"You three bastards! It wasn't me who said it, it was Gion! Why are you all beating me up?"
"Oww... Did you really have to hit my face?"
The training ground was in complete disarray, with magma scattered everywhere, scorch marks, and cracks covering the area.
The trainees who had been practicing had long since vanished, along with the enormous furnace and coal mountain that once stood there.
At the moment, Hammer was a complete mess, his face swollen and blackened from a punch by Sakazuki. His upper body, once covered by a shirt, was now bare, dotted with minor burns and bloody scratches. His pants had been reduced to tattered shorts, thanks to Borsalino, who had spent most of the fight aiming low with his rapid kicks.
Dragon had gone even wilder. Knowing that Sakazuki and Borsalino were Logia users and nearly invulnerable, he'd unleashed a relentless storm of wind blades. Hammer's once-neat short hair had been completely shaved off, leaving him looking like a bald, sunburnt man on the verge of losing his dignity.
"Heh heh heh... Armament Haki is terrifying."
"That was one hell of a fight!"
Sakazuki sat slumped on the ground, covered in fist-shaped bruises, all courtesy of Hammer. Dragon and Borsalino weren't faring much better. Though slightly less battered than Sakazuki, their bodies were still marked with Hammer's punches.
"How scary~ Hammer-kun. That 'Hammering of the Soul' of yours is so annoying. If not for that, with my speed, you shouldn't have been able to touch me at all."
Hammer shot him an unamused glare.
"Damn monkey, can't you fight like a normal person? Look at my pants! If I end up flashing someone, I'm blaming you!"
"Borsalino is right. Without that Hammering of the Soul, we would've crushed you."
"Gotta admit, that move of yours does feel a bit like Conqueror's Haki. Hits you out of nowhere, hard to adjust to." Dragon said earnestly. During the brawl, the three had pushed their abilities to the limit, yet Hammer had held his own purely through his Hammering of the Soul ability.
"Yeah, right, that was a one-time thing. If I ever fight you three again, I'd be a fool."
"Every one of you fights dirtier than the last. Look at what you did to me!"
"Tch!"
Completely disregarding his dignity, Hammer flopped onto the ground, grumbling in frustration.
"Finished?"
Instructor Zephyr reappeared on the devastated training ground, a hint of nostalgia in his expression.
"You three really are monsters. In just a year, your strength has grown tremendously."
"The power of Logia fruits is indeed extraordinary."
Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Dragon couldn't help but look a bit proud.
But they should've remembered, what comes after a turn isn't always love. Sometimes, it's an enraged gorilla.
BAM!
"Magma?"
BAM!
"Light?"
BAM!
"Hurricane?"
Three brutal punches landed—a scene all too familiar.
Sakazuki: "..."
Dragon: "..."
Borsalino: "..."
'What the hell? Why again?!'
The trio instantly clutched their heads and rolled away, with Borsalino putting on the most exaggerated performance, curling up like a shrimp. Hammer couldn't help but cheer.
"What a legend! That pose, that acting, perfection!"
"You think just because you ate Logia fruits, you're invincible now?"
"I've said it before, without a strong body, even the most powerful Devil Fruit is useless!"
"How many times do I have to repeat it? Don't rely too much on your Devil Fruits! Do you get it now?"
"Even a weakling like Hammer, who just learned Armament Haki, managed to land hits on all of you. Pathetic!"
Hammer: '...I feel insulted. Not happy about that.'
"And you turned my training ground into this mess. You four-"
"Fix it. Now."
Hammer was the first to comply, well aware of Zephyr's disciplinary methods. Following his lead, the other three reluctantly got to work.
"Hammer, how did you awaken Armament Haki?"
"Blacksmithing..."
"How did you develop Hammering of the Soul?"
"Blacksmithing."
"Your physique improved, how?"
"Blacksmithing!"
"Why do you three keep asking? Stop questioning me, blacksmithing is the answer! Blacksmithing makes me happy! Blacksmithing makes me strong!"
Sakazuki, Borsalinp, and Dragon fell silent.
'Damn Bastard!'
Repairing the training ground was a pain, but with three Logia users helping, it became much easier.
Broken ground? No problem, magma paving, anyone?
Too hot? A nice breeze to cool things down.
Too much debris? Whoosh whoosh, gone in a flash.
As for Hammer? A few swings here and there, and his part was done.
Once the training ground was restored, the four went their separate ways.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
The promotion ceremony arrived as scheduled.
This event was simple, tailored specifically for the "Monster Quartet."
The venue was grand, with plenty of reporters in attendance. After all, these four were the most outstanding rising stars in the Marines.
Fleet Admiral Kong's intention was clear: he wanted the world to witness the overwhelming strength of the Marines' new generation, further solidifying their influence.
On the high platform stood Fleet Admiral Kong "Sengoku," Admiral Sengoku, and Chief of Staff Tsuru. Below them stood the Monster Quartet, led by Sakazuki.
From left to right:
Sakazuki, Borsalino, Dragon, and Hammer.
Red, yellow, green, black an unmistakable lineup.
"Today's promotion ceremony is straightforward."
"Last year, the elite training camp, led by Admiral Zephyr, achieved tremendous success."
"From it emerged four young talents of extraordinary potential."
"Over the past year, each of them has proven their worth through remarkable achievements."
"After deliberation among the Marine higher-ups, it has been decided to grant them higher ranks."
Fleet Admiral Kong, a longsword at his waist (though it looked comically short for his three-meter-tall frame), spoke with visible satisfaction.
"Sakazuki!"
"Here!"
"By the authority of the Fleet Admiral, I hereby promote Sakazuki to the rank of Rear Admiral!"
Kong nodded approvingly at the iron-willed Sakazuki.
"Borsalino!"
"Yoh~"
"..."
"By the authority of the Fleet Admiral, I hereby promote Borsalino to the rank of Rear Admiral!"
'Damned monkey… Stay calm. My health comes first.'
"Dragon!"
"Zzz... Huh? Wha-? Here?"
Kong was gritting his teeth, trying not to explode.
"By the authority of the Fleet Admiral, I hereby promote Dragon to the rank of Rear Admiral!"
Kong's face twitched as he fought the urge to explode.
"Hammer!"
"Here!"
"By the authority of the Fleet Admiral, I hereby promote Hammer to the rank of Rear Admiral, and appoint him as Deputy Director of the Marine Logistics Armory!"
Kong had nothing but praise for Hammer.
!!!
Good news! Amazing news!
Hammer got promoted!!