How to be an Idiot #36

"Stand up straight!" I commanded, using the sheath to give Penguin a sharp tap on the back, eliciting a yelp from him as he straightened and resumed his punches. 

Moving on to Shachi, I observed his stance and adjusted his posture with a nudge from the sheath. "Raise your arm! Keep your center of gravity low!" I directed before turning my attention to Bepo, giving him a scrutinizing look. 

"Not bad," I commented, nodding in approval. "But put more spirit into it. No half-hearted punches," I urged.

Bepo's expression immediately fell, his shoulders drooping. "I'm sorry," he muttered in a downcast tone much to my bemusement. .

"Stop apologizing and get back to work," I said with a sigh, shaking my head. It had been three days since I woke up, and I had taken it upon myself to train my new crewmates rigorously. 

Thankfully, they were eager to improve, so I didn't receive many complaints about pushing them to their limits. However, Bepo tended to slack off occasionally when he thought I wasn't paying attention.

Naturally, I didn't exempt myself from the training. I pushed myself even harder, determined to lead by example. Whenever I had the chance, I sparred with Law to help him become more accustomed to combat without using his devil fruit. 

The only one spared from the training was Sif—I had no idea how to train a wolf, after all. Still, her attentive gaze during our training sessions always never failed to intrigue me. 

I was certain she benefited from them somehow. After all, she learned Geppo just by watching me. Who knows what else she'll pick up this time? Pushing aside these thoughts, I turned to Law, who was catching his breath by leaning on the railing.

"Alright, that's enough rest. Draw your sword, and let's continue," I instructed, my tone firm. "And remember, you can't use your devil fruit power, got it?"

Law let out a sigh at my words. "Why do I have to do this?" he grumbled. "It's like you're trying to get back at me for our fight back in Swallow Island," he added, shooting me a sidelong glance.

I couldn't help but laugh heartily. "Bwahaha! I can't deny I'm enjoying this!" I confessed, my amusement plain to see. "But it's for your own good too. You've got a powerful physique and a useful devil fruit ability, but you rely on it too much," I explained, raising a finger for emphasis.

"Not just you, but almost everyone I've met relies on brute strength and tricks to win their fights, and that's fine as long as you're stronger than your opponent," I continued, my tone growing serious. 

"But what happens when you encounter someone as strong as you, or even stronger? What happens when you meet someone who can see through your tricks?" I asked, the gravity of the question weighing on us both.

Law's irritation was evident in the twitch of his eyes. "I'm all for training, but I fail to see how getting pummeled by you will help me improve," he retorted, his tone laced with annoyance.

I let out a resigned sigh at his response. "I had hoped you'd grasp the concept during our spars, but your pride and stubbornness, fueled by your strength, seem to be getting in the way," I remarked, rubbing my forehead in frustration. 

"Fine. I'll break it down in a way even someone as thick-headed as you can understand," I added, walking over to Law.

He smirked at me. "I'm positively riveted," he replied, dripping with sarcasm. 

I rolled my eyes at his attitude but chose not to engage in an argument. "I'm going to launch a high kick aimed at your head, and I want you to dodge it," I explained matter-of-factly. "I'll make it slow enough so you can react in time, though you'll still end up getting hit," I continued, crossing my arms over my chest.

Law's frown deepened at my words. "Now you're just underestimating me," he muttered with a scoff. "Fine, let's see this miraculous kick of yours," he declared, assuming a defensive stance, ready to react.

With a deep breath, I focused solely on my movements, executing a textbook high kick with my right foot aimed directly at Law's head. It was fast enough to pose a threat but slow enough for him to dodge, which he did successfully by tilting his head to the side and ducking under the attack.

In most scenarios, this dodge would signal his chance to counterattack, exploiting my open position after the big movement. However, in the realm of true martial arts, I was far from done.

Pivoting my left foot, I swung my right ankle back until it nearly touched my thigh before swiftly bringing it down on Law's shoulder, catching him off guard.

Law's eyes widened in surprise as he instinctively raised his arm to block, but my strike was already in motion. He braced himself for impact, but at the last possible moment, I halted the attack, mere inches from landing.

"Mastering the art of deception and possessing raw strength is crucial, but in the heat of battle, split-second reactions are paramount," I lectured as I withdrew my foot and straightened up. 

"You must cultivate an arsenal of techniques that can be executed without conscious thought, without wasting even a fraction of a second contemplating your next move," I continued, emphasizing each word. 

"Those who hesitate, who overthink, are the first to die on the battlefield," I stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "It's a place where idiots thrive, so you should learn to shut off that overthinking brain of yours and act on instinct when necessity demands it!"

'That should be enough to break through his hard head...' I thought to myself, observing Law's reaction to my lecture. 

It was a technique straight out of the drill sergeant's handbook, the bread and butter of turning cocky recruits into disciplined soldiers though a drill sergeant wouldn't have hesitated to pound Law into the ground. However, I had my own reservations about taking things that far.

I'd been through the drill sergeant treatment myself when I joined the army. It was brutal but effective, shaping soldiers into unhesitant tools and killing machines in service of a greater cause, a necessary evil, and sacrifice. 

However, I wasn't trying to cultivate soldiers here; I was simply helping a crewmate improve. And Law wasn't the type to be molded into a mere soldier; he was more of a general, with his own ego and pride contributing significantly to his strength. 

I had no intention of breaking anything beyond his complacency and tendency to rely on his brute strength and devil fruit. After all, individuality and creativity were key in this world. 

Law pondered my words for a moment before resigning himself with a sigh. However, he didn't seem ready to admit defeat just yet. "So, in other words, you're just trying to turn me into an idiot..." He muttered, his voice trailing off as he gave me a blank stare. "Like you..."

I raised an eyebrow at his comment. "What's that? Mutiny in the ranks?" I teased, mockingly. "Shall I have you walk the plank, young swabby? Bwahahaha," I chuckled, not missing the bitter smile that crossed Law's face.

"Anyway, you can all take it easy for the rest of the day," I announced, turning to walk to the front of the upper deck, where I could see land on the horizon. Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi, who had been engrossed in their training, let out sighs of relief and collapsed onto the ground.

As Law walked up to stand beside me, I couldn't help but give him a bemused look. "I know I told you to chart our course, but couldn't you find a better first destination?" I remarked, grimacing at the sight of the garbage heaps and pillars of smoke rising from the island's center. "This place looks like a dump if I've ever seen one," I added, shaking my head in exasperation.

Law flashed a grin in response to my skepticism. "You know what they say about judging a book by its cover? Well, in this case, the cover pretty much sums it up," he remarked with a casual shrug. "This island? It's like one big garbage dump with a side of organized crime," he explained, his tone betraying a hint of amusement.

I shot him a dubious look. "So, what's the grand plan here?" I quipped, unable to suppress a chuckle. "Because right now, it looks more like a one-way ticket to trouble than a vacation spot."

"It's an island that's unaffiliated with the World Government. No laws, no rules, just constant gang wars," Law elaborated. "And that means we're free to pick this place clean without the Marines breathing down our necks," he added with a sly grin. "Plus, you won't have to feel bad about it since only the gangs have anything worth robbing anyway."

...

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