The Going Merry sailed slowly on the calm sea.
The sunlight streamed down, painting the ocean a brilliant blue-gold.
The sails billowed slightly, occasionally accompanied by the gentle creak of ropes.
Kai and his group had already left Syrup Village and had been sailing for a week.
Under the guidance of their navigator, Nami, on board, they were slowly heading towards the Grand Line.
The Going Merry also had a new pirate flag, thanks to Usopp's superb graffiti skills.
At the top of the Going Merry's mast, the Straw Hat Pirates' flag flew high.
It was a black flag with white markings, and in the center was a skull wearing a straw hat.
The flag fluttered in the wind, making a rustling sound.
On the deck, after a week of non-stop training, the group had made rapid progress in their strength.
Kai's Seventy-Two Styles Body Forging Technique, while still only reaching the ninth style like a week ago, had seen a significant increase in training speed.
He could now complete styles one through nine in about an hour.
After two rounds, he would eat a massive meal to provide ample energy for his body.
Zoro and Luffy were also immersed in the rapid increase in strength brought about by the Body Forging Technique.
Their Six Styles Body Forging Technique, which used to take four or five hours to complete one round, now only took two hours.
They had made great progress, and their physical strength and overall power had seen explosive growth.
The three of them were like addicts; except for four hours of sleep at night, they spent all their other time in frantic training, practicing the Body Forging Technique until they were utterly exhausted.
Then they would eat the meat grilled by Nami and Usopp, and once finished, they would resume their training.
This feeling of constantly improving their strength captivated them, and they refused to waste a single second.
If it weren't for the need to ensure four hours of sleep each day to recover their spirits, they wouldn't even want to sleep.
With a guaranteed abundant intake of nutrients, all of them had grown a noticeable amount in height.
Kai grew from 1.86 meters to 1.95 meters, his muscles strong and well-proportioned, not appearing thin.
Luffy grew from 1.74 meters to 1.85 meters, his previously somewhat slender physique now looking much stronger.
Zoro grew from 1.81 meters to 1.92 meters, his muscles bulging, appearing lean, strong, powerful, and domineering.
On the other side of the deck, the grill was emitting an enticing aroma.
Nami squatted by the stove, holding a small fan, gently fanning the charcoal fire.
Orange-red flames licked the meat, and the overflowing fat dripped onto the coals, making a sizzling sound, the aroma drifting with the wind.
Usopp excitedly rotated the grill, his face full of anticipation.
He didn't forget to boast, "Watch closely! This is the great sniper Usopp's special grilled meat, it's sure to amaze you!"
Nami, while flipping through seasoning bottles, unceremoniously debunked him, "Stop bragging, don't blame me if the meat gets burnt."
"Hoo!!!"
"Hoo!!!"
"Hoo!!!"
The three on the deck who were training let out long breaths, having completed another round of training. Exhausted, they desperately needed to replenish their nutrients.
"Nami!!!" Luffy shouted, his arm grabbing the mast next to Nami.
"Is it ready? I want meat!"
"Yes, yes, come and eat!" Nami called out crisply.
Kai and Zoro also dragged their exhausted bodies over and devoured the grilled meat.
"I'm revived!!!" Luffy yelled, raising his arms after stuffing himself.
He was about to rush back to the deck for the next round of training.
Zoro, beside him, was also rapidly swallowing pieces of meat, eager to resume his training.
Initially, Luffy didn't have the same perseverance for training as Zoro.
But whenever he thought about slacking off, Kai would give him a brutal beating, making him honestly go and practice the Body Forging Technique.
By now, their training had become a habit, and they were all immersed in the rapid improvement of their strength.
So, no supervision was needed; Luffy and Zoro would train the Body Forging Technique as soon as they were full.
"Wait a moment, Luffy, Zoro!" Kai called out to the two who were about to go train.
"Huh?" Luffy and Zoro both looked at Kai in confusion.
"Although we are rapidly improving our physical fitness and strength through the Body Forging Technique right now, our training shouldn't just focus on physical fitness.
"Our mental will also cannot be ignored."
"Without a strong mental will, one cannot become a true powerhouse!"
Kai pointed out the shortcomings in their current training.
"Mental will? What's that?" Luffy frowned.
"Then how do we train our mental will?" Zoro looked at Kai with keen interest.
"It's simple. Every day before you practice the Body Forging Technique, I will gradually apply pressure to you with my Conqueror's Haki."
"I will stop once you reach the limit of what your minds can bear."
"This will help you train your mental will. After reaching your limit, you can then refine your bodies through the Body Forging Technique, which will surely yield twice the results with half the effort!"
Kai explained to them. This would also help Kai practice fine control over his Conqueror's Haki, benefiting all of them.
"Good!" Zoro agreed decisively upon hearing about such a good opportunity.
This period had been the most fulfilling for Zoro, and his strength had grown astonishingly.
"More extra training!" Luffy shivered when he heard that a new training method was being added.
"What, do you have an opinion? You can voice it if you do!"
Kai clenched his fists, making a cracking sound.
"No opinion, no opinion." Luffy quickly waved his hands.
He grumbled internally, *Kai's punches hurt even more than Grandpa's did when I was little!*
Kai was using Conqueror's Haki coating when he was disciplining Luffy, so it would be strange if it didn't hurt.
"You guys are really dedicated to your training!" Nami was extremely shocked to hear that the three training fanatics wanted to add even more training.
She had traveled far and wide for so many years and had never seen people train so diligently.
"Yeah, yeah, why work so hard? You need to balance work and rest too!"
Usopp chimed in from the side.
"Hmph! Balance work and rest?" Kai glanced at Usopp, his sharp gaze making Usopp shiver.
"To become a powerhouse! To become the strongest! It's impossible without extreme effort!"
"Only by utilizing every minute, every second, without a single moment of slack!"
"Will you have a chance to become the strongest! Every drop of sweat shed now is laying the foundation on the path to becoming the strongest."
"Hard work never lies!"
Every word Kai spoke was like a bell striking in their hearts, making them feel an even greater urgency for training.
"Luffy! Do you want to become the King of the Pirates?" Kai looked at Luffy.
"Mm!" Luffy nodded seriously.
"Zoro! Do you want to become the world's greatest swordsman?" Kai then looked at Zoro.
"Of course!" Zoro's defiant eyes gleamed when he heard "world's greatest swordsman."
"Then don't slack off for even a moment. We will walk towards becoming the strongest together!"
"And Nami, Usopp, you two." Kai looked at them.
"Last week, I told you both to undertake physical training."
"But it seems you both let it go in one ear and out the other!"
"I'm telling you, since we are fortunate enough to be on the same ship, I'm giving you another chance."
"Show me your conviction within one month, and I will tailor a Body Forging Technique for you."
"Giving you a ticket to become a powerhouse, but if you still slack off..."
"And fall far behind us, then it won't be long before you realize what you've missed!"
Kai's stern gaze swept over the two, making them afraid to meet his eyes.
"Understood, I will work hard!" Nami, thinking of something, made up her mind.
"I understand too!" Usopp also stopped his antics and solemnly promised Kai.