(T/N: Please consider reviewing this Fanfic, Thanks and appreciate all who support me)
(T/N: Enjoy!!)
<><><><><><>
The hellish training course dubbed "Hell" by Arashi officially began the following morning.
To Kuma, its purpose was clear: to push this group of promising individuals beyond their limits so they could survive and perform exceptionally in the war to come.
While the objective was noble, the process itself remained unknown to him. As the morning sun rose, dewdrops glistened on the leaves around the training field.
A row of silhouettes in Marine uniforms stood silently, rigid like statues, their backs perfectly straight.
Among them, Koby and Helmeppo stood with nervous expressions. Their throats dry as they swallowed hard.
"Senior Arashi's so-called 'Ashura Inferno'—why are we suddenly thrown into something this terrifying?"
Koby's heart thudded with unease. Upon arriving at HQ, he had expected to be trained under Vice Admiral Garp but now found himself face-to-face with the senior he feared most.
Helmeppo glanced around the lineup, eyes shifting as he whispered, "Koby! These people... none of them look ordinary!"
"Especially those in the front row!" Koby looked forward. The people at the front had faces as cold as steel, their expressions unmoving.
Their bodies were still, not a muscle twitching. What shocked them most was the towering figure to the left.
"One of the Seven Warlords... Gecko Moria?!" Helmeppo's voice trembled. "Why is a guy that famous even here?"
Koby shook his head. It was clear now—this training group was nothing short of insane. "And the others around him? I heard they used to be with CP, and Arashi recruited them."
"Those guys were cold-blooded killers!" Helmeppo stammered. Koby inhaled sharply.
He, too, had heard from Bogard that this temporary unit was packed with strength. Among them were notorious pirates, ex-CP operatives, and Marines.
One thing was certain: this training class was unlike anything they'd imagined. Suddenly, two figures appeared at the entrance of the field.
The one leading was a muscular man in a Marine uniform, his black cropped hair and explosive build making him look like he could rip through his clothes—Vice Admiral Arashi.
Behind him followed an emotionless, towering figure like a silent bodyguard.
"Bartholomew Kuma... one of the Seven Warlords!" Helmeppo trembled from head to toe.
"He's standing behind Arashi like a bodyguard?" The sight alone shook Koby to his core.
He'd only seen his senior once before but instantly sensed their overwhelming strength difference.
Seeing this scene, he realized the gap might be even greater than he had imagined. Soon, the two were standing at the front.
"This training camp was a spur-of-the-moment idea," Arashi said loudly.
"You come from all walks—Baroque Works, Warlords of the Sea, former CP agents, and the next generation of Marines!"
Koby stiffened as Arashi glanced briefly at him. "Let me make this clear. What you're about to experience is nothing like the training you've had before."
"The suffering you'll endure will be a hundred, a thousand—no, ten thousand times worse! But the rewards will match the pain."
"By the time this course ends, I expect you to break through your limits and evolve!" Arashi grinned as he scanned the crowd.
"For medical support, you'll be assisted by Kuma. He'll remove your pain and exhaustion. So..." He paused, then smiled, sending chills down everyone's spine.
"As long as you don't die, train like your life depends on it!" As the crowd flinched, Arashi continued,
"Rob Lucci will act as squad leader. Daz Bones will serve as vice leader. Now then... Rob Lucci!"
"HERE!" Lucci stepped forward with full attention. "Training starts now!"
"We'll begin with basic physical training. Weighted laps around the entire field. Carry five times your body weight, and run until you can't move any more!"
Arashi's grin turned fierce. "YES, SIR!" Lucci didn't even blink.
Others, however—Moria, Perona, Hogback—visibly paled. "Run until you drop? How far even is that?!" Koby stammered.
"No idea! And five times your weight?!" Helmeppo was trembling. Worst of all, this was only the first phase of the training. With Lucci leading, the infernal course began.
The weights had already been prepared. As everyone strapped on their gear, dust clouds rose around the training ground.
