Chapter 40: The Final Stop of the Elite Training Camp—The Boeing Islands!

Chapter 40: The Final Stop of the Elite Training Camp—Boin Islands!

Time flew like an arrow.
Several months passed in the blink of an eye.
The elites of the Marine training camp had spent their journey navigating vast seas, raiding deserted islands, battling pirates, and punishing outlaws.
This fulfilling yet arduous training camp life was finally drawing to a close.
On this day, the Marine training vessel arrived in an unfamiliar sea area.
Across the boundless blue ocean, several vibrant, interconnected green islands blossomed quietly like giant flowers.
Broad and thick diamond-shaped leaves formed the landmasses of these islands. Forests with lush branches and dense foliage spread across the slightly pointed leaf-land, interspersed with brightly colored flower petals that possessed a fatal attraction.

On the wide deck of the Marine training vessel.
The elite recruits of this cohort stood in neat, silent formations.
At the forefront of the formation stood the most spirited and imposing top recruit of them all—Caesar!

Months had passed.
Compared to when he first stepped onto the training vessel, Caesar's strength had undergone earth-shaking changes.
A glance at his personal attribute screen made it crystal clear.

——
Name: Caesar Pete
Strength: C
Endurance: C
Agility: C
Leadership: C+
Haki: Unawakened
Luck: D (Enhanced by [Visitor from the Netherworld])
Overall Evaluation: D++
——

Through months of unremitting effort, coupled with the high-speed growth bonus of [Savage Body], Caesar's three main combat attributes had all reached the C rank!
His talent and information titles had not changed much.
As for his ability titles.
By continuously defeating elite Marines and repeatedly harvesting D-rank bait, Caesar had finally gathered all the components of the [Six Powers].
Upon gathering all six D-rank abilities, they transformed into a single C-rank ability title.

[C-Rank Ability Title: Six Powers]
[Title Description: Martial arts that surpass the limits of human physical endurance, possessing immense destructive power.]
[Title Effect: Mastered proficiency in all six techniques: Tekkai, Soru, Geppo, Rankyaku, Shigan, and Kami-e.]

Aside from the [Six Powers], Caesar had also upgraded [Precision Shooting] (E) to [Mastered Precision Shooting] (D), and [Beast Breathing: Total Concentration] (F+) to [Beast Breathing: Total Concentration: Constant] (E).
Additionally...
Caesar had also managed to stash away five million and five thousand Berries in private savings...
The luck of his [Fishing] skill was evident!

However, even though Caesar had fully mastered the Six Powers and elevated all his attributes to the C rank, strangely enough, his overall evaluation remained at the D rank.
D++ was still a D!
Caesar suspected that there was a massive threshold between the D rank and the C rank.
And that threshold was none other than the still-unawakened [Haki]!

Thanks to [Savage Body], Caesar possessed extraordinarily strong innate physical talents.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to transform from a "combat power of five" weakling with all F-rank attributes into a "D+ warrior" in just a few short months.
Unfortunately, when it came to [Haki], Caesar still could not grasp the trick to it.
He had once consulted Instructor Shuio, who was himself a master of Haki.
The instructor's reply had been: "Haki is a latent power possessed by all humans in the world; 'unwavering belief' is true strength!"
That's right!
Instructor Shuio's "answer" boiled down to just four words:
Unwavering belief!

As a half-transmigrator with mixed water in his foundations, Caesar did not yet possess such a firm and fervent combat conviction.
He could only rely on day-after-day grinding of Tekkai and Kami-e, hoping to somehow sense the power of Haki.

Standing in formation, Caesar was still pondering how to master Haki when he abruptly heard Instructor Shuio's announcement.
"This monthly assessment is also the final examination of this training camp!"

What?!
A startled Caesar suddenly raised his eyes to look at Instructor Shuio standing at the front of the formation. The instructor's stern and meticulous expression indicated that this was no joke.
The training camp was coming to an end?!
Caesar had no time to reminisce about the rich experiences of the past few months.
Instructor Shuio had already begun explaining the details of the final exam.
"Do you see that row of 'giant flowers' on the sea?" Instructor Shuio signaled toward the distance.
"Those 'flowers' are actually an archipelago of considerable size, known as the Boin Islands!
"For the entire month ahead, the members of the training camp will enter the Boin Islands separately to begin individual survival training!
"Everything on those islands will be part of your examination!"
At this point, Instructor Shuio couldn't help but take a deep breath and state solemnly: "May the odds be ever in your favor!"

Not long after.
Small boats were lowered from the sides of the Marine training vessel, carrying elite Marines toward the nearby Boin Islands.
Due to the large number of training camp members and the limited number of islands in the Boin Archipelago, each island would accommodate four to five Marine soldiers on average.
The people heading to the island with Caesar were Smoker, Vergo, and Pacifista-in-training Sentomaru—virtually the top seed group of this elite Marine training cohort!

With a calm expression, Caesar arrived at the Boin Islands and was dropped off first on a massive leaf.
Shortly after, the small boats carrying Smoker, Sentomaru, and Vergo slowly pulled away from the coast. The trainees were not placed in the same area of the island.
Only after the small boat completely vanished from sight did Caesar turn around to look at this brightly colored, flower-petal-like island.

The vast majority of Marine soldiers had never even heard of the "Boin Islands."
However, Caesar, who was thoroughly familiar with the original work, knew it very well.
The Boin Islands were the location where Usopp, the sniper of the Straw Hat Pirates, spent his two-year training period.
They appeared to be blooming flower-like archipelagos on the surface, but in reality, these "islands" were a collection of giant carnivorous plants floating on the ocean known as the "Barons of the Stomach"!

"A dreamy island filled with giant beasts and tempting food—I wonder if there's a corresponding otherworldly fishing zone for it!"
With practiced familiarity, Caesar pulled out an F-rank bait, tossed it into the dimensional sea, and immediately initiated fishing.

Over the past few months, whenever they reached a deserted island for an assessment, Caesar had tried to fish, though he rarely encountered a suitable "fishing" island.
So far, the only ones he had encountered were the Zombie Island corresponding to *Demon Slayer*, and the Future Kingdom corresponding to *A Certain Magical Index* series!
Caesar was eagerly anticipating that this "Boin Islands" featured in the original manga would also have a matching fishing world behind it!

Using his finger as a rod and his focus as a line, a fish took the bait!

[Current Fishing Harvest Type: Item]
[F-Rank Item: Whole Roasted Pork Tenderloin]
[Item Origin: Toriko]
[Item Description: Tenderloin meat from a giant pig whose entire body was thoroughly roasted to absolute perfection.]
[Item Effect: Satisfies hunger.]
[Item Evaluation: True self-service whole roasted pork.]

Caesar blinked slightly, and a chunk of roasted tenderloin emitting a rich aroma of herbs materialized in his hand.
"It's finally here!"
庸"A new otherworldly realm!!"
庸"Toriko!!!"