Listening to Garp mention one familiar name after another, Jon's heart was filled with excitement. These were all famous figures from the Pirate King's world, and this was the first time he had heard someone speak their names.
From Garp's description, it was clear that these future great pirates had already begun to make a name for themselves on the seas.
The Golden Lion had the largest influence, and Jon knew that. The Golden Lion was indeed the second great sea overlord after Rocks, and if it weren't for his defeat to Roger in the coming years, Roger probably wouldn't have had the chance to achieve the title of Pirate King.
Now, many of the major pirates on the seas were former members of the Rocks Pirates, which only shows how powerful the Rocks Pirates were back then.
If it weren't for Rocks' own recklessness, combined with internal instability, that pirate crew had the potential to threaten the Navy and the World Government.
Next, as Garp continued to boast about his own greatness and tell stories of the seas, everyone except Dragon was listening intently, with Garp getting more and more excited as he spoke.
When the dishes were brought to the table, they realized that Garp had ordered an enormous amount of food, with over twenty dishes, and all of them in large portions.
Normally, this amount of food would be enough for more than ten people to eat their fill. But once they started eating, they finished it all at a surprisingly fast pace, which once again gave Jon a chance to witness the legendary "rice bucket."
"Dragon, Jon, Kizaru, Akainu, I'm going to step out for a bit. When I come back, I'll tell you some even more interesting stories."
As Garp left, five minutes passed, then ten minutes, then twenty minutes, and he still hadn't returned.
Dragon's face turned blue with anger, and he muttered through gritted teeth, "I knew he couldn't be trusted, but I didn't expect him to actually run out without a word."
Jon and the others were stunned. Just a moment ago, Garp had seemed so generous, but now he had disappeared without paying the bill.
"Just like his grandson, huh? A guy like Garp would definitely do something like this."
Straw Hat Luffy had been raised by Garp, and considering the kind of person Luffy turned out to be, it was clear that Garp wasn't much different.
This was Jon's first time meeting the legendary Marine Vice Admiral, and though he wasn't disappointed, it was truly a mixture of laughter and tears.
Dragon, with a grim expression, took out all the money he had on him, but it wasn't even half enough. In the end, he had to borrow some from Jon to pay for the meal. Garp had no shame in getting a free meal, but Dragon still had some dignity.
Jon was also frustrated. "Damn it, I came from a small branch in the South Blue, and now I'm the one with the most money. I've become a future Navy admiral and revolutionary leader's creditor. I guess I have quite an accomplishment now."
After Garp pulled that stunt, Jon and the others lost their enthusiasm for continuing to walk around. They strolled a little before heading back to the dorm.
"Starting today, I will teach you combat techniques."
It was another new morning, and Zephyr stood at the podium, saying the words all the students had been eagerly waiting for.
Jon's spirits lifted. He had been waiting for this moment as well. The previous lessons had been important, covering various theories, naval tactics, and so on. But in this world, personal combat strength was still highly valued, so Jon was naturally more interested in learning combat techniques.
During the theory lessons, there were always a few students who would slack off, but now, everyone was staring at Zephyr in eager anticipation.
"You are all outstanding soldiers selected from various branches and the main headquarters. I've observed you before, and your basics are solid, having reached my minimum standards. So, what I'm going to teach you next is the Marine Six Styles."
Upon hearing this, the knowledgeable students became even more focused, and Jon was no exception. Back when he watched the anime, he had always thought that the Marine Six Styles were the most basic techniques of the Navy.
But after coming to this world, he realized that the Marine Six Styles were not as simple as he had imagined.
The Marine Six Styles were actually of a high standard. Even his father, who was a branch base commander, hadn't mastered all six. He only knew Iron Block and Paper Drawing, while the others were beyond him.
Jon had learned two of them from his father, and now he had the chance to learn all six, which he was very excited about.
Compared to others, Jon knew better that while the Six Styles were basic, there were even stronger forms of them, the Six Styles' ultimate techniques. If one could master them, they would at least reach the rank of Marine headquarters officers.
"I believe many of you know what the Marine Six Styles are, and most of you have encountered them in some form. But I want to tell you that no matter what you've learned in the past, forget everything and focus on the training methods I'm about to teach you."
Zephyr knew that many of his students had some exposure to the Six Styles, but he was certain that most of them hadn't learned the correct form. And if he was going to teach, he would teach them the proper way, which he was confident in.
"Shave, Iron Block, Paper Drawing, Moon Walk, Storm Kick, Finger Gun. These six techniques make up the 'Six Styles,' the most important physical techniques in the Navy. They allow a person to surpass the limits of human physical ability. If you can master all of them, you'll have the strength to fight against Devil Fruit users. These techniques are mandatory for all Marine officers."
"Let's start with Shave…"
A month passed in the blink of an eye. During this month, Zephyr mainly focused on the Marine Six Styles, with most of the lessons being practical drills. After explaining the essentials, he had Jon and the others practice on their own while he corrected them.
"Finger Gun!"
"Iron Block!"
Jon focused his strength on his index finger, shooting it out like a bolt of lightning, landing a powerful blow on Doberman, who had blocked with Iron Block. Even though he was hit, Doberman didn't budge.
"Storm Kick!"
Doberman quickly counterattacked with a Storm Kick, but Jon used Shave to swiftly move to the other side and attacked again with Finger Gun.
The two sparred using the Six Styles, attacking and defending for a long time before stopping.
Even though Jon's physical abilities had improved greatly, constantly using the Six Styles still exhausted him. Doberman, his sparring partner, was even more tired, gasping for breath.
"Jon, how did you train so fast? You've already mastered Finger Gun, Shave, Iron Block, and Moon Walk. I'm still struggling with just Iron Block and Storm Kick. The others are still at the beginner level."
Doberman was frustrated. They had all joined at the same time, and even though he was older than Jon, Jon had already surpassed him in terms of learning ability, and his physical skills were almost better than Doberman's.
Jon replied, "I'm just starting out, there's still a long way to go. But compared to me, look at Akainu, Kizaru, and Dragon. They've already begun to master the Six Styles. We're still at the beginning."
Doberman said, "They're monsters. You can't compare. Their foundations are way better than ours, so of course, they'll master it faster. But in my opinion, you're not worse than them. You're younger. As long as you keep improving your physical strength, everything else will fall into place."
Doberman would later become a Marine Rear Admiral, with great accomplishments. He was also in the same class as Jon.
Training the Marine Six Styles wasn't just about hard work; Zephyr made Jon and the others pair up for drills. Jon was paired with Doberman.
The two monsters, Kizaru and Akainu, were opponents as well, while Dragon's opponent was a classmate who had eaten an Animal-type Devil Fruit.
In just over a month, Jon had mastered four of the Six Styles, with the remaining two in progress. It wouldn't be long before he could use all six at a basic level.
Except for the monsters, Kizaru and Akainu, and the always-hidden Dragon, Jon's understanding of the Marine Six Styles was among the best in the class.
After Zephyr's teaching, Jon's perspective had greatly broadened. Though his training in the past years had yielded results, there were still many issues. After receiving Zephyr's guidance, though he hadn't made huge improvements immediately, in the long run, he would certainly make twice the progress with half the effort.
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