"Two old men must be fuming right now~"
After grabbing most of the rare ores, Hammer bolted back to the arsenal. Using his position, he set himself up with a brand-new workstation.
This new workbench was much larger than his previous one, and it was enclosed, which made his smithing sessions all the more enjoyable.
"Hmm? Cryolite(Frost Crystal)… Flameweave stone(Blazing Emberstone)… I wonder if using these as additives can infuse elemental properties into weapons?"
"Should be possible. I mean, if that bald guy could light a sword with a cigarette, the weapon must have some kind of innate property."
If Hammer hated the idea of going out to sea, then stepping into the forge was like stepping into paradise.
His mind was active. His spirit, on fire.
So he got right to it.
First, he found Vice Admiral Lisk to arrange regular meal deliveries.
Then, he hung up a "No Unauthorized Personnel" sign.
Finally, he began forging!
The sound of metal striking echoed. Hammer had mentally left the world behind, fully immersed in the art of smithing.
"You've completed the ten-month training. In three days, you'll face your graduation assessment."
"It's simple. Just like the last batch, you'll each go out to sea alone and hunt pirates."
"A bounty totaling 100 million Berries is the mark. It can be cumulative. You have one month. Any questions?"
On the elite training camp field, Zephyr stood on a podium, calmly addressing the hundred recruits below.
After a year of training in the furnace, everyone had tanned several shades darker.
Even fair-skinned girls like Shirley and Gion were now bronze-toned.
But for every cause, there's an effect. Though darkened, they all looked much more refined and sharp. That glint of sharpness in their eyes made Zephyr very satisfied.
"You're dismissed. These next two days are your rest and prep-."
Before Zephyr could finish, a massive explosion shook all of Marineford. A towering column of fire burst from behind the headquarters building.
"No, that direction!"
Zephyr cursed. Before the words even finished, he vanished.
Shirley's face went pale, too.
With a powerful kick, she sprinted toward the explosion.
Gion, now Shirley's best friend after training, immediately understood—this had to be that idiot Hammer's doing.
She dashed after Shirley. Seeing her go, Gaji followed. Then more and more trainees began running toward the smoke and flames.
Within moments, all 100 cadets from the second class were heading there.
At the same time, the Marines' top brass sprang into action.
Fleet Admiral Kong smashed through his window and flew out.
Sengoku and Tsuru ran at full speed toward the arsenal.
"Damn it, I knew that busted forge couldn't handle it."
"At least it didn't blast me into another transmigration. Next person who tells me 'Tekkai is mystical', I swear I'll spit in their face."
"Good thing it's break time and I'm the only one here. Otherwise, this would've been a major disaster..."
From the burning rubble, a man covered head to toe in soot, his teeth blackened, his skin charred, slowly crawled out.
It was none other than Hammer himself.
He barely had time to react to the explosion. All he managed was shouting "Tekkai, go!" He didn't even have time to activate Armament Haki.
Surviving purely through sheer physical toughness of his body and Tekkai, he was now a walking tragedy, covered in burns, bruises, and blast wounds.
To stay alive, Hammer had poured every ounce of his Armament Haki into his body, turning himself from a blackened wreck into a shiny blackened wreck.
Even now, he was gripping a megaphone-like object.
"Cough cough… Who would've thought cryolite plus flameweave stone embedded in seastone would have such a low melting point..."
Just as Hammer muttered to himself
Dozens of figures appeared around the arsenal.
"Where are you, my dear boy?!"
At the lead was a purple-haired man, face full of panic, shouting the moment he landed.
Zephyr knew Hammer had been obsessively forging. He'd even come over and scold him recently, but the kid was stubborn.
And now something had gone wrong, he was more anxious than anyone.
His mind flashed with the image of that giant three-meter-tall boy bowing and calling him "Dad."
His eyes turned red with worry.
Explosions continued as other furnaces were igniting.
"Cough cough… I… I'm over here!"
More blasts and roaring flames drowned out Hammer's voice.
He almost cursed the fire itself.
Seeing no response, Zephyr tore off his coat, ready to charge into the inferno.
Two figures immediately stopped him, it was Sengoku and Kong.
"Zephyr, calm down! The fire's too intense. Even you might not make it through!"
"Soldiers! Put out that fire, NOW!"
Sengoku remained calm on the outside, but his bloodshot eyes betrayed his inner turmoil.
"Goddamn it! Extinguish that fire immediately! We need to save Hammer!"
Kong roared, hand already resting on the hilt of his sword.
"You bastard, Hammer... You better not die on me!"
The unrelenting heat and explosions warped the steel structure of the arsenal, and sections of it were now collapsing from the strain.
The sight drove Zephyr into greater frenzy.
"Put it out! PUT IT OUT NOW!"
Soldiers rushed to douse the flames, but the blaze was overwhelming.
Zephyr's reflexes kicked in as he yanked back a white-haired figure mid-lunge, Shirley, her fur standing on end.
"Instructor! My brother!"
"I know! But you can't go in!"
Shirley was trembling, her eyes filled with desperation.
Gion and the others arrived, stunned by the raging fire.
"Damn it! Pour water on me, I'm going in myself!"
Zephyr couldn't hold back anymore. He grabbed a soldier's water bucket and dumped it on himself.
A blaring megaphone sound cut through fire and explosions, echoing across the skies!
"HEY, YOU BASTARDS! SOMEONE SAVE ME!"
Six short words spread like shockwaves.
Then, they all turned toward one spot, drawn as if by instinct.
There, amid the wreckage, stood the charred, but glowing, Hammer, still gripping the megaphone.
This has been added to my p@treon, if you want, you can check it out. 15 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu