Chapter 32

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"Finally..."

*THUD*

Toshi dropped the massive wooden crate onto the deck with a heavy exhale. His arms felt like lead, his legs not much better. They'd been going back and forth, hauling crate after crate, all while racing each other like their lives depended on it.

Each trip ended in a tie. Not that they'd admit it. If anyone asked, both of them would say they won without hesitation.

Toshi slumped to the floor, leaning back and letting out a tired sigh. His gaze wandered upward, drawn to the cavern's towering ceiling, where stalactites hung like jagged swords.

The water cave was utterly massive that dwarfed everything inside it. It felt like they were nothing more than small frogs in an big pond.

Pushing himself up, he dusted off his pants and glanced toward Troy.

The other boy was leaning over the railing, his face lighting up like a kid seeing the stars for the first time, eyes sparkling with unfiltered awe.

It was a breathtaking sight. Beside their ship, a cluster of smaller—though still impressively large—ships anchored at a wooden dock, their masts swaying with the rhythm of the water.

Ahead of them, a wide opening carved into the rocky wall let in a soft beam of light, casting a faint glow across the cavern. Behind them, was just another wide opening, revealing the endless ocean stretching beyond.

"Woaaahhh..." Troy gripped the railing so hard his knuckles turned white, he simply couldn't contain himself.

The Grand Line felt like a whole other world. Everything was gigantified, like they were nothing more than ants wandering through a land built for giants.

Toshi nodded silently, his gaze lingering on the surreal sight before him. But his focus drifted to the ship beside theirs,' More people... '

"ALRIGHT! LOAD THE SUPPLIES ONTO THE ISLAND!"

Ragnar's voice boomed from the helm as he stood above, overseeing the whole crew. With Dragon absent—already gone ahead to the island—Ragnar had taken charge.

Troy let out a low groan, his shoulders sagging. "Already? We just put the damn things there..." he grumbled under his breath, giving the air a frustrated kick. His brows furrowed deeply, and he crossed his arms like a petulant child.

Toshi couldn't blame him. Those crates were heavy, and hauling them back and forth was a pain in the ass. Still, they didn't have much of a choice. Orders were orders, and complaining wouldn't make the job any easier.

Toshi let out a weary sigh as he grabbed two crates, hefting them onto his shoulders with a grunt. Despite the strain, a mischievous grin tugged at his lips.

"How about we run it back?" he suggested. "This time, the last one to finish has to do whatever the winner says... for a whole week."

Troy's eyes widened, and his grin stretched from ear to ear. "You're so on," he shot back, excitement lighting up his face. Without hesitation, he grabbed two crates of his own, balancing them with ease.

"Double risk... great reward," Troy chuckled, lowering into his starting stance.

Toshi adjusted his grip, his grin turning sharper. "Don't get cocky now."

"Oh, I plan to," Troy fired back, cracking his neck.

"I'd like to take you up on that offer..."

The girlish voice came behind the two. With both boys turning to see Rose standing behind them, arms crossed.

Toshi raised a brow, a bit confused. "Really? I never thought you'd be into things like this," he said, tilting his head slightly. He'd always assumed Rose to be the serious type and not the have fun type. So her asking was a bit out of the ordinary for Toshi.

Rose's eyebrows pinched together, her stance shifting. "What? I can't have fun?" she shot back, her hands resting firmly on her hips.

Toshi glanced over at Troy, who offered only a casual shrug in response. "I mean... alright," Toshi said, a bit reluctance as he gave in to Rose's unexpected request...he was happy either way.

Troy's grin widened, his competitive spirit flaring to life. "Just so you know, I'm not gonna hold back just because you're a girl," he teased Rose.

Rose rolled her eyes, scoffing at the remark. "I don't need you to," she shot back without missing a beat. As she then adjusted the position of her katana, sliding it into place behind her waist. "Because I'm going to beat both of you."

Without hesitation, Rose grabbed two crates, hoisting them effortlessly into her arms. "Let's go," she said coolly. Without waiting for a response, she bolted forward, sprinting down the ramp at the ship's edge that connected to the dock.