Arashi stood off to the side, arms folded, silently observing. Moria was already drenched in sweat after a short run. His steps were sluggish.
Perona wailed nonstop while others pushed forward in agony. As expected, Lucci and Daz Bones were rock-solid—sweating but not slowing down.
To Arashi's surprise, Koby was also doing better than expected. He was relatively new to training and naturally timid but seemed to possess real grit and a willingness to suffer.
-Time passed-
The first trainee collapsed, sending up a burst of dust. Arashi waved a hand. Kuma stepped forward and tapped the person with a red-tinted energy bubble.
The next moment, the person stood up, completely refreshed—no fatigue, no pain.
"You're free to keep training. Kuma can remove all your exhaustion and pain!" Arashi said with a calm smile.
"So... Train like there's no tomorrow!"
The bizarre healing had everyone looking at each other in disbelief. Some were unsure if they should be thankful or terrified.
"So this is what Admiral Arashi's training is like? Kuma can extract pain and fatigue directly from the body, and we just keep going."
"It's endless training! No more physical limits. The only thing left... is willpower!" Koby's heart pounded as realization hit.
In an instant, it all clicked for Koby. "So that means, as long as you have unwavering determination and a strong enough will, becoming powerful in this training camp is guaranteed!"
"No wonder Bogard insisted I join yesterday!" Pushing his heavy legs forward, he kept running.
His chest rose and fell like a bellows, and exhaustion surged through him in waves. Eventually, his head tilted and he collapsed.
But moments later, he was fully conscious again—his fatigue and pain gone. Instead, he could feel it: his body had grown stronger.
"I actually… got stronger that fast?" Koby lit up with excitement. He took another deep breath and started running again.
Arashi stood quietly to the side, watching everyone. Clearly, in this brutal training, the weakest ones were also improving the fastest—because weakness meant more room to grow.
Likewise, those with unshakable willpower would reap the greatest rewards.
With Kuma's powers, everyone now had what felt like a cheat code: an endless loop of recovery, no fear of exhaustion or injury, and total focus on breaking through their physical limits.
-Time went on-
Thud!
Moria hit the ground, only to be back up seconds later. Then Kaku, Jabra, Blueno, and others began to fall, each raising a cloud of dust before being restored by Kuma and diving back into training.
By sunset, Arashi finally called it a day. Training will resume tomorrow. Everyone sighed with relief, yet strangely, they were already looking forward to more.
"I got so much stronger just today. I can feel it—my body is changing!" Koby said, fired up.
"Same here!" Helmeppo added, just as thrilled. Their physical growth was mind-blowing in this relentless, painless training.
Even Moria stood quietly, staring at his abdomen. He'd lost weight in a single day. His once bloated stomach now had the early lines of muscle.
He, who had been overweight just yesterday, was already on track to having abs.
Suddenly, Moria grinned. A brilliant light shone in his eyes as he clenched his fists.
"Kishishishi!"
"Kaido… everything I lost… I will take it all back! You'll know the pain of losing someone precious—just like I did!"
His spirit soared, and with it, his confidence. So this was what hard work felt like—so fulfilling, so powerful.
And the mastermind of this entire plan, Arashi, watched with a satisfied smile.
With Kuma's abilities assisting them, this batch of recruits will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in the upcoming War at Marineford.
"This is where your power truly shines, Kuma," Arashi said quietly, "the real strength of your Devil Fruit."
Kuma stood silently, as always. Maybe his true role wasn't combat—it was support.
Two days passed. By now, everyone had settled into the training regime.
Even in such a short time, their physical strength had skyrocketed.
Koby, Helmeppo, and the other weaker trainees had made the biggest improvements. But the one who'd changed the most was Moria.
Once bloated and lumbering, his massive six-meter frame was now lean and powerful.
He radiated sharp energy like a legendary sword unearthed from the dirt—its rust scraped away, its cold steel gleaming again.
