Sean had been in the Elite Training Camp for a month now.
For the first few days, he was utterly shell-shocked.
Every single day, the instructor would open the session with the same line...
"Everyone, 2,000 push-ups for a warm-up. Start now!"
This wasn't an exaggeration; such absurdity had actually happened in the original story.
Although Sean possessed the strength of a Marine Captain, there was a catch...
If he didn't rely on Spirit Power and looked strictly at his physical build, Sean might actually be inferior to some of the other students.
After all, no one had ever mentioned that a Shinigami's physical body was naturally powerful.
Actually, do Shinigami even 'have' physical bodies in the traditional sense?
If he didn't use Spirit Power to fuel the arts of Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō, then...
Gradually, Sean discovered where the problem lay.
Through his recent experiments—specifically using Spirit Power to drive Soru—he realized the potential for further application was immense.
While it lacked the fluidity of a Shinigami's Shunpo, if he continued to refine it, this hybrid version of Soru would likely be faster in terms of raw burst speed.
However, using this technique consumed both Spirit Power and physical stamina.
If his physical conditioning wasn't up to par, he would be severely limited during high-intensity combat.
Furthermore, he knew he would eventually have to learn the Haki system.
Otherwise, if he relied solely on techniques driven by Spirit Power, he wasn't entirely sure if he could actually damage a Logia user.
If it turned out to be ineffective, that would be a complete disaster.
And to learn Armament Haki, physical conditioning was an unavoidable prerequisite.
Because of this, Sean's performance on the first day had stunned everyone.
Without using Spirit Power, he collapsed after only about 150 push-ups.
Was this really the same person who had dominated Ain yesterday?
It was utterly ridiculous!
Anyone capable of performing a Soru faster than Ain's shouldn't possibly have such abysmal physical fitness.
The other students began to question their own reality after witnessing this.
Even Ain found himself wondering if the problem wasn't that Sean was too strong, but that her own strength had somehow plummeted.
Consequently, Zephyr called Sean aside to ask what on earth was going on.
Sean could only helplessly explain that he had never actually trained his physical body.
Of course, there were things Sean chose not to mention.
But Zephyr had taught countless students; he could tell at a glance that the boy was hiding something.
Combined with the pressure Sean released during combat—which was clearly not Conqueror's Haki—and the special energy that could enhance his attack power like Armament Haki, Zephyr reached a conclusion.
'This kid is hiding the source of his power?'
Thinking about it, it made sense. Whether he had accidentally acquired another power system or developed it while stranded on a deserted island, it was a dangerous secret.
If this ever got out, the first people to come for Sean would likely be the elites in Mary Geoise.
It was understandable why he would stay silent.
"Sean, remember: as long as the power system you currently possess hasn't fully matured, you are not permitted to reveal it to anyone!"
"Additionally, to make up for your physical shortcomings, I will be giving you private supplemental training for the next year. Be prepared!"
Hearing this, Sean nodded.
'I knew it. Zephyr is actually a decent guy for warning me.'
'Wait, Whitebeard Junior... Edward Weevil, right?'
'Perfect. I'll add him to my little black book of grudges when I get back.'
And so, for an entire month, Zephyr took Sean under his wing for private lessons.
Although Zephyr was the head instructor of the Elite Training Camp, he acted more like the eccentric principals from Sean's previous life.
When he was in the mood, he'd show up to lead a public class. When he found a promising seed, he'd take them as a personal disciple.
As for the average students in the camp, their routine curriculum was handled by other instructors; Zephyr didn't need to worry about them. He only paid close attention during the periodic evaluations.
Ever since Sean began training his physique with Zephyr, a new attribute—unrelated to the Shinigami world—appeared on his system panel for the first time.
[Sean Campbell]
[Zanjutsu: Lv.3 (0/1000)]
[Hakuda: Lv.3 (350/1000)]
[Hohō: Lv.3 (400/1000)]
[Kidō: Lv.2 (20/300)]
[Spirit Power: 1780]
[Physique: 399]
[Zanpakutō: None]
Exactly as expected: a "Physique" attribute had been added.
Clearly, because physical fitness couldn't be merged with any existing Shinigami attribute, the system had created a new one.