"CHEATER!" Troy shouted, as he bolted after her, the crates bouncing on his shoulders.

Toshi wasn't far behind, scrambling to keep up. "YOU'RE BOTH CHEATERS!" he shouted, pushing his legs to move faster, the weight of the crates barely slowing him down.

The three of them sprinted side by side, their boots pounding against the wooden dock as they bolted forward. Running up the sloped sandy hill, each step sinking slightly as they climbed toward the massive opening in the distance.

It was a tug-of-war, each one jostling for the lead as they pushed harder, their competitive spirits refusing to give an inch.

The three burst through the massive crack only to be swallowed by blinding lights that forced them to squint. They stumbled forward, breaking into a clearing with gasps of relief.

 Troy's foot hit the ground just inches ahead of the others, his victory sealed in that moment. Rose followed close behind, her face flushed from exertion, while Toshi came dead last.

"I tripped!" Toshi barked, he gestured back at the uneven ground, but his complaints were met with mischievous smirks from the other two.

"All fair and square, my friend," Troy quipped, his tone dripping with playful superiority. He dropped his crate with a satisfying thud and clapped Toshi on the shoulder, the smirk on his face growing wider.

Toshi groaned, his knees giving out as he sank to the ground, letting his crate fall beside him. "Shit..." he muttered under his breath.

Rose set her crate down with a smug smile, brushing off the dust on her hands. "Since I came second," she began, tilting her head toward Toshi, "you'll have to do whatever I say for a whole week."

Toshi sniffed, lifting his head slightly in an attempt to salvage some dignity. "But you still have to do what Troy says..." he muttered, hoping to drag Rose down with him. It was a weak comeback, and he knew it.

Rose, unfazed, simply shrugged. "I don't really care," she didn't, not even in the slightest.

Toshi's shoulders slumped further crushing what little hope he had left. He let out a dramatic sigh, sinking deeper into his self-imposed pit of despair.

"Why me..." he mumbled under his breath, staring blankly at the ground.

Troy's grin only widened, a devious glint flashing in his eyes. He flexed his fingers in the air in a crude motion that had Rose rolling her eyes. "And since I came first, both of you have to do what I say for a whole week," he declared, his voice dripping with glee.

He wiggled his hips and shimmered his hands together like a madman brewing the world's most diabolical plan. "Hehehe... I won, baby!" Troy rubbed it in, his voice ringing louder with each word. "I wonnn... I wonnn..."

The truth stung. He was utterly defeated. Training with these two was already enough to drain him dry, but now? Now he'd be completely under their command for a whole week. Toshi slumped further against the crate, staring at the ground.

He needed to get stronger. Fast.

Toshi's fingers absentmindedly ran through the grass as he sat there, his gaze dropping to the ground. Slowly, he lifted his head, his eyes sweeping across the island as he took in his surroundings.

The island was huge. Tall trees surrounded it, forming a thick wall that kept anyone from seeing inside or out to the ocean. The place felt completely cut off from the rest of the world.

In front of him was a large open field, surrounded by a long fence that kept the forest at bay. At the far end of the field were two big cabins, facing each other with a wide space in between.

In the middle of the field, to the left, was a small cottage with a medical flag flying on top. Across from it was another large cabin, this one marked with a fork and spoon crossed above it.

Not far from those buildings was a big sandpit filled with training dummies. It looked like the kind of place where battles were fought and skills were sharpened.

People moved all around the area—probably soldiers or residents. Some carried heavy crates, while others jogged in circles around the field, sweat dripping from their faces.

Toshi's mouth fell open in awe as he took in the sight. "This place is awesome..." he muttered.

Still, something tugged at his thoughts, and he raised a brow, his mind churning. ' Didn't they say they didn't have any funds? Eh, not my money, ' he thought with a shrug, pushing the question aside as he continued to glance around.

For a moment, he let himself soak it in. Maybe, just maybe, the Grand Line wasn't so bad after all.

. . . .

Toshi and the crew worked tirelessly, hauling supplies from the ship to the island. After what felt like hours of heavy lifting, Toshi finally dropped the last load, wiping the sweat from his brow with a sigh of relief.

Once the supplies were offloaded, the crew and all the soldiers were ordered to gather in the center of the field. Apparently, there was a speech or some important information to be shared about future events. Toshi didn't mind—anything to give his arms a break sounded fine to him.

As the group assembled, Toshi leaned over to Troy, who stood right beside him. "Any idea what they're gonna say?" he whispered, keeping his voice low to avoid drawing attention.

Troy smirked, leaning slightly closer. Thanks to his connection with Ragnar, he had a knack for hearing things before anyone else.

Troy shrugged casually. "Not sure... I didn't get a chance to talk to Ragnar," he admitted bluntly, letting out a small sigh. But then, as if flipping a switch, his lips curved into a sly grin. "But don't think I forgot about our little deal," he added, poking Toshi lightly in the side.

Toshi groaned, dragging a hand down his face. He had forgotten, but of course, Troy had to bring it up again.

"Freedom fighters!"

Before he could respond, a booming voice echoed across the field, cutting through the chatter.

The entire crowd fell silent, heads swiveling toward the source of the voice. Standing on a makeshift stage was a tall, muscular man with a gleaming bald head that caught the sunlight. He wore an orange jumpsuit paired with a green cloak, one that looked strikingly similar to Dragon's.

Toshi's eyes widened in recognition. "That's Biastian..." he muttered under his breath. Memories of the man came flooding back, he hadn't talk to him in a while. But he'd seen him walking by the hallway a couple times, though Toshi and him weren't exactly on talking terms.

Directly behind Biastian stood the man himself—Dragon—along with Ragnar and a handful of others Toshi didn't recognize. But Toshi's attention was stubbornly fixated elsewhere.

His eyes locked onto Biastian's bald head, gleaming like polished steel as the sun's rays reflected dangerously off it. Toshi squinted, shuffling a step to the side in an effort to escape the blinding glare. 'Shiny-headed bastard,' he thought, sighing as he finally found a spot where the light didn't pierce his eyes.

Biastian cleared his throat, raising a hand to settle the murmurs of the gathered crowd. His voice came strong and steady, projected through a circular device connected by a coiled wire to a snail perched beside him. The snail repeated his words in perfect synchronization, amplifying his voice across the field.

"I know most of you are confused," Biastian began, his tone commanding yet reassuring. "But rest assured, I'll be giving you a rundown of what to expect in the months ahead so you'll be prepared."

Biastian raised his palm, holding up one finger to begin. "First, I'll explain the layout of the camp," he paused, letting his words sink before continuing. "The cabins you see at the far back are the dorms. The one on the left is for boys, and the one on the right is for girls." He briefly gestured toward the two large cabins before turning his attention to the small cottage.

"That's the hospital. If you get hurt or sick, you'll be patched up there." He shifted his hand to point at the building marked with a fork and spoon. "And that's the cafeteria. That's where you'll eat."

As he finished the brief explanation, Biastian turned to face a man standing nearby—a figure Toshi hadn't noticed before.

The man was short and stocky, almost dwarf-like, with a thick, scruffy beard that spilled over his chest. A yellow bucket hat sat firmly on his head, adding a splash of color to his otherwise worn appearance. He wore a scuffed orange jumpsuit similar to Biastian's, though it lacked the green cape.

Biastian's smile widened as he gestured for the small man to step forward. The crowd murmured softly as the stocky figure moved up beside him. Biastian cleared his throat and addressed the group again.

"This... this is the person who made it all happen. Tetsuji," he announced, his tone carrying weight. "He possesses a devil fruit that built this entire camp." Biastian deliberately emphasized the word devil, his sharp eyes scanning the newcomers for their reactions.

Tetsuji scratched his cheek, his expression growing flustered. "Aww, you didn't have to compliment me, you bald bastard..." he muttered, his voice gruff but playful. Without hesitation, he delivered a light punch to Biastian's thigh—the only part of the much taller man he could reach.

