred as "special potential candidates."
"Next… prepare for the second task."
Instantly, wails filled the beach.
Do they want us dead!?
The adjutant beside Dragon shouted:
"Silence!
Look at yourselves!
Is this how Marines should look!?
Learn from the G–2 recruits!
Every single one of them completed the task flawlessly—
and none of them whine like you!
Shameful!"
Gregory and the other G–2 members were moved to tears.
Heaven above, witness our suffering—
In G–2 we were the example of what NOT to do…
But here at HQ…
we're finally treated like elites!
Thank you, weaker recruits! You are all good people!
The exhausted HQ recruits turned to look at the G–2 team.
Though also drained, they were undeniably in far better mental shape.
HQ recruits felt deep shame.
Being weaker than Longinus was understandable.
But to lose to Longinus's subordinates…
And a test based purely on willpower at that?
That stung.
Other branch recruits also sighed in defeat.
Compared to HQ, they were already behind in every aspect.
Now, with G–2 shining this brightly…
they simply looked even worse.
Dragon took it all in quietly, then finally announced:
"The next task is—
eating."
Many froze.
Eating… is a task?
Give me two kilos of that task, please.
Others, with more vivid imaginations, paled.
"D-Don't tell me…
it's food so disgusting we'll vomit…
or w-worst case… eating… you know… that?"
Their stares toward Dragon twisted into pure horror.
If Dragon overheard them—which he did—
his cold lips twitched.
This batch of rookies is terrifying.
Why do they always jump straight to eating shit?
Dragon spoke heavily:
"To become strong—
you must learn how to eat."
"If you don't eat—
where will your stamina come from?
Where will your strength come from?"
"The harder you train, the more you consume—
and the more you must eat!"
"Breaking limits squeezes out your body's potential.
Thus, the ingredients used in HQ's nutrition meals are
Sea Kings and rare beasts—
packed with rich life force to restore your depleted bodies."
"If you don't want to collapse under future training—
you will eat.
Eat until you're about to vomit.
Understood?"
"YES SIR!!!"
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