Chapter 24 - Back to the Elite Camp

Today, a few days after Zephyr and Terumi left Hell Island, their ship has now returned to Marineford.

Their return was greeted by the respectful salutes of many surrounding Marines, Zephyr has a great reputation as he trained many of the current elites.

Before long, the pair made their way back to the elite camp compound. Entering in, they were greeted by Shuzo and the rest of the trainees doing their morning training.

"Instructor Zephyr, sir! I have kept watch on all of the trainees during your departure as you've ordered."

Shuzo maintained a reverent tone towards Zephyr. As a former student, he held a lot of respect for his former teacher.

Zephyr nodded and relieved Shuzo of his duty.

"Good work, I'm always able to count on you, Shuzo. You may go now."

"Yes, sir!"

Zephyr then walked Terumi over to the rest of the trainees. As Terumi approached, the other trainees eyed him curiously.

Terumi met their gazes one by one. With each passing look, each one of them raised a different expression. Drake had a competitive look in his eyes, Smoker bore a lazy expression as per usual. Gion nodded approvingly, while Ain and Binz looked impressed. Finally, Hina had a look of surprise on her face.

Then, their eyes turned to the curious creature napping around Terumi's neck. Terumi's three female classmates tried to hide stars in their eyes that shone upon seeing it, but Terumi could tell from their gaze.

Smirking internally, Terumi decided to do a small prank on his classmates in order to fully announce his return.

Boom.

The air shook slightly as Terumi released a small amount of focused Haoshoku Haki over his classmates.

Their expressions immediately turned grim as they felt the sudden pressure bear down upon them, sweat starting to form on their forehead.

"Hey! Stop that, you little brat."

Zephyr smacked Terumi over the top of his head, stopping his prank.

As soon as Terumi released the pressure, his classmates then eyed him carefully. This time, with a look of clear surprise on their face. Terumi enjoyed their dumbfounded stares as he smiled wryly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Little rascal. Just came back and already causing trouble? Everyone, take off your weights and hand em over. It seems your little brother wants more training."

Zephyr sighed with a tired expression as he took the training weights from each one of the recruits and handed it to Terumi.

"Now get down and give me one hundred."

"Yes sir!"

Terumi replied confidently, without any look of remorse on his face. He then woke Amaterasu up from her nap, put her on the ground, and promptly put on all six weighted shirts. Although the weight of six hundred tons weighed heavily on his body, he started to do his push-ups, using Haki to support himself.

"Heh, cheeky brat."

Zephyr shook his head, but with a grin on his face. He then turned back to face the other recruits, who still had dumbfounded looks on their face.

"As you can see, your youngest classmate here has grown much during the past month. But don't let this surprise you, I expect the same of all of you at any given time! What you just felt was Haoshoku Haki, the King's Haki. Not many people have it, but if you plan to patrol the new world one day, it's something you'll have to learn how to deal with."

The recruits nodded, listening carefully to their instructor's words, before gazing back upon Terumi as he shakingly, but firmly completed his set of one hundred push-ups.

Gion smiled brightly and clapped her hands.

"It seems my little brother has grown much during the past month. Your big sister is very pleased."

Hina nodded in agreeance.

"Hina is surprised. Just what did Terumi-kun do to get so strong?"

Ain and Binz also nodded, wondering the same. Drake and Smoker didn't say anything, but they continued to pay attention to the conversation closely.

As Terumi got up and took off his weighted shirts, he replied to them, looking straight at Gion and Hina.

"Just some training. If you know what I mean."

Terumi cheekily said.

Gion and Hina looked at each other and Gion chuckled.

"Terumi-chan, it's not good to tease your older sisters like that you know?"

Terumi laughed upon hearing that, remembering the many times he wondered how they were 'training' in the forest, coming back on the brink of death each day. Now he understood, so he couldn't help but tease them.

"I luckily managed to unlock my Haki, that's all."

Terumi said it like it was the simplest thing in the world, but his classmates knew how big of a deal it was. Zephyr always spends time with each one of them, telling them about the dangers of the grand line, and especially that of the new world. Knowing how to use Haki and not knowing can be the difference between life and death.

Zephyr then nodded in approval. Focusing Haki into his right arm, it turned a deep black hue, covering his entire arm.

"Learning to use Haki is something I hope all of you will be able to do before you leave here. As I've taught you before, this is Armament Haki. Eventually, you'll learn how to harden it just like this, but knowing how to use basic Armament Haki is important as well, and let me show you why. Smoker, Terumi, you're up!"

Smoker unfolded his arms and took a step forward, Terumi as well. The recruits knew what Zephyr's command meant, it was time for a spar.