He stood out, tall and confident, with a calm smile and a spark of pride in his eyes.
Compared to the Moria of old, he had been reborn. Arashi nodded silently.
"Weight loss is the best cosmetic surgery," he thought. Of course, the ones most excited were the trio of Perona, Hogback, and Absalom.
"Attention, everyone!" Arashi clapped his hands. "Starting this afternoon, your physical training will change." He paused, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
He could sense the anticipation in everyone—they were getting hooked on the benefits of the training.
"Now, it's time for one-on-one combat training! The strong become stronger because they constantly clash with even greater strength."
"Only by swinging your blade at someone above you can you truly shatter your limits and reach new heights."
"Some people choose strong beasts on remote islands to avoid risk—but that's ridiculous!"
"Beasts are never human. They can't make you feel the true desperation of life-or-death combat!"
"So…" A cold smile spread across Arashi's face as he continued,
"Fukurou! You'll be testing everyone's Doriki levels here."
"Once testing is done—Rob Lucci!" Lucci turned his eyes to Arashi, listening closely.
"You'll be in charge of arranging the matches. Pair them from strongest to weakest in order. During the fights, there is no holding back!"
"Everyone—yes, everyone—must fight with the intent to kill! There's only one restriction: Devil Fruit users cannot use their abilities!"
Gasps of disbelief spread through the group.
"What? The strongest versus the weakest?"
"Admiral Arashi… isn't that murder?" Koby said, voice trembling.
But no one else objected. After a brief shock, everyone lined up as Fukurou began the Doriki tests.
Boom! A heavy sound rang out as Lucci stepped away. Fukurou's eyes widened, and he shouted, shocked, "Lucci, your Doriki level… it's 7500!"
Everyone present was stunned. Just physical power alone—and he had reached that level? Unbelievable.
"If I remember correctly," Kaku said, eyes bright, "Lucci's Doriki was 4000 before.
In just this short time at Marine HQ, his training increased by 3500!"
"And even more surprising," added Kalifa, adjusting her glasses, "Fukurou can now measure such a high level accurately?"
The CP9 agents were visibly excited. If Lucci had grown this much, they all must have somewhat improved.
Soon, more Doriki numbers came in one after another. "Kaku—5000!" Hearing that, Kaku clenched his fists with pride. He'd nearly doubled his strength.
"Jabra—4800."
"Blueno—2200."
"Kumadori—2100."
"Kalifa—1800."
The entire squad had shown incredible improvement. In just a short time, at
Marineford 's growth had already surpassed its achievements over the past decade, which alone proved the effectiveness of Arashi's training.
Constant combat and physical drills pushed them to the brink of death. Their bodies tempered through intense trial and error. Their strength was forged with sweat and blood.
"Daz Bones, Doriki—5800!" The moment his number was announced, a wave of surprise swept through the room. Rob Lucci turned, locking eyes with the vice-instructor opposite him.
"Silent types are always the toughest ones to deal with." Soon, Fukurou finished testing everyone.
"Moria, Doriki 4500."
"Koby, Doriki 550."
"Helmeppo, 560."
The two were neck and neck, barely reaching the threshold for superhuman classification. Yet it was clear they were ranked near the bottom.
Even Perona, the petite girl, had a Doriki of 600. The boy stiffened when Rob Lucci walked up to Koby and stood before him.
"Looks like you're the one I'll be killing next." His voice was cold, and Koby shivered.
What kind of joke was this? Was he going to fight a monster with a Doriki of 7500? His number was barely even the last digits of that!
He was dead, for sure. Koby had completely frozen. One thing was now certain in his mind—Admiral Arashi was genuinely trying to kill him.
Likewise, another cold, murderous figure now stood before Helmeppo.
"You're Helmeppo, right?"
"I'll be following our instructor's orders and kill you—quick and clean."
Helmeppo's eyes widened in terror, nearly wetting himself. "V-Vice-Instructor… what did you do before this?
