Chapter 41

The ice bomb and halberd were cleaved in two by Hansa's sword strike. A deep ravine appeared in the ground, solid stone slabs shattered.

"Oh! Now that's more like it!" Loya grinned, dropping his icicle and appearing before Hansa in a flash.

"But... you've left yourself open!"

Loya's hands curled into claws, a manic smile spreading across his face.

"Finger Pistol - Octopus!"

In an instant, endless claw shadows filled the air. Explosions rang out, mixed with the clash of metal on metal.

Hansa, exhausted from his last attack, could barely defend against Loya's lightning-fast assault. The air filled with a continuous, piercing screech.

CRACK!

The sound of steel breaking. Hansa's face fell.

"Is the gap between us really this wide?"

As his sword shattered, Hansa was engulfed by the shadow of Loya's claws.

"Hansa!" "Hansa-san!"

Tony and the others cried out, watching helplessly as Loya's attack continued. The sharp air currents around him made it impossible for them to intervene.

Only Zephyr remained focused, sensing Hansa's life force. In an instant, he appeared before Loya, dark Haki wrapping his arms as he grabbed Loya's wrists.

"You should've used this move from the start!" Zephyr scolded. "You know Hansa's physical condition!"

Loya smiled wryly. "Come on, Mr. Zephyr. Be reasonable. If Hansa hadn't left himself open, I'd never have landed this hit!"

Zephyr fell silent, knowing Loya was right. Hansa's mastery of the Shave technique made him nearly untouchable - until now.

Zephyr threw Loya aside and caught the falling Hansa. Checking his pulse, Zephyr sighed in relief. "Doctor! We need medical attention here!"

Later that evening, in Loya's room at the elite camp...

Loya, meditating on his bed, used an ice thread to open the door. He glared impatiently at Tony, who'd been pacing outside for half an hour.

"If you've got something to say, spit it out! Some of us are trying to sleep!"

Tony stared in disbelief. How could anyone be so brazen? But he swallowed his anger and entered the room.

Hansa's behavior today had been strange, and Tony had his suspicions. He'd tried asking Zephyr, but the older man had told him to wait until Hansa woke up.

Now, face-to-face with Loya, Tony steeled himself. It was time to get some answers.

Tony stood there, unsure how to begin. Before he could speak, Loya cut him off.

"Don't ask about things I can't answer," Loya said bluntly. "I'm an outsider. I don't understand the affairs of your swordsman circle."

Seeing Tony's disappointment, Loya continued, "Instead of worrying about that, focus on improving your strength. In today's battle with Hansa, could you have resisted either of us? Remember, in this world, strength is respected. Without it, don't concern yourself with matters beyond your reach."

Tony bit his lip, his nails digging into his palm until blood flowed. Loya was right - he was too weak. Both Loya and Hansa were far beyond his level. Even among the elite camp, he was still at the bottom. Knowing the truth wouldn't change anything if he lacked the power to act on it.

After a moment of silence, Tony nodded. "Thank you. I'll... take my leave."

As he turned to go, a drop of blood fell on the threshold. Loya glanced at it, his expression unreadable.

Once Tony had left, Loya sighed. Did he really not know Hansa's motives? Of course he did. In fact, Tony probably knew too, even if he didn't understand why.

Loya leaned back, lost in thought. The situation was more complex than it appeared. Hansa's actions, Tony's confusion, the dynamics within the elite camp - it all pointed to something brewing beneath the surface.

"A storm's coming," Loya muttered to himself. "And we're all caught in its path."

He knew he'd have to tread carefully in the days ahead. The balance of power was shifting, and he needed to be ready for whatever came next.

Loya pondered the situation. As an outsider, he couldn't truly understand the mindset of a pure swordsman like Hansa. Why had Hansa shown such favoritism towards Tony, teaching him swordsmanship even as he faced his own end? Even when cornered by Loya, Hansa had made sure to demonstrate his techniques to Tony one last time.

Could Hansa have... romantic feelings for Tony? Considering the strength difference between them, Loya felt a twinge of sympathy for the younger swordsman.

Of course, these were just speculations. Only Zephyr, besides Hansa himself, likely knew the full story.

"Never mind," Loya muttered. "I should focus on my own progress."

He opened his mental interface to check his current attributes:

Name: Christopher Loya

Energy Stage: Second-Order Eight-Layer

Energy Value: 135/1200

Mana: 10000/10000

Mana Recovery Speed: 950/min

Dragon Strength: 9%, Dragon Body: 29%

The battle with Hansa had increased Loya's energy value by 30 points - a significant gain, considering he'd only earned 50 points from defeating the entire elite battalion.

Loya realized that energy gains weren't as straightforward as he'd thought. He knew he gained energy from being taught and from battles, win or lose. But unlike a game, the experience points weren't fixed.

Take Tony, for example. A month ago, defeating him barely yielded any energy. Today, it had given Loya 5 points. The difference? Tony had grown stronger under Hansa's tutelage.

Yet defeating Aludo now only gave 3 points, far less than their first encounter. Despite Aludo being stronger than Tony, why was the energy gain decreasing?

Loya wished his system had some kind of guide to explain these mysteries. The inconsistencies puzzled him, making him wonder about the true nature of his power and how best to utilize it.

As he pondered these questions, Loya knew one thing for certain: he needed to keep pushing himself, keep growing stronger. In this world of ever-shifting alliances and hidden motives, strength was the only constant he could rely on.

Loya was perplexed by the unexpected increase in his dragon power, from 6% to 9%. It seemed unscientific! For the past month, he'd focused solely on mastering the Navy's Six Powers, barely using his dragon slayer magic or even his modeling magic.

The biggest challenge in learning the Six Powers, beyond pushing the human body's limits, was body control. With sufficient control and understanding of the basic principles, one could learn quickly. But this was the reef upon which countless aspirants foundered. Even a seemingly simple technique like Shave required precise body control that many lacked.

Loya recalled Luffy's experience on Enies Lobby. Luffy, with his rubber body and Second Gear, had managed to use Shave without formal training. But Loya wasn't made of rubber. He'd spent the entire month in the training room, focused on improving his body control.

Yet despite this, his dragon power had still risen by 3%.

"It doesn't make sense!" Loya grumbled.

Frustrated, he pulled out a pot from under his bed. The aroma of turtle soup, prepared for tomorrow, wafted up.

"Well, the truth will come out eventually," he sighed. "For now, time to eat!"

Half a month later, in the elite camp's courtyard...

The usual exercise equipment had been moved indoors. The afternoon sun beat down mercilessly, causing sweat to bead on everyone's foreheads. The recruits stood at attention, fighting the urge to scratch at the sweat trickling down their faces.

On the steps of the attic, Zephyr was announcing the candidates for the upcoming combat mission. These missions weren't freely available; candidates were carefully selected by Zephyr and the headquarters' lieutenant general.

The tension in the air was palpable. Everyone knew that being chosen for a real combat mission was a significant step in their careers. It meant Zephyr and the higher-ups saw potential in them.

As Zephyr read out the names, Loya listened intently. He was curious to see who would be selected, and whether his recent performance had earned him a spot. The coming mission would be a true test of their skills and everything they'd learned so far.