I'm the Best at "Striving"!

Inside the training field, Roya worked out alongside the new recruits.

He wasn't a natural teacher, but he understood the easiest way to win people over and become one of them:

Eat together, live together, train together!

No special treatment. He used the same gear, followed the same schedule, and even moved into the group dormitory with the new recruits.

Maybe he wasn't the best at teaching, but he was amazing at training!

In just one day, the recruits' attitude toward Roya noticeably warmed.

They had worried he'd be a show-off, using his position as head instructor to boss them around and prove he was in charge.

But Roya didn't act superior at all. He went through the same tough training, and during breaks, he chatted and joked with them.

Who wouldn't like a leader like that?

"Instructor Roya," one recruit said, "I feel a bit off-balance when I'm swinging my sword. Could you watch me and tell me what I'm doing wrong?"

"Of course," Roya replied.

"Instructor Roya, wanna shower together?"

"Sure."

The new recruits were soon eager to talk to Roya. They asked him about anything they didn't understand and even sought advice on personal problems. In their free time, they'd huddle together, whispering plans for harmless fun.

----

Commodore Murak stood by his office window, watching Roya train on the field below. He was pleased with how things were going.

Finally, he's calmed down.

He might be talented, but he's listening to me now.

Fighting me? He's dreaming!

"Shiro, how's the casino doing?" Murak asked.

"It's reopened," Shiro replied, licking his lips. "Commodore, what should we do about that pirate hunter, Roronoa Zoro?" he added with a grin.

"Leave him alone for now."

Murak felt a shiver run down his spine.

The pirate hunter Zoro was clearly one of Roya's people. Roya had only been behaving for a few days, and Murak didn't want to provoke him over one pirate hunter.

Who knows what that crazy kid would do?

Things were perfect as they were. He would slowly wear Roya down over a few months. Once he lost his fire, then Murak would deal with him!

"Pass down the order: pirate hunters are banned from entering the casino."

"Understood!"

----

As time went on, the new recruits got used to Roya's presence. Aside from having a head instructor who trained with them, nothing else had changed.

Morning arrived, and it was time for running exercises.

Inside the dormitory, a heavy, 100-kilogram weighted backpack appeared at Roya's feet. Fullbody and Jango also had 50-kilogram packs ready.

"Fullbody, Jango," Roya said.

"Major!" they replied.

"It's time to push the new recruits harder!"

"Understood!"

The three of them smirked.

Soon, they arrived at the training field. The weighted backpacks immediately caught the attention of the new recruits.

"Weighted running exercises?"

The recruits felt a knot of dread in their stomachs.

Was Instructor Roya planning to increase the training?

When the drill began, the new recruits felt the pressure. They watched as Roya and his team practically flew across the field.

"They're running so fast!"

Not only were they carrying weights, but their speed was also twice as fast as usual.

The recruits had barely finished one lap to warm up, but Roya and his team had already passed them completely and didn't seem to be slowing down.

Many recruits secretly worried.

Roya hadn't told them to increase their training, but seeing him and his team pass them again and again made it impossible not to think about it.

Why are we so far behind?!

"Damn it!"

Tashigi gritted her teeth and picked up her pace. Physical training was her weakness, but even running one more lap would help. She didn't want to fall too far behind.

Many of the other outstanding recruits also refused to give in and sped up.

It was one thing to be left behind by Instructor Roya, but they were all teenagers with strong egos. Nobody wanted to be seen as weak.

Falling behind by a few laps was fine, but the thought of falling behind by dozens of laps was too much for most to handle!

In an instant, about a quarter of the recruits broke away from the pack, determined to keep up with Roya and his team.

"Hey, hey, what's going on?!"

The remaining recruits were stunned.

Why are they suddenly working so hard, like they've been struck by lightning? Doesn't this make the rest of us look bad?

Do they have to strive so much?!

Can't they leave us some breathing room?!

The entire atmosphere of the training field shifted, even making the other instructors raise an eyebrow.

They're striving!

An hour later, the running exercises ended.

The new recruits were exhausted.

Normally, they ran 40 laps, or 20 kilometers. But today, under the influence of Roya's example, even the slowest recruits had run at least 10 more laps.

And Roya ran a full 100 laps!

With the 100-kilogram backpack, it was comparable to the 200-lap standard of the Marine Headquarters' training camp.

The recruits at Headquarters were top-tier elites. After graduating, they could become non-commissioned officers. Some of the strongest were already officers by the time they finished training.

The current admirals of the Marine had come from that camp. They were monsters who could fight for ten days and nights.

Fullbody and Jango had also run more than 80 laps. With their weighted packs, they could have passed the standard at Headquarters.

Following Roya, they had gotten used to striving.

"M-monsters!"

The new recruits looked at Roya and his team like they were seeing monsters!

But this was just the beginning.

In the training that followed, Roya followed the Headquarters standards in everything. During swordsmanship training, he even brought out a barbell sword weighing a ton!

The recruits felt their scalps tingle.

No matter how skilled they were, the sheer weight of that thing would turn an enemy into mincemeat.

They were convinced, completely convinced!

The new recruits looked at Roya with reverence, and so did Tashigi. Roya had won them over completely with his actions.

They had never felt this way about other officers, not even Commodore Murak.

A true powerhouse should be like Instructor Roya!

In the evening, the training finally ended.

There was still half an hour until dinner.

The new recruits collapsed on the parade ground. Usually, they would relax, sing songs, and play games to relieve their stress.

But now they were too tired to move.

It had been a normal day, but the training had increased by at least a fifth, and for some, it was twice as much as before.

"Clap, clap, clap!"

Roya clapped his hands, drawing their attention, and asked with a smile, "Now it's break time. Anyone want to perform something?"

"Instructor, my legs are weak!"

"I can't dance."

"My throat hurts."

The new recruits complained. Even the jokers who usually loved to perform were too tired to move.

One recruit excitedly raised his hand.

"Instructor, Instructor!"

"Speak."

"Why don't you perform something, Instructor?"

As soon as he said this, the tired recruits perked up, excitedly joining in.

They had never seen Instructor Roya perform!

"Do one! Do one! Do one!"

All the new recruits were shouting. If he refused, he would be teased for a long time, but this was exactly what Roya wanted.

It was time to give these guys something to enjoy!

"Fullbody, Jango."

"Understood!"

The speakers were ready.

"War Anthem," Roya announced, "begin!"

"Aong~ I want Golden Wind!"

Crotch grab, arm swing, spin!

Roya and his team put on sunglasses and started dancing to the beat. Their explosive dance skills ignited the entire training field!

"Holy crap!"

The new recruits were dumbfounded!

They had been teasing him. Nobody expected the instructor to have a good performance, but this wasn't just dancing, it was a world-class show.

The new recruits had been a bit resentful about the sudden increase in training, but now, seeing the instructor's awesome dancing, they had only one thought.

"Instructor, you're amazing!!!"

The new recruits absolutely loved him!