At four in the morning, the sea was shrouded in a thin mist, and stars faintly twinkled in the night sky.
Waves gently lapped against the hull of the Merry, making a rustling sound.
A sea breeze blew by, carrying a hint of moisture, sweeping over the scattered water stains on the deck, and a chill permeated the air.
"Everyone up, it's time for today's training!" Kai stood at the bow, his voice not loud, but imbued with an undeniable firmness.
He was dressed in a light training suit, his eyes bright, his back to the others, like a straight lighthouse.
"What kind of training..." Luffy walked out of the cabin, letting out a long yawn that almost dislocated his jaw.
He rubbed his eyes with his hand, his eyelids still drooping. "It's sleeping time, Kai!"
Zoro was already standing on the deck, wearing a sleeveless vest, the muscles on his arms clearly defined, looking like a gleaming blade.
He stood with his arms crossed, his eyes full of anticipation:
"Hmph, Luffy, can't you be a little more aware? Exercising at this time every day, my body has long gotten used to it. It's you who's always thinking about sleeping."
"Zoro, are you looking for a fight again?" Luffy instantly perked up, straightened his body, glared at Zoro, and clenched his fists with a cracking sound.
"Stop arguing!" Kai's voice interrupted their quarrel. "Today is Sanji's focused training time. You two just need to practice your body-refining techniques well."
Nami stumbled out of the cabin, her hair disheveled, her face filled with reluctance.
She yawned, one hand still rubbing her temples.
"Kai... why do you insist on waking us up at four in the morning? This is almost harder than when I used to scam money..."
Usopp also slowly emerged from the cabin, his face etched with endless fatigue. "Kai, if this continues, we'll die of exhaustion eventually."
Kai turned his head and glanced at the two of them:
"Nami, Usopp, your physical fitness is far too poor. You haven't even met the minimum standard for the body-refining technique. Hurry up and intensify your practice!"
Nami's expression immediately changed upon hearing this. "This is basically torture in disguise!"
However, she succumbed to Kai's stern gaze and repeatedly indicated that she would try her best.
Usopp mumbled with a wronged expression, "I'm just a sniper. Physical fitness and all that, I don't need to be too strong, do I..."
"You do." Kai interrupted Usopp mercilessly. "The body-refining technique can give you the chance to become the strongest sniper in the world!"
Compared to the others, Sanji's mental state was actually the best.
He stood with his hands in his pockets, a lit cigarette dangling from his mouth, his chin slightly raised, looking at Kai with an expectant expression.
Because Kai had said that today he would tailor a body-refining technique for him, just like the one Luffy and Zoro practiced, a technique suited for him.
Sanji had previously seen Kai, Luffy, and Zoro practice their body-refining techniques combined with special breathing methods.
Their physical strength and power had been improving by leaps and bounds, and he had long been incredibly envious, constantly begging Kai to customize a set for him too.
After all, who doesn't want to become stronger? Moreover, under the effect of the body-refining technique, Kai and the other two had experienced explosive growth in height and physique.
Like a second growth spurt, they had all shot up to around two meters, which made his own height of 1.77 meters seem very short.
Nami and Usopp's eyes, on the other hand, were filled with dread, because they knew that practicing this body-refining technique was extremely painful.
They, who now spent a lot of time exercising every day, had not yet reached the threshold of practicing the body-refining technique.
And Nami was not only worried about the physical pain but also felt a little embarrassed about the intimate contact when Kai felt her bones.
"Kai, is it my turn to be taught today? You promised me."
Kai smiled slightly, "Yes, I'll arrange it for you now!"
Upon hearing this, Sanji's eyes lit up, and his movements even quickened a bit as he walked in front of Kai.
He eagerly asked, "Then let's start quickly, I can't wait any longer!"
"Sanji, don't get too smug! You'll find out what it's like to wish you were dead in a bit!" Nami said coldly, her tone full of schadenfreude.
Usopp couldn't help but shiver. "It will hurt a lot, a lot..."
"Less talk, come over here!" Kai didn't bother with these trivialities and beckoned to Sanji.
Sanji immediately stood in the center of the deck, straightened his body, looking as if to say, "do whatever you want with me."
Just as he was about to speak, Kai suddenly said, "I need to feel your bones first, to determine your skeletal structure and muscles."
"Feel my bones?" Sanji was stunned for a moment and hadn't reacted yet when Kai had already walked over and placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Don't move." Kai's tone was calm, but his movements were swift.
His hand slid down Sanji's shoulder, pressing on his arm, carefully feeling the shape of the bones and the distribution of the muscles.
"Ow! It hurts! Be gentler!" Sanji yelled while trying to pull away, but Kai held him firmly.
"Quiet." Kai continued his examination, his fingers like pliers pressing down Sanji's chest, abdomen, and spine.
"Are you feeling my bones or disassembling them, Kai!" Sanji's voice was almost piercing the sky.
Kai glanced at him. "Shut up, or it'll hurt more."
"There's more pain?!" Sanji's groans grew even more tragic, causing Nami and Usopp to burst into laughter, clutching their heads.
"Hahahahaha, Sanji, your voice... it's like a rooster that's been plucked!" Nami held her stomach, laughing so hard she couldn't stand straight.
"How miserable, Sanji. I told you, the price of training is very painful!" Usopp wiped away tears and shook his head, his eyes full of schadenfreude.
Kai ignored their laughter and focused on feeling Sanji's bones.
His fingers, like steel clamps, pressed on Sanji's spine, then his arms, chest, and finally his legs.
"Good, your skeletal structure is compact, and your muscles are evenly distributed."
"And now?" Sanji gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, and asked, "Can I start practicing the body-refining technique now?"
"Yes." Kai nodded and straightened up. "This set of body-refining techniques is tailor-made for you.
The initial stage has a total of six forms, and each form has a unique breathing rhythm and movement requirements."
As Kai spoke, he demonstrated a movement.
He crouched low, his legs slightly bent, his fists clenched, and with a long exhalation,
his fists shot out like cannonballs, and a faint whooshing sound could even be heard in the air.
"This is the first form." Kai looked up at Sanji:
"Remember, the key to the body-refining technique lies in the coordination of breath and movement. Otherwise, practicing it will be in vain."
Sanji's eyes lit up. He immediately mimicked Kai's movements, took a deep breath, and punched, imitating Kai's rhythm.
However, he was only halfway through his movements when Kai's cold voice came, "Wrong! Your breathing is incorrect, start over!"
For the next while, Sanji's low growls, gasps, and Kai's reprimands constantly echoed on the deck.
Luffy and Zoro practiced their respective body-refining techniques, while Nami and Usopp exercised nearby, occasionally stealing glances.
"This body-refining technique looks so amazing..." Usopp muttered softly, "I wonder when I'll be able to practice it."
"You should focus on your basics first, Usopp." Nami sighed helplessly. "Kai's standards are terrifyingly high. It's better for us to be more down-to-earth."
As the sun slowly rose from the horizon, Sanji finally mastered all six forms of the body-refining technique.
Although his body was drenched in sweat and steaming red, his face was full of excitement.
"Alright, Sanji, you've mastered it. Now it's time for a lot of daily practice."
Kai looked at Sanji, his tone finally softening a bit. "Next is the training of mental will, but before that, Sanji, go prepare a large amount of meat."
"After practicing the body-refining technique, you need to replenish a lot of energy!"
"Leave it to me!" Sanji grinned, shaking his wet hair:
"Kai, I definitely won't disappoint you in the upcoming training!"
At sunrise, the sky was tinged with gold. The Merry continued its voyage in the morning light, and everyone on board, through their diligent training, constantly grew stronger.
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