"The key to teamwork is matching speeds," Lucius said as 80 dummies appeared around them. "Each attack needs to connect with another."
He pointed at the dummies taking formation. "Watch how they move - no wasted attacks, everything hits together."
"But how?" Nami asked, getting into position.
"Simple. Match your strengths." Lucius gestured to each pair. "Vivi, your barrier protects while Usopp attacks. Sanji and Karoo, your kicks create double damage. Luffy and Zoro hit hard from different angles. Nami floats above, tells everyone where to strike."
The dummies charged forward in tight groups. Instead of separating, everyone attacked exactly when Lucius called it.
Vivi's Protego curved wide, blocking arrows while Usopp aimed through the gaps she made. His Finger Pistol shots dropped enemies instantly. Each time Usopp needed to move, the barrier shifted to cover him.
"Mouton Shot!" Sanji's kick connected just as Karoo's Tempest Kick forced enemies to jump. The airborne dummies couldn't dodge as Sanji's Moon Walk placed him perfectly above them. Their attacks sandwiched groups between wind blades and devastating kicks.
"Gum Gum Gatling!" Luffy's barrage of punches enhanced by Iron Body made enemies focus on blocking, while Zoro's Path of Severance cut through their exposed backs. Three Sword Style attacks flashed as enemies tried redirecting their attention. They got hit from both sides before they could react.
Nami used Paper Art to stay floating above the battle. "Group forming left! Gap behind those three! They're trying to surround you!"
Her warnings let everyone adjust without stopping their attacks. When enemies bunched together trying to dodge, she dropped from above and took them out.
[System Message: Enhanced Teamwork activating]
[Combat efficiency increased by 300%]
The dummies tried attacking together but met perfectly timed counterattacks. Instead of getting in each other's way, the crew's techniques hit harder by combining.
"Usopp, move!" Vivi called, her Protego spinning to deflect a spear. Usopp rolled to a new spot, his Finger Pistol catching three enemies trying to flank them.
"Up!" Sanji shouted to Karoo. The duck's Tempest Kick gave Sanji's Moon Walk extra height. "Concasse!" His kick caught five dummies that tried jumping after him.
"Gum Gum Balloon!" Luffy expanded, letting Zoro use him as a launching pad. "Oni Giri!" The enhanced cutting technique sliced through metal like paper.
"Six incoming!" Nami warned from above. Everyone shifted positions smoothly, creating a trap that crushed the attacking force.
When the last dummy fell, everyone was breathing hard but smiling. They'd finally figured out how to fight as one team.
"Let's try something harder," Lucius said as 100 new dummies appeared. "Mix up the pairs this time."
"Gum Gum Rocket!" Luffy stretched his arm toward Usopp.
Usopp grabbed Luffy's extended arm, letting himself get launched high above the battle. His Finger Pistol rained down from multiple angles while Luffy's "Gum Gum Gatling" enhanced with Iron Body drew attention below.
Vivi's Protego merged with Nami's Paper Art techniques, creating a floating shield that moved through the battlefield. They trapped groups of enemies between magical barriers while attacking from impossible angles.
Sanji and Zoro fought back-to-back despite their usual arguments. "Party Table Kick Course!" covered high attacks while "Dragon Twister" handled anything that got close. They moved in perfect sync, never getting in each other's way.
Karoo's Tempest Kicks created walls of wind, herding enemies into kill zones where multiple attacks hit at once. The duck's natural instincts let him time his techniques perfectly with everyone else's moves.
"Switch partners!" Lucius called out, making the dummies attack harder.
Without hesitation, they reformed into new combinations. Nami floated Usopp to better sniping positions. Vivi's Protego gave Sanji launching points for "Anti-Manner Kick Course." "Gum Gum Stamp" combined with Karoo's Tempest Kick created spinning attacks that shredded through enemy lines.
Two hours passed as they practiced different combinations. Every time they mastered one setup, Lucius would make them switch again. The dummies got stronger and smarter, forcing them to adapt constantly.
