Facing Lieutenant Tarin's question, Ryu nodded and replied, "Yes, I felt that training with everyone was no longer meaningful for my strength, so I requested to train alone. The instructor agreed but wanted to test my strength first; if I could defeat him, he would allow it."
Lieutenant Tarin acknowledged this but frowned. "You're not wrong, we Marines has rules, and breaking them recklessly isn't wise!"
Ryu, feeling slighted, asked, "So what does the lieutenant mean?"
"Attend the training; I'll personally plan your physical training program!" Tarin smiled.
Ryu agreed but proposed a fight first to showcase his strength, which he had just received a side quest for: "Defeat Lieutenant Tarin!" The lieutenant accepted, and they began sparring.
After a fierce exchange, Tarin was forced to his knees, sweating heavily. "You're indeed impressive, but I'll report your training to my superiors," he admitted.
Ryu smiled, content with the outcome, and headed to the mess hall. His growing strength meant he needed to train, especially in the Purple Mist Divine Art, which had a high proficiency requirement. Plus, being a Marine offered potential tasks for earning rewards.
Meanwhile, news of their sparring quickly spread through Marineford. In the command room, Admiral Sengoku confronted Vice Admiral Garp about Ryu. Garp, having forgotten about the recruit, remarked casually that defeating a lieutenant wasn't surprising, given Ryu's prowess.
Sengoku, frustrated, pressed for how to handle Ryu, but Garp suggested letting him experience the Marine life before assigning him a position.
Back in the mess hall, Ryu noticed the attention he received; his reputation was growing. Upon returning to his dorm, he found his roommates silent, clearly discussing him. One finally asked about his ability to defeat officers.
Ryu smiled, "It's hard to say. Officers vary in strength, and I'm not sure where I stand either."
"Why are you still in the new recruits? With your strength, you could be an officer!" another roommate exclaimed, excitement in his voice.
"Marine officers aren't appointed solely based on strength!" Ryu chuckled.
After arriving at Marine Headquarters, Ryu knew he could likely contend with captain ranked officers. He recalled his encounter with Smoker in Loguetown, who was a captain but had the training background of a vice admiral.
Meanwhile, the instructors at the new recruits' camp convened to decide Ryu's future.
The next day, during morning exercises, all eyes were on Ryu due to his recent victory over Lieutenant Tarin.
"Quiet, everyone! New recruit Ryu, step forward!" the chief instructor announced.
"Yes!" Ryu jogged out.
"Due to your strength, the instructors have voted. You officially graduate from the new recruit camp today! After morning exercises, you may collect your new uniform and ID badge from logistics!"
Ryu was taken aback; he expected further evaluations, which could earn him more diamonds.
"Thank you, Chief Instructor!" He bowed, preparing to return to formation.
"Given your strength, you'll likely be promoted quickly as an official Marine member. I hope you remain true to your purpose, helping civilians and upholding justice!" The chief instructor encouraged him.
Ryu was perplexed. While he attended indoctrination courses about the Marines, he remained largely unaffected by them, often meditating instead. He had no real grasp of what "justice" meant in the Marine, especially since he had seen it portrayed negatively in anime.
However, that didn't matter now. Strengthening himself was the priority, and whether he continued in the Navy or defected was uncertain.
After morning exercises, Ryu went to logistics. Once the paperwork was completed, he was assigned to Commodore Brannew. Without hesitation, he submitted an application to set sail, but staff instructed him to wait for news. He then followed other personnel to his assigned dorm.
This new dorm was much better, accommodating two people, but with no roommate present, Ryu resumed his training.
Over these days, he noticed the best time to practice the Purple Mist Divine Art was early in the morning when the first rays of sunlight broke through. Its effectiveness during that time exceeded normal sessions significantly, yet he needed to train continuously to maximize his gains.
..............
Started editing the chapters now ^^
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