Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Sparring and Discovery
The sun had begun to set, casting long shadows across the training grounds of Marineford. The air was still thick with the excitement of the earlier sparring match, where Vulcan had fought against two of the top recruits and emerged victorious. His muscles ached, his breath was heavy, but a sense of pride washed over him. He had worked hard for this, and it was paying off.
As the crowd began to disperse, Vulcan walked over to the two recruits he had just defeated—Tatsuo and Ren—both of whom were still recovering from the intense fight. Tatsuo was rubbing his neck, clearly still feeling the effects of Vulcan's chokehold, while Ren was gingerly holding his ribs where Vulcan had struck him.
Vulcan extended a hand to Tatsuo, offering him a small, respectful smile. "Good fight. You gave me a real challenge."
Tatsuo blinked in surprise, then grinned as he reached up and took Vulcan's hand. "You hit like a damn truck. I thought you were gonna break my spine there for a second."
Vulcan chuckled as he helped Tatsuo to his feet. "Sorry about that. Didn't mean to get too rough."
Ren, still catching his breath, looked up at Vulcan with a sheepish grin. "Man, I've never seen anyone fight like that. You really know how to handle yourself."
Vulcan reached out a hand to Ren as well, pulling him up from the ground. "It was a pleasure sparring with you both. You're tough fighters."
Ren gave a small nod of appreciation. "We'll definitely have to do this again."
"Count on it," Vulcan said, a sense of camaraderie building between them. Despite the intensity of the fight, there was mutual respect in the air. They were all Marines in training, after all, working toward the same goal of becoming stronger.
As the last of the recruits filed out of the training grounds, Vulcan glanced toward the figure standing off to the side—Garp—who was watching the scene with a proud grin. Vulcan couldn't help but smile back. It had been a hard journey over the last six months, but Garp's brutal training was shaping him into a real fighter.
"Get some rest, brat," Garp called out, his voice booming across the field. "Tomorrow's another day!"
Vulcan nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. He had survived another day of Garp's training, but he knew that the real challenges were still ahead.
The Next Day: A New Challenge
The following morning, Vulcan woke with his muscles still sore from the previous day's sparring. The first rays of sunlight were creeping over the horizon as he made his way to the training grounds, ready for whatever Garp had in store.
When Vulcan arrived, he found Garp sitting on a wooden crate, predictably munching on a box of his famous rice crackers. The older man looked up as Vulcan approached, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Morning, brat!" Garp said through a mouthful of crackers. "Ready for another round of training?"
Vulcan nodded, though his body still ached from the previous day. "What's the plan today?"
Garp finished chewing before tossing a half-eaten cracker into the air and catching it in his mouth. "You've been doing well, so I think it's time to give you a real challenge. I've called in someone to spar with you today."
Vulcan raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "Who?"
Just as the words left his mouth, a figure appeared at the edge of the training grounds. Hina, one of the rising officers in the Marines, strode toward them with an air of confidence and grace. Her long pink hair flowed behind her, and her expression was calm, almost disinterested, as she approached Garp and Vulcan.
"Hina is here," she said simply, her voice smooth and cool. She stood with her hands on her hips, looking Vulcan up and down with a calculating gaze.
Vulcan's eyes widened in surprise. He had seen Hina around Marineford before but had never interacted with her directly. She had a reputation for being both highly skilled and incredibly disciplined, known for her strict adherence to Marine rules and her impressive combat abilities.
"You want me to spar with her?" Vulcan asked, glancing at Garp.
Garp grinned, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "That's right. Think of it as a test to see how far you've come."
Vulcan swallowed, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. Sparring with the other recruits had been one thing, but Hina was on a whole different level. Still, he wasn't about to back down from a challenge.
"All right," Vulcan said, stepping forward and preparing himself. "Let's do this."
The Sparring Match: Hina vs. Vulcan
The training grounds grew quiet as Vulcan and Hina squared off, standing a few feet apart in the center of the ring. Garp leaned back on his crate, watching with interest as the tension between the two fighters built.
