Chapter 11

Grinning, Loya leveraged his fall to smash his fist onto the top of Aldo's foot.

"Iron Fist of the Ice Dragon!"

He was biding his time, waiting for Aldo to step into the ice. As soon as Aldo did, Loya reinforced the ice with dragon slaying magic. Given Aldo's earlier strength, the chances of him breaking free were practically zero.

Kuzan watched Loya's move with a mix of admiration and sympathy for Aldo. He'd seen Loya pull this trick last night. While the nuances between ice modeling and dragon slaying magic escaped him, one thing was crystal clear – Loya was a force to be reckoned with when it came to freezing.

"Where'd you scurry off to, runt?" Aldo taunted, winding up to boot Loya across the room. But as he shifted his weight, he nearly face-planted. The once-brittle ice had transformed into something unyielding.

"What the hell...?" Aldo's eyes bulged as realization dawned. His feet were trapped in ice as unforgiving as steel.

Loya, battered and bloodied, glided around his immobilized opponent with a cocky grin. "Aw, what's wrong, big guy? Thought you were gonna teach me a lesson!"

Aldo's face contorted with rage. His calf darkened as he channeled his Haki, but even that couldn't break the ice's grip. Abandoning the effort, he swung a meaty fist at Loya's head.

"I'll pulverize you, ice and all!"

"Not today, you won't!" Loya's smirk widened as he conjured an icicle, wrapping it around Aldo's torso and reinforcing it with a well-placed kick infused with dragon slaying magic.

Sliding to a stop in front of his trapped opponent, Loya spread his arms wide. "Look, we both know you've got me beat in raw power, speed, and Haki. In a straight-up brawl, I'd be toast. But brains trump brawn every time, and you, my friend? You're about as sharp as a sack of hammers."

In the end, Aldo grudgingly conceded. Kuzan, looking like he had swallowed a lemon, announced Loya's victory.

After the match, Aldo and the duo left the training ground. The former went to sulk, while the latter spread the word about the new powerhouse joining the elite camp. Only the swordsman remained, meditating.

Despite his irritation, Kuzan fulfilled his duty. "Freezing may seem powerful, but it lacks the pinpoint damage of other abilities. Akainu's lava burns on contact, but ice needs direct touch to freeze. It's more about support and control. You need to enhance your freezing moves and develop unique techniques. Don't just mimic me."

Kuzan demonstrated, turning his hand into ice. "Your freezing is an additive form, not immunity. You should fortify your ice armor at key points instead of covering your entire body. It's too exhausting otherwise."

Loya nodded, thinking, "Yeah, it really is. Burning through 500 mana per minute for full armor is brutal."

"Alright, those are the main points. Now, let's discuss how to apply your freezing ability in combat."

As night fell, the naval headquarters quieted. Soldiers returned to their dorms, and the vast grounds became serene.

Developing fruit abilities wasn't about sudden miracles but quiet reflection and experimentation. Kuzan brought Loya here for the tranquility, not just the space.

Hours of discussion and demonstrations left Loya enlightened. Many doubts were cleared, and mistakes in his ice modeling magic were corrected. Kuzan's guidance offered new paths for improvement.

Here's a revised version with more natural dialogue and a human-centric approach:

Kuzan stretched and glanced up at the moon. "Damn, it's late. Same time tomorrow, kid."

Loya bowed slightly. "Thanks, Mr. Kuzan."

"Knock it off with the 'mister' stuff," Kuzan grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets as he ambled away.

Watching him go, Loya felt a mix of respect and amusement. Kuzan might act like a lazy bum, but he was solid where it counted. Even with his whole 'don't-wanna-get-involved' act, he kept his word and put real effort into teaching.

Loya grinned to himself. Whatever twists the future held, he had a feeling Kuzan would come through when it mattered. With a contented sigh, he headed home, grateful for the unexpected mentor he'd found.

Ms. S, bless her, had left a steaming pot of meat bones by his door. The woman knew his appetite all too well.

The next morning, Loya hustled to the training camp. General Zephyr's month-long toilet duty was no joke, and he wasn't about to risk extending it.

