"Shirley, just stay down!"
Although Hammer was quite pleased with Shirley's growth, now was not the time to hold back. Those treasures of his were all crafted by him through a lot of effort, he couldn't let that old geezer Zephyr get them for free.
Facing Xue Li's claw attack, Hammer showed no fear. In an instant, his Devil Fruit ability activated, and a deep thud resounded from his chest.
"Chest-Shattering Strike!"
With that thud, an invisible shockwave burst outward from Hammer's chest in all directions.
This was a new technique Hammer had developed, triggering a hammering effect through his own body to unleash a ring shockwave.
Caught completely off guard, Shirley was sent flying by the blast.
She hit the ground, blood surging in her chest. Trembling all over, she sat paralyzed on the ground, losing her ability to fight.
The surrounding recruits were also blasted back several meters, clearing a no-man's-land around Hammer.
Just then, a figure suddenly charged forward, claws gleaming.
Moving at full force, he left a trail of afterimages behind.
The attacker was none other than Dalmatian.
His upper body swelled with bulging muscles, ripping apart his shirt. His bronze-toned skin was now covered with spotted fur, and razor-sharp claws extended from his fingertips.
His legs had transformed into the powerful hind limbs of a canine.
He had fully entered the form of the Zoan-type Dog-Dog Fruit: Dalmatian Model.
Faced with a flurry of attacks, Hammer let out a shout and tanked it head-on.
Dalmatian's full-powered assault met Hammer's fully activated Tekkai.
Once again, Tekkai proved tougher.
Dalmatian's strikes failed to penetrate Hammer's defenses.
Hammer paid only the price of a shredded shirt and remained completely unharmed.
Hammer wasn't one to just sit there and take hits. Releasing Tekkai, he twisted his torso and threw a sideways punch into the air.
A thunderous hammering sound rang out, and the next second, a fierce shockwave roared toward Dalmatian.
Dalmatian's animal instincts screamed at him not to take that hit head-on.
But he quickly realized Hammer's shockwave had a massive area of effect—there was no way to dodge.
With no choice, he crossed his arms in defense and braced for impact.
But Hammer's power was beyond comprehension.
The shockwave blasted him into the air without mercy.
Despite the toughness granted by his Zoan fruit, the internal damage from the shockwave left him helpless.
Dalmatian coughed up blood and passed out cold.
Seeing this, the remaining recruits didn't dare hold back. Fists, feet, and blades they all attacked together.
"Time to go all out!"
Overflowing with confidence, Hammer unleashed a flurry of trident strikes faster than the eye could follow.
Each hit sparked a flash of lightning, and with every flash, another cadet collapsed, turned into a charred mummy.
As the lightning kept crackling, Hammer fully entered his rampage mode, unstoppable and overwhelming.
In no time, the number of fighters on the field dropped to fewer than ten.
And the ones who remained were all names Hammer recognized as future pillars of the Navy:
Gion. Tokikake. Momonga. Onigumo. Doberman. Strawberry. Yamakaji.
"So, you're the ones Zephyr-sensei said were talented, huh?"
"Well, Shirley and the dog guy were pretty good too."
"Pity you're facing me."
Hammer's voice was calm, but laced with arrogant pride.
"Tch! What's with the cockiness?"
"Ittoryu: Sunset Slash!"
Gion was the first to move, wielding her sword, none other than Konpira, one of the 21 Great Grade Swords.
Unleashing her full power, the blade drew arcs of light that completely surrounded Hammer.
"What a fierce lady... too bad..."
Hammer muttered to himself.
The moment he laid eyes on Gion, he froze.
Nearly two meters tall, with a slender frame and a bright, youthful face...
Ah, Hammer was in love.
The sound of weapons clashing echoed as the trident met Kompira midair.
Gion instantly felt a massive force surge through her sword into her hands, numbing her arms.
"What is this freakish strength?!"
"Stop spectating! Attack together!"
Gion shouted in frustration.
The others immediately joined the fray.
Tokikake led the charge.
A loyal follower of Gion, Tokikake always stayed by her side.
Seeing his goddess in trouble, he was utterly furious.
"Hammer, Copper Hammer, whatever! You dare hurt Gion, I'll make you pay!"
With explosive speed, Tokikake charged at Hammer, his biceps bulging and muscles coiling like springs.
Shedding his usual sneaky demeanor, he now exuded a fierce and intimidating aura.
Unfortunately for him, his opponent was Hammer.
As an experienced blacksmith, Hammer lived by one fundamental truth:
True steel is forged through relentless hammering!
"Hmph! Small Hammer...Forty!"
As Tokikake charged, Hammer dropped into a horse stance, concentrating all his power.
The trident in his hands seemed to transform into a warhammer mid-swing. With a vicious crack, it struck Tokikake's abdomen at an impossible angle.
The impact was catastrophic.
Tokikake's eyes rolled back before he even made a sound, his body hurtling backward faster than he'd charged. He hit the ground unconscious.
The remaining six fighters felt chills crawl up their spines. There would be no holding back now.
Gion and the others attacked simultaneously.
Amusingly, apart from Tokikake and Doberman, the rest were all swordsmen.
Hammer blocked their flurry of strikes with his trident, sighing as he examined the fresh notches in the metal.
"Elites indeed, already brushing against the threshold of steel-cutting."
Before they could process his words, the trident vanished, replaced by two marine longswords.
A chorus of mental question marks appeared above their heads.
One shared thought ran through them:
'Wait, don't tell me this guy's a swordsman too?!'
Zephyr's eye twitched violently. He moved.
"Hammer, you damn brat- WAIT!"
Both Hammer and the six attackers froze as Zephyr blurred across the training ground, hauling unconscious recruits and charred "mummies" to safety.
Panting slightly, Zephyr waved a hand.
"Alright...continue."
The confusion lasted precisely three seconds, until Hammer demonstrated true terror and madness.
Gripping a sword in each hand, he began slashing wildly.
No technique. No finesse. Just pure, unadulterated destruction.
Gion's group barely had time to register the horror before-
*SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!*
Dozens of wild, razor-sharp flying slashes erupted in all directions.