Chapter 16

Zephyr's eyes flashed with anger as he glared at Kuzan's relaxed posture. "You're his teacher, damn it! Act like it!" He slammed his Haki-infused fist on the table, leaving a dent.

Kuzan sighed, "Ah la la, the teacher is angry." He straightened up slightly, meeting Zephyr's intense gaze. "Relax, teach. See? I'm not worried."

Zephyr paused, realization dawning. If Kuzan wasn't concerned, there must be a reason.

Seeing Zephyr's shift in expression, Kuzan continued, "Loya may not transform constantly like other Zoan users, but when he does... he's as strong as a headquarters vice admiral."

The room erupted in disbelief. "That scrawny kid? As strong as a vice admiral?"

Kuzan felt an unexpected surge of pride. "Mythical Zoan fruits are rarer than Logia types. Loya's dragon fruit is overwhelming, so he developed a temporary transformation technique."

His tone grew serious. "A month ago, I could easily deflect his strongest attack. Now, a random ice bomb from him could be lethal. His growth rate is... unsettling."

Kuzan paused, considering his next words carefully. "If this continues, Loya might have admiral-level strength by thirty."

What Kuzan didn't say was what truly bothered him: Loya's ice abilities were starting to counter his own. Even without Haki, the boy could attack Kuzan's physical form with ice.

As the others absorbed this shocking information, Kuzan found himself contemplating an unexpected future. Maybe it was time to think about stepping back, perhaps taking over Zephyr's role in training recruits.

The atmosphere in the room had shifted dramatically. What had started as concern for a reckless recruit had turned into a dawning realization: they were witnessing the rise of a potential future powerhouse in the Navy.

All eyes turned back to the screen, watching Loya face off against the silver-backed great ape with newfound anticipation and respect.

...

Zephyr fell silent, processing Kuzan's words. He'd underestimated Loya, despite his secret observations of their training. If Kuzan compared Loya to a headquarters vice admiral, even temporarily, it meant the boy truly possessed that level of strength.

Mole, the most shaken by this revelation, stared at Loya's image on the screen. He remembered Zephyr's initial assessment: "One move to destroy a pirate crew with a 5000w bounty. Impressive, but he's just a child with a long way to go."

Back then, Zephyr had equated Loya's strength to that of a mid-level officer. And now? In just a month, Loya had grown this much? Mole felt a mix of awe and unease. "What a terrifying talent," he murmured.

Meanwhile, oblivious to the stir he was causing, Loya raced through the air, his mind consumed by a single thought: Food!

As he closed in on his target, the silver-backed great ape suddenly raised its head. Its eyes locked onto Loya, and it let out a thunderous roar that shook the forest.

ROAR!!!

The jungle erupted into chaos, animals fleeing in all directions. The island's king had been challenged, and it was not happy.

Loya, driven by hunger and adrenaline, showed no sign of slowing down. As he and the great ape faced off, the air crackled with tension. This wasn't just a hunt anymore; it was a clash between two formidable forces.

Back in the surveillance room, all eyes were glued to the screen. They were about to witness firsthand just how much Loya had truly grown. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation and a dawning realization: they might be watching the birth of a new legend in the Navy.

Loya leaped skyward, a wild grin on his face. "You sensed me from that far? Impressive. But let me show you a real roar!"

The air around him swirled and froze. "Ice Dragon's Roar!"

A massive ice tornado, ten meters wide, spiraled into existence. It raced towards the silver-backed great ape, carrying a deadly payload of frozen shrapnel.

The ape, sensing the danger, uprooted a massive tree and hurled it at the oncoming vortex. But the tornado simply devoured it, turning the tree into another icy projectile.

BOOM!

The explosion shook the island. A wave of freezing air radiated outward, instantly freezing everything in its path. From above, it looked like someone had splashed white paint across the green landscape.

The ape's agonized roar echoed as the ice tornado slammed it into the ground, carving out a massive pit.

Loya didn't hesitate. He dove from the sky, ice blades forming on his feet. Skating along the frozen path, he raced towards the center of the explosion.

"Ice Make: Ice Bomb!"

Multiple explosions rang out as ice shards, sharp as cannonballs, peppered the ape's massive form. Each impact kicked up more debris, adding to the destruction.

Through the smoke and ice, Loya caught glimpses of his opponent. The ape was battered but far from defeated. Its eyes, locked on Loya, burned with rage and... was that a hint of fear?

Loya's grin widened. The hunt was on, and he was just getting started.

Back in the surveillance room, jaws dropped at the display of raw power. Kuzan's words echoed in their minds: This was the strength of a headquarters vice admiral. And Loya was wielding it with a ferocity that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

A massive explosion rocked the island, sending shockwaves through the forest.

"What was that? Did the warship fire?" a recruit shouted, panic rising in his voice.

Before anyone could answer, the forest erupted into chaos. Animals of all sizes burst from the undergrowth, fleeing in terror.

"Run! Beast stampede!"

"Climb the trees! They can't reach us there!"

Recruits scrambled up the nearest trees, clinging desperately to branches as the tide of panicked animals surged beneath them.

In the warship's surveillance room, navy officers watched in horror as the situation spiraled out of control.

Lieutenant General Mole stood, turning to Zephyr. "Sir, we need to act now. Our recruits are in danger."

Zephyr gritted his teeth, eyes fixed on the screen showing Loya's relentless assault on the silver-backed great ape. Finally, he sighed. "Go. Save who you can."

As Mole and the others rushed to help, Zephyr turned to Kuzan with a wry expression. "I'll give you this - the kid's strength has grown impressively. But did you teach him anything about avoiding trouble?"

Kuzan pulled down his blindfold, avoiding Zephyr's gaze. His silence spoke volumes.

On the island, Loya remained oblivious to the chaos he'd caused, focused solely on his battle with the great ape. Each ice bomb he hurled sent shockwaves through the forest, adding to the pandemonium.

As the navy scrambled to contain the situation, one thing was clear: Loya's raw power was as much a liability as an asset. The question now was whether he could learn to control it before he caused more damage than he prevented.