Humming off-key, he sloshed soapy water around the bathroom floor.

A major-general strolled in, eyebrows raised at Loya's chipper attitude. "The hell's got you so happy, Loya? Don't tell me you're actually enjoying this?"

Loya snorted, thrusting the mop handle at the officer. "You wouldn't get it, sir. Watch your step though – floor's slippery!"

The instructor didn't grasp Loya's words, but he didn't dwell on it. He recalled yesterday's incident of having urine-soaked pants and hastily retreated into a stall to change clothes.

Loya's exuberance had a reason.

Yesterday, he stumbled upon a nifty method to boost his energy value. Silently, Goldfinger opened the panel, and Loya couldn't help but grin.

Name: Christopher Loya

Energy Stage: Second Stage Zero Layer

Energy Value: 120/400

Mana: 3500/3500

Mana Recovery Speed: 300/s

In one day, his energy value had shot up by a whopping 100 points!

The naval cafeteria's food didn't contribute much. Even with Ms. S's gourmet dishes and the nighttime showdown, his energy only increased by 20 points.

Most of those 100 points came from his duel with Aldo, with the rest from his discussions with Kuzan.

Loya had a theory. Once at the second layer, increasing energy no longer hinged solely on intake. The dragon's body had hit a critical juncture, and now it required self-awareness—commonly known as practice—to improve.

This practice could be a run, a duel, or an in-depth conversation. As long as it enhanced his strength, it would yield a substantial energy boost.

When the dragon's body hits 20%, even eating won't help anymore~

Loya sighed, nostalgic for the days of leveling up through eating, sleeping, and goofing around.

"Keep those feet low! Now's your chance to counter!"

"What, like this? Think you can outrun me now?"

"Cut the fancy footwork! Quick and clean, that's the ticket!"

The small square echoed with the clash of ice and fist. Shards exploded like shrapnel, coating every surface in a crystalline sheen. It was like winter had decided to wage war in this tiny corner of the world.

Loya dropped into a crouch, hands cupped close. The air around him crackled with cold.

"Ice Make-"

Wham! Kuzan's boot smashed through Loya's stance, scattering his focus. In one fluid motion, Kuzan pivoted and planted his heel square in Loya's forehead, sending him flying.

"When your move gets busted, you adapt! Standing there like a deer in headlights'll get you killed!"

Kuzan's shout was answered by a surge of power from the dust cloud. Crystalline wings unfurled, scattering debris.

"Ice Dragon's Wing Strike!"

A frigid gale hit first, freezing dust particles mid-air. It was beautiful in its deadliness.

Kuzan nodded, a hint of pride in his voice. "Smart move, kid. Wide-area attack's a good call against a faster opponent... But!"

He grabbed his right wrist, eyes narrowing. "If it ain't got the punch to back it up, it's just pretty fireworks!"

"Bloody Pheasant Mouth!"

An enormous ice bird erupted from his hand, wings spanning meters. It screeched and barreled towards Loya's attack.

The collision rocked Marineford, plummeting temperatures. Navy grunts nearby watched their breath fog in the suddenly arctic air.

In his office, Sengoku fumbled a stack of papers. A goat, ever-opportunistic, snagged one and started munching.

"Oi! Spit that out, you walking lawn mower! That's not lunch, it's red tape!" Sengoku lunged, trying to wrestle the document from the goat's jaws.

Ms. S took a long drag on her cigarette, eyeing the icy carnage in the square. She shook her head, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Those two... never a dull moment, that's for damn sure."

The fierce wind calmed, leaving shattered ice. The frozen slate couldn't withstand the pressure and had exploded.

Kuzan dodged to create distance, ready to assess the situation. Suddenly, a blue figure, adorned with blue lines, charged like lightning.

Huh? Is that the unfinished move he mentioned? The speed's impressive... But without precision, it's useless.

Kuzan quickly composed himself. He opened his hand and casually caught the frost-wrapped kick.

Loya was stunned. "This is ridiculous! My speed is three times faster! Can't you at least pretend to struggle?"

Before Loya could react, Kuzan's left hand turned to ice, expanding like a horn, clamping onto Loya's waist, and spreading rapidly.