"Final test," Lucius announced as 200 dummies materialized. "Show me everything you've learned. No set pairs - just pure teamwork."
"Gum Gum Bazooka!" Luffy's attack smashed through the front line, creating an opening that Zoro immediately exploited with Path of Severance.
"Your left!" Nami called as she spotted incoming enemies. Usopp spun around, firing three Finger Pistol shots in quick succession while Vivi's Protego blocked a sneak attack from behind.
"Gum Gum Whip!" Luffy's leg swept across the battlefield, knocking enemies into the air where Sanji was waiting.
"Anti-Manner Kick Course!" Sanji's attack sent the airborne dummies crashing into another group trying to surround Karoo.
"QUACK!" Karoo launched a Tempest Kick that caught enemies attempting to regroup.
The battle continued with attacks connecting perfectly. "Gum Gum Stamp" launched enemies toward Zoro's "Tiger Hunt." Vivi's Expelliarmus disarmed enemies right as Usopp's Finger Pistol found their weak spots. Sanji's "Mouton Shot" drove targets into Karoo's wind blades.
When the final dummy fell, the dojo went silent except for heavy breathing. They'd fought for hours but finally understood true teamwork.
"That's what I wanted to see," Lucius smiled as training dummies vanished. "You're ready."
"Again!" Luffy jumped up despite his heavy breathing. "That was fun! We can do more!"
"Luffy, we've been training for hours," Nami wiped sweat from her forehead.
"But look how strong we got! Vivi's magic shields work great with my attacks!"
"He's right," Zoro stood up, gripping his swords. "We should test more combinations."
Lucius materialized new dummies. "Any specific pairs you want to try?"
"Me and Karoo!" Luffy bounced over to the duck. "I bet Gum Gum powers would work great with wind attacks!"
"QUACK!" Karoo nodded enthusiastically.
"Keep your distance this time," Lucius advised as dummies surrounded them. "Let Karoo's Tempest Kick enhance your stretched attacks."
"Gum Gum Pistol!" Luffy's arm shot forward as Karoo launched a Tempest Kick alongside it. The wind blade wrapped around Luffy's extended limb, creating a spiraling attack that tore through multiple targets.
"That actually worked," Sanji lit a fresh cigarette. "Oi Usopp, want to try something?"
"W-what did you have in mind?"
"Your Finger Pistol might work well with my kicks. Create openings for me to exploit."
They tested the combination against a new group of dummies. Usopp's precise shots forced enemies to dodge right into Sanji's prepared attacks.
"Vivi," Nami called out. "Can your barrier move while I'm using Paper Art inside it?"
"Let's find out!"
The magical shield enveloped Nami as she floated, creating a mobile fortress that could attack from any angle while remaining protected.
"Everyone's getting creative," Lucius smiled as new combinations emerged. "That's exactly what you need."
"Oi sensei," Luffy looked up from where he and Karoo were practicing. "Got any other cool techniques we could learn?"
"Yeah!" Usopp perked up. "Maybe something that could make Finger Pistol even stronger?"
"Or enhance Moon Walk?" Sanji added between kicks.
Lucius checked his remaining SP, considering options. But before he could answer, Zoro spoke up.
"We don't need new techniques yet. Need to master what we have first."
"Zoro's right," Vivi nodded while maintaining a barrier. "These combinations already give us many options."
They continued practicing until evening approached. Every successful combination led to attempts at harder versions. Luffy especially kept pushing for "one more round" despite obvious exhaustion.
When the final dummy fell, the dojo went silent except for heavy breathing. They'd accomplished more in these few days than most warriors achieved in years.
===================
[System Message: Student Loyalty Milestone Achieved!]
[All students reached 80% loyalty]
[Bonus SP calculated...]
[5 star students: 4500 SP]
[3 star students: 3600 SP]
[Previous Balance: 2425 SP]
[Current SP Total: 10,525 SP]
===================
"That concludes our lessons together," Lucius said, his voice carrying more weight than usual. "You've grown beyond my expectations."
"Again!" Luffy jumped up despite his heavy breathing. "That was fun! We can do more!"