Hina's expression remained calm and collected, as if she were barely interested in the fight at all. "Hina will not hold back," she said, her tone matter-of-fact.
Vulcan's muscles tensed as he braced himself for the first strike. He knew that Hina was fast, but he wasn't prepared for just how fast.
Before he could even blink, Hina was in front of him. Her hand shot out with blinding speed, catching him off guard as her fingers closed around his wrist. Vulcan tried to pull away, but it was too late. In one smooth motion, Hina twisted his arm behind his back, locking him in a vice-like grip.
Vulcan grunted in pain, struggling to break free, but Hina's strength was undeniable. With a quick twist of her body, she flipped Vulcan over her shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground with a loud thud.
The impact knocked the wind out of Vulcan, but he quickly rolled to his feet, shaking off the pain. Hina hadn't even broken a sweat.
"You're strong," Vulcan muttered, his breath ragged.
"Hina knows," she replied, her voice cool and unbothered.
Vulcan charged at her again, this time more carefully. He swung a punch toward her midsection, but Hina sidestepped effortlessly, her movements fluid and precise. She countered with a sharp kick to his side, sending him stumbling backward.
Vulcan barely had time to recover before Hina was on him again. Her hands moved like lightning, striking with pinpoint accuracy. Every time he tried to block, she was already a step ahead, easily slipping past his defenses and landing quick, devastating blows.
Then, without warning, Hina's movements changed. Her foot shot up in a wide arc, and Vulcan felt a sudden gust of wind as a sharp, slicing force cut through the air in front of him.
Vulcan's eyes widened as he realized what had just happened. She had just used one of the Rokushiki techniques—specifically, Rankyaku (Tempest Kick), a technique that allowed the user to send out cutting air blades with a simple kick.
Vulcan barely managed to dodge the air blade, the sharp force slicing through the ground where he had just stood. He stared at the mark it left, his heart pounding in his chest.
"That… that was one of the Rokushiki techniques, wasn't it?" Vulcan asked, his voice filled with awe.
Hina didn't answer, instead charging at him again with a flurry of strikes. But Vulcan's mind was racing, his body moving on instinct as he dodged her blows. The power and precision of the Rokushiki techniques had always fascinated him, but seeing it in action was a whole different experience.
In a matter of moments, Hina had him pinned to the ground again, her hand pressing down on his chest. "Hina wins," she said simply, her expression as calm as ever.
Vulcan lay there for a moment, catching his breath and processing what had just happened. He had lost—and lost badly—but he didn't feel disappointed. Instead, he felt excited. The Rokushiki techniques were incredible, and he wanted to learn more.
Curiosity Awakened
After the sparring match, Vulcan sat on the ground, rubbing his sore shoulder as Hina walked away, her job done. Garp, who had been silently watching the entire fight, finally stood up and walked over to Vulcan, his expression unreadable.
"Not bad," Garp said, though there was no hint of mockery in his voice. "But you've still got a long way to go."
Vulcan nodded, still catching his breath. "That move Hina used… that was one of the Rokushiki techniques, wasn't it?"
Garp's grin returned, his eyes gleaming with pride. "You've got a good eye, brat. That was Rankyaku, one of the six Rokushiki techniques."
Vulcan's heart raced with excitement. He had heard about Rokushiki before, but seeing it in action had sparked a new level of interest in him. The precision, the power, the control—it was everything he wanted to learn.
"I want to know more about them," Vulcan said, his voice filled with determination. "Teach me the Rokushiki techniques."
Garp chuckled, popping another cracker into his mouth. "Oh, you're not ready for that just yet. But if you keep up with your training… well, maybe one day."
Vulcan clenched his fists, his resolve stronger than ever. He wasn't going to stop until he mastered those techniques. He would prove himself, not just to Garp, but to himself as well.
And one day, he would stand on equal ground with fighters like Hina.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone