As the warships returned to Marineford one after another, the recruit training camp officially began. Besides Hera, there were two other ability users: a blue-haired girl named Ain, who possessed the Rewind-Rewind Fruit, and a young man named Binz, who possessed the Ripe-Ripe Fruit.
Seeing these two going to the training camp with her, Hera couldn't help but complain: "These two look familiar; I really ran into them." She then glanced at the two den den mushi given to her by Kuzan and Garp inside the City of Devouring Time, and her heart immediately settled. If she ran into them, so be it; having powerful backers behind her was truly reassuring.
After Ain arrived, she saw the two girls, Hera and Kuina. She then glanced at the strangely dressed Binz and decisively chose to walk towards the two girls.
Ain took the initiative to greet Hera and Kuina: "Hello, I'm Ain, a Rewind-Rewind Fruit user. I heard you're also a devil fruit user; can I ask what your ability is?"
Hera also greeted Ain and replied: "My ability is quite special, but it's also related to time."
Kuina said: "I'm a swordsman, I have no ability."
There were already few women in the recruit training camp, so the three became familiar with each other immediately after greeting. Binz, watching from the side, felt a bit depressed: "I'm clearly a fruit user too, why did no one greet me?"
The further they walked into the recruit training camp, the more Marine nameplates were hanging on both sides, and the atmosphere gradually became heavy. The group, which had been talking and laughing, slowly became serious. When they reached the training camp square, Instructor Zephyr had already been waiting there for a long time.
Zephyr stood in the center of the podium, looking at the somewhat lazy recruits. He didn't speak, but his aura continued to climb amidst the heavy atmosphere, pressing down on the recruits standing below.
As the aura continued to climb, some recruits with weaker physiques were already wobbling and about to fall to the ground. Zephyr said: "You are not allowed to fall. Any recruit who falls now can return the way they came. We don't need people with weak wills here."
After saying that, Zephyr's aura shifted, focusing specifically on the recruits with stronger physiques like Hera, ensuring that everyone
could feel the pressure.
Sweat dripped down Kuina's face like a waterfall beside Hera. Hera, however, was fine; having witnessed Shanks' Conqueror's Haki, she wouldn't feel pressure from this level of aura.
Looking at the recruits, a quarter of whom had already fallen, and the calm Hera, Zephyr withdrew his Haki and muttered to himself: "As expected of Garp's granddaughter, I couldn't test her willpower."
He said to those below the stage: "The Marines who fell should go back. This place isn't for you. You can return to your respective branches."
Three-quarters of the remaining Marines stayed. Zephyr nodded: "The Marines still standing, you have passed for now and have temporarily joined the recruit training camp. But remember, you have only passed temporarily. As long as you haven't graduated, you could be cleared out at any time. Do you have the confidence to stay here?"
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" the recruits below the stage roared, ignoring their physical exhaustion.
Hearing the recruits' shouts, Zephyr said with satisfaction: "Very good, very energetic. Then continue training. Everyone, 200 laps of running. Hera, Ain, Binz, you three stay behind."
After the other recruits started running, the instructors behind Zephyr handed the three of them Sea Stone bracelets. Zephyr said: "Put them on." After putting them on, Ain and Binz immediately felt a wave of weakness.
Seeing that Hera had no reaction after putting on the Sea Stone bracelet, Zephyr asked: "Hera, how do you feel? Can you still use your ability?"
Hera called upon "Zafkiel" again. The spirit dress was not affected by the Sea Stone and appeared on Hera as usual. The Sea Stone bracelet seemed to be just a decoration on Hera, failing to exert its effect.
Zephyr was somewhat surprised to see this scene. He had never seen an ability user who wasn't afraid of Sea Stone. He asked Hera again: "Then does seawater have any effect on you?"
Hera replied: "No effect. It should be because my ability is quite special."
Zephyr nodded. In all his years in the Marine, he had never seen an ability that involved both transformation and switching outfits. Since it was already so special, it was probably normal not to be afraid of Sea Stone and seawater, Zephyr comforted his own worldview this way.
After speaking, Zephyr beckoned again and asked: "How long can you maintain this form? Are there any restrictions?" Powerful abilities always have restrictions; perhaps for Hera, the restriction is time, Zephyr thought to himself while asking.
"No, I can stay like this forever if I want. The consumption required is extremely low," Hera replied.
Hearing this, Zephyr felt even more depressed and asked again: "Then is there a transformation time? I see you only manifest the spirit dress after calling Zafkiel every time, and since there's no time limit, why don't you use your ability all the time?"
Hera's face turned red, and she said: "Wearing a dress all the time is a bit embarrassing. I can transform instantly; I just feel that having a transformation scene like this is a bit cooler."
Zephyr found it hard to comment. He didn't expect this ability to not be countered by Sea Stone or seawater, have no restrictions, and possess acceleration, control, damage, and recovery, plus the physical boost of a Zoan type, and even a domain. Zephyr felt like Hera was cheating, but he didn't know how to describe it.
An instructor nearby handed over another bracelet. Zephyr gave it to Hera and said: "Then wear this one. This is a Weight-Adjusting Bracelet just developed by Vegapunk. It can freely adjust the weight of the bracelet to cover the whole body."
After Hera put it on, she found her entire body enveloped by gravity and felt the pressure.
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