At dusk, after a long day of work, Sengoku walked with his hands behind his back to the corner of the square.
There he saw Rorschach, who, during the day, looked majestic, but now barely resembled a human form.
His swollen head was covered in fist-sized lumps, reminding Sengoku of the appearance of the Great Buddha.
His eyes were black like a panda's, and his nose and face were bruised.
His clothes had turned into rags, resembling those of a beggar.
His gait was limping and uneven, and in the dim sunset light, his shadow appeared utterly bleak.
On the other hand, Garp looked elated and was smiling with satisfaction.
"So, is this the best training program you two spent days designing?"
Sengoku was on the verge of losing his temper with anger.
"A young man this handsome, and you've turned him into this."
"Hahaha, yes, this program is perfect for a thick-skinned lad like him. He's a user of the Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit, and these injuries, which would take a regular person months to heal from, he can recover from after a single night's sleep. All we need to do is provide him with more Sea Kings' meat daily."
Garp was thoroughly pleased with today's training.
A student who could take punches and endure like a punching bag... he hadn't found one in years.
Even Kuzan in the past could only endure a few punches before collapsing.
But Rorschach had endured all day against both Garp and Zephyr.
Sengoku tried hard to restrain his urge to kick Garp in the face and then turned to Zephyr.
"Zephyr, why are you going along with Garp's madness? This isn't your training style."
Zephyr shook his head with a smile and said, "Training methods should adapt to the person."
He then looked at Rorschach's distant back and said, "That young man has been through tough experiences, and that has given him a strong will. Simple surface wounds don't affect him. Daily battles with strong fighters will help him grow much more than routine physical training."
"As Garp said, this type of training isn't for ordinary people. Even a user of the Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit wouldn't last long. But Rorschach can. Sengoku, do you know what this young man said before he left?"
Zephyr smiled.
"What did he say?" Sengoku asked, curious.
"He said, 'See you tomorrow,'" Zephyr laughed.
Hearing that made Sengoku shake his head.
"You two are like cats toying with a dead mouse. You've found someone resilient to train. But, Zephyr, is your training really just about Rorschach fighting strong opponents every day? Isn't that too harsh? Shouldn't training be gradual?"
"In fierce battles, one finds their own way. And only in life-or-death combat do they learn their techniques."
Suddenly, Zephyr started coughing violently, and his breathing became labored.
He placed his hand on his chest, pulling out a breathing device, and inhaled deeply, which helped calm his breaths.
Concerned looks appeared in both Sengoku's and Garp's eyes.
"Are you okay?" Sengoku asked, worried.
"Don't worry, it's an old issue," Zephyr replied, waving his hand dismissively.
He then turned and walked toward Rorschach, saying, "It's late, I don't feel like going back to cook, I'll eat at the cafeteria."
"Wait, I'm coming too," Garp said, following behind.
"Hold on! I promised Tsuru I'd have dinner at her place," Sengoku called after them.
"Forget that, we're covered in sweat, we can't go to Tsuru's place like this."
The two old men walked side by side, joking and laughing as they made their way to the cafeteria.
"I hope that young man can endure it."
Sengoku looked at the square full of craters, which appeared as if it had been bombed, and shook his head.
"Wait for me!"
When the three arrived at the cafeteria's main entrance, they almost thought they had come to the wrong place.
The large cafeteria building was surrounded by thick fog, and hot steam was constantly pouring out from inside, making the place look as if it were floating on clouds.
"Could it be that fat boy Dino is experimenting with a new dish?"
Garp licked his lips in anticipation, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Zephyr didn't say a word, but he removed his sunglasses, revealing a surprised expression.
"Tsk… That boy!"
Sengoku's eyes widened, and his body trembled in shock.
"What's the matter?"
Unable to resist, he unconsciously released his Observation Haki, covering the massive cafeteria building that was emitting the steam. The next moment, his eyes widened even more.