"An assassin," Daz Bones replied.
"...Huh?!" Helmeppo's mind blanked. An assassin turned Marine? Arashi watched this unfold, arms crossed and a pleased smile.
Just then, Smoker walked over from a distance, a cigar clamped in his mouth.
When Arashi looked his way, Smoker quietly removed the cigar, snuffed it with his fingers, and tossed it into a nearby bin.
"Sir, Fleet Admiral Sengoku has requested your presence at the high-level strategy meeting."
Arashi nodded. After two days, the training was already progressing on track. He knew these meetings were becoming increasingly frequent, preparation for the impending war.
The fact they hadn't summoned him immediately upon return was already a show of consideration.
Newly promoted Vice Admirals like Smoker, Rosinante, and Crocodile had no such luxury. They were obligated to attend.
"Let's go." He glanced again at the soldiers still training, then turned and left. Smoker followed behind with a serious expression.
Moments later, Arashi entered the meeting room behind Smoker. Unlike the roundtable used for the Warlords, the Marine Headquarters strategy room was centred around a long rectangular table.
At one end of the room, mounted on the wall, was a plaque with the words "Justice That Reigns Supreme"—the very one Sengoku used when he served as Admiral.
As Arashi entered, many Vice Admirals looked up and greeted him with respectful gazes.
After scanning the room, he gave a small nod and calmly took the primary seat closest to the plaque. Though he sat properly, his expression remained casual.
Crocodile, Rosinante, and Kuina were also present. Each frowned at the documents on the table, seemingly deep in thought.
Sitting across from Arashi, Borsalino gave a subtle nod, but his face was equally serious.
About three minutes later, Sengoku entered the room, face stern. Behind him was a lazily trailing Aokiji.
Kuzan casually sat beside Arashi, kicked his legs up on the table, and settled into an unprofessional posture.
"You guys can decide things independently," Kuzan mumbled, yawning.
"I'm kinda sleepy." Then he pulled down his eye mask and started snoring.
Arashi glanced at his old friend and shook his head but said nothing.
"Everyone's here," Sengoku announced. "Then let's begin the meeting."
He wasn't bothered by the relaxed demeanour of the three Admirals. After all, gathering all three at once was rare—most of the time, not even one could attend.
"We've finalized the list of commanding officers stationed at Marineford's plaza."
"We also have a preliminary list of Vice Admirals who will patrol the outer perimeter."
"The one guarding the Gates of Justice must be sharp and powerful—one of our elite."
"Turning Marineford into a trap for the Whitebeard Pirates is a gamble with enormous risk. No one can predict the exact cost until the war ends."
"But before that, we can run simulations and draft detailed strategies to minimize losses."
"Next!" Sengoku's gaze sharpened. "We must remain alert regarding the recent batch of pirates identified in the Sabaody Archipelago—the new wave of Supernovas."
"If they cause any major incidents, the Admirals here may have to personally intervene."
"After all, these people have been dubbed the 'Worst Generation'. Their power and potential to cause chaos must not be underestimated."
Arashi remained expressionless while the gathered Vice Admirals became visibly tense.
"And lastly—intelligence from the New World."
Sengoku slammed both palms on the table, his tone becoming grave.
"Not long ago, we received word that the Whitebeard Pirates may be meeting with the Red-Haired Pirates—the crew known as the Iron Wall Pirates."
"If these two Emperor-level crews join forces, the implications are severe. As Marines, we must deeply reflect on what that means."
"If they truly ally..." His deep, forceful voice echoed through the room.
The shift in the room was visible—every Vice Admiral looked shocked and concerned.
But at the head of the table, Arashi's face remained unchanged. Then, slowly, the corner of his mouth curled upward.
"This is getting…More and more interesting."
If you want to support me, join my patr**on. Have 10 advanced Chapters for you guys.
patr**n.com/saitamablast > OP:COI NOVEL TIER (PLEASE DONT SUBS THROUGH IOS PLATFORM)