The stillness blanketing the training field vanished in an instant.
Every recruit stared at Lucas as though they had just witnessed something impossible.
Ever since enlisting, every ordinary Marine dreamed of mastering the Six Powers.
For common Marines, it was the fastest path toward becoming truly strong.
As elite recruits selected from Marine bases across the world, they all knew exactly what the Six Powers represented.
Moments ago, Lucas had demonstrated the incredible defensive power of Iron Body.
Yet now, someone using the very same technique had been blown apart with a single punch.
Still...
What really stuck in everyone’s minds was his outrageous declaration about bankrupting someone through overtime pay.
In an instant, the lofty image they had of him became thoroughly tainted by the smell of money.
"A combination technique using the Six Powers?"
Zephyr’s eyes widened in surprise as he immediately understood what had happened.
"Garp, are you telling me this kid only trained under you for one year and already reached this level? If that’s true, then he’s an absolute genius when it comes to the Six Powers."
The Six Powers were the culmination of generations of martial arts research within Marine Headquarters.
Through the efforts of people like Zephyr and Garp, they had become the Marines’ signature combat style.
As masters of pure hand-to-hand combat, they knew better than anyone how difficult it was to combine multiple Six Powers techniques into a single move.
"Hahaha! Zephyr, I told you this kid was special."
Garp laughed heartily.
"Sure, he’s got a few quirks—but every genius does."
"When I said he had the potential to become an Admiral, I wasn’t exaggerating."
"When the day comes to recommend him for the position, you’d better put in a good word for him."
The recruits erupted into an uproar.
At first, everyone had assumed Garp’s comments about "Admiral potential" were just another one of his jokes.
Throughout the history of Marine Headquarters, there had generally only been two Admirals at any given time.
The current lineup of three Admirals was already regarded as one of the strongest generations ever.
That alone showed how difficult it was to find—and cultivate—someone worthy of becoming an Admiral.
Yet now...
Someone carrying that very evaluation was standing right in front of them.
As fellow recruits, the pressure was overwhelming.
"Teacher Zephyr!"
Ain wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her beautiful face growing colder.
"I only lost because I underestimated him."
"Let us fight again."
As one of only two survivors of the recruit tragedy four years ago, she had never once abandoned her determination to grow stronger and one day take revenge.
Being knocked flying by a single punch...
She simply couldn’t accept it.
Lucas adjusted his glasses and looked at the fighting spirit burning in Ain’s eyes before shaking his head.
"Forget it."
"Forget it?"
Ain’s expression darkened.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Do you think I’m not your match?"
"Or are you trying to spare me because I’m a woman?"
"Let me remind you—Binz and I are both Devil Fruit users."
"We didn’t even use half of our strength just now."
"If we fought seriously, you wouldn’t have such an easy time."
"So answer me, Lucas."
"Will you fight me again?"
"And don’t insult me with some excuse about going easy on women."
"Insult you?"
Lucas shook his head.
"Sorry."
"I’ve never pitied you just because you’re a woman."
"The real problem is..."
"You’re only worth 100,000 Berries in overtime."
"I’ve already milked that opportunity once."
"If I could do it a second time, I certainly wouldn’t mind."
He turned toward Zephyr.
"Chief Instructor Zephyr..."
"Would you mind?"
The entire audience was speechless.
The gap between the "future Admiral" everyone had imagined and the money-obsessed Lucas standing before them was simply too great.
Within Marine Headquarters, where female Marines were few and far between, Ain was practically a goddess.
Countless people treated her like a treasure.
Yet in Lucas’s eyes...
She was apparently worth nothing more than 100,000 Berries of overtime pay.
Of course, Lucas wasn’t entirely joking.
His previous "overtime" reward had pushed his Bronze Check-In Progress all the way into the Silver tier.
He was now only 20,000 Berries away from reaching the system’s one-million-Berry salary milestone.
If he had the chance...
He honestly wouldn’t mind punching Ain one more time.
"I’m only worth 100,000 Berries?"
Ain’s face turned livid.
The next moment, she exploded in anger.
"Lucas!"
"You’ve gone too far!"
"I’ll show you what it feels like to become a child!"
"Ain."
Zephyr raised a hand to stop her.
He removed the Justice Coat from his shoulders and handed it to her before laughing loudly.
"Kid."
"Didn’t you want overtime pay?"
"If you can force this old man off the ring..."
"I’ll personally give you 200,000 Berries."
"Come."
"Attack with everything you’ve got."
"Let me properly test your strength."
His booming voice echoed like thunder.
The fighting spirit radiating from him shocked everyone present.
This was the man who had trained the current three Admirals—
A former Admiral himself.
No one had expected someone of his stature to personally step into the ring against a rookie.
For any recruit, this would have been an unimaginable honor.
"No."
"I refuse."
Lucas pulled out a small gourd and took a sip of his homemade liquor before continuing,
"Ain and Binz were already worth 100,000 Berries in overtime."
"Surely, Chief Instructor Zephyr..."
"You’re worth more than just another 100,000 Berries. "
"How about raising it a little?"
"Let’s make it 500,000 Berries."
"Five hundred thousand?"
The battle-hungry smile on Zephyr’s face froze.
A moment later, he burst into laughter.
"You really don’t take this old man seriously."
"Fine."
"Five hundred thousand it is."
"Then let me see how you intend to break through my Iron Body: Steel!"
Boom!
A deafening sonic boom erupted.
The instant Zephyr steadied himself on the ring—
A blur had already appeared before him.
"So fast!"
"So you weren’t fighting seriously earlier."
"No wonder you could stop the training machine I sent flying."
"But..."
"Your Iron Body won’t break through my Steel!"
"Iron Body: Steel!"
Boom!
Lucas stomped forward.
The arena floor instantly cracked apart beneath the tremendous force, spreading like a spiderweb.
Watching him charge straight at Zephyr—
Everyone held their breath.
They desperately wanted to see the money-grubbing Lucas finally suffer a crushing defeat against Zephyr’s perfected Iron Body.
To see his arrogance thoroughly beaten down.
But at the very instant Lucas reached Zephyr—
He didn’t use the same Iron Body: Heavy Wolf Strike that had defeated Ain and Binz.
Instead—
He planted one foot before the other, rooting himself firmly like an ancient tree.
His fingers clenched tightly into fists as he assumed an unfamiliar martial arts stance.
The moment his posture settled—
The surrounding air seemed to freeze.
An indescribable pressure began gathering inside his body.
It felt as though a volcano were on the verge of erupting.
The smile on Garp’s face vanished instantly.
The rice cracker in his hand shattered.
"Zephyr!"
"Be careful!"
"It’s the first time I’ve ever seen this move from that brat!"
"Don’t hold back!"
"Or you’ll end up losing in the most embarrassing way imaginable!"