However, Sean wasn't sure what the measurement standard for this value was. What did "399" actually represent in terms of power?
What he did remember was that when this attribute first appeared a month ago, it was only 5.
Sean's first reaction was... if he abandoned the Shinigami system, he would probably be a complete weakling by the standards of the One Piece world.
Although Zephyr said he would provide a full year of supplemental training to fix his physique...
Sean was a man with a system.
Over the past month, he had even hit three random multipliers of 50x or higher.
If someone asked him to do 2,000 push-ups now, he'd probably think...
'This is way too easy. Why don't we double it? Let's do 4,000 just to warm up.'
"System, I want to multiply!"
"Multiply based on the quality of today's physique training. Begin!"
[Item to multiply confirmed. Determining random multiplier...]
[Ding! Today's physique growth gain is 0.5. Multiplier: 80x. Multiplication Applied.]
[Ding! Physique attribute increased by 40 points.]
Sean's eyes lit up.
Another massive multiplier.
His physique jumped from 399 to 439 instantly. He could clearly feel his physical capabilities becoming even stronger.
"Sean, let's test the results of this month's training!"
"The Science Unit just sent this over today. It's called a Power Measurer. Now, concentrate all your strength into your fist and strike it!"
"But do not use that energy inside you. Understand?"
Zephyr pointed to a dark, metallic device nearby.
A Power Measurer?
Perfect. He also wanted to know exactly how far his current physical build could go without relying on Spirit Power.
"Understood!"
Stepping forward with his left leg, Sean's entire body coiled like a drawn bow, poised and ready to spring.
Raw Strength and Spirit Power
Then...
BOOM!!!
Without utilizing a shred of Reiryoku, relying purely on raw physical strength, Sean unleashed his currently strongest blow.
The device proved to be incredibly sturdy, weathering the impact of the punch with ease. A moment later, a set of numbers began to flicker across one of the screens on the equipment.
439!!
'Huh? 439?'
It was exactly the same as the value of his physique attribute.
'So, physique equals Doriki?'
That didn't seem right. How could physique be exactly equal to Doriki? After all, Doriki was a manifestation of overall attack power; one could incorporate Armament Haki, Devil Fruit abilities, or various strength-enhancing martial arts to increase that value.
Therefore, physique and Doriki shouldn't be interchangeable!
Wait...
Suddenly, it clicked for Sean.
He hadn't used a Devil Fruit, Armament Haki, or any specialized martial arts, nor had he tapped into his Reiryoku. It had been a full-power strike using nothing but pure physical strength.
So, in the absence of any modifiers, the Doriki value was simply equal to one's physique?
While Sean stood there rubbing his chin in deep thought, Zephyr was completely stunned.
A month ago, Sean's physique had been inferior to that of an average Marine. How had it come to this?
A Doriki value of 439 already far exceeded the capabilities of a Captain. In the original story, the CP9 agents—excluding Lucci, Kaku, and Jabra—all had Doriki values ranging only between 600 and 800.
In other words, in just one month, Sean's raw physique alone had nearly reached the level of a CP9 agent.
"Sean, are you absolutely sure you didn't use that energy inside you just now?"
"I didn't! Old man Zephyr, you don't trust me, do you?"
'Anyone would find it hard to believe when you grow this much in a single month...' Zephyr complained inwardly.
However, a thought suddenly occurred to him. If Sean were to mobilize that special energy and try again, what kind of power would he reach?
Once the thought took root, Zephyr couldn't let it go. He was intensely curious to see exactly where Sean's true strength stood.
"Sean, try it once more. This time, combine the results of your month of physical training with that energy in your body. Let's see how much Doriki you can hit."
"Uh... Old man Zephyr, you're not going to make me pay for it if I break this thing, right?"
Sean felt a bit hesitant. While the device had held steady at 439, adding the boost of Reiryoku and the Hakuda techniques of the Shinigami...
The power would likely be at least five times greater than before.
'Seriously, is there a manual for this thing? What's the maximum limit it can take?!'
"Don't worry," Zephyr said with total confidence. "The Science Division told me this Doriki tester can withstand up to 3,000. Go for it! If you actually break it, I'll take the fall."