Biastian chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the spot where Tetsuji had hit him. "Anyways... moving on," he said quickly, his voice a touch strained as he tried to steer the moment back on track.

Biastian continued, explaining that for the next few months, everyone would remain stationed here to train and improve, preparing for the eventual future. "We need a strong army before we can move forward with anything else," he said firmly, his gaze sweeping over the gathered crowd.

"Next," Biastian began, raising his hand for attention, "you'll all be divided into teams. Training all of you as one group would be impossible, so we've split you into smaller units. Each team will have a designated sensei who will be responsible for your training moving forward."

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder, curiosity flowing through the air as everyone wondered who their sensei would be.

Biastian turned his head, glancing back at the four figures standing behind him. With a snap of his fingers, Biastian motioned for them to step forward.

The first person to step forward was a tall, lanky man with unbelievably pale skin that made him look like he'd walked straight out of a vampire movie. His piercing blue eyes were framed by dark eyeliner, and a plague doctor mask covered his mouth, giving him an almost emo look.

"This is Karasu," Biastian announced. "Don't mind his grumpy face...he's actually very nice." The crowd exchanged skeptical glances, though Karasu didn't seem to care, standing stiffly with his arms at his sides.

Biastian then turned to the next person, a young woman with flawless, glistening skin that caught the sunlight. Her long black hair cascaded all the way down to her hips, and a small beauty mark above her lip that mirrored Toshi's.

"This is Aiko," Biastian said. As her name was spoken, she flipped her hair dramatically, a proud smirk playing on her lips as she scanned the crowd with sharp, confident eyes.

Next up was Ragnar, who hardly needed an introduction. But Biastian gave him a nod before gesturing to the final individual.

The last person to step forward was a shorter man with glasses, his hair tied neatly back into a bun. "And finally, this is Bruno," Biastian said. He took a deep breath, letting the weight of his words sink in as he continued. "These will be your existing commanders. Take a good look—one of them might just become your sensei."

Toshi scratched his chin, lost in thought. 'Who am I going to train under?' he wondered. 'It'd make sense to stick with Ragnar since I've already worked with him... but maybe they'll switch things up?' Either way, he was fine with the decision—as long as it made him stronger.

Biastian's voice cut through Toshi's thoughts. "Now, tomorrow we'll announce the teams," he said, giving a firm nod. "It's getting late, and I know most of you are tired. So, get some rest." He finished with a thumbs-up, his casual gesture oddly reassuring.

Finally...

The crowd began to disperse, the hum of chatter filling the air as everyone headed toward the dorms. Toshi lingered for a moment, staring at the four commanders once more before turning on his heel and heading off.

Toshi's energy was completely drained from the long day. Sparring with Troy had taken a lot out of him, and unloading an entire ship's worth of supplies while running back and forth didn't help either. Let's just say he was far from being in peak condition.

With the introductions over, Toshi walked toward the dorms, with the others following behind him equally as worn out.

"Race ya for the top bunk!" Troy said, tapping Toshi on the shoulder with a mischievous grin.

Toshi let out a deep sigh, barely mustering the energy to respond. "I'm waaaayyy too tired for that…" he said, waving Troy off dismissively.

For a moment, Troy frowned, but then a spark lit up in his eyes as an idea struck him. "How about this—if we race and you win, I'll shorten your deal from a week to five days," Troy offered, Toshi.

Toshi froze in his tracks. He was exhausted, sore, and aching from head to toe. Only a fool would agree to something like that in his condition.

Unfortunately, Toshi was a fool.

But a smart one.

Without another word, Toshi bolted off toward the dorms, his tired legs finding strength from sheer determination.

Troy's brows shot up in sinstantly before furrowing in frustration. "HEY, THAT'S CHEATING!" he yelled, grunting as he took off in pursuit.

 For Toshi, shaving two days off the hellish nightmare that awaited him was more than worth it than anything else.

TO BE CONTINUED.

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