Chapter 011: Beaten and Training the Six Techniques

The group came swiftly and left just as quickly. From the moment Tea Pig and Xuan Ye began their altercation to Xuan Ye’s battle with Yellow Monkey and Red Dog, barely half an hour had passed. Yet in those few short minutes, everyone who had once underestimated Xuan Ye now regarded him with caution. In the past, because he devoted himself solely to training and disliked socializing, many had looked down on him. But from this day forward, none dared to belittle the lunatic, especially after witnessing his ruthless side; the shadow of fear remained in their hearts.

“That… um… I’m sorry.” Peach Rabbit approached Xuan Ye, head bowed, fingers nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, looking pitiful and uneasy.

“Don’t bother me in the future. I have no time to play house with you all.” Xuan Ye’s face was expressionless; he didn’t even glance at Peach Rabbit as he walked away, clearly intent on resuming his training.

Those nearby winced at Xuan Ye’s words. After all, Peach Rabbit was a renowned beauty, and his attitude and tone—was that really okay?

“Drip… drip…” Peach Rabbit couldn’t stop her tears. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d cried. She tried to hold them back, but the harder she tried, the more they flowed.

“I’m sorry…” she cried out, wiping her eyes as she ran off, sobbing. To anyone who didn’t know, it would seem Xuan Ye had deeply wronged her.

“Hey! Hey! Was that really necessary?” Aokiji hurried after Xuan Ye, his expression twitching.

“Women are trouble, and I don’t have time to deal with that.” Xuan Ye sat cross-legged, eyes closed, his countenance unperturbed.

“You’re really heartless. Peach Rabbit is such a beauty, you know.”

“Are you bored or something? Don’t interrupt my training.” Xuan Ye opened his eyes and shot Aokiji a silent look.

“You really don’t know how to cherish beauty.” Aokiji patted his own rear and yawned. “Take your time training. I’m going for a nap.”

Little did anyone know, it was this very day that spawned rumors among the cadets: Xuan Ye was a cold, unfeeling monster, indifferent to beautiful women, obsessed only with training—a madman. As Xuan Ye’s fame grew, the rumor followed him everywhere.

Night fell. The stars sparkled, and a gentle breeze carried a salty tang, as if one were immersed in the ocean, bringing a strange calm to the heart.

In the hills behind Marineford, all was silent. At that moment, a figure swiftly disappeared into the forest.

“You’re here.” Under the moonlight, on a clearing, Zephyr stood with his head raised, quietly gazing at the endless sky.

“Sorry, Master. I lost track of time while training.” Xuan Ye was a bit embarrassed. He had agreed to meet at seven, but arrived half an hour late.

Fortunately, Zephyr was not a petty mentor.

“I knew it was your training that delayed you. Ah… I don’t even know what to say. Sometimes, you need balance to experience more in life. Don’t push yourself too hard, or your mind will suffer first.” Zephyr turned and looked affectionately at his sweat-soaked disciple. Though he spoke sternly, his heart brimmed with pride.

“Yes, I understand.” Xuan Ye smiled and nodded gently.

“Good.” Zephyr stepped forward and patted Xuan Ye’s shoulder. “Were you injured in today’s battle?”

“Thank you for your concern, Master. I did suffer some wounds during the day, but I’ve recovered.”

“That’s good.” Zephyr sighed in relief, then cautioned, “You’ve made enemies of Tea Pig and Red Dog now. Be careful, especially with Red Dog—he’s a Logia user who can nullify most of your attacks. That’s a significant gap. Today, he was careless; next time, you might not be so fortunate.”

“I know. Honestly, I was surprised to injure him today. But if I can defeat him once, I can do so for life. If I’m strong enough, next time, he could disappear from this world entirely.” Xuan Ye’s gaze turned cold. In front of Zephyr, he had no need to conceal his thoughts, for he trusted his master.

“I won’t stop you. You’re my disciple.” Zephyr’s expression stiffened, but he was gratified by Xuan Ye’s trust.

“Master, I’ll need your help in the future. I want to train not only the Six Powers, but also Haki.” Xuan Ye’s eyes shone like starlight, so bright that Zephyr was momentarily lost.

“Very well. But let me be clear: it will be tough, and I won’t go easy on you.” Zephyr’s face was serious.

“Thank you, Master. I won’t let you down.” Xuan Ye suppressed his excitement and answered resolutely.

“Let’s start with the Six Powers. Are you learning them all, or just a few?”

“I want to begin with Shave, Finger Gun, and Moonwalk. The others I’ll learn later.”

“So you already have a plan. You’re choosing those to complement your Devil Fruit, aren’t you?” Zephyr immediately understood Xuan Ye’s intent.

“Yes.”

“Very well. Let’s start with Shave…”

Time passed unnoticed. Zephyr instructed Xuan Ye patiently, while Xuan Ye trained with all his might.

After three hours, they stopped. Xuan Ye looked dissatisfied—he hadn’t broken through yet. He could only perform Shave five times per second, still far from ten or more. As for Finger Gun and Moonwalk, progress was equally slow.

“You’ve done very well; it’s only your first night, and you’ve surpassed most people already.” Truth be told, Xuan Ye’s talent was above average, but not exceptional. However, with his tenacity, Zephyr believed he would not be outdone by those with greater gifts.

“Next is Haki training. Which type do you want to start with?” Zephyr asked with a smile.

“Master, which do you recommend?” Xuan Ye was torn.

“If you can handle it, you can train both Armament and Observation simultaneously.”

Xuan Ye’s mouth twitched. He noticed the loophole in Zephyr’s words: “If you can handle it.” That was never a good sign.

“What’s the difference?” Xuan Ye asked cautiously.

“For Armament, the best method is to take a beating. Armament Haki is a kind of energy within the body. First, you perceive it, then touch it, master it, and finally use it. Getting hit is the fastest way.”

“As for Observation, you must empty your mind, extend your spirit, and sense nature to detect enemy attacks. So you’ll need to close your eyes and evade my strikes. If you fail, you’ll be hit—perfect for training Armament.” Zephyr smiled gently, but it sent chills down Xuan Ye’s spine.

Clenching his teeth, Xuan Ye looked earnestly at Zephyr. “Master, please guide me.”

“I knew you’d choose this path.”

“No need to wait. Let’s begin. Remember, you can fight back to develop your combat awareness—but only with your eyes closed. Let’s see what you can do.”

Eyes closed and fighting back—wasn’t that just flailing blindly? Was there any difference from not fighting back? Xuan Ye rolled his eyes inwardly.

“Are you ready?”

“Master, I’m ready.” Xuan Ye shut his eyes, signaling Zephyr to begin.

He felt nothing. Suddenly, Xuan Ye gagged and was sent flying, raising clouds of dust in his wake.

“Bang… bang…”

“Mm… mm…” He groaned in pain.

All night long, Xuan Ye felt as if he were in hell. Body aching was one thing, but the mental strain of constant focus nearly broke him.

At three o’clock, Zephyr looked at the unconscious Xuan Ye on the ground, his expression softening with affection. Many times he’d wanted to stop, but Xuan Ye stubbornly persisted, only relenting when he finally passed out.

Though he’d come to understand Xuan Ye’s madness, each time he witnessed it, Zephyr couldn’t help but feel awe and admiration.

Sometimes Zephyr thought, to have such a disciple in his lifetime was not in vain.

…