"Hoo… hoo…" Panting heavily, Atticus felt his chest burn as if consumed by fire, dizziness threatening to overwhelm him. The scorching sun blazed overhead, sweat streaming down his back like rain, yet he gritted his teeth, forcing each step forward. His legs felt alien, as if they belonged to someone else. For a fleeting moment, he considered collapsing to the ground, but the thought vanished as quickly as it came.
An hour later, most cadets had finished the mandatory 100 laps, nearly all collapsed on the ground, gasping for air. Among the leaders were Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji, their expressions unusually relaxed. Close behind were future Vice Admirals like Onigumo, Dalmatian, and Yamakaji, all still in their youth.
"Is that monster trying to run himself to death?" Momousagi, Tsuru's close sister and a future Admiral candidate, watched in disbelief. Across the field, a sweat-drenched young man continued to jog, his heavy breaths audible even from a kilometer away.
"Hmph… He'll collapse eventually. Overdoing it like this can't end well," a rough-faced cadet sneered at Atticus, jealousy flashing in his eyes. He had long harbored feelings for Momousagi, which she never reciprocated. Seeing her show concern for Atticus stoked his resentment.
"Chaton, that's cruel," Momousagi said, narrowing her eyes in disapproval.
"True, but he is pushing himself into danger. He's only been here a week, and already he's fainted five or six times from training. No one else works like this," remarked a cadet with a fierce demeanor, his admiration unmistakable. He, too, was a Zoan Devil Fruit user and understood the true toll of such exertion.
A lazy sigh escaped Aokiji as he stood, dusting off his uniform. "This is exhausting to watch."
Akainu frowned, displeased. Though only in his early twenties at the time, he had already eaten the Magu Magu no Mi, though its full potential remained unrealized.
"Well, well, looks like the unsociable one found a friend," Kizaru, the Glint-Glint Fruit user, remarked casually, his expression faintly amused.
Both Logia users regarded Atticus with mild superiority. To them, a Zoan user was naturally inferior, and Atticus' solitary habits only reinforced their judgment. In Akainu's mind, no matter how much Atticus trained, surpassing a Logia was improbable. Kizaru and Aokiji, also Logia, seemed far more naturally gifted.
Yet Atticus, usually a loner devoted to training, had found an unlikely ally in Aokiji.
"This guy is a real pain," Aokiji muttered, not to Akainu, covering his head as he resolutely kept pace. By now, Atticus had already completed 120 laps.
Atticus' muddled gaze shifted back toward Aokiji, panting. "Hoo… hoo… What are you doing?"
"Keeping you company. I couldn't bear to leave you alone," Aokiji replied, a faint pout on his face. He genuinely wanted to be friends with him.
"If that's the case, can you release some cold air? It's unbearable," Atticus gasped, his blood boiling, sweat soaking every inch of him.
Aokiji's expression darkened, then his body exhaled a surge of chilling air. The field immediately cooled, and Atticus groaned in relief, feeling as if he had been revived.
"Finally, a reason to appreciate your ability. You're like a natural popsicle," Atticus said, a faint smile breaking through.
"Don't speak so casually. I might lose my temper," Aokiji muttered, gritting his teeth. Annoyance flickered across his face — was he a refrigerator now?
Watching the pair, Momousagi stood and decided to join in. "Seeing them push themselves, maybe I should try harder too."
"Momousagi… you…" Chaton scowled but reluctantly followed. Soon, other cadets, like Yamakaji and Onigumo, joined the run, setting the pace for the entire group. Some, including Akainu and Kizaru, abstained; for Logia users, such exertion was trivial.
Zephyr observed silently. He understood that true strength required more than Devil Fruit powers. Physical fitness was the foundation; Devil Fruits were merely upper floors in the building of strength. Logia abilities were impressive, but only for those who could wield Haki.
At this stage, Akainu and Kizaru had yet to grasp this truth. They relied too heavily on their powers, unaware that a strong body amplified true strength.
"Hoo… hoo… 148… 149… just one more lap," Atticus gasped tens of minutes later, collapsing to the ground, limbs trembling as his chest heaved violently.
"Well done. Not only did you complete 100 laps, you went an extra 50. Excellent," Zephyr said, smiling for the first time. These cadets had exceeded all expectations.
"Rest here for two hours, then carry one ton of refined iron and perform a thousand squats. No food until the task is complete," Zephyr commanded, his tone stern. Cadets groaned in unison, though none dared to challenge him.
"Teacher Zephyr, may I replenish my energy?" Atticus asked, struggling to sit upright, eyes calm despite his exhaustion.
"Yes. You've gone beyond the task and spent tremendous energy. You may eat," Zephyr replied. Turning to a soldier, he added, "Prepare 50 portions of food, delivered in twenty minutes."
"Yes, Admiral Zephyr," the soldier responded.
"Teacher Zephyr, we want to eat too," cadets protested.
"Anyone who exceeded the task may eat. Add another 50 portions," Zephyr instructed.
With his Devil Fruit abilities and ample food, Atticus knew he could recover half his strength in two hours, enough to tackle the next phase of training.
Twenty minutes later, before him lay a veritable feast, enough to fill a room. Atticus devoured it with both hands, as if starving for years. The towering piles of food disappeared steadily under his relentless pace.
His Zoan physiology allowed him to extract extraordinary nutrients from food. One meal could equal dozens of standard servings, and this was only before his next round of training.
"Gulp… gulp…" Atticus consumed plate after plate, leaving onlookers astonished. Even for veterans, this appetite was unsettling.
After finishing, he sat cross-legged, faint flames dancing around him. Two days prior, he had discovered this state allowed him to empty his mind, resting while gradually mastering his control over the flames' intensity.
During the day, Atticus trained in physical combat, Haki, and the Six Powers. Though he had yet to fully encounter Haki or the Six Powers, he knew that with a stronger body, mastery was inevitable. At night, he honed his Devil Fruit abilities.
Every second mattered. He wished to stretch a single day into a year, ensuring he would always exceed his goals. Every drill, every lap, every exertion was driven by one thought: Hazel's safety.