One Piece: Three Devil Fruits, Beginning with Darkness

**Chapter 29 - Transformation**

The next morning, after having a refreshing drink with Sengoku and the others the previous night, Zephyr woke up early as usual. With his disciplined routine ingrained into his very being, he made his way to the training grounds to inspect the recruits.

The Marine School's training ground was vast, designed to accommodate rigorous training for the next generation of Marines. Zephyr instinctively glanced toward the area where the most trainees usually gathered. However, instead of the usual crowd, he saw only a few scattered students—most of them female.

His brows furrowed, and his expression darkened. He had allowed training to end early yesterday, thinking it would give the new recruits a bit of well-earned rest. But now, seeing the absence of most of the male trainees, he regretted that decision.

"So they used the opportunity to slack off?" he muttered under his breath. "No doubt they took the chance to go out and enjoy themselves last night. And now they're still sleeping soundly in the dorms. Tch, young men these days... At this stage in their training, they should be pushing themselves harder, not lazing around."

He exhaled sharply, already formulating a punishment in his mind. He would let them all gather first before beginning what he liked to call *devil training.* However, just as he was about to act on this plan, a loud, energetic commotion reached his ears.

"Ninety-nine, one hundred! Sakazuki is unstoppable!"

"Jiger is getting faster and faster! Keep going, Jiger!"

"Borsalino, what the hell are you doing?! Oh my god! Is he asleep?!"

Zephyr's frown lifted slightly in confusion. He turned toward the source of the noise and was met with an unexpected sight.

In the corner of the training ground—Sakazuki's so-called "exclusive corner"—a large crowd had gathered. Even from a distance, Zephyr could tell that nearly all the missing recruits were present, forming a tight circle around something at the center.

Surprise flickered across his face. 'They're already here?'

He scanned the training ground once more, doing a quick headcount. With the addition of the few female recruits in the middle of the field, it seemed nearly everyone had already arrived.

The noise continued, and from the way the recruits were cheering, Zephyr could tell that Jiger and the others were at the heart of the activity. Even Borsalino—who had a well-earned reputation for being lazy—was apparently involved.

Zephyr was both curious and intrigued. He held his breath and quietly made his way toward the crowd, blending into the background so he could observe without being noticed.

As he approached, he spotted Momonga, one of the more disciplined recruits, standing at the front of the group. The young man was red-faced, craning his neck to get a better view while excitedly cheering for Jiger.

In the open space at the center of the crowd, Jiger, Sakazuki, and Borsalino were all shirtless, lying flat on the ground, each gripping a massive barbell and doing bench presses. Their toned, sweat-glistened muscles rippled with every movement, showcasing their physical prowess.

Ginny, standing nearby, was holding a stopwatch, keeping track of their reps. Or at least, she was supposed to be. Her eyes, however, were locked onto Jiger with unwavering focus, making it questionable whether she was actually paying attention to the numbers.

The sight of his students training together—especially these three in particular—immediately changed Zephyr's mood. The anger he had been harboring just moments ago completely dissipated.

Instead, he found himself nodding in approval. 'This is good. They're pushing each other. Competing. Striving to be better.'

The camaraderie on display was exactly what he wanted to see. The students who had once kept to themselves were now engaging with one another, bonding through hard work. It was a promising sight.

But then, his eyes landed on Borsalino.

Zephyr's approving expression shifted into one of exasperation as he realized what was happening.

Borsalino, as expected, was slacking off. Unlike Jiger and Sakazuki, who were giving it their all, Borsalino was lying on his back, barely lifting his barbell, his expression completely relaxed—almost bored. In fact, he had somehow managed to balance the weight on his stomach, seemingly using it as a makeshift pillow while he half-closed his eyes in what could only be described as *pure laziness.*

A nerve twitched in Zephyr's forehead and scolded the lazy delinquent out of habit.

"Borsalino!" he barked. "Are you glued to that barbell? Is it stuck to your stomach or something?!"

The sheer volume of Zephyr's voice sent a visible jolt through Borsalino's body. The laid-back Marine immediately snapped out of his trance, hastily lifting the barbell and giving a few hurried reps. However, his momentary burst of motivation faded just as quickly as it appeared, and he slumped back down in defeat.

Zephyr's sudden outburst had drawn the attention of the entire crowd, and all eyes turned toward him. The trainees collectively straightened their backs, their expressions ranging from nervous to amused.

Zephyr cleared his throat, realizing he had been *caught* observing. He had intended to watch for a little longer, but Borsalino had ruined the moment.

Still, rather than berating them further, he took a different approach. Putting away his usual stern expression, he allowed a rare smile to form on his face.

"You're all doing well," he said. "Go on, continue. The morning is still young. Has a winner been decided yet?"

The students exchanged glances, unsure of what to say. It was unusual for Zephyr to *encourage* their activities rather than immediately assigning them more training.

Before they could respond, he raised his voice again, addressing the entire group.

"Listen up! If you're going to compete, do it right! I'll make this interesting. Whoever wins this competition will receive double the monthly stipend!"

His words immediately had an impact.

This reward wasn't particularly attractive to Jiger and Sakazuki. After all, one of them wasn't short of money, and the other was too focused on the competition.

Only Borsalino, who had been practically lifeless just moments ago, suddenly came alive. His lazy eyes brightened as he visibly perked up. The prospect of *double the money* was enough to awaken his motivation.

However, before he could make his move, Ginny suddenly clicked the stopwatch and announced, "Time's up! Brother Jiger and Sakazuki are tied for first place!"

A collective cheer erupted from the recruits, congratulating the two victors.