"Luffy, we've been training for hours," Nami wiped sweat from her forehead.
"But look how strong we got! Vivi's magic shields work great with my attacks!"
"He's right," Zoro stood up, gripping his swords. "We should test more combinations."
Lucius shook his head with a slight smile. "Sometimes knowing when to stop is as important as knowing how to fight. You've learned everything I can teach you about working together."
"But-" Luffy started to protest.
"Food first," Sanji headed toward the kitchen. "Then we can talk about more training."
Looking at his massive SP total, Lucius felt a mix of pride and sadness. He had enough points now to teach them incredible techniques, but time had run out. Tomorrow they would face their real battles, without him there to guide them.
At dinner, the usual chaos was replaced by an unusual silence. Everyone picked at their food, even Luffy wasn't reaching for seconds.
[System Interface: Shop Available]
[Current SP: 10,525]
"What's wrong?" Lucius asked, though the weight in his chest told him he already knew.
Vivi spoke first, setting down her chopsticks. "We're leaving tomorrow. It feels... strange, knowing we won't be training here anymore."
"Yeah!" Luffy looked up. "We still haven't found our mana yet! And there's lots more cool stuff to learn!"
"That's right," Lucius smiled. "But you've learned something more valuable - how to grow stronger together."
"That's why you should join us!" Luffy said suddenly. "Every crew needs a teacher! You could show us more magic and teamwork stuff!"
"I can't," Lucius shook his head. "The dojo...it needs me here. Other students might come seeking knowledge."
He knew that excuse was a lie. His hands shook just thinking about real fights. Back in his previous life in America, he'd seen too many students hurt by violence. Gang shootings. Street fights. Young lives ended for no reason.
He was a teacher, someone who helped others grow stronger. The thought of actually fighting, of being in real combat where people died... his stomach turned.
"Here," Lucius stood suddenly, materializing bottles of various drinks. "In my culture, we share a toast when parting ways."
"But we're not parting!" Luffy insisted. "You're coming with us to Alabasta!"
"Some teachers guide from far away," Lucius said quietly as he poured small portions. His hands moved carefully, old habits from America making him conservative with serving sizes despite knowing these pirates had probably drunk before.
"Through books?" Nami asked, noticing the manuals he'd written.
"Through the lessons they leave behind," Lucius nodded. "Everything I know about magic and teamwork is in those pages."
"It's not the same," Luffy pouted.
"Books can't answer questions," Usopp added.
"QUACK!" Karoo agreed sadly.
"But you can grow beyond them," Lucius raised his glass. "A teacher's job isn't to hold students' hands forever. It's to give them the tools to find their own path."
"To getting stronger!" Luffy lifted his drink.
"To saving Alabasta," Vivi added softly.
"To our sensei," Zoro said unexpectedly, making everyone look at him. "What? He taught us well."
They drank together, but the sadness remained.
Lucius watched them, his own drink barely touched. His SP total could buy incredible techniques now, but what good were they if he was too afraid to join real battles?
"At least stay until we master mana," Luffy tried one last time.
"The manuals will guide you," Lucius said gently. "Just like how you learned teamwork - trust your instincts and support each other."
"But-"
"Luffy," Zoro cut in. "He's made his choice."
The silence returned, heavier than before. Each person lost in thoughts of tomorrow's departure.
Looking at his students, Lucius felt pride mixed with guilt. He'd taught them everything he could about fighting together, about using magic and martial arts. But when they asked him to stand beside them in real combat...
He couldn't. The violence he'd seen in America had left scars too deep. He was meant to help others grow stronger, not to fight himself.
"To the future," he finally said, raising his glass again. "And to using your strength to protect what matters."
-----------------------------------------------
Hippo Note: Hello my fellow readers, I would like to appreciate you all for your continued support in this series. However, unfortunately I have some personal things to care of. Therefore, I want to apologise if there are no updates tomorrow :(
P.S. If you'd like to keep supporting me and see more of this fan-fic keep dropping those power stone, it helps me a lot!