The rest of the recruits took several steps back, making space for their classmates' spar. A look of curiosity and anticipation filled their eyes.

Smoker cracked his knuckles with a smirk on his face. Until now, no one but Drake has been able to give him much of a challenge, given the fact that both of them are usually just tied since they can't deal meaningful damage to each other.

Terumi also smiled, smirking internally. Their first spar before he went on the Island training was frankly unsatisfying. His attacks could not hit Smoker, and with Smoker's long-range, he was able to easily corner Terumi. But now, two months later, he was ready to show his skills.

Terumi then looked at Amaterasu, telling her with his eyes to go over to the other recruits.

Amaterasu mewed in understanding and walked over to Terumi's classmates. Gion, Ain, and Hina tried their best to not pay attention to the small creature, but as soon as Amaterasu made its way next to them, they couldn't help but look.

Amaterasu curled itself into a ball once it reached next to the spot next to Hina, going back to sleep. Hina bent down and patted the small creature. Amaterasu opened an eye upon feeling the touch but then went back to sleep in peace. Hina then smiled and picked up the fox into her arms, with Gion and Ain surrounding her, admiring the strange fox pup.

Binz gave the group a curious look, while Drake kept his focus on Smoker and Terumi standing on the field in front of him.

Terumi noticed the commotion happening by the sidelines, a smile grew on his face seeing the cuter side to his female classmates, but then swiftly shifted his focus back to Smoker.

Terumi unsheathed Asahi and gripped it tightly in his hand.

"Please go easy on me, Smoker-san."

Smoker scoffed and then got into a battle stance, turning his right fist into smoke.

Seeing the two participants ready, Zephyr then raised his hand.

"Begin!"

As soon as the battle began, Terumi swiftly sent a large ten-meter high flying slash directly at Smoker. Smoker smirked, not sensing any danger from the attack, he let it pass through him. However, as soon as it did, Terumi's figure disappeared from Smoker's sight.

Using the flying slash as a cover, Terumi leaped right over Smoker, positioning himself just above him.

'I don't want to hurt him too badly, but a nice bonk should do.'

Just as Smoker noticed Terumi's shadow hovering over him, it was already too late.

Hisss

Terumi reversed Asahi in his hand so that the blunted side is faced outward.

'Breath of Water, Second Form.'

"Mizu Guruma! (Water Wheel)"

Terumi shrouded his blade in a light coating of Haki, and then spun in the air vertically in a flowing motion, smacking Smoker right in the back of his head with the back of his sword.

"Agh!"

Smoker fell forward in pain, clutching the back of his head. Terumi gracefully landed on the ground behind him and turned back, ready to go again.

At that moment, Zephyr raised his hand again.

"That's it! Stop."

"What? No, I'm still able to fight!"

Smoker said in anger, reeling from the pain in the back of his head. To this, Zephyr simply shook his head.

"If Terumi used the sharp side of his blade, you'd be headless right now. The spar is over."

At that moment, Smoker just realized that Terumi was actually able to hit him. The unfamiliar feeling of pain that clouded his thoughts was now replaced with a sense of nervousness.

Smoker turned to look at Terumi and sighed.

"Fine. I admit defeat."

Seeing Smoker down, Gion cheered.

"Now you know how it feels, Smoker-chan."

Hina nodded as well, still holding Amaterasu in her hands and feeling happy that her friend Smoker finally tasted his first defeat to someone else other than his Instructors. Over the time they've spent at the camp, Hina would often time have to bail him out of his troubles each time he was late.

"It's good if you learn to not be so lazy anymore after this, Smoker-kun. Hina thinks you are too overconfident."

Upon hearing the comments from the peanut gallery, Smoker simply scoffed and ignored them, lighting up a cigar and putting it in his mouth.

Zephyr couldn't help but laugh at Smoker's predicament.

"Gahahaha! Smoker, as I've always told you, just having a Logia doesn't make you invincible. If you want to stay alive on the grand line, you must train! Train and get stronger, that's the only way! Don't rely only on your fruit, nothing is without weakness."

Smoker didn't say anything in response, but he did nod upon hearing Zephyr's words.

"Alright, everyone. New schedule starts today. I'll be sending each one of you an updated training schedule to get you ready for the field training in six months. Now that everyone has agreed to participate, I don't want to hear any complaining, got it!?"

"Yes, sir!"

The recruits all replied in earnest, happy to get in some real experience fighting pirates rather than training all day. Terumi felt happy as well, finally able to give Smoker a good bonk on the head, but most of all, soon he will be learning the Rokushiki martial arts directly from Zephyr.

"Terumi, you're up first. Meet me at field number three."

"Yes, sir."

'Finally, it's time to learn the Rokushiki!"