Physical training often shows rapid progress in the initial stages. However, as time goes on and the body adapts to the high-intensity workouts, the rate of improvement gradually slows. Eventually, when the body fully acclimates to the fast pace, ordinary training methods become largely ineffective.
Lately, the effectiveness of their training had been diminishing. Bellamy needed to come up with a more efficient method, and fast.
Gravity training, deep-sea pressure training, and waterfall training were the three best options he could think of. Gravity training was impossible for the time being, so it was immediately ruled out. Deep-sea pressure training was a bit too dangerous at their current level. The North Blue had Sea Kings, and not just anyone could go swimming in the ocean.
That left waterfall training as the only viable choice. Utilizing the high-pressure impact of the water flow to train all the muscles in the body was far more effective than hitting each other with iron rods. Bellamy knew there was a small waterfall on Minion Island.
So, he devised a month-long outdoor training plan. Before starting the plan, he gave everyone a day off to rest.
While the recent period of intense training hadn't completely transformed every member of the Bellamy Pirates, they had still made significant gains. Bellamy was particularly satisfied with their progress in learning Six Powers: Iron Body. With a little more effort, even the two delicate women were close to grasping the basics of Iron Body.
Being able to use Iron Body proficiently would at least give them a means of self-defense. Bellamy could then fight with more peace of mind when facing strong opponents in the future.
The technique of Iron Body was very similar to hard Qigong. It involved accelerating blood flow and tensing muscles to make the body as hard as iron. The biggest difficulty in learning this technique was self-discipline. As long as one persisted with high-intensity physical training every day, even a pig could eventually learn Iron Body. This was also a major reason why Bellamy was so insistent on forcing them to train. Once they got through this period, their future training wouldn't need to be so grueling.
That's right, Bellamy had already decided to suspend the "devilish training" plan next month. He himself would continue, of course, but he wouldn't be monitoring the other members so closely. True strength couldn't be forced. Without the determination to become stronger, how could one become truly powerful?
Among his companions, only Drake truly possessed the potential to become a powerhouse. Mia's dream was too vague to sustain her to the end. Muret's weakness was too obvious; her younger brother was her biggest vulnerability. And Ross... that guy didn't even have his own will. Who knew when he would truly awaken.
This was why Bellamy valued Drake so highly, even though he knew Drake was a spy. A spy, used well, could be a powerful fighter.
The Navy hadn't made any moves during the recent period of probing, further reinforcing Bellamy's judgment. He was confident he could manage the situation and gain enough power to protect himself before the Navy truly recognized him as a threat. What happened to Drake after that would depend on Drake's own choices.
Marine Calendar Year 1517, January.
The streets of Niyon Town were decorated with lanterns and colorful banners as the residents prepared to celebrate the New Year.
Inside the rebuilt dojo, Bellamy sat in a recliner, leisurely reading the newspaper. Today's headline: "Severe Drought in Alabasta." "Iceburg Successfully Elected Mayor of Water 7."
"Huh? There's news about Ace."
"Pirate Rookie! Spade Pirates Captain Ace Easily Destroys a Warship."
In a small box in the lower right corner of the paper, he saw another familiar name.
"So, Ace has already set sail at this time?"
An interesting discovery. Would Ace come to the North Blue? He was suddenly looking forward to it. Who would be stronger, him or the current Ace?
No, there was probably no need to compare them, since he didn't know Haki.
Thinking of this, Bellamy sighed heavily. "Haki... Haki."
Bellamy had asked Drake, but unfortunately, he didn't know how to train in Haki either. Learning Haki ideally required guidance from an experienced master; it was impossible to learn it by fumbling around on one's own.
The only hope now was the black market's intelligence network. He'd commissioned them to find any pirates who had escaped from the Grand Line back to the Four Blues. But that would take time, and there was no point in rushing.
A Logia Devil Fruit user had appeared in the Four Blues; Bellamy had to pay attention. After all, before learning Haki, Logia users were practically invincible to him.
Regardless of whether they would clash, a strong sense of urgency surged within Bellamy's heart when he saw Ace's name. While feeling the danger, he also felt excitement. If Ace had set sail, Luffy couldn't be far behind.
One day, they would meet on this vast sea. Of course, that was only if he was strong enough; small fry didn't even have the right to enter the Grand Line.
With no leads on Haki, Bellamy could only focus all his energy on the Six Powers. Mastering Life Return would also significantly boost his strength.
"I've mastered Iron Body, and I'm close to mastering Finger Pistol," he mused. "I've also got a bit of a grasp on Tempest Kick, but Paper Drawing... I just can't get the hang of it."
He wasn't worried about Finger Pistol and Tempest Kick. He'd already learned the prerequisite techniques; mastering these two was only a matter of time. It was only Paper Drawing that gave him a headache.
No one in the crew had learned this move yet. Even Mia, who had been researching it for a long time, couldn't grasp the key point of Paper Drawing. As for Drake, he had further refined his Iron Body, but Paper Drawing was a bit too much to ask of an Allosaurus.
In theory, the Navy's Six Powers were techniques that even ordinary people with average talent could learn. It shouldn't be this difficult.
Bellamy had a vague guess about the key to this move. The most important thing to learn Paper Drawing was probably a sense of crisis. And it had to be the kind of crisis that brought one to the brink of death.
Only this could explain why they couldn't learn Paper Drawing, even though ordinary soldiers could.