Chapter 64

The next morning.

Keluo and Ajin dragged their nearly collapsed bodies, limping out of the training room.

The dark circles under their eyes and their trembling legs revealed the brutality of their night’s training.

“Hah, already out of strength?”

Keluo forced himself to stand upright, back straight, as if nothing were wrong, glancing sideways at Ajin, who could barely crawl back up.

The latter clenched his teeth and shot back:

“This level? It’s not even warm-up for me!”

“You’d have more credibility if your legs weren’t shaking while you talk. Right now?”

“Tch~”

Keluo sneered, saying nothing about his own body aching so badly he couldn’t even lift his arm.

Ajin scoffed:

“Worry about yourself first!”

“Oh, really?”

Keluo forcibly suppressed his trembling legs and spoke calmly:

“Looks like you still have energy. Good—I just remembered I want to do two more sets of bench presses.”

Ajin didn’t back down:

“Come on then!”

Suddenly.

A familiar voice appeared beside them:

“Senior, is this the ship’s dedicated training room?”

Zoro, fully rested after a night’s sleep, looked vibrant and alert.

Especially after learning that such a small pirate ship had a dedicated training room—he was thrilled and rushed over immediately.

After all, for someone determined to become the world’s greatest swordsman, what could be more important than training?

Keluo looked at the newcomer, recalling the talent the latter had shown last night, and thought to himself:

After being bloodied by Gao Wen for a full day and night, you don’t even rest or relax?

So hardworking…

Could it be you’re here because of Ajin—or even me?

Thinking of this,

Keluo silently turned and met Ajin’s gaze; both saw the wariness in each other’s eyes:

We can’t let this brat look down on us!

Keluo immediately put on a casual air and said to Zoro:

“Yes, this is it. But young man, remember to balance effort and rest—don’t damage your foundation—!”

Clang!

Keluo turned his head and saw Zoro had already attached a thirty-kilogram weight plate to one end of the barbell.

Zoro gripped the other end with one hand, tested the weight, frowned slightly, then casually added another…

Clang!

Keluo’s liver trembled.

Before he could react,

Ajin had silently returned to the training room, picked up the sweat-drenched barbell again, doubled his already absurd weight, and began training like a man possessed, his face flushed crimson.

In an instant,

Keluo’s foot, which had been ready to leave, froze in place.

Ajin’s eyes were fixed on me, but his natural talent is inferior to mine, so his growth rate naturally can’t keep up—but the key is this newcomer…

Keluo suddenly remembered what Gao Wen had said yesterday, and a bad feeling crept in.

If in a few years some rookie ends up surpassing me, the joke will be on me—I’ll never hold my head high in this crew again.

With Gao Wen’s cruel personality, he’d laugh at me for years over last time’s incident—what if I’m surpassed by a junior?

Thinking of this,

Keluo sucked in a sharp breath.

How could I let these bastards grow stronger without me knowing?

Keluo gritted his teeth and returned to the training room, silently picking up his own equipment and doubling his weight too.

“Huh?!”

Zoro raised an eyebrow.

He naturally sensed the strange atmosphere in the training room.

Especially since Keluo and Ajin had trained all night and clearly intended to leave—yet upon seeing him arrive, they immediately returned inside.

What’s this?

A senior’s warning?

Interesting!

But I’m no soft target!

His lips slowly curled into a grin, his eyes reigniting.

He added two more thirty-kilogram weight plates to the barbell, barely able to move it with all his strength.

Huh!

The barbell whistled through the air, stirring up a storm inside the training room.

Zoro’s arms bulged with veins, trembling violently, yet he maintained his calm, effortless posture. He turned to Keluo and Ajin:

“Seniors, if you’re tired, go rest early—overexerting yourself only harms your body.”

“After all,”

“You’re not young anymore?”

Both men’s eyebrows twitched as they spoke word by word:

“Not… young… anymore??”

“Arrogant brat!”

Keluo’s mouth twitched:

“I’ll show you the authority of the vice-captain! Ajin, you don’t want this rookie to look down on you either, right?”

“Warm-up’s enough—show me your real strength!”

“Double the weight!”

Ajin’s eyelid jumped. His current weight already had him trembling at his limit—adding more? It’d kill him!

But when he caught Zoro’s mocking gaze, the words of surrender wouldn’t come out.

After all, if this rookie is going to surpass anyone, it should be me first, damn it!

“I’m in!”

“Hmph~”

Zoro sneered inwardly:

So the battle for rank within the crew has already begun?

Of course even allies compete—but before I defeat that guy, how can I lose to anyone else?!

“I’m… in too!”

A few minutes later,

Three men’s strained grunts echoed from the training room, drawing curious glances from passing pirates.

Nami was drawn by the noise, and seeing the absurd weights they were lifting, her lips twitched:

“A man’s pride shouldn’t be wasted on such reckless nonsense, right?”

“Nami, you don’t understand—it’s the passion of men!”

A few pirates quietly gathered near her, whispering in her ear.

Nami rubbed her forehead:

“This is too reckless.”

She considered telling Gao Wen, but remembering their extraordinary physiques, she abandoned the idea and turned toward her cabin.

Under Gao Wen’s authorization, she now oversaw the entire crew’s navigation duties.

Not just this ship—Cat Brothers and Zan Gao, who guarded Crow Harbor, also came to consult her.

In just half a month,

Nami had earned everyone’s recognition. Her crewmates’ trust was both motivation and responsibility, pushing her to keep improving.

Looking at the nautical charts on her desk, Nami opened the porthole, letting the sea breeze in.

The windmill creaked softly.

For the first time, her heart felt utterly peaceful. She reached up, plucked an orange from the tangerine tree Qiqi had given her, peeled it, and put it in her mouth.

Sweet.

……

Night fell.

Aside from the pirates on duty for night watch and navigation, most everyone else had gone to bed, even the three cultivation fanatics in the training room, exhausted, collapsed right where they stood.

Not long after.

Soft snores began to rise.

Nami passed by the training room and glanced at the three sleeping figures with mild disdain:

“Really~”

“They’re grown adults, yet still acting like children~”

Saying this,

Nami turned and fetched three blankets, draping one over each of them before quietly closing the door and leaving.

(End of Chapter)