Inside the fog-filled cafeteria, not only was Rorschach, who had just finished his training, but there were many instructors from the base, along with a few new recruits.
Even Akainu and Adella, who had just returned, were sitting at a table in the cafeteria.
At this moment, none of them were eating but were instead sitting, staring at a silver-haired boy sitting in the center.
The silver-haired boy sat on the smooth floor, with a massive pile of dishes in front of him.
Visible gusts of wind swirled around his arms, forming phantom whirlwinds that quickly scooped up the dishes prepared by the cooks and shoved them into his mouth.
He used the 'Life Return' technique to unhinge his jaw to the fullest extent, making his mouth resemble that of a large snake while eating, and his appearance was terrifying.
"Hurry! Hurry! Don't stop bringing the food! Take all the Sea Kings' meat that arrived today from the storage, I'll be working at full capacity!"
The fat chef Dino's hat exploded off his head, and his black hair flared around his head like snakes, as his aura surged dramatically, leaving the officers present at the base wide-eyed in amazement.
"I can't let soldiers leave my kitchen hungry! If the soldiers aren't satisfied, it's my personal failure, a failure in administering justice! That's my life's motto!"
"Life Return! Double-speed Cooking!"
"My little sparrow! Now's the time to fully implement the principles of culinary arts!"
"Yes, Uncle Dino!"
Lieutenant Benjamin staggered back and collapsed on the floor in shock.
"Is this a joke? Is this Haki really coming from a cook? Can such a gluttonous chef possess such terrifying power?"
Smoker took a drag from his cigar, seemingly unsurprised. But his eyes remained focused on the boy in the center.
Rorschach!
As Rorschach continued his frenzied eating, massive amounts of hot steam billowed from his pores, even from his nose and ears.
His skin turned red like a boiled shrimp's shell.
Hundreds of plates of high-calorie food, including Sea Kings' meat, were being digested rapidly after entering his stomach, converting into a tremendous amount of energy that healed his injuries from the day's training.
The injuries on his body healed at a staggering rate, disappearing entirely.
The excess energy seeped into his cells, transforming into lightning energy stored within him.
With the sound of his bones crackling, Rorschach's body began to expand, taking on the form of a blue dragon six meters in size. He swallowed a massive piece of meat over a meter long in one gulp.
The enormous piece of meat slid down his throat, which had expanded due to the 'Life Return' technique, into his stomach without needing to be chewed.
This monstrous level of eating and the way he consumed food was inhuman, even leaving the seasoned officers, used to grandiose spectacles, speechless.
"A monster… This is the real monster! I naively thought his strength was all thanks to the Mythical Zoan Fruit, but with this talent, even without the fruit, he'd become one of the strongest Marines in the future!"
Smoker's heart was filled with astonishment, and the more he watched, the more fear crept into him.
As for Akainu, who had been watching Rorschach devour food relentlessly, he suddenly stood up and left the cafeteria.
At the cafeteria's entrance, the three elderly men exchanged glances.
Sengoku's lips quivered as he said, "This boy alone eats the equivalent of a whole Sea King's worth of meat in one day. Are today's supplies all gone?"
"Hahaha! Does he eat that much? Impossible! I'm the man with the biggest stomach in the Marines, I can't let this boy Rorschach take that title from me! Hey! Rorschach, I'm coming!"
Garp laughed and smacked his head before rushing in, but Sengoku angrily grabbed him by the collar.
"You fool! What do you think you're doing? The budget will run out from all the food!"
"Leave those matters to those idiots in Mary Geoise, what do I care?"
Garp puffed out his chest until his clothes burst and charged inside with excitement.
Meanwhile, Akainu, who had walked out of the cafeteria, looked at Zephyr and said in a low voice, "Tomorrow, let me handle his training."
"What? Why?" Sengoku asked, surprised.
"You two have been playing too gently. He needs more brutal training."
Zephyr and Sengoku: "..."
(End of Chapter)
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