Borsalino, meanwhile, let out a dramatic groan and collapsed onto the ground like a deflated balloon. He muttered in a defeated voice, "Mr. Zephyr… you should have told me *earlier!* All that wasted effort…"

Zephyr shot him a look of pure amusement. "The opportunity was right in front of you. Don't blame me for failing to grab it."

As the recruits laughed at Borsalino's misfortune, Zephyr took a deep breath, enjoying the atmosphere.

As the competition concluded, the three who had been lying on the ground stood up one after another. Their skin still glistened with sweat, the aftereffects of their grueling test of strength.

Before Jiger could react, Ginny was already at his side, draping a coat over his shoulders with practiced ease. A soft warmth flickered in her eyes as she fussed over him, but the moment was fleeting.

The surrounding male students, still reeling from their loss, watched in envy. Some of them had been pushing themselves to the brink, hoping to win some recognition. Yet, in the end, it was Jiger who effortlessly commanded Ginny's attention.

Meanwhile, Sakazuki bent down, grabbed his own coat from the ground, and threw it over his broad shoulders. His movements were brisk, precise. He fastened the buttons, hiding his powerful physique from view.

Though his sharp features remained impassive, there was no denying the aura he exuded—an unyielding strength, carved from relentless discipline.

Despite his intimidating presence, Sakazuki was not without admirers. In fact, many of the female students found him appealing. The problem was that his stern and serious nature made it difficult for anyone to approach him.

Of course, whether he had admirers or not was of little concern to Sakazuki himself. He cared only for results.

As he finished adjusting his coat, he looked over at Jiger and nodded, acknowledging the outcome of their competition.

"Jiger, you're strong. Much stronger than that guy, Borsalino."

Jiger blinked. There it was again—Sakazuki's characteristic bluntness. Why did he always sound so angry?

Despite the harsh tone, Jiger didn't take offense. On the contrary, he respected Sakazuki. It wasn't just about the way he carried himself; it was about how he had gotten this far.

Jiger knew his own strengths well. His body had been modified, his lineage stemming from the Figarland family—a lineage of exceptional warriors. Physically, he was among the most gifted. Yet, Sakazuki, despite lacking such an advantage, had managed to stand on equal footing through sheer willpower and hard work.

Their tie in the competition wasn't due to talent. It was the result of Sakazuki's relentless determination.

On the other hand, Borsalino remained sitting cross-legged on the ground, sighing dramatically. His shoulders slumped, his face twisted in exaggerated regret. He had lost the competition, and worse, he had lost out on the double subsidy.

Sakazuki, who had spent enough time around Borsalino to understand him well, spoke in what was supposed to be a comforting tone—but, as always, it came out rather unfiltered.

"Borsalino, even if you had given it your all from the start, it wouldn't have been enough to defeat me or Jiger. Don't dwell on it too much."

For a moment, Borsalino just stared at him in silence.

Then, he let out a long, exaggerated groan.

"Sakazuki… are you trying to console me or just rubbing salt in my wounds?"

Sakazuki crossed his arms, looking entirely sincere as he replied, "Obviously, I'm trying to comfort you."

A giggle escaped Ginny before she could stop herself. Then she burst out laughing, holding onto Jiger's arm as she said, "Brother Jiger, they're so funny!"

The laughter was contagious. Soon, the surrounding students, who had once viewed Sakazuki and Borsalino as intimidating figures, found themselves chuckling as well.

They had always seen these two as near-mythical warriors, figures of brute strength who were leagues above them. Yet now, they were seeing another side to them—one that was, surprisingly, a little endearing.

The sense of camaraderie that had been growing over the past few days had fully taken root.

The night before had played a big part in that. After the group had disbanded from training, Jiger had taken it upon himself to invite everyone out for a meal.

At first, there had been some hesitation. Some of the students had been beaten down by Sakazuki in training. Others had been brushed off by Borsalino's carefree attitude.

But a few drinks had been enough to break down those walls.

Under the warmth of shared food and laughter, the lingering resentment faded. Even the students who had once held grudges against Sakazuki and Borsalino found themselves offering awkward, alcohol-induced apologies.

Of all of them, Ginny had been the most excitable.

Her appetite had shocked them all—despite her small frame, she had devoured plate after plate with ease. Yet, when it came to drinking, she was the complete opposite.

A few cups in, and she was already swaying.

What followed was a scene that still made her want to crawl into a hole and never come out.

In her drunken haze, she had latched onto Jiger like a little snake, clinging to his arm, babbling things that she could barely remember now.

The worst part was that she *did* remember *some* of it.

And it was enough to make her want to scream into the void.

When they had been walking back that night, she had even grabbed Kuma's arm and, in a moment of tipsy desperation, told him, "If I ever get drunk again, you *must* use your power to pop the alcohol out of my body. I can't live with the embarrassment."

Even now, standing in the training ground, her face felt warm at the memory.

She stole a glance at Jiger. Fortunately, he hadn't brought up last night's events. The moment he had arrived at the training grounds, Sakazuki had pulled him into the competition, giving her no time to agonize over whether he remembered anything.

But in a strange way… that also left her feeling a little disappointed.

Had she said all that for nothing?

Ginny sighed inwardly, realizing that her thoughts were starting to spiral. 'Why do girls always overthink things?'

She looked up at Jiger's side profile, watching the way his sharp jawline stood against the morning sunlight.

Her gaze softened, a dreamy haze overtaking her eyes.

Before she could get lost in her thoughts any further, Zephyr's commanding voice cut through the air.

"Alright! Everyone, gather up!"

Snapped out of her daze, Ginny quickly let go of Jiger's arm and scurried off to join the group of girls she had just recently befriended.

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